At WAG Nutrition, we know there is no such thing as “good foods” and “bad foods.” But, when it comes to making nutrition choices you’re proud of, there is nothing wrong with making the healthy choice the easy choice.
Some (lucky) people can keep treats and junk food in the house and walk right by them without thinking twice. But for most of us, keeping the most tempting foods out of sight and out of mind makes it much easier to stay consistent with our nutrition plan.
Abstainers vs. Moderators
Let’s discuss the difference between “abstainers” and “moderators” and why knowing which camp you fall into is important.
What is a Food Moderator?
Food moderators…
- Can enjoy treats without overconsuming them.
- May feel overly restricted and stressed at thinking of “avoiding” a specific food.
- Find that occasional treats increase their adherence and strengthen their commitment.
- Can portion out a serving size of food, enjoy it, and then move on without continuing to feel tempted by that food.
What is a Food Abstainer?
Food abstainers…
- Find it hard to stop eating at “just one” or “just one serving”
- Often overindulge when eating “treat” foods.
- Prefer having more rigid boundaries to structure their diet or general nutrition plan.
- Aren’t tempted when they’ve declared a food “off-limits”
Knowing if you’re an abstainer or moderator can help you create an environment that supports your mindset and needs. But, what if you still don’t know which you are?
Can You Be a Food Abstainer and a Food Moderator?
You may sit comfortably in one of these camps, but it’s not that cut and dry for most of us. A few things that can impact if you’re an abstainer or moderator are:
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The specific foods you choose: Some foods may act as triggers, whereas others may be fine to keep in your pantry and cupboards. For example, maybe you can moderate ice cream but not potato chips.
Identifying which foods you can moderate and which you need to abstain from can help you from feeling deprived of foods you like while setting your environment up for nutrition success.
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Your calorie deficit and current goals: You may find that when you’re in a deep deficit, it is easier to keep tempting foods out of your environment.
This happens because your body is more likely to cue you to overdo high-calorie foods when you eat less overall, and hunger is high. Willpower also decreases when you’re hungry and tired! When you have more macros to play with and lower hunger, you may be able to keep treats around without feeling tempted.
Recognizing which foods you can moderate (and which you may need to abstain from) based on your current goals, calorie intake, and cravings will go a long way in helping you stay consistent.
Once you’ve nailed down which foods you can moderate and which you should abstain from, remove treat foods from your house. After all, it is much easier to walk by a tempting food once in the grocery store than to walk by it hundreds of times at home.
What are “Buffer Foods” and How Can They Help?
A buffer food allows you to satiate a craving with an alternative, healthier option. For example, you could replace Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with chocolate protein pudding at night's end to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Buffer foods can help you avoid instinctually grabbing foods that don’t serve your goals. YOu may find that the less frequently you eat “treat” foods, the less you crave them. This shifts habits away from regularly choosing those foods and allows you to experiment with other tasty ways to fill macros.
Final Tips for Abstainers and Moderators
If you regularly go over your macros due to a certain food or regularly save up lots of macros to indulge in a large portion of treats, try experimenting with a few days of eating without that food or swap it for a healthier “buffer” option. After a week or two, you might start to notice fewer cravings and more energy throughout the day due to having more “free” macros to spread out and improved (easier!) progress.
Check out our Environmental Overhaul for more ideas on making your space more supportive of your goals!
