Moderation or Elimination?

I'm sure you've heard the phrase "everything in moderation" when it comes to eating. But, there are also plenty of diet plans and so-called health gurus that stress eliminating certain foods and food groups all together. So, which is it? Should you practice moderation or elimination?

Elimination: This is when you cut out a certain food or group of foods forever (or as close to forever as you can humanly manage). Some common foods that people eliminate are carbs, grains, dairy, high glycemic foods, sugar, artificial sugar, nuts, legumes, fruits, gluten, soy, etc.

Moderation: This means that you generally try to stay away from certain foods and food groups, but you're not going to die if you eat a slice of cake at a birthday party, or there's cheese on your gluten free pizza.

OK, so here's my take on elimination vs. moderation. First of all, you need to know what you're putting in your body. So, that means you read labels, you journal your foods, and you keep track of how you feel when you eat X,Y, or Z. With that being said, elimination should only be practiced if you have a specific food allergy or intolerance. If you are allergic to dairy, then ELIMINATE it. If you have celiac disease, then ELIMINATE gluten. If you are like me and your autoimmune disease is triggered by certain foods (like grains) then ELIMINATE those foods. But, if you are just on the latest fad diet and trying to keep up, then elimination is NOT for you.

Elimination is difficult. Let me repeat that: Elimination is difficult. Even if you have amazing will power, unless you live in a controlled bubble and never eat out or let anyone else prepare your food (like at a birthday party), you can't realistically eliminate foods in their entirety. Some gluten will sneak in,  a splash of milk will be added to a sauce somewhere, sugar will be a hidden ingredient in a restaurant, the dressing will contain soy, etc. I'm not saying that you should give up eliminating certain things from your diet if you have a medical NEED to do so. But, I am saying that you can't expect it to be easy.

For me personally, I strive to be gluten free, grain free, soy free, refined sugar free, and mostly dairy free (cheese happens LOL). But, I also know that when we eat out that's near impossible. I know that there are times when my kids will eat something that I try to avoid and I'll end up eating their leftovers. I also know that organic tortilla chips are incredibly addicting and my one major weakness. But, I also know that to the best of my knowledge, I'm not ALLERGIC to the things I try to avoid. I do, however, have Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism (an autoimmune disease) and avoiding these things makes a huge difference in how I feel and how my thyroid is controlled. So, if I eat grains, I notice the difference in the way I feel. I become more tired, I have intestinal issues, and I am even prone to breakouts. But, I'm also human and sometimes a girl just needs a bowl of chips!

So, unless you're dealing with a specific medical need to eliminate certain foods, I'd advise you to practice moderation. Moderation is much more realistic for most people. Moderation is much easier to maintain over time, and therefore, will keep you on track with your health and fitness goals in the long run.

What do your pictures say about you?

Too often, we focus on the number the scale tells us. We let us be defined and controlled by what that number is and what is says about us. The thing is, that number is the least of your worries. Of course you want to be healthy, and get your weight to a healthy level that you and your doctor agree about. But, there is something much more important than your weight. So, what is it?

Your confidence and how you feel about your body is a million times more important than your weight in numbers. Often times, when someone starts a weight loss program, they feel discouraged by their lack of progress. That is often caused because of the number on the scale not moving as quickly as they'd like to see it move. But, honestly, I couldn't care less what that number on the scale is. I'm not concerned with that number, for me or for you. I'm only concerned with how I feel, how my clothes fit, and how strong I am physically. The number on the scale is irrelevant.

Does that mean that you can stuff your face with junk and become a permanent couch potato? Absolutely NOT! But, it means that instead of obsessing about the scale, you should look inside yourself and really see how you feel. One thing that really breaks my heart is when I see people I love struggling with weight. I've been there and it's not a fun place to be. Some people are in denial and don't think they need to lose weight, and feel like being 300 pounds and sedentary is somehow healthy (it's not). Let me say this again, I don't care how much you weigh. I really don't. I'm not here to judge you or call you fat. But, if I can see that you're not happy, then something needs to change.

There are some people who will tell you that they're happy. They'll say that they're confident and proud of their bodies. But, actions speak louder than words. If you refuse to be photographed, or you photoshop or edit every picture taken of you until it looks nothing like you, then you have a problem. If you constantly hide behind people, strollers, tables, children, purses, or anything under the sun that you can put in front of you before a picture is taken, you have a problem. If you know how to "work the angles" in every single picture, you have a problem.

I'm not saying any of this to be judgmental. What I am saying is that you might not realize you're doing these things, but take a look at your photos and think about what your actions and body language says about you. Trust me, I've been in that place, and it was not a happy time in my life. Nobody is saying you have to lose 50, 75, or 100 pounds or more. Even if losing only 5 pounds puts you in a better mindset, then do it. It could be that simply getting to the point of walking a mile, or doing 2 push ups, or climbing a flight of stairs without being winded is your goal. Those are all great goals. And if accomplishing those goals will make you truly happy and give you greater confidence, then set your mind to do them.

It would be great to see pictures of people confidently standing in front of the camera, without anything blocking them and smiling a big and confident smile. It would be great to see pictures without editing and photoshopping, without props and good lighting and taken from the right angle. Your confidence, or lack thereof, shines through in your photographs more than you realize. By putting forth only the best edited, best lit, and perfectly manipulated photographs of yourself, you're only creating a fake image that is impossible to maintain over time. You're sending the message that you're not good enough and that you need all of this editing to be accepted. If you have kids, you're sending them the message that they should be ashamed of their bodies. Sometimes seeing yourself in these photos and realizing all the tricks you use to manipulate them can be the best motivation to get healthy. I can tell you from personal experience that the feeling of being able to stand proudly in front of the camera without any tricks is one of the best feelings there is.

Unfortunately, there's no easy way to bring up the topic of health and weight loss with someone close to you without them taking it the wrong way. Too often, people are so guarded about their health and fitness and will take any kind of advice as criticism, even if that's not how it's intended at all. That kind of reaction should be your first sign that something needs to change. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: to truly be successful in a health and weight loss journey, you need to look within. You need to find your motivation, find your purpose, and find out what bothers you the most. Don't kid yourself or you'll never succeed. And, if you need help along the way, don't be ashamed to reach out to others who've been through the same journey.

Why drive everywhere? Get moving instead!

One of the best ways you can get in shape is to just add in extra bits of exercise here and there to your normal routine. A lot of people say they don't have time to devote to a long workout, but you can easily add in short bursts of exercise here and there and do some real good for your health and body. 

The picture above shows my day yesterday. We get a box of organic veggies delivered weekly. We pick up at a central location in our town. So, instead of driving to pick them up yesterday, I rode my tricycle to the pickup. That's #1 in the picture. The produce box fit nicely in the basket of my tricycle and added a little weight to my ride home (#2). Then later in the evening, I rode over to my personal trainer's house (#3) and worked out in small group personal training (#4) and then rode home (#5). 

I could have driven to pick up our produce, and I could have driven to training. But, doing it this way let me enjoy the beautiful weather (although we did have some gusty winds on the #3 ride). And, I got to enjoy the scenery more and burn a few extra calories too. I got in an extra 12.78 miles yesterday that I would not have logged if I was driving. 

When the weather is nice, I try to jog, walk, or ride anywhere I can to get in that little bit of extra exercise. My feeling is that if you're blessed with the physical ability to do so, you should get moving as much as you can. And, you save a little gas in your car and do something nice for the environment at the same time. 

Tell me how you plan to get moving this week. I'd love to hear how you add in extra exercise to your normal routine.