Lenten diet: basic rules, menu for 7 days, recipes

Effective lean diet for quick weight loss

The Lenten diet is based on the complete abstinence of food of animal origin.
Nutritionists do not recommend sticking to such a diet for a long time, but several months of such a diet will even benefit your health. People, out of ignorance, often confuse a lenten diet with fasting. But they are significantly different from each other. The diet program is low-calorie. The diet contains a reduced amount of fat. Of its total mass, fats make up only 20%.

Doctors conducted studies on patients, the results of which made it clear that giving up animal foods has a beneficial effect on the body. The risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems is significantly reduced. The concentration of cholesterol in the blood is normalized, which makes the occurrence of atherosclerosis almost impossible.

Results are achieved quickly because the system has many advantages:

• Weight is normalized in a short period of time;
• The amount of fat consumed is minimal;
• The body is cleansed of harmful substances;
• The diet is balanced, so vitamin deficiency does not occur.

You should adhere to the following rules:

• Eat in small portions;
• Portions should be small;
• No snacks between main meals;
• Complete abstinence from sweets and alcoholic beverages;
• You are allowed to eat no more than three tablespoons of honey daily.

Fasting and weight loss

The idea of ​​losing weight by fasting comes to many people’s minds. It’s very tempting to kill two birds with one stone: to cleanse your soul and achieve your ideal weight.

When a person who has previously unsuccessfully lost weight begins to fast, he unwittingly brings into this action his experience of restrictive diets. On the diet he felt hungry and tasteless, and he assumes that this should be the case during Lent. It was just that his willpower failed him then. And now, when it is strengthened by the spiritual core of fasting, it will withstand any hardship. But, reasoning this way, those losing weight lose sight of the fact that seven weeks of taming the flesh do not require sacrificing health. And he also doesn’t know that Lenten nutrition has developed its own culinary culture - with recipes and tips that can be used.

DONE AT HOME

Cook it yourself. Even those who are “attached” to public catering switch to home-cooked food during Lent and start cooking. After all, there are not so many ready-made lean foods other than bread, vegetables and fruits. In addition, during fasting you need to be more attentive to what you eat: for example, on ordinary days we get calcium from milk, but “on fast” it is difficult to reach the daily norm of this mineral. You need to know what contains calcium besides milk and prepare, for example, lobio with sesame seeds or cauliflower with tofu. And to support your immune system with a sufficient amount of zinc, put mushrooms with onions and buckwheat porridge on the table.

FIRST BY RIGHT

Soup every day. There is no way to post without him. Try to persuade yourself to have a portion of healthy barley without oil. And the same cereal in sour cabbage soup with mushrooms is quite edible and even tasty. Millet porridge without milk is also not food, but millet kulesh with potatoes and onions, with bay leaves and dill - even every day. You can cook an excellent and healthy buckwheat soup from buckwheat by adding sautéed onions and herbs. It's time to remember both the biblical lentil stew and the pea soup that is closer to us. They are amazingly good even without meat, lard and smoked meats. Finally, soup is the easiest and fastest food. Pour a bag or two of frozen vegetables into boiling water, add a couple of spoons of pre-cooked rice or pearl barley, and that’s it!

SALAD SALATOVO

Salad is not instead of food, but along with it. Cabbage salad is not at all a symbol of a Lenten meal, but just one of the Lenten dishes. Shredded or grated vegetables are healthy foods, but they should not stand alone on the table and replace a meal. So, please, if you are preparing a salad, do so with the idea that after it there will be some other food: porridge, potatoes, stew. There are, of course, salads that are already satisfying in themselves - for example, potato with pickled mushrooms and onions, avocado with tomatoes and leafy greens, cold beans. Yes, the same vinaigrette! Just put more peas in it and add mushrooms.

FRUIT GLAMOR

Fruit is just a dessert. You won't be able to subsist on fruit for seven weeks. Firstly, they contain a lot of sugar, so fruit is a dessert, and also a lifesaver for those times when there is nothing lean in sight and the house is far away. This applies even more to juices. If apples, oranges, etc. contain fiber, which inhibits absorption and gives a feeling of fullness, then the juice is practically devoid of it. And freshly squeezed juice on an empty stomach is generally a blow to the pancreas.

FILTER FOR THOUGHTS

It is not difficult for sincere believers to do without this or that or the third also because the “diet” itself is not the main and not the most difficult part of fasting. There are more difficult things: to refrain from idle talk, to forgive everyone, to have pity, to think well of people, to think about God constantly, to read spiritual things, to attend services, to confess. All this is work that occupies thoughts, requires time and attention, so there is no time to particularly think about food. But you are only concerned with yourself, dealing with your sins. If you also help your neighbor and those far away, then there will be no time to think about either food or your figure. And this makes fasting radically different from a diet in which you only think about them.

MILLET KULESH WITH POTATOES AND ONIONS

Boil it in a large saucepan; the kulesh will escape from the small one. Pour 2 liters of water, put on fire. Rinse a glass of millet in several waters, rubbing the grain between your palms. Pour into a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat. When the kulesh begins to thicken, add a couple of diced potatoes, finely chopped and sauteed onion (1 onion), salt, add peppercorns, bay leaf and cook until the potatoes are ready. Season with herbs and let stand for fifteen minutes.

You can also cook stews from different cereals with vegetables: from buckwheat with celery, from sticky rice with sweet peppers or frozen vegetable mixtures, from semolina or rice with dried fruits.
Published: March 14, 2021

Mechanism of action

The basis of the diet is cereals, fruits and vegetables. Due to the high content of nutrients and vitamins, a person can not only lose weight, but even improve his health. These effects will not be long-lasting, but they will increase thoughts about switching to a healthy diet, and strengthen the general mood towards it.

The lean dietary system does not imply fasting. Weight loss is achieved by limiting calorie intake. Therefore, the body begins to convert its own fat reserves into energy. Waste and toxins are eliminated thanks to the fiber contained in fruits and vegetables. Promotes weight loss and the low calorie content of plant-based foods.

A breakdown during a diet is unlikely, because the feeling of hunger practically does not arise due to the nutritional value of the foods. Refusal of unhealthy fatty foods helps normalize cholesterol levels and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

In addition to all this, there are also useful qualities of the diet: normalization of digestion, acceleration of metabolism, increased activity of lipid metabolism, due to which fat reserves are broken down faster and cellulite disappears. The diet will give those losing weight a feeling of lightness and a good mood. In a short time, a person may well lose a couple of extra pounds. But you need to remember that the weight lost due to the diet returns soon after it ends.

Lenten baking recipe

It's time to talk about Lenten desserts. PP nutrition during fasting does not limit your choice of sweets. In principle, any recipe that does not contain eggs or dairy products will work. A large selection of such baked goods can be found in vegetarian recipes.

If you adhere to the instructions, you must remember that you need to replace sugar with any natural sweetener. It is best to use stevia. It is ideal for baking pp desserts. Let's make lean pp muffins.

• 200 grams of rice flour. Lenten baked goods made from rice flour are more tender and airy.
• Stevia. Add sweetener according to your taste.
• Cocoa. Add 3 tablespoons of natural cocoa without various additives.
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar. This will add flavor to our muffins.
• 8 tablespoons of any vegetable oil. You can use coconut oil.
• 1 packet of baking powder
• 250 ml plain water.

Mix all the bulk ingredients: flour, baking powder, vanillin, cocoa and sweetener. Mix everything. Add warm water and vegetable oil and mix everything very quickly. Now pour into molds and put in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

To prevent Lenten baked goods from seeming so sad, you can decorate them a little with Lenten toppings:

• peanut butter + flax seeds
• peanut butter+coconut flakes
• banana (beat in blender) + walnuts

Recommendations

Experts have proven that a lean diet has a positive effect on the health of the human body. Restriction in food and its selective consumption help reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and liver pathologies.

Dietary nutrition will gradually help rid the body of harmful substances, toxins and waste. And the result on the scale inspires even more.

When following a diet, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

• It is not recommended to follow a lean diet more than once every three months;
• Every day you need to adhere to 5-6 meals a day;
• Food portions should be small;
• You can't overeat;
• You will have to give up snacking between main meals. If you are completely unbearable, you are allowed to eat a few nuts or dried fruits;
• Complete refusal of sweets, baked goods, alcohol;
• You can eat three tablespoons of honey per day;
• Light physical activity is allowed in the form of walking, morning exercises;
• If you need to lose more than ten kilograms, the duration of the diet can be more than two weeks;
• It is important to maintain a drinking regime. A large intake of fluid helps to quickly remove toxins from the body. You are allowed to drink clean water, green tea, and freshly squeezed juices.
• Dishes must be steamed or stewed;
• It is imperative to maintain a sleep schedule. You need to sleep at least eight hours a day.

Following these simple recommendations will help you lose excess weight, albeit for a short time.

Lenten carrot cutlets recipe

If there are no problems with side dishes during fasting meals, then there are difficulties with the main dish, because replacing meat dishes is not so easy. But you can always experiment a little.

• Carrot. We will need 7 pieces of medium size. We wash them very thoroughly under running water and put them in a saucepan. We will cook the carrots until they become soft. Then cool, remove the skin and grate on a fine grater. Our carrot mince is ready. This will be the basis of our dish.
• 100 grams of semolina. In this version, semolina will serve as a binding ingredient instead of an egg.
• Sugar. Even though these are cutlets, you must add a tablespoon of sugar to emphasize the taste of carrots.
• Salt and pepper. 1 teaspoon of salt will be enough.

Add half the semolina, sugar, salt and pepper to the carrot mince. Mix everything, form cutlets and roll them in the remaining semolina. Fry over medium heat until a crust forms. If you adhere to the instructions, be sure to place lean carrot cutlets with semolina on paper napkins to remove excess oil, and do not forget to count the KBJU.

Contraindications

The Lenten diet is prohibited for use by people with the following diseases:

• Anemia;
• Anorexia;
• Intestinal tract disorders;
• Infections;
• Oncological diseases

The diet is also not recommended during the following periods:

• Pregnancy period;
• Breast-feeding;
• Childhood;
• Elderly age;
• Rehabilitation period;

Before starting a diet, it is best to visit a doctor to receive detailed and individual recommendations and advice.

Hunger

It will definitely happen. After all, you have given up your usual diet. First of all, fats give us a feeling of fullness. Then - carbohydrates, only lastly - proteins. This is why switching to a lean diet is so difficult.

At first, you may even experience apathy, drowsiness, and lethargy. If you survive this moment, there will be a feeling of euphoria, joy from your accomplishments. But if your fast lasts longer than 40-50 days, then apathy and irritability may reappear. This is how our nervous system can react to the lack of animal fats and proteins.

It is worth warning that fasting increases all chronic diseases. Women should be especially careful. If you had problems with hormonal levels, an imbalance, anemia, for example, then fasting can worsen these problems. Therefore, you need to follow it carefully and consult a doctor.

Lobio, fasolada and olivier. Hearty legume dishes for Lent Read more

Foods to lose weight on a lean protein diet

There are a lot of products that are allowed to create a diet menu. Let's see what you can eat and what you can't:

Authorized Products

To achieve a positive result, the menu should consist of vegetable and mushroom dishes.

To normalize fat metabolism, a person needs to eat foods containing B vitamins. Legumes contain a lot of them. Buckwheat and apples will help maintain a normal level of iron in the blood. To ensure the full functioning of all organs and systems of the body, eat more fruits and fresh vegetables rich in vitamins and microelements.

The main source of protein is legumes and soy products. The former contain a lot of protein, which helps build muscle mass. Soy products will be an excellent alternative to meat and dairy products.

Prohibited Products

Avoiding or limiting fatty foods and sweets will help you lose weight. You will have to give up salt, artificial seasonings and your favorite gravies. Naturally, drinking alcoholic beverages during the diet is prohibited. Don't feel bad about giving up so many foods. The feeling of hunger will not bother you due to the high content of fiber and vitamins in the new diet.

How to end a fast

The proper end to any diet, especially if it is a fasting diet for weight loss, is to gradually return to your usual food. Sudden overeating of heavy foods can lead to stomach pain and heaviness in the intestines. The ideal process is to gradually return to your favorite foods in very limited doses. Nutritionists say that if a person was on a diet, limited the consumption of a certain product, and the result of the diet turned out to be positive, it means that this product does not benefit a particular organism. What to do if life is not sweet without meat and during the entire Lent you dreamed about it? The answer is simple - consume it in the quantity you dreamed of during the diet. Everyone knows the feeling that if only they could eat 50 grams of veal, life would get better. So, exactly 50 grams per day will be enough.

A fasting diet for weight loss is not possible for everyone, and not everyone needs it. But if a person decides to take this step consciously, based on the recommendations of specialists, and calmly endures it, it means that the time of Lent is not in vain for him and comprehensive care for the spirit and body will certainly bear fruit.

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Review of the best meatless diets

Below are ready-made diets

Fasting on a buckwheat diet

Eating one buckwheat lasts exactly seven days. It must be prepared according to a special recipe. At night, brew 400 g of cereal with boiling water. It steams in a few hours and you can start eating in the morning. The entire volume of buckwheat must be divided into several doses.

on apples

The apple diet lasts ten days. In such a short period of time, a person will be able to lose up to 5 extra pounds.

You will have to have breakfast with one apple and oatmeal. You are allowed to drink a glass of your favorite tea. Lunch looks a little more varied: an apple, lean fish and a vegetable salad dressed with lemon juice. Dinner should be light: an apple, fruit salad and a glass of low-fat kefir.

Lenten diet with fasting day

The program consists of seven days. Each day's diet consists of the usual menu of permitted plant products. The seventh day is a fasting day. Unloading should be carried out by eating only one product during the day: cucumbers, apples or porridge cooked in water.

Rice diet

Those losing weight will rejoice at the possible menu consisting of lean meats and fish. The duration of the diet should not exceed a week. You can have breakfast with rice and natural low-fat yogurt. Lunch consists of lean fish and rice as a side dish. You will have to have dinner again with rice, but with vegetables.

Porridge diet

This type of nutrition is quite common. Nutritionists say this is one of the healthiest weight loss options. This is explained by the effect that porridge has on the body:

• Cleanse from waste and toxins;
• Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Provides nutrients and vitamins;
• Replenish energy reserves and give a positive mood;
• Provides a long-lasting feeling of full saturation;
• Reduces the need for fats;
• Plant protein helps build muscle mass.

Preference should be given to natural cereals. Don't try to lose weight on instant cereals. There is nothing useful for humans in these bags.

Before starting the diet, you need to prepare your own body by arranging a fasting day. It can be kefir or apple. The effectiveness of the diet program will also increase through the use of a cleansing enema.

It will be necessary to adhere to the correct drinking regime. A person should drink at least one and a half liters of clean water per day. Drink a glass of water before each meal. Thus, metabolism accelerates and appetite decreases. After all, the need for food becomes a little lower.

Porridges contain slow carbohydrates. Support your diet with moderate physical activity. For a good result, daily walks lasting at least an hour are enough.

Salad and fruit

Fruit nutrition programs attract people with their simplicity and fairly high results. But can all fruits be eaten?

Experts recommend using only seasonal ones. They are the ones that provide the greatest benefit to the body. It is best to follow a diet in summer or autumn, when store shelves are rich in fresh fruit.

To combat excess weight, apples, citrus fruits and pineapples are the best helpers. They are recognized as the most effective fat burners.

Eat only fresh fruits. You should not subject them to heat treatment, which will destroy all existing beneficial substances and vitamins. Despite the high liquid content in fruits, you need to drink at least one and a half liters of water per day.

Completely avoid salt and sugar on your diet, which interfere with the removal of excess fluid from the body.

Involve yourself in some gentle physical activity, such as walking or swimming. Then the process of losing extra pounds will definitely go faster.

Carrot

The carrot diet is not only tasty, but also highly effective. Vitamin B6 contained in carrots improves skin condition, and carotene strengthens hair and nails. Chlorine and sulfur, which are part of the vegetable, help remove toxins from the body. Carrots also contain a large amount of antioxidants.

You can't eat anything other than carrots. Use it exclusively fresh. Salads from it can be seasoned with lemon juice. It is recommended to grind the vegetable using a grater.

From liquids, it is recommended to drink more pure still water, tea and freshly squeezed carrot juice.

Losing weight on a carrot diet is due to its high fiber content. There is also no protein in large quantities, so glucose does not accumulate. Consequently, fats have nothing to form from. The body begins to create energy from its own fat reserves by breaking them down.

The weight loss plan is simple: eat carrot salads three times a day, drink carrot juice and lose weight. Most often, people stay on such a diet for no more than three days.

Cabbage

Cabbage is an accessible and cheap vegetable that is widely used for culinary purposes. On a diet, you can eat it stewed, canned or baked. Fresh cabbage is also good for your diet.

Dishes prepared from this vegetable promote increased production of gastric juice. Metabolic processes improve, fat burning is activated.

The duration of the diet is 5, 10 and 14 days. These options are used by people based on their initial weight. Changes are achieved quite quickly. But, due to the lack of carbohydrates, it is not recommended to follow the program for more than two weeks. In ten days you can really get rid of about six extra pounds.

Lenten soup diet

This dietary option is low-carbohydrate. It is important to follow three main rules:

• All meals are low-fat vegetable soups or broths;
• It is prohibited to use other food products;
• Quench the feeling of hunger with broth.

What foods will be in the main diet?

The list of dishes that are allowed to be used is quite wide. This is a long list of vegetables, which necessarily includes everything that is grown in the garden.

They can be prepared in any convenient way - simply boil, put in a slow cooker or grill, stew or bake. Fruits and berries are also allowed to be consumed in any form and in unlimited quantities. They are used to create drinks and fruit drinks, and put them into baked goods and porridges. Usually what appears on the table is what was grown in the home region in greenhouses. Previously, these were dried, soaked and frozen varieties of apples, plums, pears and berries.

What else can you eat during fasting – mushrooms and beans. They produce vegetable protein, which is so lacking in a limited diet. They are included in salads and appetizers, and in main courses. It is worth including products in the menu in any available form, except raw.

Most often porridge is prepared:

• oatmeal;
• buckwheat;
• wheat;
• millet;
• corn;
• barley;
• rice;
• from other cereals.

To make the Lenten menu more varied and tasty, it is allowed to add fried carrots and onions, mushrooms or beans on certain days. To add sweetness in the absence of sugar, you can add raisins, dried apricots, figs and other dried fruits to the porridge during cooking.

A small amount of nuts and seeds in the diet is acceptable. They help satisfy hunger and replenish the need for polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals. It also contains vitamins F, E, A and B. This makes the diet during fasting not only varied, but also healthy.

For those who find the regime especially difficult, you can purchase soy products. They are easy to find in the dietary departments of any store, and believers are not prohibited from using them.

Our usual tea and coffee are of plant origin, but only coconut, soy or almond milk is added to it. As a supplement, they drink herbal infusions and berry drinks.

They eat muesli and cereal, but they will have to be diluted with water or juice. You can diversify this meal with honey, jam, fruits and dried fruits.

Option for a lean diet for weight loss for a week: a ready-made menu for every day

In a week of such a diet, it is quite possible to lose about five extra pounds. Smooth weight loss will not put the body into a state of stress and will not worsen health.

Monday

Breakfast: semolina porridge, mint tea and fresh berries.

Lunch: cauliflower and carrot soup, citrus juice.

Afternoon snack: homemade unsweetened compote, fresh fruit.

Dinner: fruit salad, rosehip infusion.

Tuesday

Breakfast: a slice of rye bread with eggplant caviar, a cup of draft coffee without sugar.

Lunch: vegetable stew, citrus juice.

Afternoon snack: one apple, low-fat natural yogurt.

Dinner: baked vegetables, green tea.

Wednesday

Breakfast: buckwheat, cherry tea.

Lunch: spaghetti, tomato juice.

Afternoon snack: potato dumplings, green tea.

Dinner: fruit salad, herbal tea.

Thursday

Breakfast: zucchini pancakes, raspberry tea.

Lunch: cabbage rolls with pearl barley, strawberry juice.

Afternoon snack: fruit salad.

Dinner: potato casserole.

Friday

Breakfast: apples with oatmeal, black coffee without sugar.

Lunch: borscht without meat, apple juice.

Afternoon snack: low-fat cottage cheese, honey, nuts.

Dinner: stewed cabbage, tea.

Saturday

Breakfast: black bread with zucchini caviar, herbal tea.

Lunch: bean salad, dressed with oil, tomato juice.

Afternoon snack: baked apples.

Dinner: fruit salad with yogurt, tea.

Sunday

Breakfast: rice porridge, citrus juice.

Lunch: light vegetable soup, rosehip tea.

Afternoon snack: pumpkin casserole, unsweetened homemade jelly.

Dinner: fruit salad, raspberry juice.

Lenten sweets

In order not to look for Lenten sweets in stores, it is best to make Lenten sweets with your own hands. This way you will not only control the ingredients by excluding animal products, but you will also be able to count calories if you are on a diet.

The base of Lenten sweets is very similar to vegan sweets:

• Dried fruits. These are dried apricots, dates, prunes and raisins. The sweetest candies are made from dates, then you don’t even need to add a natural sweetener.
• Coconut flakes. If you're on a diet, look for low-fat coconut flakes, which are much lower in calories than regular coconut flakes.
• Nuts. You can add any nuts to Lenten sweets: almonds, cashews, walnuts, cashews and others.
• Seeds. Any seeds, don’t forget about pumpkin seeds, they are very useful.
• Cocoa. We are talking exclusively about natural cocoa without sugar and other harmful additives.
• Carob. Very reminiscent of cocoa. This powder, made from dried legumes, can often be found in various vegan recipes.
• Natural sweetener. If there is not enough sweetness, then feel free to add honey, agave syrup or another sugar substitute.
• Peanut paste. An indispensable product for any Lenten desserts!

Here is an example of preparing Lenten sweets:

• 200 grams of dates. Grind them in a blender until pureed.
• 200 grams of walnuts. Also grind to a thick crumb. We got real nut flour.
• 5 tablespoons of natural cocoa.
• coconut flakes.
• Almond. The whole nut will serve as the filling for our sweets. It needs to be filled with hot water and left for 7-10 minutes. Then remove the skin.

Mix date puree with nut flour and cocoa. You will get a thick mass. Forming balls. Then you need to flatten each ball a little and put almonds inside and form the candy again. Roll in coconut flakes and place in the refrigerator to cool.

Using the same principle, you can prepare other lean dishes, constantly experimenting with the ingredients.

Nutritionist's opinion

Food of plant origin, which is allowed to be consumed during a fast diet, is often very rich in many useful substances and vitamins, as has been mentioned more than once above. Thanks to this, a serious deficiency of anything necessary does not develop in the body of the fasting person and serious damage is not caused to health.

However, as practice shows, it is still better to abstain from a lean diet in case of a number of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Such dietary restrictions are not beneficial for children either.

In general, in an amicable way, a lean diet would be suitable only for absolutely healthy people. If you are forced to follow some other program of abstinence from certain categories of foods (for medical reasons for chronic diseases), then it is better not to mess with this one. Health is more valuable.

How to cook lean buckwheat cutlets

Do you like buckwheat? Then we will prepare the main dish from this healthy cereal!

• A glass of buckwheat. Just boil the buckwheat as usual, and your minced meat is almost ready.
• 3 medium potatoes. Wash, clean and grate on a fine grater. Potatoes will help hold our meatless cutlets together.
• Salt and spices to your taste.

Mix potatoes with buckwheat, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and fry covered.

You can't do without prohibitions

Most diets involve strict calorie counting and this usually results in weight loss. But saying goodbye to extra pounds during Lent is determined, first of all, by the list of prohibitions on junk food. Moreover, many of the following products negatively affect not only health, but also a slim figure. By excluding them from your diet, you not only comply with the rules of fasting, but also create conditions for rapid weight loss. So, the following are subject to prohibition:

• any alcoholic drinks;
• all meat products;
• eggs and all dishes containing them;
• chocolate;
• flour products;
• vegetable oil;
• everything is fat;
• milk and dairy products;
• fish (except for a few days, according to the church calendar).

The list of restrictions is quite long, so their strict adherence seems to many to be a serious test. But, of course, most prohibitions have a positive effect on the process of losing weight.

One big benefit of losing weight while fasting is connecting with society. It’s great if there are people around you who share your views and try to impeccably follow all the prohibitions during the period of abstinence. Most diet breakdowns occur because everyone around, as if by agreement, eats all the most harmful and high-calorie foods, but so tasty. However, if you fast, you will see that you are not alone, and then the restrictions will not be a burden.

Many admit that fasting is much easier to endure than a strict diet. The reason for the difference is that the first is aimed primarily at spiritual cleansing, so you don’t get hung up on counting calories and lost pounds. When you're not focused solely on losing weight, menu restrictions tend to be much easier.

Basic principles of nutrition

The basis of fasting is complex carbohydrates of plant origin. They are rich in fiber, so they take a long time to digest, provide a feeling of fullness and supply the body with the necessary energy.

You should not overuse carbohydrates; excess calories can be stored as reserves. The norm for complex carbohydrates in their pure form is 4 grams per 1 kg of a person’s weight; exceeding it leads to weight gain.

In order to avoid overeating and breakdowns, you should carefully and thoroughly draw up a menu, preferably for each day of fasting.

Useful tips:

1. Choose balanced and low-calorie dishes, with minimal oil and sugar content.
2. Eat fresh and dry fruits, as well as sweets, in the first half of the day, avoiding foods with a high glycemic index in the late afternoon and after 18.00.
3. For an evening snack, it is better to leave raw vegetables - carrots, cabbage, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes.
4. Eat often, 5-6 times a day, and monitor the portion size. You get positive emotions not from delicious food, but from live communication and good deeds.
5. Proper preparation is the key to benefits, taste and health. The best methods of heat treatment during Lent are baking, boiling, stewing, steaming or grilling.
6. Sufficient drinking regime will speed up metabolism, improve cleansing and recovery processes. The list of permitted drinks includes natural juices, fruit drinks and compotes, still water, green or herbal tea, chicory instead of coffee.
7. Exiting the diet should be gradual and carefully planned. This is the only way to maintain the achieved results and reduce the risk of health problems.

During the fasting period, you should refrain from grueling workouts and excessive physical activity. Expending a lot of energy and strength, the body will experience a deficiency of proteins, the replenishment of which will come from muscle mass, and not from fat.

Mannik with cherries in a slow cooker

Lenten baked goods should not be bland and tasteless. It can be incredibly fragrant, appetizing and incredibly tender.

To prepare cherry manna in a slow cooker you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. semolina;
• 1 tbsp. water;
• 1 tbsp sugar;
• 2-3 tbsp. flour;
• 1 tsp cinnamon;
• 300 g cherries (pitted);
• Powdered sugar;
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil.

Mannik with cherries in a slow cooker

Preparation:

1. First of all, mix semolina with water and mix well. Then add sugar to the resulting mass and knead again. Let our mixture swell so that the semolina thoroughly absorbs moisture and swells. The minimum time is 60 minutes, but you can leave it for a longer time, for example, overnight.
2. Add the required amount of flour to the swollen semolina with sugar, then add baking powder and cinnamon to taste. Gently mix the resulting mass thoroughly until it has a homogeneous consistency.
3. We prepare the multicooker bowl for baking manna. Lubricate it with a small amount of vegetable oil over the entire area. Then spread out about half of the dough, distributing it evenly. Lay out the next layer of cherries. If it has released a lot of juice, you can add a little starch or drain off the excess liquid before putting the cherries in the slow cooker. Cover the top of the cherry with the second half of the dough and level it out.
4. Turn on the multicooker to the “Baking” mode for 60 minutes and bake the manna until done. When the time is up, open the multicooker, let the manna cool a little and transfer it to a dish. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, you can decorate with coconut flakes, nut crumbs, cut into portions and serve.

Aromatic teas go well with cherry manna; freshly brewed coffee will also be an excellent companion for a juicy and tasty dessert. And with a mug of cocoa, kuochesk manna with cherries can easily pass for a full meal.

Lenten potato and mushroom casserole

The delicate aroma of mushrooms combined with potatoes makes the lean vegetable casserole very appetizing. The dish is quite simple to prepare, yet it has excellent nutritional value, satisfies hunger and satisfies for a long time.

It is better to serve the casserole while still hot, but when cold it remains very tasty and tender. It goes well with other Lenten culinary delights, and will also do an excellent job of feeding your family for lunch or dinner.

If you want to get a more savory taste of the finished dish, feel free to experiment with the ingredients. You can add tomatoes, carrots and other seasonal vegetables to the casserole, then it will be incredibly bright and even more appetizing.

Thanks to spices and fresh herbs, it will acquire a divine aroma that will awaken the appetite and give real pleasure to true gourmets.

To prepare the dish you will need the following ingredients:

• About 1 kg. potatoes;
• 300 g champignons;
• 1 PC. onions;
• Tomato;
• 2 tbsp. lean mayonnaise;
• Black pepper, salt;
• Spices;
• Fresh herbs for serving.
• You can add more carrots and other vegetables, but this is not necessary.

Lenten potato and mushroom casserole

Preparation:

1. We prepare fresh vegetables, which are the basis of the casserole. We wash the peeled onions and potatoes. Also wash the mushrooms thoroughly under cold water. Cut the onion into small cubes and the mushrooms into thin slices.
2. Place a frying pan with vegetable oil on the fire, first add the onion and fry until transparent, then add the mushrooms, stir and fry until all the liquid has evaporated.
3. Cut the potatoes into thin slices and the tomatoes into small slices. Prepare the baking dish. Lubricate it with vegetable oil so that the casserole does not burn during baking.
4. Let's start laying out the ingredients for the casserole. First place a layer of thinly sliced ​​potatoes on the bottom of the mold, then add salt and pepper to taste.
5. The next layer is mushrooms fried with onions. Which we cover with another potato layer. Top with salt and pepper again to taste, you can add your favorite spices. The final layer of the casserole will be tomatoes, which should be greased with vegetable oil and lean mayonnaise on top. We also add salt and pepper to make the dish with a bright taste.
6. Preheat the oven (up to 180 degrees). We rearrange our casserole; the baking process until a golden brown crust forms takes about 40 minutes, it may take longer. This depends on the thickness of the casserole layer and the operating characteristics of the oven.

We take out the finished casserole. Let it cool for literally 10 minutes, sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and cut into pieces, then serve.

Leaving the post

You fasted for 7 weeks, endured hunger, and went on a terrible diet. At least that's what it seems to you. Easter is coming. And you can eat everything. First thought: break away. I want to warn you that leaving the post is a very important task. You can’t eat a lot of eggs at once, especially hard-boiled ones. Eggs are difficult to digest. It's better to start with soft-boiled eggs. Kulich is a sweet carbohydrate bomb; you can only eat a small piece. You can watch how monks fast and break fast. They don’t overeat during Lent, they only have one meal a day, and they don’t have enough to overeat on the first day of Easter. They eat just a little, and almost all Easter treats are distributed to those in need.