How to Structure your Fasting

Recommendations and Suggestions

"However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Matt 17:21)

“This kind can come out by nothing butprayer and fasting." (Mark 9:29)

This is our recommendation of how to structure your fasting

It is based on our three years of experience and it is solely our own suggestion. We have realized that the way of fasting is different from person to person and your previous experience. Our Step-by-Step Rosary structure starts from the believed point that many people do not know of how to pray the Rosary, and we include the idea into our fasting.

So many people have contacted us in the matter asking questions if they can do so and so, of how we do it.

There are some key-points:

1) How strict do your fasting to be?

For us, this is a long-term committment, so if you fail, get back in the saddle and continue.

It may be difficult one year and improved another year. Long-term learning and developing your new tradition takes time.

We rather see that you commence with some easy goals, than failing within a week.

It is also possible to tighten the fasting in due time during the fasting.

2) Do I eat?

It is of great importance that you feel well all through. We are not doctors, and you may want to consult your doctor before you start.

In our opinion, you have to eat. You have to remember that you set your own goals concerning the fasting and if you feel ill due to the fasting, you have to change it - this is to improve your life, and your prayer life.

See it this way and see point "Kick the Sugar-devil":
It is way better to eat a thick vegetable soup than having three fast-food burgers. If you are hungry, right now, in this moment, do you really have to eat or can you wait?

Eat fruit rather than candy ...

3) This is not a diet - so you have to pray while fasting.

How is your prayer life?

How often do you go to Church?

Confession?

We are supposed to pray the Rosary daily but do you do it once a week which is better than once a month or once a year or never.

The Commander Cross Rosary and its Step-by-Step Rosary community offers one way to learn to pray the Rosary.

Do you want to structure or build your your prayer life?

It takes time but let it take time because building routines need time.

Read religious material.
Listen to religious pods.
Pray.
Stations of the Cross.
Go to Mass.

Goals can be set on an individual basis.
Goals can be set for the entire family.
Each user develops his or her way to approach the 40-days.
You learn by doing and you build a tradition for future generations.

4) Exercise

Why not try to use the natural opportunities of exercising while fasting.

- walk your dog for an hour.

- walk the golf course.

- walk up the stairs instead of the lift.

- if you can ride your bicycle to work rather than using the car, or get off a bus stop before and walk home, or walk a few subway stations etc.

Kick the Sugar-devil

Our experience is that it may take a good 10-14 days to kick the sugar craving in your body. And, for us, we always include "kick the sugar-devil" as part of our fasting procedure.

We have learnt during our fastings, that it may be difficult to even manage going through a super-market with all the "good stuff" around. We have experienced that one of the things on your mind, during a few days is "where can I buy something sweet".

And, at some point, you realize that you are focusing on other things than just the sugar-need.

This is NOT a sugar detox, it is NOT a diet

and one of the key words are moderation vs. excessive.

Moderation vs. Excessive

Part of our fasting is to fight some of the deadly sins by using some of counter-virtues and moderation is a virtue and our experience is that it is a good one to use as a focus while fasting. It is not only good related, and you may be in great shape, doing all kinds of activities and exercises.
Therefore, the moderation vs excessive is a good point to look at as part of your fasting structure. You may have other vices or habits you want to sacrifice while fasting.

Excessive shopping - do you really need to buy that "thing"?

Excessive eating - 1 plate instead of 2.

Do you really need a dessert after you had a starter and a main course?

Excessive drinking - a glass of wine is fine, rather than a bottle of wine. Wine to your meal, seven days a week - why not have it only to your Sunday meal?

Excessive working - can be difficult because you have a manager or job that demands the hours, or you need to be at your job during certain hours.

But - do you need to work the extra hours once you have come home?

Excessive gambling ...

Of course you understand the point. Moderation may be the most challenging virtue but it is a wonderful virtue once you have pin-pointed some of the obstacles against your fasting.

One of our key points in this matter is that we hope that the exercise is a long-term development of your Christian life. So, if you fail something, just get back on track. Remember that it takes time to kick old habits and you want to make a sacrifice, an offer, to remove something that is "exessive" in your life.

If you do it as a family, each family member may have their own obstacles or vices such as the classic issues with smoking, drinking, eating, shopping, gambling, TV, gaming, online viewing or porn but it may also be emotions such as anger, or attitudes like laziness.

Do you really need to waste the money - just because you can?

Imagine (a real case) when you are heading to a store to buy a package of vacuum cleaning bags, but you grab the choclate bar on your way to the cashier.

While munching on the chochlate bar walking out to the car, with the vacuum cleaning bags, the person then throws away the bar - as it was a sugar product - so you wasted your money, and you were weak againt the temptation - but you ditched it at least.

Waste of money. Waste of self-control and a weak mind.

What to avoid

Sugar products.
Fast-food - or maybe it should be "no processed food"
Cook your own meals and let the flavours and smell fill your home with joy.

Why not make a thick vegeable soup.

Moderate intake of food.
- If you are a dinner party, no need to be a party pooper, but aim for moderation.
  Eat what does not offend your host.

Exercise at least 1 hour per day.
Abstinence - no meat on Wednesdays and Fridays.

(there are people who do no meat during Lent on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

This include sandwich-related meat too.

Ember days

The ember days are brilliant to enhance your fasting - sort of a tighter model of the fasting. Definitely no meat during these three days (wednesday, Friday and Saturday).

- We have also learnt that families with family members being vegetarian or vegan, there is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the person. If it is daughter or son, regardless of age, why not ask the person to cook a meal for the family?

No alcohol.
- Again, it is up to you. You may want to take a glass of wine, and why not. Not a bottle, which then again is moderation. If you need a glass of wine or beer for every meal - then it is different matter. We are in this for a long-term so you may change your approach during the fasting or for the next year.
  If you are not familiar with how to fast, take your time. This is not a 100 meter sprint. It is a marathon.
Reduce your online time.
- Try to set hours where you are not staring at any social media, mobile phones, pads.
- How about finding religious pods, or read the bible.

Turn off your television.
- or at least set a certain hour when the television turns off.

This is good for kids regardless and good for parents. It is a time thief.

Seven Deadly Sins vs. Seven Virtues

seven deadly sins and the seven virtues

We have mentioned earlier the virtue Moderation as one of the key-points during the fast. Its counter-part is Excessive, which is within field "Gluttony". Sloth showed up in 2022 and this time, it was pin-pointed to us.

Here below are some points, based on our experiences. Please do add more to your own list. It is exiting.

Moderation vs. Excessive (Gluttony) is our key-focus during the fast.
It is also here where we get many questions and this is why we also believe this the Saint Martin fast must be on an individual level.
- You may be in good shape, eat healthy, seldom drink alcohol. Is there something that you do in the line of excessive and that you ought to bring down to "moderation"?
- Is there a difference between gluttony/excessive and "crave" or "desire" as those two are part of Lust (Luxuria).
- Excessive shopping may come from desireor envy.
- Chastity is often connected to sex but if chastity is abstinence, which the 40-days St. Martin Fast and the Advent Fast and the four days of obligatory abstinence are all about. How about Moral or morality?
- As chastity was mentioned, the sin fighting to get into our mind is Lust.
Sloth and "I'll do it tomorrow".
- ignorance, unconcern, or way easier to understand: Laziness.
- How about not bothering about your body and mind?
  If you read 1 Cor 6:19, it is says: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost who is in you, whom you have from God"
- Laziness vs a theme of movement for at least an hour a day?
Diligence or fervour is then the counter-attack towards sloth.
- How about ethics?
Lust was mentioned both vs the virtue chastity but also concerning crave and desire. We are quite certain that this can be a subject during the 40-days St. Martin fast or the Advent-fast.

The below section will in due time be developed:

The deadly sins of Envy, Pride, Wrath.
The virtues of Kindness, Patience and Charity.

Seven Deadly Sins vs. Seven Virtues

We probably did not believe that the 40-day St. Martin fast would lead us to the seven deadly sins and the seven virtues. This was a great discovery, a revelation, and a great experience. We have received some questions this year and through our answers, and the following up questions - it even became more clear than before.

Sloth showed up in 2022 (more than in 2021) but it was pin-pointed in 2022. has shown us that often when we have certain issues during the 40-day St. Martin fast it is connected to the seven deadly sins. The antidotes are of course the seven virtues. But, here below are some of our experiences of deadly sins and virtues.

Moderation vs. Excessive (Gluttony)is our key-focus during the fast.
It is also here where we get many questions and this is why we also believe this the Saint Martin fast must be on an individual level.
- You may be in good shape, eat healthy, seldom drink alcohol. Is there something that you do in the line of excessive and that you ought to bring down to "moderation"?
- Is there a difference between gluttony/excessive and "crave" or "desire" as those two are part of Lust (Luxuria).
- Excessive shopping may come from desireor envy.
- Chastity is often connected to sex but if chastity is abstinence, which the 40-days St. Martin Fast and the Advent Fast and the four days of obligatory abstinence are all about. How about Moral or morality?
- As chastity was mentioned, the sin fighting to get into our mind is Lust.
Sloth and "I'll do it tomorrow".
- ignorance, unconcern, or way easier to understand: Laziness.
- How about not bothering about your body and mind?
  If you read 1 Cor 6:19, it is says: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost who is in you, whom you have from God"
- Laziness vs a theme of movement for at least an hour a day?
Diligence or fervour is then the counter-attack towards sloth.
- How about ethics?
Lust was mentioned both vs the virtue chastity but also concerning crave and desire. We are quite certain that this can be a subject during the 40-days St. Martin fast or the Advent-fast.

We will develop this section further covering:

Envy, Pride, Wrath which are also deadly sins.
Kindness, Patience and Charity that are virtues.