A little of what you fancy before Lent?

FOR the early Christians, Lent was the season of soul-searching and reflection.

Inspired by Christ's 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, it was a time to take stock and learn to re-focus on the things that really mattered.

Today, in our 24-hour gimme gimme gimme age, it's often little more than an excuse for a cheap joke (of the "Sex? I gave that up for Lent!" variety).

Self-denial is making a bit of a comeback, however - at least if the heaps of detox, diet and self-help books that cram the shelves in bookshops are anything to go by.

In our modern era of expanding waistlines and instant gratification, a little bit more self-discipline and the mental strength to say no occasionally would probably be no bad thing.

Or would it?

Jack Merry, York publican

Giving things up isn't really in Jack's nature. "If I denied myself alcohol, I may start to hallucinate!" the landlord of the Tap and Spile and Ackhorne quips. "I couldn't give up drink. I'm surrounded by the stuff, and I wouldn't have the discipline to do it. After a couple of days, it would start calling to me: 'Drink me! Drink me!'"

That said, he admits he could do with losing a stone or two (or 4 ), and that occasionally cutting down on a favourite indulgence would probably do most people good. "In theory, it's a good idea," he says.

"But I'm too selfish and I enjoy things too much.

"And 40 days and 40 nights - that's a long time."

Graham Taylor, former vicar turned bestselling author

For most people, the idea of Lent has lost all its true meaning - so you might as well just continue to indulge yourselves, the former Vicar of Cloughton and best-selling author of Shadowmancer says.

"All people do is give up chocolate and all the rest of it - and I don't think that does you any good whatsoever. People do it for all the wrong reasons, and it's become a bit of a national joke if anything. You know, 'I gave that up for Lent!'

"I stopped giving up stuff for Lent ages ago. As a Christian, your life should be one long celebration of God. It's not just about 40 days walking around with a miserable look denying yourself something that you really like. Enjoy life!"

Annie Stirk, Stillington-based nutrition expert

Annie is a 'lapsed Catholic", so admits she was well used to giving things up for Lent as a girl. And there is no doubt that occasionally exercising a bit of restraint can be good for you, she says - not only physically, but for the soul, too. "It concentrates your mind and gives you a sort of feeling of 'ooh, yes, I can do this!' if you stay the course," she says.

It is also a chance to adopt a healthier diet or lifestyle for a while - and you may find that once Lent is over, you manage to stick to it permanently. "I gave up sugar once for Lent, and that was it!" Annie says. "I never went back to sugar again."

Most of the things we tend to give up for Lent tend to be indulgences - which for foodies might be things like chocolate, cream and cakes. So obviously cutting down on those is bound to be good for you, Annie says. And the great thing about Lent, if you are trying to give something up, is that because it is for a relatively short period of time only, it's less daunting than making a New Year's resolution. "It is short and sharp, whereas with a New Year's resolution, once the euphoria of the first two or three days has worn off, it can be very hard."

Reverend John Lee, Vicar of St Paul's in Holgate Road

Lent is about far more than just giving something up for a few days, says Rev Lee. It is about giving yourself the time to think about the things that really matter. "If you use it as an opportunity to lose some weight, well, so what?" he says. "If you use it as an opportunity to focus on what's really important in your life that's a really good idea."

That is true whether you are Christian or not, Rev Lee says. "As a Christian, I would say the most important thing in life is what you think about Jesus Christ. But I would hope being able to look at life with a cool eye and thinking about what really matters has got to be a good thing, whoever you are. Lent gives the chance for that reflection."

Craig Forsyth, prop forward with York City Knights

Craig is big into self-denial. He's rumoured to have left Doncaster Dragons to join the Knights in 2003 because he was worried about the number of burgers he was eating. Any truth in that? It's true that when he was driving from his home in York to training in Doncaster, he did have to pass a number of burger bars on the way, he grins. "There was a McDonalds and two Burger Kings. And ... you do tend to get a bit peckish!" Result? He ate burgers "more often than I should have done".

He's not really into Lent: but as a sportsman, he does believe in the value of self-discipline "It is bad practice to put cr*p into your body and then try to keep fit as well," he says. The benefits of self-discipline needn't be confined only to professional sportsmen, he adds. "I think you have a better quality of life if you're healthy and you're fitter. Everybody could benefit from a bit more self-discipline."

York GP Dr Sarah Bottom

The really important thing about Lent is that it offers a chance for change, says Dr Bottom. "It invites change - change in attitude as well as change in behaviour. And that can be quite healthy I would say, absolutely. It is good to take a step back and reflect on your lifestyle. We live in a 24-hour-a-day gimme gimme gimme society, and actually that's not healthy. It is no way to manage your life.

"Lent is not just about giving things up. That is so flaming negative. It is about reflection and positive change, about taking stock and thinking about things."

June Tranmer, complementary medicine practitioner and manager of the Healing Clinic, York

SELF control shouldn't just be for Lent, it should be for all year round, says June. But it needn't be something we see as a punishment.

"We tend to think of self-denial as punishment," she says. "But we should really think of it as listening to our bodies."

There is nothing wrong with allowing ourselves the occasional treat or indulgence, June says. We work hard, after all, so should be able to enjoy ourselves too. The problem is that in our modern consumer society, what would have been an occasional treat in the past has become for many a daily habit. Which can mean regular overindulgence in one food we're particularly fond of. Lent may be as good a time as any to think again about our eating habits. The key to a healthy diet is variety, June says. We tend to form habits, and so tend to end up eating the same things all the time. But we shouldn't just eat by reflex: it would be much healthier if we thought about our diets and tried to vary them more.

That would be good for both body and soul, she believes. Breaking habits broadens the horizons. "And we tend to feel virtuous when we've eaten well," she says. "So it does the soul good."

David Lea, owner of Dreams Tea Shop on the corner of Walmgate and Merchant Gate, York

Giving up alcohol for Lent - yes, possibly, says David. But cakes and cream teas? No way!

Lent doesn't appear on his calendar, he admits. Yes, OK, moderation in all things is probably best. "But virtually everything you do is bad for you. Even exercise, probably, if you do too much!"

A cake and a pot of tea is one of life's finest treats, he says - and a great way to unwind after a hard day's shopping. And what about the waistline? He pats his own stomach ruefully. "Seeing me makes the customers feel better!" he says.

Updated: 11:08 Tuesday, February 08, 2005