Anybody doing whole Lent fast?!

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Prayforya
Prayforya Posts: 68 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So its 2 weeks into Lent and I know people usually "give up" something (i.e. meat, soda, etc). But is anybody else doing an actual Lenten fast? By that I mean no food from sun up (6a) to sun down (6p)?? Just water.

I'm wondering how that is going for anybody else? Especially if you work out too?! I know I'm not the only one...right?!
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  • Prayforya
    Prayforya Posts: 68 Member
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    Nobody? Lol
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
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    Heck to the NO! haha
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    Only on Ash Wen and Good Fri.
  • jenndugas7
    jenndugas7 Posts: 15 Member
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    I did that two years ago. I made it 2-3 weeks. I definitely admire anyone who follows the Ramadan fasting now.
  • Prayforya
    Prayforya Posts: 68 Member
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    Heck to the NO! haha


    Hahaha!! So I've come to see!
  • MummaSue
    MummaSue Posts: 242 Member
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    I am, but slightly adapted - I allow other sensible drinks between sunrise & sunset - I check the times daily.
    So far, so good. It's really making me think about food differently, breaking the grazing habit! Yes I'm losing a bit of weight but that's not the primary reason for doing this. I don't fast on Sundays.
    I'm a progressive Christian so I'm not doing it for tradition's sake either, pleased to find someone else who is going down this road.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
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    I have no problem with intermittent fasting, but to eat nothing from 6am-6pm, and for me then to have to squash my caloric intake into 4 hours before I go to bed would just not make sense for me. I have training goals I want to achieve and unless I wanted to train at 2am, which I don't, this would just not work for me. Just the thought of having to consume all my calories between 6pm-10pm and then go to bed makes me heave.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
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    My denomination doesn't celebrate Lent so I have never heard of the Lenten fast before. It sounds very difficult, but also like an experience that would mean more to me (if I did it) than other giving-up-for-Lent goals I've heard of. I hope it goes well for you!
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
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    No way I would die :D Just on Ash Wed and Good Fri. Definitely the no meat on Friday though!
  • wcaldwelld
    wcaldwelld Posts: 101 Member
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    I have done my best here so far and have been successful.. but again there are only two fasting days during lent ash Wednesday and good Friday.. all other Fridays are for abstaining from meat... you can by choice fast from good friday till easter to mark the suffering of Jesus.. I gave up the normal snacks, ice cream etc.. but also gave up time as in attending adoration more and daily mass more often
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,268 Member
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    My father used to do a whole lent fast. no food whatsoever all week, and one meal on sunday. he would drink tomato soup and hot chocolate throughout the week to keep him going but no actual food and no actual sit down meals. he had an entirely different wardrobe during those 40 days. as a kid you don't forget when your big, muscular Dad slims down rapidly and isn't eating. it was inspirational and I have friends who still talk about it when lent rolls around. he is now over 70 so doing that to his body is not possible.
    Good luck with your fast. it sounds like you are dedicated and that is what this season is all about.
  • DirtyTrickster
    DirtyTrickster Posts: 202 Member
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    No, but I did pack a tofu lunch today
  • arj5150
    arj5150 Posts: 21 Member
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    I give up wine for Lent every year, that is torture enough for me. I have no problem not eating for 12 hrs, so I don't see the point.
  • shamburger411
    shamburger411 Posts: 30 Member
    edited March 2016
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    courtney_love2001 wrote: »
    No way I would die :D Just on Ash Wed and Good Fri. Definitely the no meat on Friday though!

    This. I gave up coffee for lent. It was an addiction to me and I don't even crave it anymore.
  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
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    I forgot lent this year :/ I am not catholic but I have always enjoyed the idea of breaking what we think are addictions for a period of time to remind myself that I control me. I usually give up all added sweetener or coffee. Im a little sad I didn't do it this year!
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
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    I've never head of this kind of Lenten fast. I've heard of that for Ramadan.. But I thought Lent was more about no meat, nothing decadent, etc. if you're going to do it all. The Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops has listed only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as official fast days.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    VeryKatie wrote: »
    I've never head of this kind of Lenten fast. I've heard of that for Ramadan.. But I thought Lent was more about no meat, nothing decadent, etc. if you're going to do it all. The Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops has listed only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as official fast days.

    This. And even then, what Catholics define as a "fast" consists of just one meal a day, and it doesn't specify which meal or what time of day that should be. So technically you could go to Golden Corral, eat 4000 calories and still be within the guideline.
  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
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    I'm not Catholic and have never participated in lent in my life. I knew a guy when I was around 14 who fasted for lent (he was older). He originally would eat popsicles during the week, but started feeling like that was "cheating" so he cut that out and literally ate nothing all week. To my knowledge, he didn't eat on Sundays either, but I'm betting he probably had at least something once a week. By the end, he was skin and bones and very sickly looking. I don't know how he did it!!!
  • ScoobaChick
    ScoobaChick Posts: 184 Member
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    I give up alcohol and sweets but I could not fast sun up to sun down. I admire those who can. I eat no meat on Fridays.
  • ecoforestry
    ecoforestry Posts: 13 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I do, but not "only water" for the day.
    I fast and have two small meals during the day and one larger meal in the evening. The two smaller meals must equal less than the one dinner meal when they are added together. Any beverage is okay, including a glass of milk. But not something that is supposed to replace a meal like a protein smoothie (which I have with my breakfast meal). No meat from birds or mammals, but I haven't had those in 20 years anyways as I am always a pescotarian (fish+vegetarian). So that one is easy for me.
    Lent fasting is not really about "giving up" things, but taking away worldly distractions and focusing on God. Anyone who has health reasons not to fast is certainly excused (and can do other things during Lent). I didn't fast for 8 years as I was pregnant/breastfeeding almost continually during that time. I still refrained from desserts, attended extra prayer services and mass times, and spent the time of Lent examining my heart and growing closer to God.
    Hope that helps. God bless you!


    P.S. (It doesn't matter that Lent is partly over. Start when you can.) Also, Sunday afternoon we have family meal in the afternoon- around 2-3 p.m. with my whole family and my in-laws. That day is somewhat exempt. Just don't go crazy and eat all day long. That isn't the spirit of the fast.
    As for dieting and loosing weight, yes, I am trying to do that, too. Lent helps me refocus my junk food cravings to being prayerful instead. Healthy habits I start in Lent follow me for months afterwards (although I usually regress later on... and gain weight... I struggle with Depression and my weight yo-yos with how I am feeling. I have gained, lost, gained, and am working on re-losing 60 lbs. in the last 5 years! So frustrating).

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