Have you ever caught yourself saying ‘Everything in moderation, right?’
Maybe you say it, but don’t even realize it!
That was me. Until I started paying attention to my thoughts and words around the choices I was making daily that were making me sick.
Once I began paying attention, I noticed I used that saying A LOT!! Then I started to notice that lots of other people also use it frequently!
Today we’re talking about why I HATE the saying ‘everything in moderation’ and what it could mean if you use this saying.
Before we go further, if you’d rather listen to this info, hop on over to the podcast here.
When I began making healthy changes to my daily lifestyle, that included not just changing what I was eating, cleaning up my skin care products, etc, It also included listening to both my thoughts and the actual words that came out of my mouth.
What I noticed is that when I would say “Everything in moderation,” I was actually doing anything but moderation. This saying would pop out of my mouth when I was eating the worst of the worst foods and all I was doing was trying to make myself feel better about it.
WHAT EXACTLY IS MODERATION?
Moderation IS important when it comes to balancing out the healthy food we eat. For example, we don’t want to eat 4 apples a day, we want to eat ½ an apple for one serving and then later have a handful of berries, then with dinner have a banana.
We don’t want to eat carrots as our only vegetable every day. We need to mix in some kale and bell peppers and broccoli. We need variety of real food in order to get all the nutrients we need.
Now don’t get me wrong….I love and still eat treats. And I will NEVER tell you that you can’t have treats again. BUT most of us are consuming way too many treats, too much sugar, too much bad food in general.
So start to pay attention to your thoughts and words. Catch yourself when you say “Everything in moderation” and question is it really moderation?
After I began noticing that I was using that phrase so that I wouldn’t feel guilty about what I was consuming, I started noticing SO many other people use it that way too.
For example, I’ve heard things like “I really feel that it’s necessary for kids to have treats so that they have a good childhood. Of course it’s all in moderation” while the kids are eating some combination of chips, candy, processed foods, drinks with sugar and artificial flavor, and baked goods EVERY day.
That is NOT moderation.
We use moderation like it’s a measurement. We say it to make ourselves feel like we’re not overdoing it, like it’s just the right amount.
Even for those of us who feel like our kids and ourselves are getting enough healthy things (or at least more healthy things than other people – that’s another phrase to watch out for), many of us are still consuming sugar, artificial flavor/color, vegetable oil, etc., daily and it’s harming our health.
SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
This really is a personal choice, NO ONE can tell you what moderation is for you or your family.
Here are some questions I like to ask myself and my clients, family and friends when the ‘everything in moderation‘ saying pops up:
We know that sugar contributes to ALL disease…inflammation, cancer, pain, headaches, depression, etc. Exactly what amount of sugar will it take for you to experience a negative affect?
If you feel like your sugar habit and cravings may be a problem for you, I’ve created a free ‘Kick the Sugar Habit’ worksheet that you can snag here.
We know that artificial color leads to ADD like behavior. Some have even been linked to cancer and they also contribute to other health issues. What amount of artificial color will it take for you or your loved ones to experience a negative affect?
STOP AND BE MINDFUL
Here is why the “Everything in Moderation,” saying can be really dangerous…
First, like I said we use it when we’re consuming stuff we know we shouldn’t be as a way to make ourselves feel better about it.
Second, all the bad things we’re consuming PLUS the toxins we’re exposed to in our food, skin care products, cleaning products, etc. have a cumulative effect.
So of course having something unhealthy or being exposed to some household toxins every once in a while will most likely not cause any negative health issues.
BUT, overtime, the more exposure we have means our body has a harder time functioning properly – we get tired, overweight, sick.
If I had been tracking the junk I ate JUST by how many times I thought or said ‘everything in moderation’ I would have realized much sooner that I was consuming a whole bunch of junk and that was a huge reason why I was so sick.
Now if you never say or think ‘everything in moderation’ does that mean you’re doing it all right? Maybe, but it’s definitely not the only indicator to go by.
I want to bring some awareness to that saying and that we need to be mindful of it.
Next time you catch yourself or someone else saying ‘everything in moderation’ STOP and pay attention to what it is that is about to be consumed and ask yourself ‘is this really in moderation’?
This post is not meant to make you feel bad about your choices – that’s never my intention. Over the years that I’ve been practicing making healthy choices, I’ve learned that our thoughts are the #1 thing that determine the choices we make and the quality of life we have.
My intention with this post is merely to help you bring attention to your thoughts and words.
Remember as we know better we do better.
Bri
Brianne Pruitt is a wife, mom, Registered Nurse and Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. After winning the battle with her own brain fog, Bri became passionate about guiding mom’s through the journey of busting their brain fog so that they can be the energetic, happy mama they crave to be. www.hippiedippiemom.com
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