I love the idea of moderation, and it works well in many areas of my life. But if you, like me, have ever bought into the idea that you could "just eat one chocolate every once in a while", only to find yourself halfway through the box during a midnight kitchen raid, read on!

I'm not a fan of the one-size-fits-all conventional wisdom that says "everything is fine in moderation." While it sounds reasonable at first, in many cases it leads us down the wrong road, armed with all the right rationalizations.

What's wrong with moderation? Well, nothing if you are eating only healthy food, follow all the keys to a good relationship, have no addictions, and know exactly how much sun you can get before you burn. For the rest of us mortals, there's a catch.

Most of us know an alcoholic cannot, by definition, moderate alcohol. I think most of us would laugh if someone suggested there is such thing as "moderate" heroin use. Its easier to see where others need to take a hard line. But the reality is, most of us have something, if not several somethings, that we find irresistible .

Maybe it is a true addiction, where you cannot stop yourself from overspending even though the credit cards are maxed out, or drinking when you have already had enough. It can be a relationship in which you return to a person or situation that you know is unhealthy. Or, you may pig out on nachos when you already know you have a heart condition. In these types of situations, deciding to moderate is a decision to fail. It is a decision to keep doing that which is unhealthy for you.

These vices range from annoying to life-destroying, but they share one commonality: they all involve lying to yourself . And that I am NEVER a fan of!

So ask yourself this question: what indulgence do I feel I could not live without? What is that substance, food, activity, or person that is unhealthy for me, but that I do not ever completely give up? Only you, being completely honest with yourself, can answer that. And the answer to this question is the part of your life that needs cleansing, not moderating!