"Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health."

More often than not, we feel as if we aren't the ones in charge of our lives, unable to break away from certain habits that are getting in the way of becoming healthier. One of the reasons people following a fitness plan "cheat" is that they feel deprived. Any sensible program allows for flexibility and makes room for the occasional frosted brownie or milkshake. Moderation in eating is to avoid excessive consumption. If you are attempting moderation, you are staying away from both ends of the spectrum - excessive deprivation and starving.

Here's our word for seasonal treats….MODERATION!

• It's a popular misconception that health coaches/fitness pros only eat broccoli and chicken.
• Or that we were somehow magically gifted with the desire to only eat so-called "health foods."
• I can only speak for myself here, but I love food and also love to indulge once in a while in my favorite seasonal/holiday treats!!
• Here's how ro do it and still feel healthy and strong …
• Make sure to choose my favs and watch portion size.
• Seriously, it's the things we do CONSISTENTLY that make all the difference! Not the things we do every once in a while.

Balance and moderation

Balance and moderation are two things that we should apply to our lives, beyond healthy eating and exercising. Everything we do either contributes to our health or is detrimental to our well-being. Good times are not lasting, but neither are bad times. Everything is transitory and it is something that is enough to give you lots of happiness. There is always hope. Give some thought to your own habits, re-examine your bad ones, and work on them.

Moderation is key!

Moderation is key to a healthy lifestyle, as it reintroduces balance into our lives. In desperation to becoming fit or shed weight faster, do not get swayed away by crash-dieting. Moderation requires mindfulness to recognize your baseline with ongoing adjustments as your body adapts, as your physical needs fluctuate. With restrictive diets in the backdrop, moderation makes a lot of sense. It restores a sense of freedom and allows you to feel more in control of your food.

Moderation is personal

Nutritional needs are unique to each person - which is why you must decide what moderation means for you. Eating in moderation can include anything from scaling back portion size, pushing away your plate when feeling full, adding more nutritional variety to your meals. Dietary and caloric needs vary from person to person which means that what is the moderate intake for one person can be excessive or inadequate for another person. The first step to define moderation is to determine your recommended target intakes for grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein as well as the total number of calories per day.

Adopt the occasional indulgence

Wouldn't it be nice if calories didn't count? But since they do, turns out we can't all just eat what we want all the time if we wish to live a healthy life. Healthy eating includes lots of sensible choices with a few indulgences thrown in. The most important reason why it's okay to indulge is that it stops you from overdoing it out of feelings of deprivation. In an otherwise healthy diet, eating a piece of chocolate cake isn't going to ruin your whole weight-loss plan. But remember, moderation is not a free ticket to eat or do what you want regularly. Quality of food and your personal background and bio-individuality construct moderation.

Moderation never means deprivation

Eating in moderation is a way of life, not a way of dieting. If you choose to practice this, you may find a new sense of confidence and awareness of yourself. As you begin to eat what you desire, in the amounts your body needs, you will probably find yourself eating a more balanced and wider selection of foods.

Make deliberate, small indulgences, knowing it's just a 1% deviation that is actually part of your big plan to stay on track!

Life is no fun if you can't have a cookie or a small order of French fries once in a while. As long as you're not indulging every day, it's totally OK to have a brownie at a party and thoroughly enjoy it without feeling guilty. Food is something that will always be a part of our lives. This is an endless process. So take the guilt out of it. Be free. Be kind to yourself.

What do you think? Do you have a health strategy for the holidays? Let me know in the comments!

Follow the tips above to help make sure that you do everything in moderation. Listening to your personal trainer and being faithful to your online fitness classes can help you reach your fitness goals and loose weight in no time. The best fitness trainers are here at Stronglife offering online fitness programs. Stronglife offers the best online fitness coaching in Australia. Reach out today.