Have you heard someone suggest 80/20 when it comes to food or healthy eating? Or maybe it was phrased as “All Things in Moderation” that came in the form of seemingly sound advice. If you’ve heard that, I can tell you one thing - you didn’t hear it from me.
I don’t subscribe to any of that talk. Here’s why: would you say 80/20 is a great plan for an alcoholic? Just don’t drink 80 percent of the time and the other 20% go ahead and binge on alcohol. How would that work out? Or would you tell an obese person who wants to lose weight to just eat All Things in Moderation? Perhaps one pan of brownies might seem like moderation to them. How would they know? Who would judge what moderation looks like for someone who is used to eating a lot? And what about the person with a food allergy or sensitivity? Should they just suck it up 20% of the time, use their epi pen or deal with the repercussions of their food reaction so as to not be too “extreme”.
The 80/20 rule and All Things In Moderation are nothing more than sound bites that seem rational. But in reality they are lies intended to coerce and deceive you. Even worse, they vilify the valiant efforts of those who are actually doing their best to avoid things like alcohol or sugar or foods that harm them. It makes us the weirdos. And it makes all things permissible. It’s like the alcoholic’s buddy who says “oh come on, surely you can have just one drink”. Using those sound bites with someone working hard on their health is like being the devil on their shoulder. They start to question themselves, wonder why they can’t be like “everyone else” who can eat the sugar, gluten, etc. For a moment they forget how bad they will feel or how much their health has improved.
No, I’m sorry .. but it’s not rational to eat or drink all things in moderation if your immune system will react to certain foods or if you are someone with a food addiction or if they are simply NOT GOOD FOODS. We should be encouraging our friends to eat well and not enticing them to eat sugar with us if they are trying not to.
That’s where I come in - the recovering sugar addict turned sugar nazi. I’ve lived without sugar for almost 20 years and for a lot of people that’s EXTREME. They want to tell me to loosen up, have a little cake, live a little. And I get it. For them, life without sugar feels sad, deprived .. ha even depraved. But for me, life without sugar is steady, peaceful, smooth. I gave up sugar because I connected the dots and saw what it did to my mood and how I treated my kids after eating it. I would get super fun (high) and then I would get super crabby (low). It acted just like a drug in my body, not to mention how it disrupted my gut microbiome and immune health.
So yeah, I gave it up - totally. And you know what happened? I survived, in fact I thrived, my health soared, my energy skyrocketed and best of all I became more patient, calm and connected to my kids. That was and is 100% worth not having the birthday cake.
Not everyone is as sensitive to sugar as I am, but “All Things in Moderation” is the sound bite that deceives people into thinking it’s ok to have some junk in their diet or to treat themselves with some indulgence - to not be too rigid or restrictive. It’s the call to be "normal" or go with the flow. But friends, God doesn’t tell us to go with the flow or take the path that everyone else is taking, does He?
My sound bite is “play it to the end”. Ask yourself what happens AFTER I eat that food, drink that drink? Does it cause more cravings? Does it zap my energy? Does it make me feel sick, gross, bloated, hyper? And then ask yourself, is eating this thing really serving me well - is it raising my vibration as a human being or lowering it? Do I get tired or grumpy after I have it .. or later that night? Do I argue with my spouse or kids more after a night out? Do I get the important things done, and done well? Most importantly .. did eating that food or drinking that drink do ONE truly positive thing for me?
Just become more aware - pay attention to how things effect you so you can decide for yourself whether it’s something that belongs in your life or not. And then once you make that decision - be strong in it - and not just 80% of the time. Is it easy? No sir. But it gets easier with time. And remember, you can do all things through God who strengthens you. I know I couldn't do what I do on my own strength.
Being different may scare you - you may want to be part of the “cake eating clan” but just make sure you are making the choice 100% consciously. My only reason for sharing this is to let you know that it’s possible to feel amazing, have a clear head and a peaceful feeling inside but you may have to do hard things - like giving up certain foods that you think you love or a lifestyle that you are used to. You may have to become someone with resolve - who isn't easily swayed or coerced and who can see how long term benefits overpower short term pleasures.
I believe that God led me on this path to show me where my joy really comes from --and it's not food. I thank Him for showing me the way to get free of sugar and for giving me a chance for a very different way of life.
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