What are you giving up for Lent 2011? ( 9th March - 23rd Apr

mrssparkle
mrssparkle Posts: 47
edited September 23 in Motivation and Support
Although I am not Catholic, always give something up for Lent. Although I sometimes don't last the whole 40 days. This year I have decided to give up potatoes. What are you giving up? It will be interesting to see how many MFPs last the whole 40 days.

Replies

  • Panda86
    Panda86 Posts: 873
    Ooooh, interesting! I am not Catholic, either, but this is a good practice no matter your religious beliefs- especially if you have something holding you back (watching too much TV, drinking tons of soda, whatever). Hmm...... I will have to think about this!
  • sneakers71
    sneakers71 Posts: 106
    I have done this for the past couple of years, I'm not catholic either but its a good way to excercise disipline. The first year I gave up cheeseburgers ( a killer for me) and last year it was watching tv in bed. I am undecided what this years will be but thanks for bringing it up! Good luck with the taters!
  • kyacky1
    kyacky1 Posts: 11
    No plans to give anything up. In years past I have given up diet coke. I have also tried doing something different in lieu of
    giving something up...read my bible, devotions.. that sort of thing. Volunteer, perhaps some activity/ excercise, each day.
    Hmm... you have me thinking. Thanks,:happy: Good luck with the potatoes
  • brity77
    brity77 Posts: 38
    I am Catholic and I think am actually giving up potatoes, too! It's going to be tough to stay away from French fries!!
  • Tarah1357
    Tarah1357 Posts: 139 Member
    Well, I gave up smoking in September so that's out...But I think I may give up wine *gasp!* I know I know! There is soooo much sugar in it and it's really not the healthiest option. Besides I'm more of a beer drinker anyway so it really won't be giving up much. lol But I will miss my sangria! ...(for a month and a half anyway) hehe :)
  • rlmarti4
    rlmarti4 Posts: 17 Member
    I don't go to church anymore, but it makes my mom happy if I do lent so I do it every year. For years I gave up soda, when that became easy I gave up meat, then last year I gave up cheese. But now that I'm dieting those are all things I have at most once a week.
    I haven't thought about this year yet!
    I may try to ignore the scale, I tend to weight myself every time I walk past one. Maybe someone else will have a better idea for me to steal.
  • kcrojas630
    kcrojas630 Posts: 145 Member
    I am going to start doing Power 90, and promise to do it through Lent, no breaks other than the 1 day/ week allowed!
  • krissy_pooo
    krissy_pooo Posts: 111 Member
    I don't go to church anymore, but it makes my mom happy if I do lent so I do it every year. For years I gave up soda, when that became easy I gave up meat, then last year I gave up cheese. But now that I'm dieting those are all things I have at most once a week.
    I haven't thought about this year yet!
    I may try to ignore the scale, I tend to weight myself every time I walk past one. Maybe someone else will have a better idea for me to steal.

    I should give up stepping on the scale too!! I do it before and after I workout just to see if anything is different:noway:
  • 1QueenB
    1QueenB Posts: 227 Member
    I am teetering between quitting smoking or eliminating starches (bread, rice, potatoes, etc.) from my diet. This is great to see what everyone else is doing. My biggest worry about the smoking is that I may not be ready for that just yet, but we'll see:smokin:

    And just FYI, and not trying to rain on anybody's parade, but I also am not Catholic, but all my life in our church we have always celebrated the Lenten Season with fasting and prayer as a way to become to closer to God and make a sacrifice for him as he did for us. I honestly thought most Christian, Baptist, Protestant, etc participated in Lent. Oh well I learn something new everyday:happy:
  • JD92
    JD92 Posts: 253 Member
    im thinking sugary fizzy drinks. i drink alot of pepsi diet, which i know isnt loadsa calories or anything.. but a few years ago i done it and got really into drinking water, which i want to do again to clear my skin up again like it did before!

    maybe takeaways too!
  • prekteacher2
    prekteacher2 Posts: 152
    I am Catholic and I'm going to give up all sweets.
  • momogogo
    momogogo Posts: 159 Member
    I had to think about this one a bit. I feel like I have given up so much already trying to lose weight. However, I still eat ice cream at least once a week. I adore it! So I guess that is what I will surrender for Lent.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    I'm not Roman Catholic, although part of the church catholic. Our denomination follows the church year, but not rigorously. We don't fast for Lent. For me, I am giving up 10-15 pounds I hope.
  • mrssparkle
    mrssparkle Posts: 47
    I've been thinking about this since I started this topic and realise that I hardly eat any potatoes so that is not going to be difficult so I am changing to giving up cheese AND chocolate.
  • porcelain_doll
    porcelain_doll Posts: 1,005 Member
    And just FYI, and not trying to rain on anybody's parade, but I also am not Catholic, but all my life in our church we have always celebrated the Lenten Season with fasting and prayer as a way to become to closer to God and make a sacrifice for him as he did for us. I honestly thought most Christian, Baptist, Protestant, etc participated in Lent. Oh well I learn something new everyday:happy:
    Most Christian churches do celebrate the Lenten season. I am Missouri Synod Lutheran and we have services for Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, etc. It is not "required" to give anything up in our church; no one looks down on you if you don't. I've actually never given anything up for Lent in my life, but I've given plenty of things up throughout other parts of the year! Maybe I should try it sometime.
  • kris1085
    kris1085 Posts: 1,436 Member
    I am giving up pop this year !
  • VBos
    VBos Posts: 213 Member
    I am giving up pop this year !
    I too have made a 2011 vow, no alcohol!! still goin strong! even though i still have 10 months left lol. the first few weeks were hard as far as not being able to have a drink after work. but i feel like now sugar has taken over the alcohol. so maybe i can kick this sugar thing too! so for 40 days i'll go without sugar. which will elliminate most/all processed foods. i'm sure this will be much easier said than done!!... no sugar/processed foods i'm sure will kick this weightloss into high gear!!
  • Damchatay
    Damchatay Posts: 2 Member
    I am not Catholic also but have many friends that are, so I always participate with them. This year I think I am giving up processed food, fast food, and soda....
  • caitlinsmum
    caitlinsmum Posts: 55 Member
    Can't decide whether to give up weighing myself pretty much every day - or giving up diet soda? I find the idea of not weighing myself quite terrifying if I'm honest .... so worried that I'll gain lots of weight if I don't weigh myself every day .... Well I'll think it over and decide before Wednesday ....
  • New_Bloom
    New_Bloom Posts: 22 Member
    Hi,

    I am Christian and I think my church follows lent, but I've never given anything up before. I really suck at discipline and I am practically afraid to say that I will give anything up for fear that I may break the fast and give in to temptation. I 've been trying to give up tv for awhile (but currently living with my family and the tv is always on!), I'm thinking about Mcdonalds, which I do not eat all that often but since school started (with a Mcdonalds across the street), I've been getting nuggets every week. I hate it but I am always starving after my evening classes and its just there. Well, I definitely gotta think about now. Thanks!

    - Gigi
  • MsFitnFabulous
    MsFitnFabulous Posts: 432 Member
    I'm a Christian and we celebrate Lent. I'm giving up the scale. Not that I'm all that obsessed, but I'm willing to deny myself and walk by faith and not by sight.
  • mmtiernan
    mmtiernan Posts: 702 Member
    I am Catholic. One year, I decided to give up ice cream for Lent. I love ice cream, and I can tell you that I suffered mightily!! After that, I decided that from then on, I'd just give up spinach because I can do that! :laugh:

    Actually, last year after giving it a lot of thought, I decided that it would that a better show of service would be to spend Lent with the promise of doing something positive rather then giving up something negative. They say that it takes 28 days of doing something for it to become a habit, so why not spend the 40 days doing something positive, creating a good habit? Last year, I committed to improving myself by following an exercise program for the 40 days and I'm still keeping that resolution! This year, I'm consciously trying to say something positive to my daughter and at least one other person each and every day - and I must say, so far it has been just as good for me as it has been for them!

    I know that the idea is to suffer in atonement before Easter, but truly, I always thought the idea just seemed off - so, consider turning it around and focus on doing something positive for 40 days instead. You may just gain something more!
  • caitlinsmum
    caitlinsmum Posts: 55 Member
    OK - made up my mind - I'm giving up weiging myself for Lent ...
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