Nutella or Avocado: Why Moderation Tastes Better Than Extremes.

I am five three and weigh 130 pounds. That is about 59 kilograms. On paper, everything says I should feel fine about my body and what I eat. Yet somehow, I do not. Even now, even after years of struggling to find a healthy balance, I feel guilty when I eat. I have bounced from one extreme diet to another. Low carb, high protein, raw, juice cleanses, calorie counting, fasting. I tried them all. Some made me dizzy, some left me irritable, and a few I am almost certain made me physically sick. I recovered, yes, but the emotional scars linger. Food has felt like both a battleground and a reward, and I am tired of fighting.

Somewhere along the way I realized that these extreme diets do not teach you how to live. They teach you how to restrict and obsess and feel shame. They make it impossible to enjoy life fully because every meal becomes a test, a judgment, a measure of willpower. I was measuring my worth by what I ate, and I am done with that.

It took a long time to understand a simple truth: moderation is better than extremes. Not only does moderation allow me to enjoy food without guilt, it actually feels better for my body and mind. Take Nutella versus avocado. One is creamy, sweet, indulgent. The other is smooth, rich in healthy fats, and praised in almost every wellness article. Diet culture tells us we must pick a side. You are either the healthy girl who eats avocado toast or the indulgent one sneaking spoonfuls of Nutella at night. But I have learned that I can eat both, and I can savor both. One slice of avocado toast for breakfast and a small spoon of Nutella later in the day does not undo anything. In fact, it makes me feel like I am living instead of surviving.

The same goes for nuts versus dark chocolate. Fitness blogs and health influencers tell us nuts are the ultimate snack while chocolate is the forbidden treat. But a handful of almonds with a square of dark chocolate feels more like celebration than crime. It is a reminder that life is meant to be joyful, not measured by extremes or perfection. I have learned to listen to my body and allow it the pleasure of food without fear.

Even after years of trial and error, I find myself still slipping into old habits. I catch myself scrutinizing calories, judging meals, or feeling shame for a dessert eaten late at night. It is frustrating because by now I know better. I know that health is not about obsession, and happiness does not come from deprivation. What I have learned is that being five three and 130 pounds does not automatically make the relationship with food easy. It is more than numbers on a scale. It is emotional. It is mental. It is the stories we tell ourselves about what we deserve and how we measure ourselves.

I recently watched a video of a man on Facebook who made me laugh and think at the same time. He reminded viewers that our approach to food can be warm, playful, and guilt-free. His humor captured exactly what I wish I had understood years ago. That food is not the enemy. Extremes are. Moderation is freedom.

This is my confession: I will eat the avocado toast, I will eat the Nutella, I will eat the nuts and the chocolate. I will allow myself the joy of food without judging myself or fearing that I am failing. I will choose balance over obsession, pleasure over guilt. This is not a revolutionary act. It is simply choosing to live fully and kindly with myself.

Moderation has changed how I see food and life. It has changed how I see myself. It has reminded me that I am more than a set of numbers. I am not defined by my height, my weight, or the calories I eat. I am defined by the choices I make to enjoy life, to be present, and to allow myself grace. I have discovered that joy is not a reward at the end of restriction. Joy is in the eating, in the savoring, in the freedom to choose both the creamy sweetness of Nutella and the wholesome goodness of avocado.