What are you giving up for LENT?

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  • northfresh
    northfresh Posts: 111
    I'm going to give up taking the elevator at college (only 4 floors high so not that bad..), and I'm going to (try to) give up alcohol... Or at least cut down to 1 or 2 drinks a week.
    I think I will join you on the elevator challenge... I am also only on the fourth floor so I should suck it up!
  • sdbart
    sdbart Posts: 189 Member
    Traditional Religion... :laugh:
  • SeansMomma
    SeansMomma Posts: 3
    I've been pregnant or nursing for the past two years so instead of food I gave up music. It was VERY QUIET in the car but on the plus side, I picked up some Spanish! This year, I don't know... I'm considering giving up wine or all sweets or just stick to giving up music because I really love music on my walks, in the car, etc.

    good luck on figuring it out!
  • Mbotter17
    Mbotter17 Posts: 6 Member
    I'm going to fast (within reason) on holy days and instead of giving up something I'm going to be more kind, helpful, and complimentary, because the whole point is to deepen your realationship with Christ. Good luck to all of you trying to maintain a goal and kuddos to all of you that have set goals.
  • justmyalias
    justmyalias Posts: 153 Member
    LOL......love it!
    Are people giving up things for Lent because of religious beliefs or just giving things up because it seems to be the thing to do? Just curious.

    I am not Catholic, but I will usually give something up for Lent.
    I think sacrifice does the body and mind good, and also allows a chance to re-focus on what is really important. (I am fairly religious - but I still think others could similarly observe for their own personal reasons...)
  • Kyrosh
    Kyrosh Posts: 238
    I'm gonna give up anything that comes from a coffee shop!
  • BethLynn2018
    BethLynn2018 Posts: 16 Member
    I'm going to give up LAZINESS !
  • lpc505_girl
    lpc505_girl Posts: 10
    Lots of good ideas on here! Just a tip-- Lent is about sacrifice, so you don't necessarily have to give up something. You can add something that would ordinarily be a sacrifice!
    I'm usually wrapped up in my own little world; I would like to do one good deed for a stranger a day :)
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
    I don't do well with absolutes. Telling myself I CANNOT do/eat something is a sure fire way for me to do it and go overboard with it. So I am sticking with my everything in moderation as far as diet as concerned.

    I am going to TRY...TRY...to give up cursing. And facebook.
  • babymaddux
    babymaddux Posts: 209 Member
    i gave up potato chips 3 lents ago. have had maybe 6 bags total since. gave up chocolate 2 lents ago. not quite so successful, but it helped me realise i can function without without a daily snickers (and the rest). i'm not religious and never have been, but i use lent as a personal test of my willpower and resolve :smile:
  • Emmysaurusrex
    Emmysaurusrex Posts: 2 Member
    Coffee:sad: and just so everyone knows, lent is 46 Days this year:cry:

    Lent is always 40 days. Sundays don't count (think cheat days)!

    http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/f/Counting_Lent.htm

    I haven't given it much thought. I guess I'll keep an eye on this thread for ideas. :smile:
  • ewies84
    ewies84 Posts: 15 Member
    My boyfriend and I are teaming up this year to eliminate all soda (mostly me) and fast food (both of us) from our diets. No more salads and grilled chicken from fast food; we will cook at home and pack our lunches/suppers. We've also decided to limit sit-down restaurant dining to once a week. We both live very busy lives with many, many commitments and our kids are busy, too, so we are always eating on the go. It's killing us, both nutritionally and financially.

    Growing up, we always did something MORE in addition to giving something up. This year, we have decided that, as a family, we are going to pray together more. We all pray individually, but other than before/after meals or at Mass, we do not pray as a family. We are going to make a more concentrated effort to pray together - there's that old saying, "the family that prays together, stays together." :)
  • livelifenow91
    livelifenow91 Posts: 300 Member
    I think it's important to remember that the entire POINT of giving something up for Lent is so that you spend the time you would have spent with that, with God. People fasted and spent the times they would have spent eating in prayer with God. While this is a good use for many of your diets and such, don't forget the real meaning etiher. Spend some time with God during your freetime from your fast. Make it count
  • timmemin
    timmemin Posts: 72 Member
    refined sugar. It is going to be an interesting 40 days. I eat chocolate in some form everyday.
  • kblu0816
    kblu0816 Posts: 1,627 Member
    This year I'm adding something and sacrificing as well. I'm going to do the rosary every day and elimiate fast food chain eating. Tim Horton's and McDonald's breakfasts are sooo hard to resist when I'm in a rush in the morning. Also limiting the times I go out to eat to 1x week.
  • TheDarlingOne
    TheDarlingOne Posts: 255 Member
    I am not catholic - but last year the local radio station dj's were talking about what they were giving up - so i thought it would be fun to give it a try myself.

    I gave up for lent soda - any kind - be it diet or regular - i didn't drink a drop for 40 days.....soon as it was over i went buck wild and probably gained 20lbs just off regular coke alone. was not a good idea for me lol.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    The Pirate Bay
  • junebaby21
    junebaby21 Posts: 260 Member
    I'm glad you posted this, because I have been struggling with my decision.

    The things I normally do have now become a part of my lifestyle:
    I feel I shouldn't give up snacking, because on my big calorie torching days I need snacks to fuel me.
    I don't eat "bad" foods like chocolate or candy too often, so I can't really give those up.
    I already work out 6 days a week, so I can't add "work out" to my routine.

    I'm going to have think outside of the box and sacrifice in a new way. Maybe start attending daily mass or do community service type activities. It actually may be more of a sacrifice for me to give up some time at the gym and give it to other areas of my life and the community. Food for thought, for sure.
  • CrazyTrackLady
    CrazyTrackLady Posts: 1,337 Member
    Asking what one is giving up for Lent is the same as asking what someone has prayed to God when you see their head hung in silent prayer. That's between God and me, only.
  • sueb6109
    sueb6109 Posts: 2 Member
    Wine except for Saturday's
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
    Sex.

    Pretty much my wife's choice, but I'm counting it for me.

    STEVE!!!! Lent doesn't last 365 days a year.....JEEZ
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    Really don't know what to give up this year. Gave up tea one year and never been back on it. Also given up Coca-Cola, never went back on it. I have the occasional treat which won't mean much if I give it up. I also have sugar now and then so I could give sugar up but won't miss it. I can't give up the internet as also use it for work lol.
  • thintor
    thintor Posts: 33
    hot chocolate! i can't stop drinking it and it's SO bad!
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
    Hopefully a few more pounds.
  • AwesomeMoJo
    AwesomeMoJo Posts: 1,145 Member
    For lent Iam going to give up...hmmm...giving things up. lol yep...that's it..not going to give anything up for lent this year...that is what I am giving up...I am giving up, giving things up...(that statement made sense in my head but looks strange typed out)...

    :bigsmile:
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    Sex.

    Pretty much my wife's choice, but I'm counting it for me.

    STEVE!!!! Lent doesn't last 365 days a year.....JEEZ

    No, 363 on average.
  • cinciti
    cinciti Posts: 45 Member
    I'm giving up packaged foods, which I've already kinda started doing... I need to get off those frozen dinners for lunch!
  • jkirby79
    jkirby79 Posts: 44 Member
    I'm giving up booze for lent. In my case that's gin.

    It's traditional to donate to charity the money you'd save by giving something up, so someone else benefits from you abstaining.

    I'm going to donate mine to my church (the money I've not spent, not the gin!!!)

    Who would you donate your money to?

    What a great post. Witty and inspiring all at the same time. I lol'd.
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    LOL......love it!
    Are people giving up things for Lent because of religious beliefs or just giving things up because it seems to be the thing to do? Just curious.

    I am not Catholic, but I will usually give something up for Lent.
    I think sacrifice does the body and mind good, and also allows a chance to re-focus on what is really important. (I am fairly religious - but I still think others could similarly observe for their own personal reasons...)

    I'm not Catholic either. I was raised Baptist, and I attend a Baptist church. Even though I don't know of anything in scripture that mandates the idea behind Lent, I think the idea behind it is a good one. For Christians, the Easter season is a time to think about the sacrifice that was made for us, so it stands to reason that we should be thinking about sacrifices that we can make in our own lives for the benefit of others, for the benefit of God's glory, to improve the quality of our own lives so that we have more energy to give of ourselves, or all of the above.
  • LoveMy3Boys
    LoveMy3Boys Posts: 562 Member
    Nothing

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