So in my last post about the gluten-free diet trend, I included a link to Gretchen Rubin's post on abstainers and moderators because I found it so fascinating. I thought I'd go into a little more detail and ask are you an abstainer or a moderator?
I first heard about Gretchen Rubin through one of my favorite podcasts, The Fat-Burning Man by Abel James, and she explained how abstainers and moderators deal with diet. I had this AHA moment! When it comes to my eating habits and especially with sugar, I have to avoid it all together. As I've mentioned many times I'm borderline Type 2 diabetic and sugar is my kryptonite. Whenever I have something deliciously sweet, I eat way too much and it stays on mind for weeks on end. I'll just keep craving it and feel a desperate need to satisfy that itch. So for me it's much easier to just not eat anything sweet because a little will send me over the edge and I can't stop. There's a part of me that feels guilt over the fact that I have no control when it comes to certain types of food. Now I feel like it's a coping strategy for certain types of people, it's either all or nothing. I am an abstainer!
Then there's the moderator. Awhile back a friend posted a vlog about her weight struggles and I offered some advice that I found helpful in my own journey. It was something to the tune of "just let go of those foods that are holding you back" and switch to a clean diet cold turkey. She was not having any of it and said she could never give up her favorite junk foods. At the time I felt sad by her response, but maybe she's right. Perhaps the idea of abstaining from mac-n-cheese would drive her fucking nuts and she might just cut someone! I'm exaggerating, but you get me. She might just be a moderator and needs to have the occasional indulgence to keep her sane. Unlike me, moderators need a weekly cheat meal or a daily sweet fix in order to stay on track overall.
If you want to start making some healthy changes in your life, this might be worth figuring out early on in your journey. It can be useful with your efforts especially when you've fallen off the wagon (which will happen) and you feel hopeless.
Additional Reads
As an abstainer, I'm against the concept of moderation
A link to Gretchen Rubin and the podcast with Abel James
And if you haven't listened to the The Fat-Burning Man, your missing out!
(Pictured above is yours truly at my cousin's wedding during the Viennese hour. One small dessert would have been okay, but I just couldn't deal and loaded up. Then I went back for more... Oops)
If you want to start making some healthy changes in your life, this might be worth figuring out early on in your journey. It can be useful with your efforts especially when you've fallen off the wagon (which will happen) and you feel hopeless.
Additional Reads
As an abstainer, I'm against the concept of moderation
A link to Gretchen Rubin and the podcast with Abel James
And if you haven't listened to the The Fat-Burning Man, your missing out!
(Pictured above is yours truly at my cousin's wedding during the Viennese hour. One small dessert would have been okay, but I just couldn't deal and loaded up. Then I went back for more... Oops)
