Moderation, Metabolism & Mashed Potatoes: A Midlife Food Reality Check

The other day, a friend told me about a book she was reading called Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia. “I really think there’s something to this—it’s about living actively into old age,” she said.

Naturally, my ears perked up. I care about my health. I care about my future. I care about living long enough to be a fun, dancing grandma someday.

But about five minutes into the conversation, my diet radar started beeping.

I hadn’t even read the book, but I had a feeling. I could almost smell the restriction coming—the kind that dresses itself up in medical language and anti-aging promises. You know the type: eat fewer calories, cut out sugar, buy this supplement line, intermittent fast for 11 hours a day, and sleep eight or more uninterrupted hours every night.

Listen, I’m all for taking care of our health. I’ve been attempting to do so for decades. I practice yoga and qigong. I move my body every day. I try to eat a variety of whole foods and drink my water.

But I’ve also learned something that completely changed how I think about food:

You can be obsessed with eating “healthy” and still be deeply unwell.

In fact, you might even lose your joy, any sense of ease, and your relationship with your body along the way.

The Obsession with Health is Real

Dr. Attia’s book focuses on four key systems:
✔ Movement
✔ Nutrition
✔ Sleep
✔ Emotional Health

All important. But here’s where I pause. When “health” becomes about constant tracking, restriction, and fear of certain foods, we’re no longer caring for the body. We’re trying to control it. And that rarely ends well.

I know, because I’ve lived it.

I used to think I had to get it right all the time—eat clean, eat less, exercise more, stay in control. But ironically, the more I tried to control food, the more it controlled me. I was constantly thinking about sweets, because sweets were “bad” and therefore… irresistible.

This type of rigid thinking even has a name: Orthorexia.
It’s a form of disordered eating that looks like healthy habits on the surface, but underneath it’s exhausting and anxiety-provoking.

It’s the wellness industry’s quiet little trap—and let’s be honest, it’s worth billions.

What If We Chose Moderation Instead?

There’s a beautiful Buddhist teaching I love to share about the strings on a lute.

If the strings are too tight, they snap.
If they’re too loose, it won’t play.
Beautiful music comes from the instrument with just the right amount of tension in the strings.

Food is like that too.

Extreme restriction? You’ll burn out or binge.
Total chaos? Your body will feel unwell.
But that sweet spot in between? That’s where life starts to feel like music again.

What About Medically Necessary Diets?

Now, I want to be clear—some people do need to follow specific dietary guidelines for serious medical reasons.

If you live with celiac disease, diabetes, or food allergies, for example, your food choices carry important consequences. The intention behind those choices is grounded in care, not control.

But here’s the thing:
Even if you follow a necessary, structured diet, you can still bring mindfulness, joy, and compassion to the way you eat.

You can:

  • Let go of guilt.

  • Release perfectionism.

  • Savor your food—within the boundaries that support your health.

  • Cultivate a kind, curious relationship with your body and your plate.

Mindful eating isn’t about throwing the rules out. It’s about bringing you into the process. You get to tune into how food feels, how it supports you, and how your relationship with it evolves over time.

Here’s What I Want to Say…

You don’t have to eat perfectly.
You don’t have to follow the latest detox plan.
You don’t need to count macros or calories to be worthy of feeling good in your body.

You can:
✔ Eat mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving.
✔ Enjoy cake on your birthday.
✔ Lick an ice cream cone in July with your kids or grandkids—slowly, mindfully, and fully present.

Because that is what real nourishment looks like.
Not just nutrients, but experience, memory, connection, joy.

What Helps Me Stay Grounded?

  • Asking my body what it needs—not just what my brain craves.

  • Eating when I’m hungry. Stopping when I feel almost full.

  • Letting myself enjoy food without guilt, but with awareness.

Remembering: I only have this one body, and I want to live in it with kindness, not fear.

A Gentle Invitation

If you’ve ever said:
“I know what I should eat—I just lack discipline,” you’re not alone.

I’ve been there. Many of my students and clients have been there too.

That’s why I teach the BASICS of Mindful Eating in the Eat For Life course, and why I offer FREE Mindful Eating Community classes on Tuesday nights.

No pressure. No rules. Just real talk about food, mindfulness, and what it means to care for ourselves without obsession.

👉 Click here to learn more about the Eat for Life course or join a free class

Final Thought

Food is one of the greatest sensory pleasures we get in this life.
Let’s not let the fear of aging—or the lure of the next big health trend—take that from us.

Moderation isn’t boring. It’s liberating.
It’s the space where joy and longevity can co-exist.

And honestly? I’m looking forward to the next time I eat mashed potatoes.

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Self-Care for the Selfless: A Buddhist Paradox (with a Side of Mindful Eating)