2018 Lent Challenge

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  • MaelynMayhem
    MaelynMayhem Posts: 611 Member
    wi1234567890 wrote: »

    Now I am actually scared about this challenge. My challenge was to only drink 1 cup of coffee per day and eliminate the other 4 I usually drink. It’s a little after 5:30am and I’ve already had my one cup. It was so good but I can’t have another one until tomorrow morning. I have had this habit for so long and I don’t know how I’ll make it through.

    To give me further motivation I will figure out the cost savings of not drinking so much coffee and use that money to buy food for our local food pantry.

    You can do this. The first few days is always the hardest, but you have it in you to make this change. You have made an excellent choice as to where to put the unspent funds. I have faith in you.
  • MaelynMayhem
    MaelynMayhem Posts: 611 Member
    edited February 2018
    My final list for the Lent Challenge:

    1) Give up takeaways. If I consider takeaway I am going to go for a walk for at least ten minutes.
    2) Give up my ice cream drumstick consumption (I'm at about two a day)
    3) On the more spiritual side, I'm going to start off with a daily devotion.
    4) Reduce the size of my meals, except for dinner
    5) Continue with my water consumption (this is normally fine, but putting this up to not let it sideline)
    6) Give up Facebook
  • andreajveitch1
    andreajveitch1 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi, I'd love to join too. Mine are;
    1. No sweets, chocolate, cakes etc or alcohol Monday to Saturday (I'm Catholic, youre meant to relax for the Sunday as it's a 'mini-Easter),
    2. Start the "Rosary Workout" for meditation.
  • wi1234567890
    wi1234567890 Posts: 57 Member
    MaelynMayhem wrote: »
    wi1234567890 wrote: »

    Now I am actually scared about this challenge. My challenge was to only drink 1 cup of coffee per day and eliminate the other 4 I usually drink. It’s a little after 5:30am and I’ve already had my one cup. It was so good but I can’t have another one until tomorrow morning. I have had this habit for so long and I don’t know how I’ll make it through.

    To give me further motivation I will figure out the cost savings of not drinking so much coffee and use that money to buy food for our local food pantry.

    You can do this. The first few days is always the hardest, but you have it in you to make this change. You have made an excellent choice as to where to put the unspent funds. I have faith in you.

    Thank you so much.
  • andreajveitch1
    andreajveitch1 Posts: 2 Member
    Oh, I forgot to add no meat on Wednesdays or Fridays throughout lent.
  • SMack_25
    SMack_25 Posts: 8 Member
    eminater wrote: »
    ABSOLUTE
    1) no swearing for 40 days - I need help on this haha
    2) be a better "listener" for 40 days - friends yeah, but ALL ppl
    3) hug my kids every morning and every night for 40 days
    ==
    SLIGHTLY FLEXIBLE - but aiming for as close to 100% as I can manage it
    4) Only home cooking - as much as possible
    5) No animal products (vegan) - as much as possible
    6) No Alcohol for 40 days

    I wish you the best on your 40 day journey.

  • SMack_25
    SMack_25 Posts: 8 Member
    MaelynMayhem wrote: »
    Those are excellent choices. We all could do with listening more than we speak. I'm going to join you in giving up Facebook for 40 days as well as there's so much drama that goes on there which is impactful of my mood and mindset for the rest of the day.

    Thank You! Today is day 1 of no FB, and using my 2 ears instead of my 1 mouth. Now is the time to have discipline and listen twice as much as I speak.
  • Cafelelia
    Cafelelia Posts: 1,298 Member
    For this Lent, I am going to adhere to my running training plan (5 runs per week). Our priest is an IronMan, so if he can find the time, so can I! Also, demonstrate more patience with my kids and pray with them at bedtime.
  • MaelynMayhem
    MaelynMayhem Posts: 611 Member
    AnotherPlate wrote: »
    I've opted to forgo sugar this lent. God give me strength.

    You can do it. The first few days will be the hardest, but you can push through them and do it.
  • MaelynMayhem
    MaelynMayhem Posts: 611 Member
    Cafelelia wrote: »
    For this Lent, I am going to adhere to my running training plan (5 runs per week). Our priest is an IronMan, so if he can find the time, so can I! Also, demonstrate more patience with my kids and pray with them at bedtime.

    That's an awesome training plan and attitude. The time you spend with your children is a blessing.
  • chelliz88
    chelliz88 Posts: 62 Member
    Mslmesq wrote: »
    They want you to start cutting back on sweets on Valentine’s Day?! I’m glad I’m not catholic.

    You don't have to cut back on sweets. Each person decides what they are going to give up. It's not a Catholic-wide thing.
  • krea4
    krea4 Posts: 1,823 Member
    Me:1/40 days
    Sugary snacks:0/40
  • wi1234567890
    wi1234567890 Posts: 57 Member
    krea4 wrote: »
    @wi1234567890
    To make this easier at first how about splitting the volume of your one cup of coffee into 2 smaller cups and have them at different times during the day. May help with your withdrawal and overall success of your challenge. Good luck.
    That’s a good idea but I’m actually not having any withdrawal symptoms because I only drink decaf. I slowly transitioned myself to decaf several months ago with the plan of reducing my consumption. Although I didn’t need the caffeine anymore I still kept drinking it because of habit. This challenge is great for me because it finally gave me the push to stop drinking so much coffee.

    I don’t even put milk or half and half in it. I use the powdered coffee mate creamer that is just crud and my stomach really doesn’t need it. I figure I consume about 300 calories of fake coffee creamer. Eliminating these extra calories should make weight loss easier.

    I felt a little depressed this morning thinking about it but I’m realizing it’s not that terrible.

    Thanks for the great suggestion anyway.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    In the old days, the reason for things like Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday/Paczki Day (as it is today in Chicago) ;-) was that you would not be eating meat or animal products (although fish was permitted some places -- the Latin word for meat/flesh is distinct from that for fish). Anyway, as a result you'd be using up dairy and eggs.

    The current Orthodox Christian fast is basically like that (my Greek friend always tells me how much more serious their Lent is). ;-) Catholics, though, just avoid meat on Fridays -- fish is fine, but it's really not in the spirit if you have a lobster dinner, it's supposed to be simple, cheaper (save the money saved and give it to charity is one common practice), plain, a sacrifice.

    Nothing "current" about Orthodox fasting practices. They've been the same for a very long time. Fish is also a separate food category as far as Orthodox fasting is concerned, but that doesn't matter for most of Lent since fish is also not eaten on fast days. Exceptions are when a major feast like Annunciation falls during Lent as it usually does; fish will be permitted then. Even more so since Annunciation (on the New Calendar) falls on a Sunday this year, and fasting rules are also relaxed on the Sabbath and the Lord's Day to the extent that wine and oil are permitted.

    (Annunciation for the Old Calendar is complicated this year, since it falls on Holy Saturday. There are special rubrics for this situation, which is impossible on the New Calendar, and since it's Holy Saturday it remains a strict fast day even though the feast coincides. Most Orthodox churches in the US are on the New Calendar, so it doesn't affect them.)

    Orthodox and Western Easter are only a week apart this year, so Orthodox Lent starts on Monday, February 19. (A day labeled "February 6" on the Old Calendar.)
  • AnotherPlate
    AnotherPlate Posts: 30 Member
    MaelynMayhem wrote: »
    AnotherPlate wrote: »
    I've opted to forgo sugar this lent. God give me strength.

    You can do it. The first few days will be the hardest, but you can push through them and do it.

    Thanks a lot!
  • alexmose2017
    alexmose2017 Posts: 18 Member
    No snacking after dinner!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    ccsernica wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    In the old days, the reason for things like Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday/Paczki Day (as it is today in Chicago) ;-) was that you would not be eating meat or animal products (although fish was permitted some places -- the Latin word for meat/flesh is distinct from that for fish). Anyway, as a result you'd be using up dairy and eggs.

    The current Orthodox Christian fast is basically like that (my Greek friend always tells me how much more serious their Lent is). ;-) Catholics, though, just avoid meat on Fridays -- fish is fine, but it's really not in the spirit if you have a lobster dinner, it's supposed to be simple, cheaper (save the money saved and give it to charity is one common practice), plain, a sacrifice.

    Nothing "current" about Orthodox fasting practices. They've been the same for a very long time.

    Yeah, I know -- wasn't trying to suggest otherwise. We changed, you didn't.
    Fish is also a separate food category as far as Orthodox fasting is concerned, but that doesn't matter for most of Lent since fish is also not eaten on fast days.

    My friend says shellfish is okay, however -- no animal products but for shellfish (which somehow doesn't count as animal?), and no oil.

    Anyway, I just think different fasting practices are interesting. Ours are pretty low demand these days.
  • RoushelleP
    RoushelleP Posts: 8 Member
    I want to join in on this. I've been following this thread for a couple days trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. I think I've found it.
    1.Rice ... It's my undoing lol I can eat with every meal.
    2. Drink more water throughout the day.
    3. Read a book(s)
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
    edited February 2018
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    ccsernica wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    In the old days, the reason for things like Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday/Paczki Day (as it is today in Chicago) ;-) was that you would not be eating meat or animal products (although fish was permitted some places -- the Latin word for meat/flesh is distinct from that for fish). Anyway, as a result you'd be using up dairy and eggs.

    The current Orthodox Christian fast is basically like that (my Greek friend always tells me how much more serious their Lent is). ;-) Catholics, though, just avoid meat on Fridays -- fish is fine, but it's really not in the spirit if you have a lobster dinner, it's supposed to be simple, cheaper (save the money saved and give it to charity is one common practice), plain, a sacrifice.

    Nothing "current" about Orthodox fasting practices. They've been the same for a very long time.

    Yeah, I know -- wasn't trying to suggest otherwise. We changed, you didn't.
    Fish is also a separate food category as far as Orthodox fasting is concerned, but that doesn't matter for most of Lent since fish is also not eaten on fast days.

    My friend says shellfish is okay, however -- no animal products but for shellfish (which somehow doesn't count as animal?), and no oil.

    Anyway, I just think different fasting practices are interesting. Ours are pretty low demand these days.

    You're right about shellfish. No one seems to quite know the reason for the exception. Some say it's because they don't have a backbone. (But the rules don't mention a backbone. Maybe the way the Fathers looked at it that makes them not-animals? John the Baptist ate locusts, after all.) Some say it's because, in some coastal regions, there's not a heck of a lot else to eat. Either way, dining on lobster every night would indeed be one of those things which, while technically within the rules, pretty thoroughly tramples the spirit of them. Even without drawn butter.

    The basic idea is to eat plainly and simply, what is needed for sustenance and not much more, and to avoid luxurious foods. This is presumed to be more inexpensive than our normal eating, and one is expected to give the money not spent on food to those in need. It's also presumed to be easier than our normal eating, so that we're less focused on food and more focused on spiritual things, but one of the ironies of modern life is that nothing is easier than the McDonald's drive-thru.
  • juvier
    juvier Posts: 6 Member
    edited February 2018
    Made it on day 1/40. Ash Wednesday is fasting. I can't totally fast so I reduced each meal to only half portion, and did not have any snacks at all. Stomach grumbling all day which I downed with water. Wasn't too bad. Also started Rick Warren's book to set me well mentally and spiritually for Lent. Good Day everyone.
  • rockymir
    rockymir Posts: 497 Member
    ccsernica wrote: »
    You're right about shellfish. No one seems to quite know the reason for the exception. Some say it's because they don't have a backbone.

    Well technically they have a backbone, at least biologically speaking they have an exoskeleton that means the skeleton is on the outside rather than on the inside.
    It may be because a while ago shellfish was one of the cheapest foods.
    Ref. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/fancy-oysters-with-your-shakespeare-1882563.html
    But things have changed now and I agree that a lobster meal isn't very fitting for lent! :D

  • rockymir
    rockymir Posts: 497 Member
    Well, day 1/43 done and happy with it.

    I made a plan so I have my meals all planned out for when I travel and race, no excuses like I don't know what to make I wasn't prepared. I am prepared.

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