Will you give up something unhealthy for Lent?
I've wondered aloud before if, aside from the spiritual aspects of reverence and sacrifice, giving up something for Lent is an unhealthy or healthy practice. [Read the full post here.] My concern is that stripping out something you love or have made habitual in your life, be it chocolate or soda or sugar, will lead to a big old binge at the end of the Lenten season. That's certainly tempered by some experience in nixing caffeine, doing a five-week detox, and understanding very well how powerful it can be to hit the restart button on eating.
I don't think I'm alone in knowing that it might do me good to shake up my diet a bit (I'm talking to you, coffee creamer). I also don't think I am alone in knowing that, at the end of 40 days, I would be really likely to pour myself a bucket of whatever I've cut out (who needs the coffee anyway?). Also, I am pretty sure the intent of the season is not to have a Fat Tuesday, followed by a sacrificial Lent, followed by Easter and wrapped up with Fat Month-And-A-Half.
Understanding that it could potentially do more harm for my own healthy living than good, I don't think it is wise for me to give up any of my nutritional sins. Cussing or online shopping, however -- well, that could be a very different story.
That's just me. If there are success stories out there about how Lent helped you kick smoking or artificial sweetener or a nightly run to the doughnut shop, I need to hear them.
What about you? Will you give up some kind of unhealthy habit or food for Lent? Do you worry about the post-Lent pig-out or not?
Other stuff we've attempted to detox:
