Overeating, obesity, etc

[challam2010]

When it comes to complicated human behavior, the easy answer “from the book” is not always the right answer.

I’d agree that for a height-and-weight-appropriate person with normal eating habits, sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner and polishing off two whole terduckens and a pumpkin pie would fall under the gluttony umbrella and be sinful.

Carelessness about an all-junk-food diet for a “normal person” would also not follow guidelines about maintaining one’s health, which we are called to do.

However – those who have been truly obese since childhood or early teen years are dealing with a whole other pattern of behavior that clearly falls onto the eating disorder side of the equation. Study after study after study has shown a near-impossibility to correct long-term obesity in the majority of those obese patients who participated in the research. Some call it an addiction – some a pattern of uncontrollable behavior – and there are other fancy labels that describe this condition, as well.

It is far deeper than any conscious action or choice, which is one factor in determining sinfulness.

I’m not saying that all overeating gets a pass, but this problem isn’t as clear-cut as some would think. There are many physiological as well as psychological elements to obesity. There are mechanisms in the brain that affect how we eat and our reactions to food (variable from person to person), and there are really no concrete determinations about the various causes and no permanent solutions currently available or even in testing.

This is a medical problem, a psychological problem, a psycho-social problem, and it’s not solved by just labeling an eating pattern as “sinful gluttony,” or worse, mortally sinful gluttony.

It’s not a hopeless problem for everyone, but it’s certainly more complicated for many people than 52 trips to the confessional a year, beating oneself up for choices that are truly not consciously made.

A good bariatric physcian, a weight-loss counselor and a good spiritual director would be of more benefit, it my opinion, than layers of guilt.

 

[Bookcat]

Again…take care everyone in bringing in mortal sin here

Unreasonable eating: called interchangably here: Overeating…intemperance…gluttony is ordinarily a “venial matter” for venial sin…when it is a sin (yes as some note above …other things can play into things here).

(or course that does not make it ok)

(of course getting drunk there by loosing ones reason…well that is an example of a mortal sin of gluttony/intemperance)

 

[rapunzel77]

My husband and I have struggled with our weight our entire lives . It is a constant cross. It started in HS. For me, I would eat breakfast and wouldn’t eat the entire day except snacks and come home ravenously hungry. I would overeat at night . There was also the problem of the habit of wanting something in my hands so I would snack, especially if no one was around. Sadly, some of these habits I still struggle with. In my husband’s case, he developed some VERY bad eating habits when he was a teenager. It wasn’t until his early 30’s when he was in the seminary for a few years that he lost weight due to the regimented structure. Sadly, he let himself go after he left seminary.

My husband and I made a conscious decision to VERY rarely have junk food in the house. We also rarely if ever eat fast food. I used to more years ago but not so much anymore. Even though we are eating better, the weight is stubbornly still there. I recently joined Curves to get the weight off. It is a constant struggle and perhaps I have to accept that I will NEVER be thin. The same with my husband. It is a constant cross and society doesn’t make it easier.

Healthy and organic foods are more expensive to buy than the high calorie/high fat foods. This is one reason why you see so many low-income people become overweight. They are buying what they can afford which is sadly some very bad food. Also, there are so many commercials and news stories about the dangers and horrors of being overweight that it demoralizes people who are trying to lose the weight. To me, some of these stories and commercials say, “its better off if you and other fat people like you die.” It is very, very discouraging .

 

[Maria1212]

We are supposed to treat our bodies as temples and putting unhealthy food into our bodies, or unhealthy sizing portions, is very damaging. Healthy food does cost more money than junk food which is very unfortunate but it is possible to eat frozen fruits and veggies on a very limited budget. Having a treat once in a while is not sinful. But overeating on a daily basis is.

As other posters have said, not all people are obese because they overweight. Some medications cause weight gain and others have psychological illnesses that lead to overeating. (of course, psychological illness should be treated if one has the means to). It is important to not judge others who are overweight. But at the same time, we should encourage them when we can (when they seek it).

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[masha]

Wow, I’d like to thank everyone who put in their opinion. I think this is a fascinating discussion.

I think that, as regards mortal or venial sin, like most sins, habitual overeating can be either, depending on the circumstances. I also think that, at least as we often see it, overeating is an obvious indication of gluttony. (I’m not so much refering to people who struggle with understanding portion sizes, fat content, or who misunderstand their bodies hunger signals. What I’m refering to it the “I love ice cream (or whatever) so naturally I’m obese” attitude that we often allow ourselves to fall into, the habitual reluctance to deny feeding a craving, I know I struggle with that reluctance as regards black coffee…lots and lots of black coffee. And in this way, I think we can also often see glutton “hidden” in those who don’t overeat, who “wouldn’t touch pasta” even for the sake of hospitality, because it’s “heavy” or “too processed” for their tastes. In that case, the person is still a slave to cravings, they’re just cravings for less. What do you think?

blessings,
Masha

 

[YankeeRC]

And in this way, I think we can also often see glutton “hidden” in those who don’t overeat, who “wouldn’t touch pasta” even for the sake of hospitality, because it’s “heavy” or “too processed” for their tastes. In that case, the person is still a slave to cravings, they’re just cravings for less. What do you think?

I’d think of that condition as pride more than a hidden gluttony. Gluttony is simply overindulgance,

Origin:
1175–1225; ME glutun < OF glouton < L gluttōn- (s. of gluttō ), var. of glūtō glutton, akin to glūtīre to gulp down

Aside form bulemia or anoraxia people who obess about eating something that would make them fat or let’s say in a different situation perhaps someone who has militant vegan criticisms of meat eaters or fur wearers or hunters, whatever, are indeed just not seeing their own non-equanimity (did I make up that word?) in a prideful manner.

 

[YankeeRC]

And in this way, I think we can also often see glutton “hidden” in those who don’t overeat, who “wouldn’t touch pasta” even for the sake of hospitality, because it’s “heavy” or “too processed” for their tastes. In that case, the person is still a slave to cravings, they’re just cravings for less. What do you think?

I’d think of that condition as pride more than a hidden gluttony. Gluttony is simply overindulgance,

Origin:
1175–1225; ME glutun < OF glouton < L gluttōn- (s. of gluttō ), var. of glūtō glutton, akin to glūtīre to gulp down

Aside form bulemia or anoraxia people who obess about eating something that would make them fat or let’s say in a different situation perhaps someone who has militant vegan criticisms of meat eaters or fur wearers or hunters, whatever, are indeed just not seeing their own non-equanimity (did I make up that word?) in a prideful manner.

 

[masha]

I’d think of that condition as pride more than a hidden gluttony. Gluttony is simply overindulgance,

Origin:
1175–1225; ME glutun < OF glouton < L gluttōn- (s. of gluttō ), var. of glūtō glutton, akin to glūtīre to gulp down

Aside form bulemia or anoraxia people who obess about eating something that would make them fat or let’s say in a different situation perhaps someone who has militant vegan criticisms of meat eaters or fur wearers or hunters, whatever, are indeed just not seeing their own non-equanimity (did I make up that word?) in a prideful manner.

I guess I was thinking of it as more of an over-indulgance not in the “I want huge amounts of ice cream” but as in “I want a particular amount of ice cream in a certain flavour, and nothing else”. There is still an over-catering to the physical, the taste and texture of the desired ice cream, and an over-indulgance of the body’s whim, but in a different way. It seems in both situations the focus is on the thing itself rather than on the self.

I hope that explains better what I mean.

 

[BlueShadow123]

Overeating is a sin because its not healthy. God compares the human body to a holy temple. You need to take care of it. Remember that there are millions of people in the world who would have loved to eat your table scraps just to survive.