Let’s talk about the most overused, underperforming health advice of all time: “Everything in moderation.”
Sounds wise, right? Balanced. Reasonable. Non-threatening. But here’s the truth bomb: moderation is a crutch. And worse—it might be the very thing holding you back from real health, real change, and real results.
The Moderation Myth
I hear it constantly. From patients, from parents, from well-meaning friends:
“We just do fast food in moderation.” “We let the kids have 100 grams of sugar for breakfast—but only in moderation.” “We’re trying to be healthy… in moderation.”
And yet, I’m not seeing the results. I’m seeing families stuck. Tired. Frustrated. Wondering why their energy is low, their kids are struggling, and their health goals feel like a treadmill—lots of effort, no forward motion.
Here’s the unpopular opinion: Moderation might be killing you.
💀 Some Things Shouldn’t Be Moderate
Let’s get real. You wouldn’t say:
- “We just have lead in our water… in moderation.”
- “We smoke… but only socially.”
- “We let our kids play with fire… moderately.”
So why do we treat sugar, processed food, and toxic habits like they’re harmless in moderate doses?
Fast food in moderation still wrecks your gut. Sugar in moderation still spikes inflammation. Screen time in moderation still rewires your child’s brain. (that’s a different topic for later)
Maybe I’ve gone crazy, but I’ve banned fast food from my house. Not reduced it. Not rationed it. Banned it. And guess what?
I was ready for pushback—braced for the begging, the rebellion, the “just this once.” But it never came. They never ask.
They are probably traumatized by the one time we caved on a road trip and grabbed chicken nuggets and French fries. We felt awful. Sluggish. Foggy. My daughter threw up. That’s not moderation—that’s a wake-up call.
And honestly? I’d be more concerned if it didn’t make us sick. Because that would mean we’d adapted to it. That it had become normal. That our bodies had stopped fighting back.
Imagine that—fast food as your baseline. Your “moderate” choice. Your regular fuel.
That’s not balance. That’s surrender. And I refuse to raise my family in a state of quiet toxicity.
Moderation Is a Slippery Slope
Here’s the sneaky part: moderation feels like discipline. But often, it’s just permission to keep doing what you’ve always done.
It’s the voice that says:
- “You’ve earned this treat.”
- “It’s just one night.”
- “You’re being too extreme.”
But one person’s “moderate” is another person’s “way too much.” And when the bar is low, you land low.
Now I have to challenge you on this…
Is your moderation even moderate? You say you’re cutting back, being mindful, keeping things “in balance”—but let’s be honest. That daily soda? That weekly fast-food run? That nightly scroll until midnight? It’s not moderation—it’s routine. Its dysfunction disguised by self-control.
And if your version of moderation still leaves you foggy, inflamed, exhausted, or disconnected… it’s not moderation. It’s just a slower drip of the same poison. Real moderation doesn’t erode your health—it protects it. Anything less is just a polite way of saying, “I’m still hooked.”
Go Full Healthy
I’m not here to be the “no fun guy.” I’m here to be the results guy. And the truth is, 100% healthy feels better than 70%. It’s clearer. Sharper. Stronger. It’s the difference between surviving and thriving.
Reducing “moderation” doesn’t need a manifesto—it needs a starting point. So start where you’re at. If you eat out once a week, stretch it to once a month. If you’re sipping a soda every day, cut it to once a week. That’s not punishment—it’s progress.
Go through your pantry like a landlord with standards. Evict the ultra-processed squatters. Burn the fake food bridges. No one needs glow-in-the-dark snacks or mystery meat in a box. Just pick one thing and reduce it. That’s how you break the cycle. Not with guilt. Not with perfection. But with one bold decision at a time.
So here’s the challenge: Give up moderation. Go full healthy. Get uncomfortable. Stay there. And watch it become absolutely amazing.
Because the goal isn’t to be “a little bit” healthy. Go all in.
