“Our meals should always be moderate. All the saints, who customarily watched strictly after themselves, say with one voice:1. that very little is needed for satisfaction of our bodies; 2. that our bellies by themselves almost never know moderation; 3. that our bellies sometimes demand food even when they have had more than enough, and 4. that therefore to maintain moderation it is best to cease consumption of food when the urge to eat has still not completely subsided. St. John Chrysostom gave an excellent rule observing necessary moderation in food: “Eat just enough to alleviate your hunger”. Another holy teacher said “You should not eat whatever you want, but eat what you have, and in a way that after eating and drinking, you still feel the urge for food.” (How to Live a Holy Life by Metropolitan Gregory of St. Petersburg (1784-1860), p87-88).
