Defining moderation

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it” -- Oscar Wilde

While I appreciate Wilde’s sentiment, I have to argue when it comes to edible temptations. We can’t possibly give in to every desire that comes our way. Not if we want to fit comfortably into our beloved jeans or, more importantly, live past the age of 35. For us to enjoy good health and a decent life expectancy we need to show some restraint in the food department.

But what does moderate eating look like? Early in my career, the concept of moderation baffled me. I struggled with helping patients apply it to their daily lives. It felt wrong to tell them exactly what they should eat but I also felt I wasn’t providing enough guidance. 

Then I heard about the 80-20 eating philosophy from Patricia Chuey, a registered dietitian and entrepreneur. Chuey believes the 80-20 guideline provides a more realistic approach to eating compared to the “all or nothing” mentality. We feel less intimidated once we realize we don’t have to be perfect eaters to be healthy.

Chuey’s philosophy supports eating and drinking portion-wise amounts of whatever our little hearts desire but with one major caveat: if we're trying to stay healthy we should aim to eat well at least 80 per cent of the time. The remaining 20 per cent of our eating can be pleasurable indulgences that are not necessarily high on the nutrition totem-pole. 

“If we can honestly reflect back on a day or a week and say we made healthy choices at least 80 percent  of the time, we’re doing well. Does this mean we should intentionally eat unhealthy food 20 per cent of the time? Absolutely not.”, says Chuey. She goes on to caution against using healthy Monday to Friday eating to justify a weekend-long food frenzy.

When we do indulge, though, Chuey is passionate about making delicious food choices. Getting great pleasure from food provides us with satisfaction and a sense of well-being. Regular treats such as chocolate, a glass of wine, or ice cream, can minimize feelings of deprivation and help stifle urges to overeat. We're more apt to eat moderately when we know there will be other opportunities to enjoy these foods.

Besides being mindful of food choices and portions, Chuey also encourages us to be aware of our satiety, meaning how full our stomach feels. Whether we're eating tofu stir-fry or creme caramel, we need to practice stopping when we feel comfortably full. Even munching on carrots to the point of popping a shirt button just isn’t healthy.