This Side of Lent

Two more weeks til Easter... whew... this Lenten season has certainly had its ups and downs. I was going strong in the beginning, but then about two weeks ago, I was so tired of the Daniel fast. Now, I'm fairly strong on course. Part of the reason may be the fact that I've lost a good amount of weight during this season, but I've also come to realize a little bit more about me and my eating habits.

First off, the most difficult part was not in the cravings. Sure, I had my bouts with wanting some ice cream or chocolate cake. But instead it was the demand of planning and eating intentionally that took the greatest effort. In case, you are not familiar with the Daniel Fast it is based on Daniel 1, where Daniel and his friends requested/challenged to eat their own foods. So my version of this allows me to eat vegetables, fruit, brown rice, beans, lentils, soy milk, spices, whole wheat flour, and water. There's a lot you can do with that... when you plan for it. Yet, there are those moments of laziness or genuine tiredness where a quick run to the fast food restaurant or frozen meal from the freezer would suffice the hunger pains and allow me to return to whatever it was I felt important. In these last few weeks, if I got lazy, I didn't have much to eat because there isn't anything quick to consume in the pantry or fridge. This is why I got tired. I just wanted to eat, not think.

But the benefits are also visible. Of course, there is the weight loss. This wasn't the goal, but it sure is a nice by-product. Surprisingly, I have come to appreciate the time it takes in cooking and cleaning. My creativity flourishes as I combine items into new dishes and have really enjoyed the food that I make. I've also found some delicious recipes and alternatives to all the junk I ate before. Moreover, like Daniel and his friends, I just feel better than I did before Lent. I feel better knowing that bunches of unknown chemicals and hard-to-pronounce preservatives are not coating my intestinal tract as it works through my body. While I am not growing all of the fruits and vegetables I am eating, I feel oddly closer to what I am eating because I am taking the time to prepare it and not simply consume it.

While I will re-incorporate some of the missing foods back into my diet after Easter (mainly dairy and moderate amounts of yummy sugar-y items) :), I think I am going to continue eating along the standards and inspiration of the Daniel fast. Although sometimes inconvenient and annoying, I have come to value the slowing down of meal preparation and consumption. I prefer the healthier feeling with the thought and practice of less processed food items. I appreciate the discipline and transformation of learning that food is not another commodity to simply be consumed.