Maxim #7, Part 4: Moderation
Everything in moderation!
We have heard that many times...usually as an antidote to strict diet suggestions. But by distilling temperance down to this singular phrase lacking a context, it loses its usefulness. It strips it of its rich meaning. When we are actually looking to make changes in the way that we eat, the “everything in moderation” motto can be frustrating for people; after all, we do well with structure and guidance! That’s one of the reasons why people are drawn to fad diets (despite their lack of long-term positive outcomes). So, if diets are too strict to be realistic but “everything in moderation” is too ill-defined to encourage lasting change, what can we do to middle ground? Well, the wisdom may already be within us.
Intuitive eating is an approach to food and health that is rooted in this truth, that our bodies, created by God, have within them an intuitive wisdom when it comes to knowing what we need. However, in order to access that internal wisdom, we need to create the space to listen to it.
What space currently exists around your eating episodes? Put another way, what is happening immediately before or immediately after you eat? Many times, there is no space. We squeeze eating in between two activities of the day. It’s an inconvenience, so we make just enough time to eat the meal or snack, and then move on to the next task. Sometimes there isn’t even time for that, so we multitask - eat in the car, work through lunch and eat right at our desk, or we eat mindlessly during leisure time. This pattern makes eating in moderation difficult, for how can we know what moderation feels like if we aren’t stopping to ask ourselves the question?
One intuitive eating tool that can add some measurability to such a subjective question is the hunger/fullness scale. With this tool, the answer to “how much” is not found on the nutrition label, in the bag, or on the plate; rather, the question is posed to the body.
Before and after every time you eat ask yourself this question: Where am I on the hunger scale?
Have you ever experienced the feelings of #2 or #9? How about #1 or #10? When we neglect our bodies’ hunger and fullness cues, we can end up on either end of the spectrum. When we are here, we are not our best selves.
St. Seraphim of Sarov speaks of the limitations we are subject to when we’ve eaten too much: “One should not think about the doings of God when one’s stomach is full; on a full stomach there can be no vision of the Divine mysteries.” When we eat to 8, 9, or 10, we are in a distracted state, and it becomes harder to be present with God.
On the flip side, St. Silouan the Athonite points out the nuance required when purposefully eating less: “You must teach yourself how to eat less, but with discernment, insofar as your work allows.” We still need proper nourishment to complete our tasks -- to be diligent with our work, to focus during worship, and not to mention, to be a pleasant person to be around -- so we need to take care not to let ourselves get to the 1, 2, or 3 too often. He goes on to offer a solution: “The measure of temperance should be such that after lunch you want to pray.” Now, what numbers might that be?
By retraining ourselves to create a little pause in our day before eating, we can open up some space to be a bit more present, a bit more embodied while we eat. When we do this and check in with our bodies during mealtime, we equip ourselves with information about how we feel and what we need. Staying between numbers 4 and 7 can keep us properly nourished, provide us with sustained energy, and allow us to do the work God has set before us with strength. Now, truly, moderation can become useful.
Read on: What is fasting?
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