Lent 2020

amtyrell

Today is ash Wednesday, Easter is 40 days away.
Traditionally there is an effort to give up or do something extra during lent.
I am going to aim to lose 5lbs during lent and give up candy.
Anyone want to join me for a weekly on Wednesday and Easter weigh in?
What are you doing for Lent?

Ash Wednesday 202.9 lb

missysippy930

Mine isn’t to give anything up, but, to say, or do, something nice for someone every day.

amtyrell

missysippy930 wrote: »

Mine isn’t to give anything up, but, to say, or do, something nice for someone every day.

That is such a kind lovely idea.

Jruzer

In past years I've given up particular foods, or other eating habits, with the nice side benefit of losing weight. What I found, though, was that I returned to my old habits after Easter, and that the weight loss didn't stick. Plus on reflection I realized that my abstinence was focused more on my own vanity than it was on carrying my cross and growing my relationship with God.

This year as a conscious choice I am not giving up any food-related habits; these are more or less in control anyway. I'm focusing on other areas for penitence and fasting.

tinkerbellang83

Not planning to give anything up, but I am planning to dedicate at least 10 mins per day to meditation and reviewing my thoughts for the day.

@amtyrell if you want to do a weekly weigh in we have a fab group for that with a monthly progress report

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/118368-weekly-weigh-in-group

mlittfit

I am giving up alcohol. I would love a weekly public weigh in but Friday works best for me.

alrightmsjenkins

I’m also giving up alcohol. Fridays definitely work better for me as far as weigh ins though.

NovusDies

I keep what I do fairly private but I did want to remind people that are losing weight that being in a deficit is already a type of giving something up food related if you choose to see it that way. If not, that is fine too.

I typically give up two things but this year I am also adding 2 things for positive personal growth for the first time. I have seen people mention adding things for years but it didn't stick with me as something to do. This year it has.

anitamorrin1111

I decided today that I need to cut my portions. I have been successful in my personal finance budgeting @ cutting food costs, but I also need to cut my portions. I feel overstuffed.
-count my calories daily, which is a hardship for me, to eat less
-eat clean 80/20
-fast after dinner until breakfast
-yoga 4x/week to clear my head & focus on mind, body, & spirit.

mbaker566

i try to focus on these for lent

TexasTallchick

During Lent, I give up caper berries and crack.

snowflake954

mgobluetx wrote: »

During Lent, I give up caper berries and crack.

Hope you are successful.

kshama2001

Paging @lemurcat2 as you've participated in other Lent threads.

kshama2001

I've been using Lent as an opportunity to create new habits.

One year I successfully stopped eating salt to excess during Lent and this has carried over to today. (By "to excess" I mean I was literally eating salt crystals straight.)

Last year I wanted to eat more fish. I succeeded well during Lent, but not so much the rest of the year, although I did find a wonderful recipe for fish cakes that I put in the rotation. I'd like to eat more salmon. I love salmon, but it's expensive compared to chicken and my OH eats it reluctantly. I can get him to eat more fish during Lent though. (We were both raised Catholic but did not practice as adults.)

This year I'm going to focus on completing my food diary earlier. This is such a no-brainer, and is what I did in the beginning, but I've been lax since I moved in with my OH a few years back, and the scale reflects it.

angelexperiment

As it’s an opportunity for personal growth I had already planned on doing a keto vegan diet so I plan on no meat til then. Friday is good for weigh day as it’s my weigh day anyway

lemurcat2

Thanks @kshama2001

I observe Lent and its one of my favorite seasons, and despite how common it is for people to mock the whole giving up thing, especially when it's food based, I find the giving up aspect (as well as adding in) significant to me, including making part of that food based. Partly because it's based on tradition, and partly because food is something you have to think about every day, and specific foods one can really feel the lack of or use as a crutch. For me, because it is pretty central to my religious observance, it shouldn't be connected to weight loss, so I wouldn't participate in a weekly weigh-in or focus on a weight loss goal, but I'd certainly share any thoughts as it goes on about struggles or positives. I also definitely see it as a way to create new habits and (again) to let go of crutches.

I normally go either vegetarian or 100% plant based, and am doing 100% plant-based this year. I'm focusing on doing this (for the most part) in a simple, inexpensive way, and will estimate the savings (vs. my normal habits) and donate it to a local food bank. Or just pick an amount, really, to represent that.

For an extra Friday sacrifice (since I'm Catholic and am already doing no meat anyway), I'm also giving up Twitter (it sounds ridiculous but I tend to read Twitter too much when I'm commuting on the L and it's really, really not good for my mindset, so I am reading something spiritually enriching instead, and cannot peek at Twitter at all on Fridays).

I have a variety of other things, but they are not food-based. Some specifically prayer-related things that I am adding in, and then working on being more mindful about my tendency to judgmentalism and trying to see others with more charity and interpret what they do/say as positively as possible, notice when I'm responding with negative thoughts and replace those with at least some positive thought. (This is hard for me!)

lemurcat2

missysippy930 wrote: »

Mine isn’t to give anything up, but, to say, or do, something nice for someone every day.

I love this.

janejellyroll

lemurcat2 wrote: »

Thanks @kshama2001

I observe Lent and its one of my favorite seasons, and despite how common it is for people to mock the whole giving up thing, especially when it's food based, I find the giving up aspect (as well as adding in) significant to me, including making part of that food based. Partly because it's based on tradition, and partly because food is something you have to think about every day, and specific foods one can really feel the lack of or use as a crutch. For me, because it is pretty central to my religious observance, it shouldn't be connected to weight loss, so I wouldn't participate in a weekly weigh-in or focus on a weight loss goal, but I'd certainly share any thoughts as it goes on about struggles or positives. I also definitely see it as a way to create new habits and (again) to let go of crutches.

I normally go either vegetarian or 100% plant based, and am doing 100% plant-based this year. I'm focusing on doing this (for the most part) in a simple, inexpensive way, and will estimate the savings (vs. my normal habits) and donate it to a local food bank. Or just pick an amount, really, to represent that.

For an extra Friday sacrifice (since I'm Catholic and am already doing no meat anyway), I'm also giving up Twitter (it sounds ridiculous but I tend to read Twitter too much when I'm commuting on the L and it's really, really not good for my mindset, so I am reading something spiritually enriching instead, and cannot peek at Twitter at all on Fridays).

I have a variety of other things, but they are not food-based. Some specifically prayer-related things that I am adding in, and then working on being more mindful about my tendency to judgmentalism and trying to see others with more charity and interpret what they do/say as positively as possible, notice when I'm responding with negative thoughts and replace those with at least some positive thought. (This is hard for me!)

Not Lent-related, but I have noticed how much better I feel when I'm not on Twitter. It's been about three weeks for me. I don't know if I'm going to stay away forever, but if I do go back it will be with a strategy to ensure I'm moderating it.

SisterSueGetsFit

I am giving up Facebook as I spend too much time and energy on it. Also, no alcohol during the week, but I will allow a glass or two on the weekends provided it fits in my calorie budget.

KNoceros

I am actively trying to be nice to someone (pref a stranger) at least once a day.

It backfired today though when I stopped to help a guy I thought was asking for directions to the local supermarket....
Turns out he was on his hands free phone loudly GIVING a third party directions from said supermarket. D’oh! 🤦‍♀️

wine_n_weights

lemurcat2 wrote: »

Thanks @kshama2001

I observe Lent and its one of my favorite seasons, and despite how common it is for people to mock the whole giving up thing, especially when it's food based, I find the giving up aspect (as well as adding in) significant to me, including making part of that food based. Partly because it's based on tradition, and partly because food is something you have to think about every day, and specific foods one can really feel the lack of or use as a crutch. For me, because it is pretty central to my religious observance, it shouldn't be connected to weight loss, so I wouldn't participate in a weekly weigh-in or focus on a weight loss goal, but I'd certainly share any thoughts as it goes on about struggles or positives. I also definitely see it as a way to create new habits and (again) to let go of crutches.

I agree with this. I'm giving up eating between meals, also not for the weight loss but because I think I'm too "attached" to certain things and foods. I also am trying to add some prayer related things and to give up some social media time. I think I spend too much time on that and want to concentrate on being more "in the moment".