Lent 2020

amtyrell
amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
edited February 2020 in Motivation and Support
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

Replies

  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
    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.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    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
    mlittfit Posts: 1 Member
    I am giving up alcohol. I would love a weekly public weigh in but Friday works best for me.
  • alrightmsjenkins
    alrightmsjenkins Posts: 34 Member
    I’m also giving up alcohol. Fridays definitely work better for me as far as weigh ins though.
  • anitamorrin1111
    anitamorrin1111 Posts: 2 Member
    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
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i try to focus on these for lent
    2bjw7b4s7e6p.png
  • TexasTallchick
    TexasTallchick Posts: 138 Member
    During Lent, I give up caper berries and crack.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    mgobluetx wrote: »
    During Lent, I give up caper berries and crack.
    Hope you are successful.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Paging @lemurcat2 as you've participated in other Lent threads.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    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
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    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
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    missysippy930 wrote: »
    Mine isn’t to give anything up, but, to say, or do, something nice for someone every day.

    I love this.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    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
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    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.
  • wine_n_weights
    wine_n_weights Posts: 253 Member
    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".


  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    edited February 2020
    I try to do something for Lent every year. I actually "kicked off" my weight loss on MFP 7 years ago during Lent. I fast during the day on Ash Wednesday and Fridays--only liquids (unless I feel lightheaded, like today--ate a small piece of bread) until supper. I also don't eat sweets during the week--Sundays I let myself. I try to do or say something nice to someone everyday. It's mainly a time to be aware and maybe think differently.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
    Weigh ins
    Ash weds 202.8
    March 4 : 201.0

    This week I went and bought two cases of hand sanitizer at aldi (don't worry I didn't actually clear the shelf) and brought it with me to my volunteering at my towns food pantry. Just a reminder as people stock up in caution due to covid-19 that those who need food pantry on a regular week don't have the ability to stock up and likely want and have no way to get extras like hand sanitizer or an extra few weeks of food ect
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Lent is one of my favorite times of the year!! The way we do it is regimented, so I don't exactly have a different Lent experience every year, but I love it as a family tradition. It always brings us together. This year is a bit of an exception because I'm not observing it as strictly as usual. It will be 100% plant based for 7 weeks as always, but I'm being more lenient with the other rules.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I wonder what the disagree was about. It doesn't bother me, but it does bother the curious cat inside of me.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I wonder what the disagree was about. It doesn't bother me, but it does bother the curious cat inside of me.

    probably just someone scrolling on the app. :)

    i'm not doing well not thinking negative things about people. my commute is making it very very difficult
  • susanpiper57
    susanpiper57 Posts: 213 Member
    I gave up fast food and diet coke. Growing up, I was always told that it "has to be something that you love" so that it is a sacrifice, and I have been eating way too much junk over the last six months. I'm also making a concerted effort to be more present with my family. I have a husband, a 1 year old, and a 4 year old, and I work full-time and am in my last semester of college with 18 credit hours this semester. Because my kids are at young, demanding ages, I am always with them (usually holding one!), but it can be easy to try to multitask and do other things while I'm in the room with them, like cook or pick up the house. I am making an effort to be 100% present and not let myself get distracted by all of the things that need done, and just sit or play with them when we're together.

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