How much is a full meal in fasting?

  • Thread starter Thread starter edjlopez23
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
E

edjlopez23

Guest
How much is considered a full meal during fasting? Is it like 700 - 1000 calories?
 
I think of it as a normal meal. On one extreme, it’s not Thanksgiving dinner. On the other extreme, it’s not the couple sips of broth you might have when you’re sick. Some protein, some veggies, and a salad – something like that.
 
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

1 Kids Cuisine? :confused:
 
What you’d normally eat at the principal meal of the day. My 18 year old football player son eats 1000 calories for a snack. So calories differ for everyone. About 800-1000 for me.
 
There is no “official” standard size for a full meal in the context of fasting. Each person has his/her own nutritional needs due to differences in biology and state in life, so a “full meal” is whatever amount would be normal for that person at the main meal of the day.
 
Last edited:
I don’t think numbers cover it. Fasting is about making a sacrifice. Give up eating enough so it feels like a sacrifice.
But spiritual charity is important too so downsizing all your meal up to the point where you become cranky and mean because of the low sugar in your body or just plainright uncomfort of hunger doesn’t serve the fasting its purpose of uniting ourselves with Christ in His work of love and help for humanity.
 
For early Christians fasting was a way of giving up the extra food that would not fit in the fastibg regime to the poor. So it has always had a charitable meaning whether it is literal or spiritual.
 
edjlopez23 said:
How much is considered a full meal during fasting? Is it like 700 - 1000 calories?
Click to expand...
There is no specified amount of calories or quantity of food. It is simply be what you normally eat. You should not overthink this.
 
More than the other 2 small meals combined?
Really, I just think of it as one dinner plate, but not overstuffed, and no seconds. A protein, a starch, and a veggie for a balanced meal. Mom used to add a simple dessert like pudding or jello during Lent back in the day. To me the dessert seems like cheating but if you have kids it may help you ease them into fasting.
 
I do not agree with the Church’s idea of fasting. Fasting mean not eating anything period! I do not understand how they can call eating something fasting, it simply is not complying with what the actual word means. When Jesus fasted, do you think He ate anything? I don’t and on such days as Good Friday we should not be eating anything either. Good grief, one 24 hour period without solid food is not going to send anyone to the grave.
 
Last edited:
Use your common sense. It’s what you would normally eat at a normal meal.
 
Last edited:
Fasting have different meaning in different religions and also within different religions. For muslims it means not eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset. Several hindus don’t eat any meat at all. Within Christianity there are different traditions like the Eastern Catholics and Orthodox “go vegan”. Western Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent and also in some dioceses year around. Some within the evangelical denominations don’t eat at all during some days regardless if it is a major celebration in the church like Easter time or Sunday.

This is a very, very short summary showing differences in how fasting is done. The length also plays into account. It would not be very healthy to just drink water for 40 days for the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic fast.
 
I’m reminded of the passages of scripture that says God does not require sacrifice, or “my sacrifice you would refuse. But a contrite heart…”

So whether Jesus ate nothing at all, or he had one meal the whole day, I think we’re focusing on the wrong thing. Contrition that leads to fasting is the point & should be our focus.
 
Odilon said:
I do not agree with the Church’s idea of fasting. Fasting mean not eating anything period! I do not understand how they can call eating something fasting, it simply is not complying with what the actual word means. When Jesus fasted, do you think He ate anything? I don’t and on such days as Good Friday we should not be eating anything either. Good grief, one 24 hour period without solid food is not going to send anyone to the grave.
Click to expand...
We are to be obedient to the Church.
 
Socrates92 said:
Hahaha, I remember when I used to do that.
Click to expand...
That’s me in cycling season! Problem is, after I put the bikes away for the winter, I forget that I can’t eat like that anymore, and I balloon.

Right now I’m testing fasting to deal with diabetes. A very light breakfast of a grapefruit, a coffee and some yogurt, and nothing until dinner which is a normal meal. So far I’ve lost about 4-5 pounds in 2 weeks.

I reckon it will do for a Lenten fast as well, as I don’t think I could cut anything else out but then at age 60 I am no longer bound to fast. I allow myself a full breakfast (bacon & eggs) on Saturday mornings. If I am doing some serious exercise (like snowshoeing up the local mountain, or doing intervals on a stationary bike), I will eat more.

For those who cannot fast for medical reasons, one can cut back or cut out some cherished activity or hobby.
Odilon said:
I do not agree with the Church’s idea of fasting. Fasting mean not eating anything period!
Click to expand...
It’s impossible to not eat anything, period. One has to balance the need to fast with the need to maintain remain healthy and alert according to our circumstances. Someone who works on a loading dock, for instance, cannot be expected to go 24 hours without eating, nor would you want an airline pilot to suffer from low blood sugar or have hunger distract him/her on a difficult instrument approach in bad weather.

Not even Muslims go completely without at Ramadan, they eat big meals between sunset and sunrise.

So the Church wisely allows us to fast in a way that is not detrimental to one’s health. It sets the bar at a light meal and a normal meal with nothing in between. What consists of “light” and “normal” will vary according to one’s station in life. Someone with a very physical job or one that requires mental alertness like the airline pilot, will have very different requirements than someone with a sedentary lifestyle.

And then there are health issues that come into play as well.

The Church doesn’t expect one to jeopardize one’s health or safety (or that of others) in order to fast.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top