Shocking and the fact that in the post people are looking for supermarkets "lean" substitutes for meat products (lean sausage and stuff). The harm of using such products is not even in fasting and there is nothing to say. Others do not try to give up bad habits, which, by the way, stimulate incontinence, do not try to refrain from marital intimacy. Some do not deny themselves the pleasure of attending entertainments, instead of devoting time to pilgrimage trips, as well as banquets (for weddings and birthdays), while weddings are not celebrated in fasting (Orthodox during multi-day fasts are not crowned) . The diet for weight loss during the Orthodox fasting will not yield any results without intensive spiritual work, without frequent visits to the parish church, without confession of sins and without the adoption of the Holy Christ's Mysteries.
First of all, let's figure out how many fast days in the Orthodox calendar. The Orthodox Church established four multi-day fasts during the year, alternating with meat eaters. This Great Lent lasts seven weeks, or rather weeks, beginning on the Forgiven Resurrection and ending on the Bright Easter of Christ. The great fast is installed in the memory of the Gospel events - Christ himself fasted for forty days in the desert (a four-month period of six weeks) plus a passionate week. Petrov fast in honor of the holy apostles, begins on the day of the Holy Trinity (after fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ) and ends with the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, celebrated on July 12. The Assumption Post lasts two weeks from August 14 to 27 before the Feast of the Assumption (death) of Our Lady. And, at last, the Christmas fast, beginning on November 28, lasting forty days before the holiday of the Nativity of Christ.
In addition to many days of fasting, the Orthodox observe day-to-day, fixed-day fasting Wednesdays and Fridays in commemoration of the betrayal of Judah (on Wednesday) and crucifixion on Christ's Cross (on Friday) (there are exceptions - for example, there are no posts in Bright Week), Eucharistic fasts.
The severity of posts differ. The strictest is the Great Lent, the incitement to it begins three weeks before its beginning, the products of animal origin and wine are gradually eliminated from the diet. The most stringent are the first week of this post and the Holy Week before the Passover of Christ. In the first three days monastic regulations prescribe complete abstinence from food and water except for the use of prosphora and holy water in the morning on an empty stomach. Further fast according to the general rule: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday dry eating (vegetables, fruit, bread), on Tuesday and Thursday - hot food without butter, on Saturday and Sunday - hot food with oil. In Lazarev's Saturday, before the Week of Vai (before Palm Sunday a week before Easter), in the memory of Christ's resurrection of his friend Lazar, the fasting is relaxed - it is allowed to eat fish and drink wine. Observance of this post on the monastic charter, without abusing the allowed products, guarantees you weight reduction without unpleasant consequences.
By severity to the Great Dormition fast, but the posts Petrov and Rozhdestvensky slightly weaker. Mysteriousness is established only for Wednesday and Friday. On Monday, hot food without oil is used. On Tuesday and Thursday in Petrov fast fish are allowed, in Rozhdestvensky (it is also called Filippov's post) - fish can be eaten on Tuesday and Thursday only in the first week, then on these days it is prescribed the use of hot food with oil. On Saturdays and Sundays, fish are allowed except for the last week before Christmas. During Orthodox fasting, the number of meals is reduced. According to the monastic statutes, one full dinner is put on all days of the week, on Saturday, Sunday and holidays - lunch and dinner.
All of the above does not mean that at home you will fast on such a charter. First, the relaxation of fasting is recommended for pregnant and lactating women, for people who are engaged in heavy physical work and for the sick. Secondly, the severity of the fast is discussed with the priest or spiritual father, he decides what is possible and what is not allowed. Maybe, for example, bless the use of oil in a great post, which is an essential relaxation.
I have already noted and repeat that the Orthodox fast is not a diet for weight loss at all, but, following the fast, you will still get the desired result. A careful choice of food and abstinence from it helps a person to pacify his passions, conquer his flesh and give free rein to reason. Fasting without prayer, without studying the Holy Scripture, without spiritual activity - does not represent anything. In fasting you need to visit the temple more often (every Sunday is necessary), confess, receive communion, get rid of bad habits, become kinder. It is advisable to post in some monastery as a pilgrim, to work for the Glory of God.