So how many pancakes did you manage the other night? One, two, four, seven? And did you have go for savoury, sweet, both? Yum, we love a good pancake here at the Oakeley Arms, and we can tell you that we managed one or two!!

Now that Pancake Day (or Shrove Tuesday as it’s officially called) is behind us, we are officially in “lent”. Lent is a religious observance and lasts for six weeks between now and Easter Sunday. It is traditionally a time of self-denial, that was intended to allow church-goers to repent for their sins, pray for forgiveness and forgo luxuries in order that they feel closer to God.

These days however, many people who aren’t religious decide that Lent is a good time for a little self denial. But if you’re wondering what to give up for Lent, then we’ve got a few ideas for you!

• Chocolate! Perhaps the most popular thing to give up, and one of the most difficult – especially for chocaholics! But if you give up your daily chocolate bar for the six weeks of Lent, not only will you save yourself about £25 but you’ll also cut out over 1,000 grams of sugar. Wow!
• Crisps! Another favourite loser for lent, and another tricky one for the savoury snackers among us. With approximately 180 calories per bag, you’d save yourself a whopping 7,200 calories if you cut our your daily bag of crisps for Lent. That equals 2 pounds of body fat.
• Brands! If your supermarket trolley is filled with Heinz beans, Tetley teabags and Kellogs Cornflakes, then giving up all of your branded food and swapping them for supermarket own brand equivalent for 6 weeks could save you almost £100! And you never know, some of them might be just as good as your branded favourites.
• Smoking! It could be now or never for lots of smokers. It’ll be a tough call, but it’s worth a go. Ditching just 10 cigarettes a day could save you a whopping £160 over the course of 6 weeks.
• Meat! Chicken, ham, turkey, steak, mince, pork…… meats of all varieties is a big part of most people’s diet, but why not give yourself a challenge if you’re wondering what to give up for Lent. Give up meat for the 6 weeks and replace it with fish, beans, vegetables, tofu, quorn and pulses. You’ll experiment with different meals, flavours and ingredients, and you never know, you might just be able to live without your daily dose of meat.
• Not exercising! In stead of giving up something, why not start something! If a new exercise routine wasn’t part of your New Year’s resolutions then it’s never too late to start. Even vowing to go on a short walk every day will make a huge difference to your fitness, health and weight. And spring is in the air, what are you waiting for!

Have you decided what to give up for Lent? Good luck if you have! And remember, it’s only 6 little weeks……  you can do it! Come and see us here at the Oakeley Arms bar for a little moral support, encouragement and a drink to take your mind off it (or an OJ if you’ve given up the wine!!!)

See you soon

What will you give up for Lent?