Everything in moderation sounds like a reasonable approach to life. The only problem is that it never worked for me.
What is moderation? When I used to drink, news reports on alcohol recommended that an adult shouldn’t drink more than 2 drinks per day. At the time, many articles promoted red wine and even drinking certain types of beer as “healthy”. My method of complying with this “moderation” was to consume two mixed drinks a night that contained over half a bottle of gin. Or, if I was drinking wine, to limit myself to two 16 oz. glasses of wine (and eventually working my way up to two entire bottles).
Or, when eating out at a restaurant, I’d moderate by not getting dessert and not eating all of the bread brought out before dinner. In the meantime, I’d feast on appetizers, soup, salad and an entree that contained several days worth of calories, all the while wondering why I couldn’t lose weight.
Moderation is easy – when I need to moderate something I don’t want. I’m really good at moderating attendance at nightclubs and concerts and professional sporting events- because I dislike them all.
It requires zero effort for me to moderate how fast I drive. I’m a defensive, cautious driver who obeys speed limits.
But if I want something – a woman, money, ice cream, nuts, booze – it is impossible for me to practice moderation.
Believe me, I’ve tried.
Something else does work for me. Abstinence.
Eventually, my cravings and obsessions disappear.
If moderations has been failing you too, I recommend giving my method a shot.