I'm toying with the idea of giving something up for lent. I think from a practical, mental and spiritual standpoint it would be beneficial. I'm curious if this is something anyone else has done? It is not my intention to make light of or disrespect Catholic tradition. I just think that a huge part of our journey to health is learning to let go of things and realize the rewards of discipline. I'm not even sure I would apply it to food, but I'm considering a disconnect from Facebook, television or something of the like and would like to replace it with more meaningful activities.

So that being said, fill me in?

Is it a regular part of your spiritual or every day life?

Have you used it as part of your weight loss journey?

What were your experiences.

I think maybe I could give up soda and fast food. What are the dates of Lent?

Hi Jane,

I am not an overly religious person but I do give something up for Lent every year (I need something as a credit at those pearly gates!).

Last year I gave up Pinterest (yes, my addiction was that bad) and swearing (that was really hard!).

In the past, I have given up a variety of things. One year was bread and potatoes (I have an awful addiction), another year was alcohol (just to prove to myself that I could see my friends at the pub and not drink).

I think in both cases they improved my health, either directly in calories being reduced or in the case of Pinterest, I got off my computer and found something else to do so I wasn't sitting around.

Some people say you only have to give up your sacrifice Monday through Saturday and that it doesn't apply to Sunday but I didn't do it that way. I did my giving up from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday.

I'll be interested to see the replies here!

I believe that it begins the 5th of March this year and ends on April 19th.

Swearing. That's a good one. I can't believe how foul my mouth has become!

Well, making what your giving up for lent something to help with your weight loss, is actually kind of defeating the purpose of it... (I was raised Christian, but never Catholic).

Now I am Jewish, and I do fast for Yom Kippur every year. Again, not at all connected to weight loss, diet, etc.

Over the summer, I DID give up Facebook. It was great. I check back now and again now, but it helped me to put it in a different perspective, and I think that taking a "fast" from something can definitely do that. I often set my phone aside for the weekend, or stay off the computer for a day or two. (Wasn't addicted to FB, but definitely am with my phone!!)

It depends on HOW you do it... do you give up sweets for a month, but spend the whole time drooling over your co-worker's donuts? Do you plan recipes you are going to make, etc. still obsessing over the thing you are shunning?

No, you have to fill the whole that removing it from your life opens with something else. Something healthier and more worthwhile.

I do highly recommend doing this. Whether it be with food, media, etc.

Then, when you bring it back into your life (should you choose to do this), you bring it back in a more balanced way.

I am a "cradle catholic" and have always participated in giving up something for lent. At a very young age we were asked to do so and it is a part of life ( for me) Our parents told us to "give up" something we really really liked and don't let others know by complaining, because it will teach you how to live without letting others know everything in your life, it teaches self discipline, modesty and it really does make you feel good about yourself. To be somewhat humble is something that is not practiced much these days. Even though I was raised catholic and went to catholic school, I think of myself as a more spiritual person, rather than a religious person.

Giving up something for Lent is a wonderful idea, it doesn't necessarily have to be a religious thing and it's wonderful to test your strength isn't it? It's quite a natural thing to give something up for a while. I do it with my favorite movie Love Actually. I have refrained for 3 years from seeing it just so that I can truly appreciate it more the next time I watch it. It's like delaying gratification.

Go for it!

Thanks, hon!

I'll put it on my calendar!

My family is as a-religious as they come, but we occasionally give up something for Lent -- not out of any disrespect, but because it's a well-worn template for self-discipline. Thanks for bringing it up; perhaps we'll do something this year.

F.

IonMoon I don't understand what you mean when you say that if you give up something to help with your weight loss that it defeats the purpose. Why do you think it defeats the purpose?

I was always taught that it was giving up something that would be hard to do without, and/or committing to do more of something. For example, giving up soda and making a commitment to read daily from a prayer book.

Radiojane: I think it's a great idea! I need to figure out what I'm going to do this year.

For Lent I'm giving up dieting hehe.

I think "defeating the purpose" by using it to aid weightloss means you get a reward out of it, which may take away from the deprivation aspect.

Still haven't decided for sure. But I have a few ideas of things I need to let go of for a while. Cheese is high on the list. Not for weight loss, but because I'm clearly too attached to it.

I am a lapsed Catholic and was considering giving up something for Lent, but I don't really have a food or drink I want to gice up - not becuase I don't want tot sacrifice, but becasue I already gave up a lot of things and only have them occasionally as part of my healthier lifestyle. No chcocolate? Well, aside from a piece or two for V-Day, I haven't had any since Xmas so no biggie. No wine? I only have a couple of glasses every few weeks, so again not a big sacrifice.

I think I am going to give up yelling. I tend to yell and grumble a lot, so I am going to use Lent as a time to look inward and really make an effort to stop this destructive way of communicating.

This is wonderful. Yelling is such a terrible thing to do to yourself and to the people around you. I never let my toddler yell either, we speak in rather hushed tones around the house. I feel quiet is sacred. I grew up with a mom who yelled at alot and I found it so jarring and swore that I would never be a yeller. Being around loud people in general makes me very antsy. I also tend to believe that people yell because they feel they are not being heard but yelling just causes people to stop listening altogether. My best teachers were the ones who spoke softly. You had to really be quiet and listen to hear what they had to say because we thought that it must be worth it. Stopping yelling will literally change your life, how people perceive you and how people react to you.

I'm guilty as charged but I'm getting better about this. I don't like having to repeat myself more than 3-4 times to my son. That gets on my nerves. I'm sure I'm not alone on this one.