Fasting from food....it's hard

  • Thread starter Thread starter HeWillProvide
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
H

HeWillProvide

Guest
i have trouble with fasting from food.
i know it’s not supposed to be easy but what are some tips that will help me do it more?
like, imagining all the starving people in the world, or imagine jesus doing it for 40 days. what else?
i do a very poor job at fasting
 
You are only required to fast on 2 days out of the whole year. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

You could try having a late night snack the night before. Also, remember that between meals you are allowed to have a drink, so keep a bottle of water handy. Most of the time that you think you are “hungry” you are really just thirsty.
 
while the requirement is officially only 2 days per year - i feel like i should do more.
all the saints and religious fast regularly and so did jesus and his disciples.
two days is really nothing.
 
My 2c worth.

If you are not used to fasting your body will cry out for food. As you practice more the body seems to understand what is going on. Drink lots of water and don’t fast to the stage where it is dangerous to your health or being able to concentrate properly.

Also, remember in Muslim countries during Ramadan more food is eaten than any other time of the year as they eat a lot during the night time to compensate.

I would advise thinking of fasting as a discipline rather than purposely causing pain and discomfort. Better to gradually increase the discipline slowly rather than purposely causing maximum discomfort. And don’t worry if you break your fast, you are only human. ( i assume 🙂 )
 
If you want to do more GREAT!!! I must have misunderstood your original post because it sounded as though you were having issues Fasting for the 2 required days. If you want to do more, start slowly and if you stumble along the way, forgive yourself and try again. Fasting is not easy and prolonged fasting is not healthy either. I would suggest starting with Fasting on Friday’s in lent. Then you can try and continue with fasting once lent is over, but like I said, as you are getting used to it, as your body is adjusting, cut yourself some slack when you fail and succum to temptation. Just don’t give up…keep trying and it will get easier
 
Fasting is good for health.While we are in fasting,we can have a water bottle with us.we can drink water at any time.By drinking water at we can have satisfaction,that we have eating some thing.By this we don’t we for hungry.

Stop My Divorce
 
HeWillProvide said:
i have trouble with fasting from food.
i know it’s not supposed to be easy but what are some tips that will help me do it more?
like, imagining all the starving people in the world, or imagine jesus doing it for 40 days. what else?
i do a very poor job at fasting
Click to expand...
The best tip will not be something to make fasting less unattractive to the flesh, but something more attractive to the spirit. If we understand that there is great value to our penances, we can find joy in our sacrifices. I have children. I happily offer up prayers or penances for them at times. One is in priestly formation. I know how much the devil would wish to trip up a potential future priest. I offer most of my penances and prayers for him. But another is in the Marine Corps and another is getting married in a few months and another just needs my prayers more than ever. But you don’t have to be a parent to be a spiritual mother or father. Are you a godparent perhaps? Do you have brothers, sisters, or friends that need more grace? If for no one else offer your sufferings the Holy Father! Who needs our prayers and God’s grace and wisdom more than he?

I think it is much easier and even pleasant to endure a little suffering if we believe it is going to do some great good for the Church, our loved ones or our neighbors. God would not enjoin us through His Church to be united with the suffering of His Son through our little penances (which are never beyond our power to perform) unless it pleased him greatly, increased our sanctification, and redounded to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Those kinds of thoughts will sustain us thorugh periods of fast and abstinence while mere observation of obligatory rules can become burdensome and even resented.

God bless you He Will Provide and may he increase your desires and mine to consecrate our entire lives only to that which is eternal.

Planty Pall
 
Maureen1125 said:
You are only required to fast on 2 days out of the whole year. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Click to expand...
And it’s not really a fast fast. You are allowed to eat a “large” meal and two smaller meals that in sum do not equal to the “large” meal. Basically you’re eliminating snacks between meals, but that can be painful to a lot of people.
 
HeWillProvide said:
i have trouble with fasting from food.
i know it’s not supposed to be easy but what are some tips that will help me do it more?
like, imagining all the starving people in the world, or imagine jesus doing it for 40 days. what else?
i do a very poor job at fasting
Click to expand...
Its hard for about the first week. After that , it becomes easier unles of course your non Catholic friends and co workers tempt you. My office is right next to the kitchen and everyone who ever warms up food in the microwave - the smell comes right into my office

We have had Company potlucks - once a Ice cream social - etc and of course during Lent.

You just have to be strong and politely beg off. As for the desire for food - Drink more water - yes its a poor replacement for food but it does become tolerable as Lent progresses.

The purpose of fasting is to subject the Flesh to the Spirit. By denying the Flesh we strengthen our Spirit. So try to understand that in order to reap the many spiritual benefits that are ours for the taking , we must suffer the pains of denial. And its only for 4 days from Wednedsay until Saturday at Midnight then Sunday we can eat as much as we want - then 6 days of fast to Sunday Etc until Easter. We can do it.

Of course it is difficult. But anything worthwhile is worth paying a price for and Holy Mother the Church in her wisdom has set aside this time for our Spiritual Benefit knowing if she didnt - we wouldnt probably fast.

Pax
 
Maureen1125 said:
You are only required to fast on 2 days out of the whole year. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Click to expand...
I believe this is a false assertion, my friend. Whoever taught you that was in contradiction to the Code of Canon Law!
Code of Canon Law:
Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.

Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Click to expand...
The Church most certainly teaches all men and all nations to do this. It is a matter of justice: mortifying ourselves against the pleasures of this world. 🙂
 
GloriousOrder, you are confusing fasting and abstinence here.

Fasting means eating less (often much less) than you normally would; it says nothing about the nature of what you do eat, though basic, frugal foods like bread and water are what we normally think of.

Abstinence is refraining from eating meat and meat by-products such as gravy or broth. It says nothing about the amount of other things you eat.

Fasting is indeed required only on two days of the year, both in the US and here in Canada–Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Abstinence is required on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, and very strongly recommended on all Fridays of the year (to the extent that if you are unable to observe it, you are supposed to substitute some other form of penitential act or prayer.)

Traditionally, Lent was more strict, and even today we are encouraged to do more. But the bare minimum is to fast and abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and to abstain on the other Fridays of Lent.

Plenty of people get these two concepts confused, even when they have had much more exposure to the faith than you have yet. (And in case you’re wondering, you know me IRL.:))
 
HeWillProvide said:
i have trouble with fasting from food.
i know it’s not supposed to be easy but what are some tips that will help me do it more?
like, imagining all the starving people in the world, or imagine jesus doing it for 40 days. what else?
i do a very poor job at fasting
Click to expand...
The mistake you are making is that you are relying on yourself to do it.

This is what you do.

When you get up in the morning, get down on your knees (if you are able to kneel), and ask Our Lord to give you the grace and strength to fast that day.

I assure you that He will do it.
 
The remedy is the same as for lust: say a Rosary (5 decades) when you are hungry. Not while you are eating, but instead of eating. If at the end you are still hungry, sat another Rosary.
 
HeWillProvide said:
i have trouble with fasting from food.
i know it’s not supposed to be easy but what are some tips that will help me do it more?
like, imagining all the starving people in the world, or imagine jesus doing it for 40 days. what else?
i do a very poor job at fasting
Click to expand...
Lots of juices. Sip away at juice most of the day.
When you do eat, slow-to-digest food like rice or whole grains.

Stay busy. If not busy, read scripture and inspirational writings. Study the text of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
 
Planty_Pall said:
I think it is much easier and even pleasant to endure a little suffering if we believe it is going to do some great good for the Church, our loved ones or our neighbors. God would not enjoin us through His Church to be united with the suffering of His Son through our little penances (which are never beyond our power to perform) unless it pleased him greatly, increased our sanctification, and redounded to the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Click to expand...
I don’t know what it was like in the workplace at that time because I was attending Catholic grade school and high school. But before the relaxation of the rules during Fridays and days of required fasting, school meals were prepared accordingly. No one thought twice about eating meat or breaking a fast simply because no one else was doing it.

It is much, much tougher being in a workplace where your own boss orders the best meat-filled sandwiches for your Friday lunch and you’re the only one not eating.
 
HeWillProvide said:
while the requirement is officially only 2 days per year - i feel like i should do more.
all the saints and religious fast regularly and so did jesus and his disciples.
two days is really nothing.
Click to expand...
Please don’t beat yourself up if you feel you are not fasting “enough” or “correctly”.:tsktsk:

Try this mindset. Try to tell yourself that you are LEARNING to “eat to live, not live to eat.” Don’t go all out, at first. And do talk with your Priest and/or Spiritual Director, to make sure that spiritual pride is not creeping in.:nope:

And from the CFP, here is a guideline I use…

“8c. The amount of food eaten on fast days will be particular to the individual penitent who should feel hungry but not debilitated, drowsy, or ill. The penitent should consult a spiritual director, confessor, or, if needed, a physician regarding the amount of food to be eaten.”:yup:

I am age 66, and not REQUIRED to fast. I do so under strict supervision of my Physician and NEVER to the point of being dibilitated, drowsey, or ill. It takes a while to get to the point of being able to be hungry at times, but not dibilitated, drowsey, or ill. Our bodies are Temples Of The Holy Spirit, not to be permanently damaged by over-fasting. (Opinion):dts:
 
eh yes, that is the whole point of a sacrifice.

We forget in our culture what it is like to be really hungry.
 
Your still suppose to Fast/Abstain Every Friday of the Year.
Maureen1125 said:
You are only required to fast on 2 days out of the whole year. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

You could try having a late night snack the night before. Also, remember that between meals you are allowed to have a drink, so keep a bottle of water handy. Most of the time that you think you are “hungry” you are really just thirsty.
Click to expand...
 
GloriousOrder said:
I believe this is a false assertion, my friend. Whoever taught you that was in contradiction to the Code of Canon Law!

The Church most certainly teaches all men and all nations to do this. It is a matter of justice: mortifying ourselves against the pleasures of this world. 🙂
Click to expand...
No, the Bishops of the US have set the fasting requirements just as the OP stated: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. They also lifted the specific requirement to abstain from meat on regular Fridays, giving the faithful the prerogative to substitute it with a sacrifice of their choosing.

This is not ideal, but it is within the bishops’ authority to do so. Thus, in the US, it is the law of the land, so to speak.

Peace,
Dante
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top