The detoxification period can vary. Fans of tradition can stay with the usual 40 days, but you can round that off to a month or even two. The emphasis is on the limit of determination and spirit, in other words the attitude. Fasting can have many different forms: some people do not consume meat and alcohol in that period, but it is also possible to just give up coffee and smoking for a while. (Hint: if you are able to go without them for forty days then this is a big step towards quitting for good!)
If you have the determination then only the first 4-5 days are difficult – just until all the material is eliminated from the body - and then the new lifestyle will be natural to your body and ‘Lent’ will be part of your everyday life. Most people usually seek some spiritual help during this time, others try constantly motivating themselves. The most important point, however, is the decision and, of course, the will power because most of the time this is where success or failure lies in life.
Before we start fasting, it is recommended to study the literature on the subject. In addition to the diet and lifestyle books we can read classics and literary works - such as the works of Franz Tolvaly, which are about his abstinences and spiritual practices.
Here's a simple activity with which we can drastically reduce our daily sugar intake. Think of this if, say, we consume 4-5 cups of coffee with two sugars per day! As such the amount of sugar does not seem like much, but if you put all the sugar consumed that day in a mug in the morning then we realise the reality and the decision to change that habit becomes easier for us. We can do the same thing with meat or alcohol, even cigarettes. If you buy the estimated quantities all at once then you would be horrified to discover just how much we burden our bodies (not to mention our wallets!).