Hello again lovelies. I’m back recharged and revived after a digital detox between Christmas and New Year. Ok, so it wasn’t really a hard core detox, as you know that I’m not really into extremes. But more a temporary switch off from social media and blogging to help me recalibrate to strike a healthy balance for the New Year ahead. Have you taken time to really check in with your life, your goals and your healthy balance too? So I’m excited to kick off our first post by introducing you to something along the very same lines that just may help. Are you intrigued to hear about the Moderation Movement?
About our expert:
Accredited Practising Dietitian Zoe Nicholson is the owner and director of the highly successful Melbourne based private practice figureate – food, nutrition & fitness. In addition to private consulting, Zoe conducts nutrition seminars and workshops for workplaces and corporations. She has teamed up in the Moderation Movement with multi-award wining fitness professional Jodie Arnot of Healthy Balance Fitness.
Do you feel like there was a flood of new, extreme health messages bombarding you from TV to instagram? To Jodie and I it feels as though much of the Western world has gone slightly food and fitness mad. Of course we love the focus on health, but unfortunately it’s the extreme views that have the loudest voice. They often lead us to believe that health requires quitting certain foods, following strict principles and thrashing ourselves with extreme exercise.
In our experiences there is so much guilt and shame wrapped up in people’s relationship with food and their own bodies. Health is currently equated with washboard abs, a thigh gap, impressive butt muscles, green smoothies and anything sugar free, raw or Paleo. The reality check is many of the “perfect” bodies we see online are unachievable and many people can’t afford the expensive ingredients or simply don’t wish to change their diets so radically. We are not saying it’s wrong to do these things, we are just saying you don’t have to be so extreme or rigid, in order to achieve good health.
The Moderation Movement was started to provide a voice that promotes the mindful enjoyment of all food and exercise, not punishment. Part of our mission is to reduce feelings of deprivation, guilt and anxiety over eating or exercising.
It seems as though the well accepted, if not practiced, “everything in moderation” has become the alternative view to managing ones health. “It’s hard to believe that we now need to stand up for a sustainable, balanced approach to health,” explains Jodie.
Zoe says, “You don’t need to quit food or follow a special way of eating in order to be healthy. Eat mindfully and you can enjoy all food. Of course we want to see people eating mostly fresh whole food, but you don’t need to completely exclude more processed food or indulgent foods.”
“The Moderation Movement reminds everyone that fitness is not a size, a weight, or a six-pack” says Jodie. “Fitness is expressed in ease of movement, loads of energy, reduced risk of disease and a vibrancy that defies age a little. Health means being able to enjoy a piece of birthday cake without guilt and sharing a restaurant meal and a glass of wine with friends, anxiety free.”
Jodie and I wish to be clear that if you choose to follow a specific way of eating and are completely comfortable with this, we have no issue. The Moderation Movement does not judge others on how they choose to eat or exercise. We are simply standing up for those who prefer not to follow particular food trends and those who feel overwhelmed by all the do’s and don’ts when it comes to food and exercise.
Editor’s comment:
With everyone getting into New Year resolutions, I think the Moderation message couldn’t be more relevant. Now is the perfect time to start practising mindful enjoyment of all food and a focus above all on emotional and physical good health. The Moderation Movement has had an enthusiastic response on the Facebook page so far – jump over and check it out and join in with the hashtag #moderationmovement. Perhaps it’s a sign that many Australians are ready to embrace a more balanced relationship with food and exercise in 2015? What do you say lovelies?
