Moderation ~ What's that?

Before I even set pen to paper, I find myself wiping away the tears from laughter. It's astonishing how I once rationalized making the wrong choices under the guise of being financially savvy. Please, let's share a laugh over this, without any judgment – just a shared chuckle!

Let me offer you a prime example that truly captures this tendency of mine. I have a fondness for subs, particularly the heated chicken tender sub from Publix. Now, here's where my logic took the wrong turn. When I ordered this delectable sub, I'd consistently go for the whole sub size. After all, wasn't it a better deal financially? More quantity per unit, right? Feel free to join me in shaking your head; I'm right there with you as I type this.

The truth was, deep down, I knew that the half sub would suffice, but oh no, I always went for the whole sub. And yes, I could polish off the whole sub without a second thought. But here's the kicker – I didn't really need the entire large sub. If only I had taken a moment to eat mindfully, allowing the half sub to settle, letting my body signal my brain that I was content. But apparently, that notion was just too rational for me to grasp.

You see, my childhood was graced by the presence of amazing grandparents. My grandfather relished gathering his grandchildren together, and sometimes our destination was White Castle. On these outings, we each devoured a staggering 10+ burgers each. It was surreal. My grandfather was like a celebrity at White Castle, known by all. We'd walk in, greeted by the staff with a familiar "How many today, Mr. Moore?" And with a twinkle in his eye, he'd greet everyone, then confidently announce an absurdly large number. If there were four of us, he'd order 40+ burgers. As bewildered glances were exchanged, he'd simply smile. Looking back, I'm not entirely sure what was going on in my loving grandfather's mind, but that was how it went – we ate until every morsel was gone, including the fries and the shake!

Yes, I grew up in a family of hearty eaters, with the concept of moderation a distant notion. Moderation? It was never part of our vocabulary. My grandmother would whip up mouthwatering southern feasts for her children and grandchildren, and we'd dig in like champions, blissfully unaware of appropriate portion sizes.

Why share all this? It's to remind us that choosing how much we eat solely based on what seems most cost-effective isn't always the wisest course of action. And if, like me, you didn't grow up with the concept of moderation, it's never too late to learn and create healthier habits.