Avoiding gluttony

[Kima]

Hi.

I tend to struggle against gluttony at times - especially when it comes to not eating outside of meals. The thing is that I spend time with family and friends that doesn´t seem to approach these things as sin. The issue here, when it comes to me, is that they often leave candy and snacks on the table while me being there while talking for hours - that makes temptations for me. I`ve become a little better in resisting to eat outside of meals when being in such situations.

My question is how I should approach this? It´s hard to avoid since it´s at all family meetings and gatherings with friends. At the same time most of my family and relatives are non-Catholic so they maybe would think it´s strange. So what to do?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Melodeonist]

I’m pretty sure the whole “no eating outside meals” thing was just a thing very old school monastics like the desert fathers taught. Gluttony is only a mortal sin if eating is seriously hurting your health or something like that. If you want to stop eating so much try sucking on toothpicks. A lot of binge eating is simply due to oral fixation

Honestly, gluttony isn’t really something that hurts others in a first work country anymore. We have a ton of food that just gets wasted because nobody buys it before it expires. We also have food banks, food stamps, and a bunch of ways to help the hungry eat.

 

[Kima]

I will try to bring some gum and hope it would be a good way to approach it.

 

[Melodeonist]

Be careful with gum, as some types like the sugar free ones can really upset your stomach. I highly suggest you go with sugar gum instead

 

[LittleFlower378]

Maybe try to avoid eating between meals for a few days or a week.

 

[Kima]

I try to avoid it at most times after I figured it´s a sin.
The problem is me being tempted while staying with someone having the snacks on just a little more than an armlength away from me.

 

[BartholomewB]

What you’ve told us here about nibbling on snacks that are there at your elbow while you’re spending time with your family and friends doesn’t sound to me like the sin of gluttony. It sounds more like normal social behavior in accordance with our present-day notions of hospitality. Your hosts are just being considerate of you as their guest. If you’re really worried you might like to ask a priest about it.

 

[angel12]

I try to avoid it at most times after I figured it´s a sin.

But eating outside of meals isn’t necessarily a sin.

 

[Kima]

Thanks

 

[Seeksadvice]

Buy some lutefisk, leave it open in the fridge. The problem will go away. You might be swarmed by Norwegians though.

 

[Kima]

I´m actually Norwegian but lutefisk isn´t really the greatest in my opinion

 

[Seeksadvice]

Yep. In about 20 days, we have the cooking of the lutefisk. Fund raiser for the big Lutheran church out here. I usually get dragged into the thing.

 

[HeDa]

OP When at home don’t eat anything between meals. When at someone else´s house you act according to tradition. Remember that many in the older generation starved in their childhood and now since there is food around then they want you to eat. It is hard to eat lunch and then when the dishes are put away the coffee and buns/cookies and then the chocolate is put on the table. Doing dishes again and then it is time for dinner…