With Shrove Tuesday imminent (February 13th), people all over the country will be planning to enjoy an evening of pancakes with all sorts of indulgent toppings. But for some, it could be a last hurrah before a period of deep dietary austerity.
The tradition of giving things up for Lent was originally more of a spiritual exercise for most, but nowadays it is common for people, irrespective of their beliefs, to use the time to try to give up something unhealthy. It may be a second attempt to do this after a failed New Year resolution, or simply an attempt at improving personal discipline.
For anyone looking to improve their diet by cutting out something unhealthy like chocolate or alcohol, the idea of using Lent this way is very tempting. But is it a good idea? There are reasons why a nutrition and lifestyle coach would say, quite emphatically, no.
Firstly, to give things up completely in a cliff-edge fashion is extremely hard to do. This was highlighted in an Independent article last year where experts noted that there are particularly acute difficulties in giving up certain things, such as caffeine, alcohol and chocolate.
These can all be addictive and your body can struggle to cope with the ‘cold turkey’ effect of giving them up. A good example of this is caffeine, which is such a commonly used stimulant that sudden withdrawal could leave you tired, shaky, cranky and suffering from headaches.
Alcohol is another thing that many people sometimes try to stop completely for a time, with some people having tried to undertake Dry January. Once again, however, this can be hard and while many people cut back on socialising in January after their post-Christmas credit card bills arrive, this may be far less true in February and March.
Chocolate is another hard one. The sugar rush and the cravings it can involve make it hard to lay off, which does mean, of course, that you might have to give up other things too. It’s no use trying to be healthier by ditching a chocolate bar if you replace it with boiled sweets.
If all this makes giving things up for Lent harder, there are also practical considerations. The first full day of the period is Valentine’s Day and some folk have birthdays in this time too, so will you really turn down a chocolate cake or glass of bubbly?
The biggest problem, however, is that this ‘cliff edge’ approach to consumption is like crash diets. It doesn’t work because once you fall off the wagon you do so in a big way.
For those denying themselves chocolate, for instance, the reality is that Easter will bring a huge chocolate egg and they will all be half-price in the shops for days after to clear the shelves. Similarly, the long Easter weekend brings extra opportunities to visit the pub. The drought will follow the flood.
What is far more likely to work is a more concerted approach towards improving your diet. It is much easier to wean yourself off addictive and unhealthy things gradually, while building up your consumption of healthier alternatives. With the right coaching, you can achieve everything that a Lent fast will not.
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