So not going to lie, for me the fasting is much harder then I thought!

[Orthodoxjay1]

Fasting is rough, yet fasting is not something that is toally legalistic as in "you broke it, your punished" , we aren't pharasical jews, they are means to a ends, yes necessary means, but nothing to beat yourself up over, if you broke the fast I can't remember anyone in my parish totally keeping the fast 100%, I know I broken it a lot more than usual this year, yet I struggle in sin lately. Use this lent to go to confession more, receive the Eucharist more, pray more, attend more services, not to beat yourself up over falling in fasting, yes fasting important but don't forget that becoming Christlike is the endgame.

 

[prodromos]

After I got off animal products, I felt like a million bucks! Neck pains went away, shoulder and back pains abated, no more acid reflux, better night's sleep, and blood pressure much lower.

Just be mindful that not everyone has the same response. Mikhaila Peterson is a good example of someone who had serious health issues which vanished when she started eating meat only.

 

[Knee V]

As difficult as fasting is, I compound that difficulty by eating subpar food. For example, I'll buy a 14-pack of frozen bean burritos for $5 and bring them to work, and it will last me maybe two days, but I feel physically horrible after those two days. When I take the time to buy real ingredients and cook real food and get actual nutrition from my food, fasting becomes less difficult.

(Ironically, I am typing this while at work (I had to work today to get Holy Friday off), having just eaten three of those burritos for breakfast!)

 

[gzt]

The key to fasting is taking it slow.

 

[~Anastasia~]

As difficult as fasting is, I compound that difficulty by eating subpar food. For example, I'll buy a 14-pack of frozen bean burritos for $5 and bring them to work, and it will last me maybe two days, but I feel physically horrible after those two days. When I take the time to buy real ingredients and cook real food and get actual nutrition from my food, fasting becomes less difficult.

(Ironically, I am typing this while at work (I had to work today to get Holy Friday off), having just eaten three of those burritos for breakfast!)

This is a very good point. I've found it to make a HUGE difference in how easily I can do intermittent fasting as well. If the body is at least nourished (and hydrated) we tend to more easily not think about food. I'm not sure how well that corresponds with the spirit of the fast because it does make it much easier. But at least I think it's likely that the ascetics of the past ate some kind of real food when they did eat, not having access to the kind of junk we can purchase every day that fills our bellies (and our shape) but starves our bodies.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Just be mindful that not everyone has the same response. Mikhaila Peterson is a good example of someone who had serious health issues which vanished when she started eating meat only.

my godsister has something similar. she can't digest plant protein so she has to eat meat.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The key to fasting is taking it slow.

and, as a wise priest once told me, that sometimes it's stepping away from your plate a little more hungry than you were the last time.

 

[~Anastasia~]

my godsister has something similar. she can't digest plant protein so she has to eat meat.

Hmmm. I need to talk more to my doctor maybe. I haven't heard of that. But many vegetables actually make me very sick. I worked hard to acclimate myself to them when I was younger and was actually eating some I couldn't before, but being pregnant made a drastic change and I've had to restrict them severely since then.

(Thankful for eggs ... I know it's not really fasting food but it seems the only way I can participate right now. I know when I did try to fast strictly on the longer fasts, once my SF took me off "fish only" I always got very sick a few weeks in.)

 

[ArmyMatt]

Hmmm. I need to talk more to my doctor maybe. I haven't heard of that. But many vegetables actually make me very sick. I worked hard to acclimate myself to them when I was younger and was actually eating some I couldn't before, but being pregnant made a drastic change and I've had to restrict them severely since then.

(Thankful for eggs ... I know it's not really fasting food but it seems the only way I can participate right now. I know when I did try to fast strictly on the longer fasts, once my SF took me off "fish only" I always got very sick a few weeks in.)

yeah, that'd be something to talk to your doctor and your priest about. my godsister would get sick if she tried to do a strict fast.

 

[~Anastasia~]

yeah, that'd be something to talk to your doctor and your priest about. my godsister would get sick if she tried to do a strict fast.

Oh we have these conversations often (my priest and my SF ... often doctors don't care much). It may be why almost everything in my body has reversed and my labs are now fantastic across the board (except mild cholesterol) on Keto, and nearly everything I've had physical issues with is better. I feel better than I did 20 years ago in many ways.

But I might have to eventually accept I won't be able to fast in the same way as everyone else. I don't know since I still don't know the medical reasons. I keep hoping it's a short-term thing.

My first strict fast I woke up one day and my body felt half on-fire. I felt like I was on fire if I walked or stood. I could only stand bent over. Father made me stop fasting and told me not to worry about sitting in Church.

I guess time may tell. Too many physical issues that keep interfering lol!

 

[ArmyMatt]

Oh we have these conversations often (my priest and my SF ... often doctors don't care much). It may be why almost everything in my body has reversed and my labs are now fantastic across the board (except mild cholesterol) on Keto, and nearly everything I've had physical issues with is better. I feel better than I did 20 years ago in many ways.

But I might have to eventually accept I won't be able to fast in the same way as everyone else. I don't know since I still don't know the medical reasons. I keep hoping it's a short-term thing.

My first strict fast I woke up one day and my body felt half on-fire. I felt like I was on fire if I walked or stood. I could only stand bent over. Father made me stop fasting and told me not to worry about sitting in Church.

I guess time may tell. Too many physical issues that keep interfering lol!

yep, you just might have a different fast, that's year-round.

 

[AMM]

on the topic of fasting... story of something that happened to me today

I was getting lunch from one of the foodcourts on campus, and went to the sushi and ramen place. They usually have vegan options (tofu) and shrimp/crab options. So I found some rolls that looked like shrimp rolls, and checked at the bottom of the ingredients list, where it lists common allergens and stuff. It listed soy, gluten, and shellfish, so I thought, "oh perfect, I'll eat this."

Then I go and take a bite of it and realized that it also had chicken - that was listed in the whole ingredients list but not at the end... and it was a long ingredients list! so I hadn't read through it all. I thought for sure it would have just been listed where I checked, since I know that place also lists dairy if that's included.And meat can be an allergen!

Oops A foretaste of the feast to come, I guess?

 

[~Anastasia~]

yep, you just might have a different fast, that's year-round.

I honestly hope not! But I don't know yet.

What I do know ... Pascha WILL be a feast for me! I chose to forget my "fast" and eat whatever I want for Pascha, Nativity, and Thanksgiving. I may pay for it for a few days but I'm going to do it anyway!

 

[ArmyMatt]

I honestly hope not! But I don't know yet.

What I do know ... Pascha WILL be a feast for me! I chose to forget my "fast" and eat whatever I want for Pascha, Nativity, and Thanksgiving. I may pay for it for a few days but I'm going to do it anyway!

oh I hope not for you as well. but if so, thank God. Orthodox like my godsister are great reminders not to get all high and mighty with my fasting.

 

[~Anastasia~]

oh I hope not for you as well. but if so, thank God. Orthodox like my godsister are great reminders not to get all high and mighty with my fasting.

Hmmm.

I'm not sure how my poor fasting can remind someone else not to get prideful over theirs? But it may be if you'd care to explain a bit more, I might like to hear it.

These days when I'm sometimes at Church morning to night, and have to eat there, I try to be so careful that no one knows I have eggs, or yogurt, etc. because I don't want to tempt anyone else in whatever way that might tempt them. I'd still probably continue to hide my eating during fasting times for their sake, but I'd be curious to know what you might mean?

 

[prodromos]

Hmmm.

I'm not sure how my poor fasting can remind someone else not to get prideful over theirs? But it may be if you'd care to explain a bit more, I might like to hear it.

These days when I'm sometimes at Church morning to night, and have to eat there, I try to be so careful that no one knows I have eggs, or yogurt, etc. because I don't want to tempt anyone else in whatever way that might tempt them. I'd still probably continue to hide my eating during fasting times for their sake, but I'd be curious to know what you might mean?

Anastasia! You are robbing your fellow parishioners of valuable opportunities to exercise not judging
But then again you are also saving them from failing miserably at those same opportunities. It is a hard line to draw sometimes, isn't it.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Hmmm.

I'm not sure how my poor fasting can remind someone else not to get prideful over theirs? But it may be if you'd care to explain a bit more, I might like to hear it.

These days when I'm sometimes at Church morning to night, and have to eat there, I try to be so careful that no one knows I have eggs, or yogurt, etc. because I don't want to tempt anyone else in whatever way that might tempt them. I'd still probably continue to hide my eating during fasting times for their sake, but I'd be curious to know what you might mean?

my godsister cannot not have meat for Lent. it's not by her choice, it's that she has a medical condition. so if I look down on someone for not strictly adhering to the fast, how do I know that person doesn't have something like my godsister?

 

[~Anastasia~]

my godsister cannot not have meat for Lent. it's not by her choice, it's that she has a medical condition. so if I look down on someone for not strictly adhering to the fast, how do I know that person doesn't have something like my godsister?

Ah I see. Yes, I hadn't applied it to Lent but it's basically the same thing I try to do when I see anyone in any activity that offends me (not so much "judging a sin" usually, but I get the most practice applying it to people just acting like - ahhhh socially careless people shall we say? ... which I am sadly still capable of being pricked into offense by when it's aimed at me).

Thank you. It's been so long since I had any possible opportunity to judge anyone in Fasting that the obvious didn't even occur to me.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Anastasia! You are robbing your fellow parishioners of valuable opportunities to exercise not judging
But then again you are also saving them from failing miserably at those same opportunities. It is a hard line to draw sometimes, isn't it.

Haha I never thought of giving them such practice. Maybe I'm judging them in a sense by trying to protect them from judging me. Yikes.

But I discussed it with my priest a couple-few years ago and he agreed it would be considerate and prudent not to advertise my dispensations so I try very hard not to. This year should be easier. I have a room for my class that has a microwave and a refrigerator.