Moderation Isn’t a Plan (It’s a Vibe)
Why “just eat in moderation” is about as helpful as telling someone to “just relax” during a fire drill.
When I first became a dietitian—bright-eyed, freshly credentialed and still under the delusion that meal plans were magic—I did what most well-meaning professionals do: I handed people The Plan. It had rules. It had calorie ceilings. It had charming lists of things to cut out, like carbs, joy and the will to live.
And, to be fair, it worked. For about five minutes.
People would lose weight, feel smug, maybe even post about it on Instagram with a #newme. Then real life would roll in—stress, emotion, a late-night pantry visit—and they’d end up elbow-deep in a family-sized bag of chips, wondering why the hell it’s so hard to “just stick to it.”
And that’s when it hit me:
This isn’t working. Not in a way that lasts.
I wasn’t helping people change how they relate to food.
I was helping them delay the collapse of another unsustainable plan.
So I backed up.
Rethought the whole thing.
And like many do when they tire of rules, I flirted with that seductive, middle-ground idea: moderation.
You know the drill:
“Just eat what you love… in moderation.”
“Have cake… but not too often.”
“Don’t restrict… but maybe don’t have too much, either.”
Sounds lovely, right? Like sipping pinot while artfully placing microgreens on your plate.
The problem?
Moderation isn’t a strategy.
It’s a vibe. A mood. A well-lit Pinterest board.
The Trouble with “Just Moderation”
When someone tells you to “just eat in moderation,” what they’re really saying is:
“I don’t have a plan. But I hope you figure it out on your own and don’t blame me when you don’t.”
Moderation sounds sensible, balanced, grown-up.
But unless you define what it means for you—it’s basically a dietary shrug.
Here’s how “moderation” often plays out in the wild:
“Just one Tim Tam…” (proceeds to eat the sleeve)
“Just one glass of wine…” (served in a bucket with a stem)
“Just a few chips…” (eats them all so they’re not a ‘temptation’ tomorrow)
Moderation is fuzzy. It shifts depending on mood, stress and how close payday is.
It’s not a problem because it’s “bad”—it’s a problem because it’s not clear.
Your Brain Hates Vagueness
Here’s the neuroscience bit:
Your brain doesn’t love ambiguity. It loves certainty. It wants to know:
When am I eating?
What am I eating?
When am I done?
“Eat in moderation” is like giving your brain a scavenger hunt with no map and then acting surprised when it ends up face-first in the biscuit tin.
Research backs this up:
Specific, measurable goals change behaviour.
“Eat less sugar” is vague.
“Bring a piece of fruit to work instead of hitting the staffroom biscuit jar” is clear.
Your brain needs a nudge, not a metaphor.
Moderation Is Relative (And That’s the Issue)
If you grew up on Coco Pops and cordial, then having one soft drink a day might feel moderate.
But that’s not “moderate” in terms of what your body needs. That’s just less than before.
Same with veggies.
If your usual vegetable intake is a lonely slice of tomato on your burger, then eating a salad twice a week might feel like a major improvement.
Still doesn’t make it “enough.”
Moderation measured against chaos?
Still chaos—just wearing beige.
So What Works Instead?
I’m not anti-small changes. I’m anti-foggy ones.
Here’s what actual strategy looks like:
“I’ll add a handful of greens to lunch each day.”
“I’ll pour a glass of water before pouring wine.”
“I’ll walk around the block after dinner instead of collapsing into Netflix with snacks.”
That’s real. Measurable. Repeatable.
And doesn’t require you to develop a monk-like detachment from cake.
From Vibe to Habit
Next time you catch yourself saying, “I just need to eat in moderation,”
pause and ask:
What does that actually mean?
When exactly will that happen?
What would it look like on a Tuesday night at 9pm?
If you can’t answer that clearly, you’re not “moderating”—you’re stalling.
So make it boring. Make it specific.
Put it in your calendar.
Not because you need to become a robot.
Because you need to stop relying on feelings to make food decisions in a world full of feelings.
Final Thought
Moderation sounds kind. Reasonable. Balanced.
But in practice? It’s a vague hope dressed in wellness jargon.
And lasting change isn’t built on vibes.
It’s built on trust.
Clarity.
And small decisions repeated often enough that they become how you live.
So forget “moderation.”
Pick something concrete.
Try it.
Repeat it.
Adjust it.
Let it become a thing you do, not just a thing you wish you did.
You don’t need rules or restrictions.
You need habits that work with your life—not against it.
And if you need help figuring that out?
I’ve got you.
Let’s turn the vibe into something solid.
(And keep the chocolate. We’re not monsters.)