10 Unhealthy Foods to Give Up for Lent - or FOR GOOD

10 Unhealthy Foods to Give Up For Lent - or For Good

        After all the gluttonous celebrations comes Lent, the season of penance that starts on Ash Wednesday. Most people give up their vice for Lent, but even if you don't do it for religious reasons, you may find that giving something up for the same 40-day period is a good way to kick-start a healthy habit or lose weight.

To see just how effective avoiding an unhealthy food  can be, we've rounded up 10 popular foods that many people choose to give up for Lent, along with the total calories you'll save if you avoid them. You might be shocked at how many calories you can save in a little over a month from just giving up your favorite junk food.

 
Soda

        Soda is the source of hundreds of unneeded calories, so now's the time to make the switch to water. Forgoing a soda a day for 40 days will save you 124 to 189 calories a day.

 French Fries

        They're salty, fried, and addictive, and it's hard to stop at just a few. Giving up your once -a-week order of medium fries for the lent period will save you 350 calories a week.

 
Ice Cream

        If Lent means giving up your twice-a-week bowl of vanilla ice cream in front of the TV, you'll be saving 460 calories a week (more, of course, if you go for the fancier flavors).

 
 Alcohol

        A glass of red wine a day can be beneficial to your health, but if you normally drink a glass of red wine with dinner, you'll be saving 127 calories a day if you stop for Lent.

 
  Fast Food

       Want to go for the whole meal? If you normally pick up fast food once a week, skipping out on a typical fast-food meal will save you 1,200 calories a week.

 
 Potato Chips

        These unhealthy snacks deserve their own category! If you're giving up that twice-a-week potato-chip habit for Lent, you'll be saving 153 calories per bag (306 calories a week).

 
 
 Lattes

        Many people choose to give up coffee for Lent, whether it's because they want to wean themselves off their caffeine dependence or just because that daily Starbucksrun can add up money-wise. Giving up your daily Starbucks Grande latte made with two-percent milk will save you 190 calories a day.

Meat

        Meat can be an important part of your diet if you choose lean protein options, but too much red and processed meat is bad news for your health.

Whether you want to see what it's like to go vegetarian for a while or you realize that your diet contains too much saturated fat for your liking, giving up a once-a-day red meat habit for Lent could save you anywhere from 207 calories per serving for one four-ounce steak to 184 calories for four slices of bacon.

Chocolates

        A piece of dark chocolate every day can quell sweet cravings while still providing you with a long list of benefits, but if your daily chocolate habit is getting out of control, then what better time to give it up for a few weeks? For example, not eating three squares of dark chocolate a day will save you 170 calories. You'll save 210 calories a day if you eat one serving of milk chocolate Hershey's Bliss squares (six pieces).

High Carb Snacks

        Snacking can be a dieter's best friend, but only if you choose the right kind — ones that are filling and nutritious, without all those empty calories. Avoiding a serving a day (10 crackers) of Ritz crackers, for example, will save you 160 calories a day. Forgoing a one-ounce serving of Cheez- Its  every day (about 27 crackers) will save you 150 calories per serving.

Source: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Unhealthy-Foods-Give-Up-Lent-21860870