Day Zero - It Starts Tomorrow

It's March 2014 - I'm still not Catholic but I like Lent, so here I go again.

- In 2013 I gave up chips - eh
- In 2012 I gave up sweets - I think
- In 2011 I gave up solids - bingo

Today is Fat Tuesday which makes tomorrow Ash Wednesday and for Lent I'm giving up solids (again).

The rules are simple:
- Only Liquids
- Straw Test still in effect (I'll explain on a later post)
- I start Ash Wednesday and end Maundy Thursday, no breaks
- I try not to overuse the blender
- Beer is acceptable

When I last did this the idea was sparked from the challenge of not eating and using the experience to grow closer to God, it worked.

This time, the idea was derived from the fact I drop 25 lbs over Lent in 2011 and I thought that 2014 Andy would benefit from shedding a few.  Not that I'm extremely overweight, I'm actually the same weight I was when I ran a Marathon last October, but it has shifted some. I was thinking about the summer and being skinner for running and looking better for wedding season. I was thinking about the extra flesh on my jawline, the way jeans fit and when my kids poke my belly. I was thinking a lot about ME and that bothers me. Lent was going to be my excuse to do a silly diet for ME and that bothers me.

Last time, at some moment doing the process I was having a conversation with a close friend, whose opinion I hold in high regard and he told me that the liquid diet wasn't all that impressive - but the fact that I was taking the time to blog about it was. That not eating would be will power and discipline, things he already knew I had, but the blog would take work and dedication and be the hard part, he was right.


To go with the odd diet will be the blog. To go with the blog will be self-reflection. To go with self-reflection will be conversations with God. And to go with the conversations should bring a strengthened relationship.

It's Day Zero - 44 more to go.

209 LBS - 36 Waist