Friday fasting and throwing away food

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anonymous1995

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The following dilemma always appear when I try to fast on Friday:
  1. I love eating (well, this means I need to fast even more);
  2. Food served in restaurants usually comes in enormous helpings and throwing food away is a sin of gluttony.
How to strike a balance especially when I cannot order small-sized meals?
 
anonymous1995 said:
The following dilemma always appear when I try to fast on Friday:
  1. I love eating (well, this means I need to fast even more);
  2. Food served in restaurants usually comes in enormous helpings and throwing food away is a sin of gluttony.
How to strike a balance especially when I cannot order small-sized meals?
Click to expand...
It depends upon what you mean by fast. If you mean a canonical fast, you are allowed a regular sized meal and up to two smaller collations that should not equal a regular sized meal. The restaurant meal could be deemed a regular sized meal. Or you could take a portion of it home to be used the next day. If the restaurant meal is at the middle of the day, the boxed portion could be eaten in the evening as your second collation.
 
A couple of ideas…

Don’t eat out on Fridays. Is it possible for you to eat at home (or, in the case you work and are seeking a solution for lunch, bring food from home) instead of going to restaurants? You’d have more conrol over what you eat and how much.

Instead of ordering a main course, order a starter and make that your main course.
 
UpUpAndAway said:
A couple of ideas…

Don’t eat out on Fridays. Is it possible for you to eat at home (or, in the case you work and are seeking a solution for lunch, bring food from home) instead of going to restaurants? You’d have more conrol over what you eat and how much.

Instead of ordering a main course, order a starter and make that your main course.
Click to expand...
I have little control over what I cook at home, so dinner is a bit of a difficult situation. But for lunch, I must have it at the staff canteen.

Thanks for your advice. Shall try later on.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
It depends upon what you mean by fast. If you mean a canonical fast, you are allowed a regular sized meal and up to two smaller collations that should not equal a regular sized meal. The restaurant meal could be deemed a regular sized meal. Or you could take a portion of it home to be used the next day. If the restaurant meal is at the middle of the day, the boxed portion could be eaten in the evening as your second collation.
Click to expand...
It is impossible to box my food since it’s a staff canteen… 😦
 
Is there a way for you to bring your own container into the canteen and put part of your meal into it?
 
anonymous1995 said:
The following dilemma always appear when I try to fast on Friday:
  1. I love eating (well, this means I need to fast even more);
  2. Food served in restaurants usually comes in enormous helpings and throwing food away is a sin of gluttony.
How to strike a balance especially when I cannot order small-sized meals?
Click to expand...
Most restaurants will give you the remainder of your meal in a container, otherwise known as “doggy bag”.
 
Not to say what you should do, but I don’t fast on Fridays (unless its Good Friday). Instead I pray more on Fridays, than what I normally do. Prayer can be just as powerful as fasting.
 
anonymous1995 said:
  1. Food served in restaurants usually comes in enormous helpings and throwing food away is a sin of gluttony.
Click to expand...
I thought that gluttony was when you ate too much, not when you throw away food. You can always take a bag to the restaurant, or ask the restaurant for a bag and then take any extra food home with you to eat later.
 
There is no obligation to fast on Fridays, and while it is an admirable practice, why is it that you are trying to impose something on your self that seems so difficult to accomplish?
 
If you are wanting to make a sacrifice on Fridays and food doesn’t work switch it to something else.

I heard Fr. Larry Richards discuss this on a radio program one day regarding meat consumption.

I run as a hobby, for my health and for stress relief. To keep my weight, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure down I already watch how much red meat, sugar, alcohol and fat I consume. There are many others who do the same. Does calorie restriction or not eating red meat on Friday mean anything if it you already do it for some other reason?

If you don’t have much control over your meals, I think it’s okay substitute some other sacrifice.
 
It is difficult to fast or do some penance, but I really wish to train myself. Perhaps switching to meat abstinence is already a huge sacrifice.
 
Why not split a meal with a coworker or bring a container from home to use to box up the food or ask the canteen employee to serve you a half portion or order a small side salad instead of a full meal?
 
[is there some confusion of fasting (eating less) versus abstaining from meat?]
 
anonymous1995 said:
The following dilemma always appear when I try to fast on Friday:
  1. I love eating (well, this means I need to fast even more);
  2. Food served in restaurants usually comes in enormous helpings and throwing food away is a sin of gluttony.
How to strike a balance especially when I cannot order small-sized meals?
Click to expand...
You could bring in a small snack and eat it at an appropriate time and skip lunch on Fridays. That would leave you with another small snack and eating your regular-sized meal with your family.

I am surprised that you have trouble eating something small at your staff canteen since so many people are dieting that surely you could have a option of just a salad?
 
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