What Would Ben Say, and what would you do?
Benjamin Franklin developed a list of 13 virtues as a
guide for achieving moral perfection. Of course perfection is not something we
mere mortals can attain however, since life is a journey it’s path paved with
living with others can be smoothed by seeking to do better in these 13 areas. This
virtue list includes: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality,
Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity,
and Humility. Franklin meticulously planned to cultivate these virtues,
focusing on one at a time to integrate them into his daily life.
You could write Ben’s list on a card and carry it with
you and think about it from time to time or you can be proactive and join me
and others. Would you like to join me
each week in learning and intentionally working to incorporate each virtue into
our lives, hopefully becoming better in each area?
If so, follow along each week, for 13 week’s as we work together
on one virtue just as Ben made the practice of doing, digging even deeper to
create awareness to see how we can further understand the meaning of each
principle as we implement daily action points for our own use.
Continue to follow this blog. I will build this as time goes on. I hope you enjoy my insights and join me in this adventure. I also encourage you to offer your comments and questions below.
This week we will incorporate Temperance into our personal and business lives. On Monday we consider temperance in eating and drinking. On Tuesday financial matters; Wednesday technology; Thursday our emotions, and Friday we’ll cover pleasure. The weekend is left open for review and planning for the next week.
What
Would Ben Do?
1. Temperance: Week One Day One, Monday Avoid overindulgence in food and drink.
With each of Ben’s 13 you will no doubt resonate with one
more than another and even with the sub topics within each. That is awesome and
to be expected. Enjoy this and make it your own. Just do not get paralyses of analysis
with one to the point of not moving forward. And on some days you may only have
time to scan over everything while other days you’ll have more time and
interest and choose to invest more.
MONDAY
Commit to Your
Defined “Rules” (consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian
for personalized guidance) about Eating and Drinking:
Ben said, “Choose to eat a moderate amount of food, rather than overindulging. When choosing to drink, have only a drink or two instead of getting drunk”.
Listen to your body:
Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues and eating when
you are truly hungry.
When I was a kid, I was told to chew my food
32 times, probably to encourage mindful eating and improve digestion, but I
think my parents heard it somewhere and said it. A through chewing does break down
food into smaller particles, and increases the surface area for digestive
enzymes to work. There is better absorption of nutrients and most likely reduces
tummy aches. I think what is most important for use in our seeking of
temperance is the fact that chewing 32 times also slows down eating, which helps
with controlling portions and gives time for feeling full.
Portion control:
Consume appropriate portions of foods and avoiding
overeating.
Manage your calorie intake and promote healthy
eating habits. This course is more about having and maintaining awareness
of Ben Franklin’s 13 Virtues and incorporating them into your life. This is not
meant to create great tasks and hard to implement “rules”. As you continue
through this course when you find something that really registers with you as
being something you want to emphasize in your life, please feel free to do so.
My caution is to not add so many controls on yourself that you won’t continue
to the next of the 13 virtues. You’ll want to go trhough the 13, learn and
incorporate small changes and awareness in each area and then to repeat the 13
again and again in your life journey.
To control portions have the mindset that you
will eat less; practice not eating more than one serving. Consider not eating out
as often. Restaurants usually have larger portions so when you do, ALWAYS make
it a habit of bringing half of it home; even if you feel hungry. Don’t eat at
buffets or fast food places as often or at all. When at home use smaller plates.
Eat slowly to allow your body to tell you when you are full. Write down
some of your own “rules” to live by and commit to them. Just remember again that
this is about awareness and small “approved” changes that you can commit to
with the promise of a better future you.
Variety:
Include a wide range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
lean proteins, and healthy fats in your diet.
Understand that suggestions around consuming food
have changed since Ben’s day; most likely shifting back and forth and for good or
bad. Ultimately the decision lies with you. Create meals making gradual, sustainable
changes. Most of us simply need to commit to eating more fruits and
vegetables. Eat lean meat. Intentionally make good eating decisions.
Have fun with your food, create variety. Make yours a colorful plate, with a mix of dark green, orange,
and red fruits and vegetables in all of your meals starting with breakfast.
Keep fruits and
vegetables readily available for snacks – pack them for lunch and keep in your
desk drawer.
Be intentional about
adding vegies to your sandwiches. Add vegetables into your main dishes, like
stir-fries, soups, or roasted vegetables.
Consuming grains are questionable
by some but if you do eat grains, consider whole wheat bread, brown rice,
quinoa, oats, and whole grain pasta. Don’t eat as much or any processed food
from boxes.
The flavor is in the skin but that’s also where the calories are.
Consider skinless poultry and
enjoying fish at least weekly, including fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or
tuna for those omega-3s, and shop for lean cuts of beef or pork.
Include plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, tofu, or tempeh to your meals.
Use healthy oils like olive
oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. Consider saving your bacon grease etc.
Add nuts and seeds to your salads, yogurt, and enjoy them as a snack.
Limit or discontinue processed foods: like sugary drinks, processed snacks, and fast food.
Pay attention to how
much you're eating.
Start by making small
changes to your diet and gradually incorporate more healthy choices.
The famous quote, "A penny saved is a penny earned," is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin. While he didn't say it exactly that way, it is a paraphrase of his actual writing in "Poor Richard's Almanack". In the 1737 edition, he wrote, "A penny saved is two pence clear". The phrase emphasizes the value of saving money and the financial benefits of thrift. This author recommends automatically depositing a small amount of money into an income platform like this one by Acorns. I’ve done it for years now and really love it.
Avoid extremes:
Limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats
while still enjoying occasional treats.
Make gradual substitutions, be more intentional
when you plan your meals and choose healthier options. Again, you don’t
have to make this difficult or drawn out. Don’t fret about this; I don’t think
Ben did. Natural fruits and veggies don’t usually have labels so there isn’t
extra work there. Prioritize what you eat, cook at home more, and be mindful of
your portion sizes. I had a friend who lived by “Less is more” and truly lived
it even when we went out to eat. He would
have one to my two and he was also half my size.
Plan your meals, snacks and grocery lists in advance so you avoid impulse purchases and those quick
fix meals which usually include processed foods.
Include a variety of
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats in your meal plan.
From time to time, buy fresh and make your own healthy frozen meals. This can be a convenient way to have healthy options on hand.
Take control over what you eat but don't deprive yourself entirely. Enjoy occasional treats, but be mindful of portion sizes and frequency. (Note to self: One donut or Bismarck is fine; not the whole box). And oh, you don’t have to be a professional baker to bake your own muffins and cookies for healthier versions of your favorite treats.
If you tend to crave certain processed foods when stressed or sad, try to find healthier ways to cope with those emotions other than eating. Be aware of any triggers and don’t have food easily accessible at these times.
Enjoy food:
Eat mindfully and savor your meals without feeling guilty
or deprived.
I personally like to pray over my food and thank God for
it as I’m chewing and enjoying its taste. Sometimes I’ll imagine a day in the
future when I’ll be thinking back to this event where I’m sharing this meal and
occasion and then actually practice thinking back to it.
In this final note in eating and drinking I would also
include fasting as a regular part in one’s over all diet. There are many
sources available about the subject but I would caution you to especially be
aware of everything that must go into preparation, duration and exiting a fast
if you choose to add it to your overall eating and drinking regime.
