Ahhh, Moderation… Probably the most hated, cringe-worthy word ever uttered to someone trying to lose fat. We are so used to the rules of dieting; eat this, not that, exercise like this for the best results and avoid these foods altogether that the thought of listening to our hunger cues and doing it on our own is down right scary.

Subconsciously we are led up the garden path of abstaining perfection until… your brothers wedding, your best mate’s birthday or Friday night work drinks. It goes a little something like this: all week deprive, restrict, and withdraw until come the weekend we are deemed to have done such a good job that we deserve a little treat! You have worked out as per the given schedule, not eaten the foods you love and cut back on your alcohol – it’s been tough! So it’s the weekend and what do we want to do – go all out. Monday rolls around and we are back on-board the diet train.

Not only is this incredibly bad for your digestive system it is also horrible for your mental health. Perfection should never be the goal and giving up the foods you love entirely, to me, is punishment.

There is a solution and it IS moderation, 365 days a year. But here is the trick: Save those indulges for special occasions and eat enough to be satisfied, have a bite or two of your favourite food EVERY day and be conscious nourishing your body to be at it’s best. Save those extra titbits for post workout or during the time when you are hungry. Remember hungry? Listening to cues that your body is sending is paramount – I’m hungry, full, tired or thirsty. It is so simple yet we complicate it by all ‘the rules’.

You are extra hungry after a long day at work, you crave certain foods due to hormonal cues and after a long run or exercise session, you get hungry. These times will balance out on the days when you are not super busy and you do get your rest – eat a little less.

Moderation is all about you. Creating a receptive and flexible metabolism where you are fueling your system with what it wants when it needs it.