Real Decisions and Moderation
Published 9:49 am Thursday, September 5, 2019
By Dr. Glenn Mollette
Columnist
Our lives are the summation of our decisions. We can decide to go forward. We can decide to stay the same. We can decide to make critical decisions that can make our lives better, healthier and more meaningful. Often, the worse decision is to make no decision at all.
If we decide to eat 3000 calories a day, we will probably gain weight. If we decide to cut back on daily food portions, we will normally lose weight. We make decisions about our eating patterns. Sometimes our decision is a strong mental assertation pertaining to what we are going to do every day. Sometimes our decision is to just follow our urges and satisfy any and all cravings without regard to what the outcome will be.
I suppose it would be nice if we could do whatever we want without worry of reaping what we sow but it doesn’t work that way.
If you drink soda pop, eat potato chips, candy bars, fatty foods, drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes every day you will have severe poor health. Our bodies were not made for all the junk we would like to consume. One sugary soda pop a day ups your risk of type 2 diabetes by 18 percent over ten years. Some people drink two or more every day. Consider some moderation and maybe drink one a week.
The decision to consume excessive amounts of alcohol will lead to fatty liver. Many people seem to be able to have two or three drinks a week without problems. However excessive drinking can turn into alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. If you have become an alcoholic then you can’t drink occasionally. You have to stop and use all resources available so that you don’t start again. A very good friend of mine died two months ago from fatty liver disease. It wasn’t just from drinking alcohol, but it was part of her lifestyle that ended her life at an early age.
There are various causes of obesity ranging from overeating to physical inactivity to psychological issues and hypothyroidism and more. Which affects you? Is it your thyroid problem or is it because you eat or snack four or five times a day? A fitness friend of mine says he eats five times a day. He looks fantastic but he never eats more then 300 to 400 calories per meal. This takes planning and determination, but he has proven it can be done. Some people simply have to limit their intake to one meal a day with maybe a tiny morning and late day snack. You’ll have to experiment with what works for you, but it will be your personal decision that no one else can make for you.
The point of all this is that we make our decisions and we need to think about what and how much we are putting in our mouths every day. A good meal with balance should be a daily pleasure and a wonderful, happy experience. Think about it and keep the practice of “moderation” and “balance” in mind.
Regardless, remember it’s important for “you” to take responsibility of your life and make real decisions.