What is the difference between fasting and abstinence?

[Holly3278]

Hi everyone. I know Ash Wednesday is coming up next week and both fasting and abstinence are prescribed for the day. Well, I don’t really know what these things mean and what the difference is between them. Could someone please explain this to me?

 

[Rascalking]

Hi everyone. I know Ash Wednesday is coming up next week and both fasting and abstinence are prescribed for the day. Well, I don’t really know what these things mean and what the difference is between them. Could someone please explain this to me?

Hi to you!

Fasting is taking in only one meal and not snacking through the day.

Abstinence is abstaining from meat.

If I’m wrong, I’m sure someone else will bring it up. But I think that’s it.

 

[Lief_Erikson]

Hi to you!

Fasting is taking in only one meal and not snacking through the day.

Abstinence is abstaining from meat.

If I’m wrong, I’m sure someone else will bring it up. But I think that’s it.

Sounds precise and logical . I was confused on this point too; thanks for the clarification!

 

[bargio]

I may be entirely wrong but when i think of fasting, i think of not eating at all for the day. Obviously this may not be healthy for some people, so eating little throughout the day, maybe one meal, is the alternative.

And i guess being in the younger generation, the first thing i would think of when hearing abstinence is from sex. It might be logical to abstain from sex to give your entire devotion to God for that day. But then again we do abstain from meat for sure… so maybe both? =D

I may be entirely mistaken as well, so if anyone is confident in their answer, please share! =D

 

[bargio]

Hi to you!

Fasting is taking in only one meal and not snacking through the day.

Abstinence is abstaining from meat.

If I’m wrong, I’m sure someone else will bring it up. But I think that’s it.

Yep, looked it up in three different Catholic dictionaries… =D You guys were right.

 

[Holly3278]

Hi to you!

Fasting is taking in only one meal and not snacking through the day.

Abstinence is abstaining from meat.

If I’m wrong, I’m sure someone else will bring it up. But I think that’s it.

Oh ok thanks. So if I eat one meal of fish on Ash Wednesday, I’ll be fine?

 

[BVM_1221]

Hi everyone. I know Ash Wednesday is coming up next week and both fasting and abstinence are prescribed for the day. Well, I don’t really know what these things mean and what the difference is between them. Could someone please explain this to me?

Abstinence is not eating red meat. Meat that comes from warm blooded animals with hot, red blood. Seafood, dairy, eggs and beans are good aleternate sources of protein.

Fasting in the Catholic tradition is eating one moderate meal a day. To this may be added two small snacks, or “collations” which together do not add up to the one full meal. Fasting can be dispensed with if it causes physical or mental debilitation.

When in doubt, consult your Physician. I did, since at age 65 I am not required to fast, but choose to do so under my Physician’s guidelines.