Have decided it is the only way to kickstart my diet - so consequently am giving up alcohol, chocolate, crisps and anything else that might saboteur my attempts to lose weight. The only thing that is keeping me going is the thought of being able to indulge in chocolate eggs when I get to the other end!!

I am giving up bread products and sugar.

Also just having white wine at weekends. Good luck

Given up chocolate, biscuits, white bread (only eat rye) (not that I eat loads of these but have been known to nibble occasionally). Also gave up alcohol last year and feel so much better.

Hey Emma, you might find that you lose the taste for chocolate when you give up for Lent.

I'm also giving up the alcohol, chocolate and crisps but I won't have the Easter eggs at the other end. In fact I can't remember the last time I had an Easter egg.

Saying what I'm giving up is the easy part - the will power is more of a problem. Its a friends daughters 21st next week luckily I'm on-call so I'll have the car with me so that I can drive home if need be - the crisps will be my temptation that night.

Now I'm going to feel really bad! I gave up alcohol for two weeks on Monday 28th and in theory I won't be drinking until Monday 11th, but I fully intend to have a glass of wine or two tonight. So there!

Agree re: willpower - am sitting in my office and someone has bought a massive chocolate bar - which is staring at me and whispering things such as "eat me" "eat me"!!
Bread would be a step too far. As for you Chris enjoy those glasses of wine.
Emma

Wow, that's an impressive list, Emma!

I gave up alcohol a couple of Lent's ago (started drinking again after Lent, mind!) and found it did give me a much better attitude towards booze. I also found that my tolerance for alcohol was markedly lower after several weeks without any...

I tend to focus more on "taking up" something new for Lent -- wrote a blog post about it today at http://www.theofficediet.com/2008/02/06/what-are-y ou-taking-up-for-lent/ -- the gist of it being that I'm going to write my "What was better today?" list EVERY day and try to focus on the positives in life.

Good luck to all those giving up the old/taking up the new for Lent!

Ali

Giving up Cheese for Lent! My husband buys it all the time and I am always tempted. Also giving up alcohol for February (being the shortest month!) along with Hubby, so hopefully this will give the diet a kick start as I have had zero motivation since the New Year. I always find that a glass of wine destroys any willpower that I may have - especially resisting that second one!

I like the idea of taking up something new and focusing on the positives - I think I might give that one a try!

Good luck

(Alison seems to be the 'in' name on this site!

Alcohol - but with a couple of "free passes" for my parents Golden Wedding Party and my sisters 40th birthday party both of which are in lent but I have to have glass of champagne at those!

As I don't drink alcohol more than 3-4 times a month I am going for any drink thats fizzy (excluding lager of course) and any drinks containing caffeine.

Good luck to everyone!

I found it hard to decide what to give up for Lent because have been being rather good since 2008 began and I haven't actually been eating much chocolate/cheese/naughty stuff or drinking much booze. But I'm giving up chocolate, biscuits, cake and crisps. Seems pointless giving up booze because the most I've been having is a couple of small glasses of wine at the weekend! Hope it goes well for everyone.

The only thing I am giving up on for lent is; giving up! Determined to see this through.

Aiming to continue my "No cheese in the house" rule, and to cut out cakes, biscuits and chocolate... I don't have many of these but would be such a boost to eliminate them for Lent, and hopefully longer.

Notice that I haven't mentioned alcohol!

Gave up alcohol for January, so already done my stint! Cheers!!

I've given up chocolate for Lent and actually still have a box left over from Christmas which I've hidden away. Regarding cheese in the house, I get it for my children but as I soon as I've got it, I grate the lot in the food processor so can't eat chunks of it but the children can have it in their sandwiches etc. A good breakfast idea is porridge made with not too much water, currants, dried cranberries, ground cinnamon (appetite suppressant?) and ground nutmeg. In the microwave for 3½ minutes, leave for about 15-20 minutes so it's solid! Lovely with blueberries, milk and goji berries on the top and very filling! I don't join the banana brigade at breaktime in work as I'm still full up. I'm aiming for 1lb a week and seem to be doing it with a 30 minute swim about 4 or 5 times in the week. I've reduced my plate size too. Going back to Lent, every time I want a chocolate bar I put money into the Lent charity box so am trying to do some good.

ooh this is a hard one! weekend take away- curry or chinese. have already given up choc, cake, biscuits..... in fact most food in general!! subsisting on oatcakes and fruit, Him upstairs would be impressed!

Hi
I'm giving up coffee because I drink too much of it! Have cut down on the wine and sweet stuff. I'm hoping to be caffiene free by the end of Lent, off to try the Redbush tea as it's half term next week, so I can have all the headaches etc whilst not at college!

I like the idea about positives (count our blessings?) so ... the sun is shining at the moment and I can see blue sky, my son is coming home for a few days as well. That will do for starters!

Good luck everyone!

I've given up smoking. Hoping not to start again at Easter! Haven't cracked yet... hoping it will help with getting fitter. Also cutting waay back on booze after seeing scary Horizon programme on binge drinking earlier this week.

Best of luck guys! (and roll on Easter Sunday)

I've given up sweets, cakes and biscuits this year. I usually do alright - so I will wait and see how it goes.

I thought I was being good giving up chocolate till I read all the things everybody else is giving up. Eating more heathily was my New Year resolution and it seems to be going well so far (if you ignore last nights pizza).

Good luck

I'm with Ali Hale, I too have decided to do something extra by riding my push bike to work a few times a week. So I guess in giving up terms I have given up using the car as often as I normally do.

To Hannah Williams, that's a big and very worthwhile choice. Good on you.

Andrew.

Just joined this site so might as well join in, I have given up TV,Choc Bars,Booze,Meat for Lent this year, last year we did TV and we decorated the whole house, it was very good to get things done and not feel tired from watching TV all night after work, now we take the dogs for very long walks and enjot being more active.