Lent

I don't know if you've realized this, but Lent is next week. I knew it was soon, but man! It snuck up on me! According to Google, this year Lent is from February 13th to March 30th. Seems kind of unfair that it is starting the day before Valentines day...especially if you were going to give up chocolate. Rethinking that one now? I know I am...hahaha

But seriously, I actually look forward to Lent each year. Not because I consider myself deeply religious, but because I love a challenge. There is just something so rewarding to me when I make it all the way to the end successfully. That being said, I have to make sure whatever I choose to fast from will actually be a challenge. It's not even worth it if it's not difficult! I actually have a few ideas for this year and while I'm leaning in one direction, I'm still unsure. Maybe telling you about them will help me to decide?

1. Giving up meat.

Yep, you read that right. Being a vegetarian for six whole weeks may sound daunting, but I don't think it's that bad. There are tons of vegetarian recipes out there, and it can be a very healthy lifestyle. This biggest reason I wouldn't do this one is that I've done it before, a few times actually. 

2. Giving up gluten.

I know what you're thinking..."Wait, didn't she write a blog about giving up gluten being silly?". Yes, yes I did, and I still stand by what I said. However, I live a very healthy (most of the time at least) lifestyle and would not be giving gluten up as a diet to lose weight. That is where I have the biggest issue with people who are gluten free. I do think that giving up gluten would be a very challenging task for me though, making it very appealing.

3. Giving up chocolate.

Let's face it, I LOVE DESSERT. I have a major sweet tooth and I seriously crave chocolate all the time. This would be pretty hard for me, but I feel like I would just find some other form of dessert to replace the chocolate. That would kind of defeat the purpose...

4. Giving up processed foods.

First of all, I should specify what I mean by "processed foods" because let's be honest, milk is a processed food and there is no way I'm giving that up! I would be giving up anything that I could make at home. So milk, cheese, yogurt, all don't count but things like protein bars, peanut butter and salad dressing would. I would also give up convenience items like canned or frozen fruits or vegetables. I really think this is the one I want to go with, and honestly the only thing holding me back is that I'll be visiting my dad halfway through Lent and I don't want to inconvenience him as far as what we eat. It would definitely help me try some awesome-looking new recipes though! Like this or these : D

If you have any thoughts/suggestions/concerns/whatever, I'd love to hear them! Anything to help me decide haha!

As always, thanks for reading!

Lauren