Although I don’t see anything wrong with saying good-bye to abundance prior to a season of penance and fasting, I do see the need to offer tips to help ease your body into the fasting mode.

If you celebrate Mardi Gras, you might consider your approach, especially if fitness is important to you. The typical high-calorie fried pancakes, pierogies and fatty treats are quick to store up as body fat. If your goal is to remain fit, then this approach will help you.

If you celebrate Ash Wednesday with fasting from food -in my Catholic tradition we are allowed to eat bread and water three times a day or have one single, meatless, normal-sized meal- then you will want to ease your body into this day of detox rather than shock it into a low-calorie intake after a high-calorie day.

Consider spending Tuesday consuming fruit and vegetable smoothies for your meals and tapering into vegetable smoothies from mid-afternoon onward. The power of raw produce will help begin the detox process and ease your body into a day of low-calorie intake while feeding your cells the necessary trace chemicals that prevent disease and inflammation. You will also reduce the likelihood of storing body fat as fried pancakes will no doubt lead to extra poundage on your frame.

If you fast from regular meals on Ash Wednesday, then be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to help stay hydrated and flush out toxins. Wednesday will also be a day of low-intensity exercise or rest as your body will not have the energy to lift heavy or perform intense intervals. I like to wait until noon or shortly thereafter if I am to eat my meal just so I have use of that energy for a good part of the remaining day. (I also plan on eating my Juice Plus capsules so that I get every bit of nutrition possible!)

Psychologically, it helps to hit the sack as early as possible on Wednesday as you will be tired, slow and fighting negativity.

Allow this to be a word of common sense not to get carried away with overeating on Tuesday as you will hit a brick wall come fasting day. Your body responds best to easing into a circumstance, especially if you can control it. You still have the demands of a regular work day and taking care of the household, and, therefore, planning for balance before, during and after your fasting day is the best way to maintain as high energy as possible (which will still be low).

Easing out of a fasting day is just as important so that you don’t encourage quick fat storage. Consider drinking smoothies on Thursday just as you can on Tuesday and ramping up your exercise a bit more intensely than Wednesday. On Friday, you’ll be ready to consume regularly balanced meals and your normal exercise regimen. When avoiding meat, consider egg whites, legumes, fish, protein powder and nuts as alternative forms of protein. And go nuts on the green leafy organic vegetables (spinach, collards, kale, mustards, etc.) to help continue that detox process and strengthen your skeleton!

There is wisdom in fasting. As a reflection into the season of Christ’s Passion, enjoy the different attitude you acquire toward food as well as the idea of slowing down in general. A fast not only encourages your body to eliminate toxins, but you also purge your mind of busy-ness. Your attitude toward food may open up as not merely something you eat on a routine, but consider with appreciation.