Can someone define Gluttony? Am I a Glutton?

[kaity]

I was raised with an unhealthy diet. Since I’m a bit older, I have somewhat control over what I eat. I eat moderately healthy and have a few healthy meals here and there. I believe gluttony is the over composition of food and over indulgence of it. So say I like sushi. Nothing special, just carrots, cucumber, and avocado sushi. Since sushi is pretty healthy, is it a sin to eat it with my already iffy diet? Would it be considered over indulgence even though I enjoy this healthy sushi? Today I ate bacon,egg,and cheese on a croissant for breakfast today (small and only 390 calories, not huge and it was frozen) then I had 5 chicken nuggets with a small bag of chex mix for lunch (around 460 calories) but my teachers gave out some treats today. I had a small piece of chocolate cake (a sliver) and 2 jolly ranchers. I snacked on a few takis when I waited for my sushi to arrive because I was hungry. But when I got my sushi I was moderately hungry, but I went through all the trouble of ordering 2 rolls that I ate one. I never was full, so was I glutton? Are my eating habits that of a glutton? Ever since I figured out that gluttony was a sin, I stopped looking at food as comfort and as pleasure. I look at it as a necessity to live, but is this sin? How can I eat with faith?

 

[joeybaggz]

I went to the Catechism of the CC and looked up Gluttony. To my surprise, the word is only mentioned in section 1866 and not defined anywhere. (If this is wrong, would a poster please refer me to the CCC definition found … where???)
Anyway, I think the traditional understanding of gluttony hinges on the word, inordinate. It has always been my understanding that gluttony is a consistent overindulgence that does harm to oneself and indirectly to others. So, I would say what you describe is not gluttony, and the occasional overindulgence (eating the whole pizza because you are absolutely "starving") is not seriously sinful. It is okay to enjoy things. Think of the account of the woman who perfumed Jesus with a jar of “nard” worth over three hundred days wages. Jesus did not berate her and said that it was okay to enjoy an indulgence every once in a while.
I guess, just don’t make a habit of it.

 

[Kei]

I have seen it said that it’s like eating and eating and then making yourself puke so you can continue eating.
Like it was based off of Roman parties.

 

[BartholomewB]

To my surprise, the word is only mentioned in section 1866 and not defined anywhere.

Yes, I just had a look and I’m as surprised as you are. No definition anywhere.

 

[fin]

If you finished it all because you were hungry, that is not gluttony. I think it is eating even when you are already stuffed with no good reason, such as not wanting the food to go to waste.

 

[Zerg]

Do not feel that you are not in control.

I can’t understand this, because I am male.
My doctor said eat until you feel full.

I am not going to suggest anything, but I went for trauma therapy.

 

[thistle]

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

GLUTTONY. Inordinate desire for the pleasure connected with food or drink. This desire may become sinful in various ways: by eating or drinking far more than a person needs to maintain bodily strength; by glutting one’s taste for certain kinds of food with known detriment to health; by indulging the appetite for exquisite food or drink, especially when these are beyond one’s ability to afford a luxurious diet; by eating or drinking too avidly, i.e., ravenously; by consuming alcoholic beverages to the point of losing full control of one’s reasoning powers. Intoxication that ends in complete loss of reason is a mortal sin if brought on without justification, e.g., for medical reasons. (Etym. Latin glutire, to devour.)