Lenten Fast Confusion

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I know we are supposed to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I know we are allowed to have one full meal and two smaller meals. My issue is with the “smaller meals”.

Normally I only eat yogurt for breakfast as I am too lazy to make a bowl of cereal and I want to have the most time in the day. Technically, that would be a “full meal” for me at breakfast. Even though it is just one thing of yogurt, it seems to be that it would be classified as a “full meal” for me because I normally eat it as a full meal. :confused:

It sure would be nice to have some yogurt right now, but I’m so confused whether it would be a full meal or not as I also want to have dinner. This is confusing the heck out of me! :whacky:
 
I think 1 yogurt on its own is a snack and not a meal.

For example when I pack lunch for my kids, I might put in a sandwich an apple and a small yogurt. The kids that take lunch to school are under 12.
 
Do not over think the regulations regarding Fast & Abstinence. It is not about exactly how much you eat or how little. A normal breakfast would be considerably more than one small yogurt.

My suggestion would be to have your one small yogurt, then a small lunch, say, a half sandwich and a small drink, (coffee, tea, soda) then you can have a normal dinner, NO MEAT today or Friday. How about Mac’n cheese or a tuna noodle casserole? It’s really painless. 😃
 
A cup of yogurt is my usual breakfast as well. And no, it does not qualify as a full meal. So I stuck with a cup of yogurt this morning. For lunch I had a 290 calorie frozen “meal” of rice and veggies. Not that I count calories, but it can be a good indicator as to the fullness of the dish your considering. An adult normally takes in 1500 -2000 calories per day…do the math - it may be a helpful tool to help you figure out your half-meals.
 
Melodeonist said:
I know we are allowed to have one full meal and two smaller meals.
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Fasting = eating one full meal plus two smaller meals that, together, don’t equal the full meal.

Having a yogurt isn’t going to be more than half of your full meal unless you want it to be, and so of course it’s fine to have.
 
corsair said:
Do not over think the regulations regarding Fast & Abstinence. It is not about exactly how much you eat or how little. A normal breakfast would be considerably more than one small yogurt.

My suggestion would be to have your one small yogurt, then a small lunch, say, a half sandwich and a small drink, (coffee, tea, soda) then you can have a normal dinner, NO MEAT today or Friday. How about Mac’n cheese or a tuna noodle casserole? It’s really painless. 😃
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We Latins have it so easy. For our Eastern brethren (and I believe once upon a time this was true in the West as well), both Mac’n cheese and tuna noodle casserole would be out…not just today but for ALL of Lent. :p. I have family that converted to Orthodoxy (from Protestantism)…during fasting seasons such as Lent meat, fish, dairy, oil, and wine are out…not to mention every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year. I don’t know how they do it. Their discipline is remarkable and makes me feel like a spiritual toddler by comparison.
 
After Mass tonight the priest hugged me and told me I was exempt from the fast. I am a type 1 diabetic.
 
Fasting = eating one full meal plus two smaller meals that, together, don’t equal the full meal.
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Actually, I don’t think you will find the part about the two smaller meals not equalling the full meal codified anywhere. It was probably a common interpretation but it’s not spelled out that way.

The regulation states simply one full meal plus two smaller meals.
 
It’s all a little confusing really, as what we eat as a “normal” meal varies from person to person.

My normal everyday lunch is two small slices of wheat bread with a small biscuit (or some other little sweet thing). That isn’t a lot of food, and many people would have that as an accompaniment to lunch!
 
drforjc said:
Actually, I don’t think you will find the part about the two smaller meals not equalling the full meal codified anywhere. It was probably a common interpretation but it’s not spelled out that way.

The regulation states simply one full meal plus two smaller meals.
Click to expand...
Hello,

Yes, the 1983 Code does not define what “fasting” is. The most recent, universal legislation on the topic can be found in Paul VI’s 1966 apostolic constitution *Paenitimini * which says:

“The law of fasting allows only one full meal a day, but does not prohibit taking some food in the morning and evening, observing—as far as quantity and quality are concerned—approved local custom.” w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19660217_paenitemini.html

For the USA, the bishops have said, at least in an unofficial statement: “When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal.” usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/catholic-information-on-lenten-fast-and-abstinence.cfm

I had forgotten that I put something on my blog about this. Here that is:
anotherbrickinthelaw.blogspot.com/2016/04/what-are-fasting-requirements.html

Dan
 
Isca said:
It’s all a little confusing really, as what we eat as a “normal” meal varies from person to person.

My normal everyday lunch is two small slices of wheat bread with a small biscuit (or some other little sweet thing). That isn’t a lot of food, and many people would have that as an accompaniment to lunch!
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How do you get by on that (if you don’t mind me asking)? Do you eat a large breakfast or dinner to compensate?

I’ve been trying to eat a small-ish breakfast (such as one poached egg or fruit and some yogurt) to cut my daily caloric consumption but I still need a whole sandwich for lunch.
 
I think the guidelines are a little confusing for me since I usually eat one regular meal and two smaller ones every day anyway. I now cut out snacks, through, and still am not sure about the exact size of meals. I don’t eat meat anyway. I do a heavy exercise class each morning and burn a lot of calories. The first day of fast I got really weak, almost sick…so it was a learning curve.
No other Catholics around me in the family are fasting, so it’s just me (though it doesn’t feel like fasting since eating is allowed 3 times a day, hmmm.) I can’t make the others fast, but I try to do it.
But I feel almost wrong…how great I feel. How healthy it is to not overeat.
It might be hard after 40 days to STOP doing what I’m doing. Thoughts?
 
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