40-Days and 40-Nights
Let me begin by stating, "No, I’m not Catholic."
Regardless of your personal religious convictions, the philosophy behind Lent is undeniably powerful -- going hand-in-hand with the belief that the more you own, the more owns you. Last year, Christine tried to explain the purpose and benefits of Lent to me. While I do understand the basics according to the Catholic faith, perhaps the most interesting comment Christine made was: "The whole idea is to give something up in order to improve your life. Think of it as an attempt to phase something out. Eventually, you learn to live without it." The overriding goal is much more than simply abstaining from something throughout the duration of Lent, but also includes rooting that "something" out of your life forever. This is the true act of conversion -- leaving behind an old way of living/acting in order to embrace a new life. I rather like the total self-disciplinary component of the endeavor. It’s all about personal evaluation and self-improvement, something each one of us should constantly strive to be engaged in.
During Lent 2003, I converted to vegetarianism and maintained the new lifestyle for over 7-months. However, the switch to the vegetarian lifestyle in addition to a low-carbohydrate diet left me feeling completely malnourished. First and foremost, I’m not the biggest fan of meat to begin with. Those of you who know me understand why. My only real sacrifice was seafood and the very little white meat that I actually do eat. I’m no longer a full-fledged vegetarian, but I rarely eat meat. I am happy to report that I have successfully maintained my new eating habits -- low-fat, low-sugar, no fast-food, no junk food, no carbonated beverages, avoidance of alcohol, avoidance of snacking and drinking lots of water everyday. And I refuse to jump on the "no-carb" bandwagon, which is quite ridiculous. I’ve been working out on a daily basis -- running 2-4 times a week, resistance training (in-circuit) every other day, yoga and the occasional pliates, rope-jumping and stair-climbing. Undeniably, my body feels stronger. But I have to admit, I’m feeling rather discouraged by the numbers on the scale and my clothing tags. I'm okay with the way that I look, but I know I can be healthier as well. And I'm not anticipating immediate results either. In the long run, these small improvements will definitely add to an overall improved physical and mental well-being.
This year, I’m giving up two things for Lent: (1) sex and (2) bagels.
Regardless of your personal religious convictions, the philosophy behind Lent is undeniably powerful -- going hand-in-hand with the belief that the more you own, the more owns you. Last year, Christine tried to explain the purpose and benefits of Lent to me. While I do understand the basics according to the Catholic faith, perhaps the most interesting comment Christine made was: "The whole idea is to give something up in order to improve your life. Think of it as an attempt to phase something out. Eventually, you learn to live without it." The overriding goal is much more than simply abstaining from something throughout the duration of Lent, but also includes rooting that "something" out of your life forever. This is the true act of conversion -- leaving behind an old way of living/acting in order to embrace a new life. I rather like the total self-disciplinary component of the endeavor. It’s all about personal evaluation and self-improvement, something each one of us should constantly strive to be engaged in.
During Lent 2003, I converted to vegetarianism and maintained the new lifestyle for over 7-months. However, the switch to the vegetarian lifestyle in addition to a low-carbohydrate diet left me feeling completely malnourished. First and foremost, I’m not the biggest fan of meat to begin with. Those of you who know me understand why. My only real sacrifice was seafood and the very little white meat that I actually do eat. I’m no longer a full-fledged vegetarian, but I rarely eat meat. I am happy to report that I have successfully maintained my new eating habits -- low-fat, low-sugar, no fast-food, no junk food, no carbonated beverages, avoidance of alcohol, avoidance of snacking and drinking lots of water everyday. And I refuse to jump on the "no-carb" bandwagon, which is quite ridiculous. I’ve been working out on a daily basis -- running 2-4 times a week, resistance training (in-circuit) every other day, yoga and the occasional pliates, rope-jumping and stair-climbing. Undeniably, my body feels stronger. But I have to admit, I’m feeling rather discouraged by the numbers on the scale and my clothing tags. I'm okay with the way that I look, but I know I can be healthier as well. And I'm not anticipating immediate results either. In the long run, these small improvements will definitely add to an overall improved physical and mental well-being.
This year, I’m giving up two things for Lent: (1) sex and (2) bagels.