[Ambevil]

Hello all! And Happy Ash Wednesday!
I am new to this forum and decided to join specifically to get some advice from some good knowledgeable Catholics. Basically, I have chosen for my Lenten practice to fast on only bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays. This is a great fast except for a few things. Like most of you, I've gained an EXTREME dislike for the bland taste of bread. I will eat some bread in the morning on those fasting days but after a while I have to start forcing myself to eat it for nutrition, and later on prefer not eating at all. I've also recently committed to running everyday and realize that on those Wednesdays and Fridays that I don't have barely anything in my tummy I could end up passing out or not running at all. I also get some pretty big headaches on the days when I eat only bread and water and feel run down towards the end of the day. I know these are perfectly normal symptoms and happen to everyone, but I'm afraid it will affect my daily performance and ability to keep to other committments. I'm thinking maybe I add a couple peanut butter crackers before running just to keep my metabolism up and runnin', or anything else you guys could recommend. Or should I suck it up, eat the bread no matter how unpleasant it may be, and bear my cross through schoolwork and running? I really want to be able to do this fast as much as I possibly can since it has proven itself to be a good spiritual practice for me. So, I don't mean to give all these excuses for not committing 100% to this rigorous fast, I just am unsure about how strict I should keep to it while fulfilling my committments as a student and runner and remaining healthy and sane throughout the day. Thank you so much for all your help and God bless!
Angela

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

Hi Angela - welcome to the forum!

You asked really good questions, and I don't know what the right answer is for you. I'd suggest praying about it to know what you should do. I don't think running after having not eaten is a good idea. Have you tried different breads? Many here prefer naan, for example, as the naan we use doesn't have yeast and doesnt' taste as bad as yeast breads - to me. Matzo has the same benefit. Or others have tried the breads which are fortified with nuts and fruit for a more "complete" bread. Honestly, if you need to run, I would be inclined to add peanut butter to your bread on those days. Having only that would still be a sacrifice. As for the headache, my experience has been that that's as a result of caffeine withdrawal. If that's the case, reducing caffeine on non-fast days helps tremendously.

I'm sure you'll get some more advice from others here. How wonderful that you're doing the Wed/Fri fast!

[Seeker100]

Hi Angela,
I've found the only way I can fast is to avoid bread entirely--I do the whole day solely on water. If I have bread, I tend to feel sick most of the day. Without bread, I seem to muddle through.

I must confess, though--I've had to find ways to cope. My toughest times on fasting days are around dinner time . I can't stand to be in the kitchen when my wife is cooking dinner. For one thing, the aromas are far more than I can stand. For another, she chases me out with a broom when she sees me eying her stew or sandwich or whatever. So I sentence myself to the tv room, feeling real sorry for myself!

Also, I've taken to placing one of those "trail mix bars" on my bedside table when I turn in. I know I can't touch it till Midnight. But sometime in the early morning hours the next day, there I am--waking up to grab that little bar and cramming it into my bone-dry, food-starved "little" tummy as fast as I can. What bliss!

(Sigh) You don't suppose the saints did it this way, do you? No, I suppose not...

Bill

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

Bill they may not, but you've described my approach almost to a T! I don't think there's any wrong way to break the fast.