Fasting Makes me Grumpy

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Neil_Anthony

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When I fast even just moderately I get tired then I get a slight headache, and then everyone around me seems to become really really annoying and I start to really hate just about everyone.

Is this why saints fast, to give them practice overcoming anger, impatience, etc? Or maybe I just have an eating disorder 😦
 
Are you using the strict version of the fast where you can only have one meal during the entire day or the two small meals and a normal meal fast?

If you are using the strict fast switch to the less strict but still allowed version.

If even the less strict fast is a problem for you, you might want to see a doctor. You may have diabeties or something like that.

Also are you giving up something that you normally eat/drink that has caffeine? That could be causing the symptoms you are having.

P.S. Try to think of Jesus when you are thinking about food. This may help with the grumpy factor.
 
It may not even be diabetes, but a sensitive blood sugar. Are you taking a multi-vitamin? If that does not help, I would actually think that you should be excused from fasting (rule of reason) since it is affecting you so severely. Self mastery and overcoming hunger are ok, but when your body sends you those kinds of signals, it needs to be heeded. Check with a doctor, and see if s/he has a sample blood glucose meter s/he can give you.
 
It was especially bad on Ash Wednesday when I just ate one meal all day, but for the rest of lent all I’m doing is replacing my two daily snacks (3pm and 9pm) with veggies only and I’m finding it’s having an effect on my mood in the late afternoons and at night. It’s not even fasting. It wouldn’t even qualify as dieting.

I guess the answer is that no, ‘fasting’ isn’t supposed to give you practice dealing with angry and impatient feelings, just practice dealing with hungry feelings. I’ll ask my doctor about it. Thanks for the advice.
 
I hope you are doing fine with your health after visiting the doctor. I think that through this experience, you hope to know what you really need to fast from - from the way you described it - it it from being grumpy. Eat full meal and be cheerful to everyone. 🙂
 
Saints fasted because they relied totally on God and knew that the only way to Him was to be weak so He could make them strong and radiant in His love. We control most things in our lives without knowing it, what we wear, the food we eat, the people with interact with and our personal space which at times is hard to share with those around us. We have to deny ourselves as Jesus denied himself on the cross. Through fasting God is teaching us that we will not starve, that our food on ash wednesday (and during lent) is first to receive Jesus who will then satisfy our thirst for life, not always in the way we want to be refreshed but in the end it is what works best. To deny ourselves is to love, to love God and our neighbour. The spiritual aspect of your prayer life will make up for your lacking physical gratification from food that you may get strenght from “our daily bread” and not merely energy from calories or fat. I’m not saying it will be easy, we have an entire lifetime to figure it out together! 😉
 
If you have blood sugar problems, fasting can bring on significant problems.

I have sugar problems and on a normal day I eat something small every 1.5 - 2 hours, then a dinner. On fasting occasions, I will replace my dinner meal with just another small one. I am still reducing my food, but yet keeping my sugar levels balanced. I also make sure the foods I am selecting on fast days is not comfort foods but just nutrition. This way I am not eating luxury foods so as to sacrifice. (skip the junk and the snack foods)

Perhaps you can take on spiritual practices.
 
My sister and my niece both have problems like this. Last year, during Lent… the attempted to fast… and they both suffered from migraines, nausea and light headedness.

My sister thinks they both probably have low blood sugar conditions. Under such circumstances… I don’t believe the requirement for fasting is enforced.

She and I were talking about it… and I suggested that she could participate in the fast… by giving up ONE or TWO foods… that she really enjoys.

Hope this helps. God bless.
 
Listen to the reflection on today’s reading given by a Conventual Franciscan priest. Go to the following link and click on the link next to today.

franciscans.org/friarjudewinklerdailyreflections.cfm

He mentions (paraphrasing) that if fasting makes you angry then don’t fast because we have enough angry people in the world.

If you find no medical reason for the problem then only fast on the two days that the church requires it and use the “easier” fast of two small meals that together don’t add up to a normal meal and one normal meal.
 
Marauder said:
He mentions (paraphrasing) that if fasting makes you angry then don’t fast because we have enough angry people in the world.
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Thank you for the link, that’s exactly like me when I fast! I guess I’m not alone. 😃
 
Fasting is ambiguous.

The Lenten Triodion (Byzantine Office Book for Lent) frequently reminds us that if we do not accompany our fasting with the practice of virtues (especially charity) and active works such as more prayer and almsgiving, our fasting will make us resemble the demons, who never eat at all.

And as most members of Overeaters Anonymous will tell you, fasting stirs up problems and unresolved issues that we’ve been medicating (even unconsciously) with too much food. (This relates to the above paragraph.)
 
Cluny said:
Fasting is ambiguous.

The Lenten Triodion (Byzantine Office Book for Lent) frequently reminds us that if we do not accompany our fasting with the practice of virtues (especially charity) and active works such as more prayer and almsgiving, our fasting will make us resemble the demons, who never eat at all.

And as most members of Overeaters Anonymous will tell you, fasting stirs up problems and unresolved issues that we’ve been medicating (even unconsciously) with too much food. (This relates to the above paragraph.)
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Ain’t it the truth! Trust me, I can become miserable when I’m hungry, and without increased prayer and focus on God I’m better off not fasting at all, and it still isn’t easy. Fasting and prayer go hand in hand. 🙂
 
I had to carefully plan my fasting plan for Ash Wednesday. My blood sugar just seems to drop and I get “loopy” – not a good thing when I’m responsible for 8 groups of 20-30 children that day.

I did the easier form of the fast, and just spread the food out over the course of the entire day. And as another poster said, I cut out comfort foods and the extras like seasonings. It was the best “fast” day I’ve had, because I could focus on God, on serving Him through my students, and on the hope of this lenten season.

God bless you.

Gertie
 
Neil_Anthony said:
When I fast even just moderately I get tired then I get a slight headache, and then everyone around me seems to become really really annoying and I start to really hate just about everyone.

Is this why saints fast, to give them practice overcoming anger, impatience, etc? Or maybe I just have an eating disorder 😦
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The Church is mindful of the difficulity of fasting, and knowing that some members can become spiritually hurt by fasting, she allows them to perform other sacrifices in substitute of fasting: almsgiving, giving up a favorite thing, etc.

But this isn’t to say fasting is wrong, or that something is wrong with the soul. Rather, God leads each soul differently.
 
Derwin_James said:
It may not even be diabetes, but a sensitive blood sugar. Are you taking a multi-vitamin?
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I don’t have diabetes, but the doctor once mentioned that I should be careful because my blood sugar level was a bit off in a blood test. No, I didn’t take a vitamin, but I’ll do that next time I fast, thank you for the advice.
 
meerkat said:
To deny ourselves is to love, to love God and our neighbour.** The spiritual aspect of your prayer life will make up for your lacking physical gratification from food **that you may get strenght from “our daily bread” and not merely energy from calories or fat. I’m not saying it will be easy, we have an entire lifetime to figure it out together! 😉
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Thank you Meerkat 🙂 I guess that was my problem, I was fasting without praying any more than normal. I’ll get it right next time.
 
Cluny said:
Fasting is ambiguous.

The Lenten Triodion (Byzantine Office Book for Lent) frequently reminds us that if we do not accompany our fasting with the practice of virtues (especially charity) and active works such as more prayer and almsgiving, our fasting will make us resemble the demons, who never eat at all.

And as most members of Overeaters Anonymous will tell you, fasting stirs up problems and unresolved issues that we’ve been medicating (even unconsciously) with too much food. (This relates to the above paragraph.)
Click to expand...
Wow thats very helpful, maybe I have a food addiction or compulsive eater. Maybe I should check out overeaters anonymous.
 
If it helps, fasting usually makes me grumpy and irritable that I begin to dread Ash Wednesday and Good Friday a bit. For me, it stems from my liking of large meals, and not nearly anything from really needing all that food. Just another little sacrifice I guess.
 
Neil_Anthony said:
I don’t have diabetes, but the doctor once mentioned that I should be careful because my blood sugar level was a bit off in a blood test. No, I didn’t take a vitamin, but I’ll do that next time I fast, thank you for the advice.
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I have the same problems as you when fasting and I am borderline on my sugar also. I get irritable, shaky, nauseated, pale, and faint if I do not get my meals on time, and I find that I do better on small frequent meals, which is not possible when I work.

Since we are permitted liquids between meals while fasting, maybe you would feel better if you drank a glass of milk, which supplies both proteins and carbohydrates, to keep your blood sugar levels steadier.

I really do not have to fast anymore, having reached the age of 60, but I didn’t eat between meals and cut back on breakfast and lunch, and I didn’t bite anyone’s head off, just got a bit on edge and very hungry by supper on Ash Wednesday. I think, though, that was just about the limit for me.
 
I had the same problem as the op. On AshWednesday I was in a horrible mood by dinner time, and the same thing happened on Friday. I had planned on fasting every Friday during lent, and although I may try one more time, if it does not work, then I will alter my fast to a fast from the radio, television, and the computer…perhaps maybe you could do something similar.

Peace and good.
 
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