Let’s face it. Lent, with its ascetic struggle and restrictions on food, can make it a challenging time to include heavy physical activity.

However, physical activity should be part of it. As Saint Paul says:

“Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beat the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1Corithians 9:26-27)

Physical activity can be a great way of disciplining the body, not for a “persihable crown” or for our vanity, but so that we can do the work we need to do as Orthodox Christians.

Here I’ll share some thoughts on maintaining physical activity through Great Lent no matter what your fitness level is, including if you work a physically demanding job or are on a journey to better health.

If you are already a healthy individual with a regular exercise routine, Lent should be a time of maintenance. Due to the fasting restrictions, you don’t want to engage in intense workouts that break down muscle without the resources to build them back up.

A review in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research states:

“In general populations, endurance performance can be maintained for up to 15 weeks when training frequency is reduced to as little as 2 sessions per week or when exercise volume is reduced by 33-66% (as low as 13-26 minutes per session), as long as exercise intensity (exercising heart rate) is maintained. Strength and muscle size (at least in younger populations) can be maintained for up to 32 weeks with as little as 1 session of strength training per week and 1 set per exercise, as long as exercise intensity (relative load) is maintained; whereas, in older populations, maintaining muscle size may require up to 2 sessions per week and 2-3 sets per exercise, while maintaining exercise intensity.”

Since Great Lent lasts for 7 weeks (including Holy Week), it falls well within the range for maintaining performance.

Recommended Adjustments:

• Take the first week of Lent and Holy Week off from structured training. The physical demands of fasting, combined with an increase in prostrations during services, will keep you active.
• For the remaining weeks, maintain your fitness with a reduced schedule.

Example: 10K Runner

To maintain endurance, most runners should aim for 30-50% of their regular training volume while keeping at least one day of intensity. A sample schedule:

• 1 easy run day: 13-15 minutes
• 1 interval day: Half the normal intervals, but maintaining lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR) or up to 80% of max heart rate, depending on the drill
• 1 long run: 50-60% of usual distance
• 2 strength training days (see below)
• Adjust based on how your body feels, and don’t hesitate to take additional rest days.

Strength Training for Adults Over 40

Two options for maintaining strength:

1. Reduce intensity: Keep the same reps and sets, but use about 50% of your one-rep max (1RM).

2. Reduce volume: Maintain the same weight but decrease frequency or reps:
If lifting 4x per week, reduce to 2x per week.
If lifting 2x per week, reduce reps or sets by half. (E.g., 12 reps x 3 sets becomes 6 reps x 3 sets, or 8 reps x 4 sets becomes 8 reps x 2 sets.)

Additionally, walking, light stretching, and mobility work can be incorporated to stay active.

Whether it's to lose weight, gain weight, gain strength or working on heart health, if you are actively working toward better health, you may need to be in a strength and endurance building phase of workouts.

However, your fitness and diet should not just be about the physical, but also the spiritual, ask yourself, what got you to the place you are at now? Was it gluttony? Laziness? Seeking comfort in the wrong things? The list could go on.

By looking at fitness and nutrition from this point of view, and working on these spiritual elements, you will be more likely to find the transformation you desire. This is something to discuss with your spiritual father.

Just as dietary modifications might be necessary for health reasons, you may need to adjust fasting practices to ensure adequate nutrition for muscle growth and recovery.

Key Considerations:

• You don’t need to eat meat to build muscle; many athletes thrive on plant-based diets. The key is proper planning to ensure sufficient calories and macronutrients.
• This may mean eating three meals a day with snacks, even on strict fasting days.
• Continue your fitness training at a level that supports your health goals.
• If possible, use Clean Week and Holy Week as rest weeks, where you can observe a stricter fast without compromising progress.

If you need help with a structured plan, my F2F Plus program can provide guidance tailored to your needs.

You likely can’t take the first and last week of Lent off, and you need to ensure your body is adequately fueled for your work responsibilities.

Even in monastic communities, monks engaged in heavy labor receive additional food compared to those with lighter duties.

Nutritional Strategies:

• Stick to a plant-based diet if you are in good health, ensuring a variety of whole foods.
• Prioritize protein-rich plant foods such as:
  - Beans, legumes, and lentils
  - Nuts and seeds
  - Whole grains
  - Dark green leafy vegetables
• Ensure you are consuming enough calories to meet your energy demands.

Lent is a time of spiritual focus, and our physical efforts should align with that goal. Whether you are maintaining fitness, on a health journey, or working a labor-intensive job, the key is balance. Adjust your workouts, fuel your body wisely, and seek guidance when needed.

If you need help navigating fitness and nutrition during fasting, I would love to support you in my 1:1 F2F Plus program. Together, we can ensure your body is nourished and strong, allowing you to fully engage in the spiritual journey of Lent. Book your free Strategy Session here.

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2021/05000/maintaining_physical_performance__the_minimal_dose.35.aspx

https://www.academia.edu/118424832/Health_benefits_and_consequences_of_the_Eastern_Orthodox_fasting_in_monks_of_Mount_Athos_a_cross_sectional_study?email_work_card=title