'tis the season

Deborah says:
Fat Tuesday is over (did you eat your pancakes?). Fat Tuesday is aso known as Shrove Tuesday - and here's some trivia for you - did you know that's what Mardi Gras means? Fat Tuesday. But don't worry - it's not about being fat, it's about eating fat. It's about your last night of eating richer, fatty foods before you give them up for Lent. For the peasant types - it was about eating the food that wouldn't keep for 40 days (pancakes = eggs and milk).

I'm curious - are you giving up anything for Lent? I had a conversation with a girlfriend last night about giving things up and why. Neither of us is overly religious, so it's not about honouring that for us. It's about striving to be better. So do you give up chocolate because it sounds like a big loss - or do you search inside and give up something that is more meaningful to you, personally? A behaviour that you're not happy with? A food that is becoming a coping mechanism rather than a fuel.

I've never given up anything for Lent before - but this year I've decided to give up peanut butter. But I'm going to do it in the Stop Lying fashion - peanut butter is becoming more than a healthy fuel for me, so I'm giving it up totally for 40 days, but I'm not going to rush to eat it on Easter Sunday. Peanut butter and I are breaking up. It is only going to be something that visits me occasionally after that, as I explore other healthy, lean proteins.

So what are you giving up, but most importantly, why?

Arlene says:
Wow, I was surprised at how strong my reaction was to the idea of giving up a specific food for 40 days. I don’t want to give up the occasional cookie with my afternoon tea. I don’t want to give up the piece of chocolate I allow myself most evenings. Do I think those are dangerous behaviours for me? No. I think dangerous behaviours are the ones that keep expanding. The behaviours that spread into your life but you work hard not to notice. Not exercising in the evenings has spread in my life. I don’t stretch or do yoga anywhere near as much. My promise for the next 40 days, at least one night on the bike, no excuses.