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September 2014 Challenge: Modified Daniel Fast

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sept 2014 daniel fast

Our September 2014 Challenge will be a Modified Daniel Fast.  I believe that this fast can really help with food addictions and emotional eating.  I encourage you to do some internal work during this fast.  That could be traditionally religious practice or whatever is spiritual to you. That could be writing in your journal, prayer, meeting with a supportive group, making a vision board, walking in nature or meditating.  It’s up to you how you connect mind, body and soul, but my hope is that you will be able to see food more as nourishment and fuel and less like an addictive agent or something “bad”.

GOAL: Avoiding the Food for Pleasure and Comfort Mindset

For September, We will eat a limited group of foods and let go of the need to have a lot of variety.  We will commit to stop using food for pleasure or as medicine for our emotions.  We will do this fast for 14-21 days.  It’s up to you how long you follow this plan, but 14 days is the minimum I suggest to see real benefits.

  • I want US to really understand how much food many be controlling us.
  • I want US to analyze our reactions to cutting back on the foods we’ve been self medicating with.
  • I want US to challenge ourselves and look within.
  • I want us to be forced to turn to something else, something fulfilling, instead of food in September.

ARE YOU READY?!?  Sign-up:

  • Leave a comment below noting that you are committed to joining us.
  • KEEP A JOURNAL of what you eat daily.
  • You may also want to sign up for our email list if you haven’t already so that you get all of the challenge updates (sign up box on the right)

Note: As with all of our food related challenges, I don’t suggest a drastic change like this for people who are chronically ill, have diabetes or are pregnant.  If you have any medical issues, you should always seek out a doctor or medical professional before participating in a fast or changing your diet drastically. 

What is a Daniel Fast? A Daniel fast is a biblically-based, vegetarian centered fast that has been around for years (However, we will add more protein sources). You may have participated in one with your church family and it is commonly done at the beginning of the year as a congregational fast.  Over the years, it has become a very popular fasting program for all people, regardless of faith or tradition. You don’t have to be a religious person and prescribe to a faith tradition to take part.

Traditionally with a Daniel Fast you…

  • Eat Any Vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh, dried, etc)
  • Eat Any Fruits (canned, frozen, fresh, dried, etc)
  • Eat Any Nuts and Seeds (including nut milks like almond milk)
  • Eat Any Beans
  • Drink only WATER.

For our Modified Daniel Fast we are going to add a few things so that the plan works better for those who are working out. These changes will also be helpful to those coming off of our 14 Day Smoothie Detox Challenge from last month.  We will add…

  • Lean Meat twice a day, like Chicken, Fish, Turkey, Bison, Pork, Lamb etc. (This is for those who eat meat. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you would of course continue with that lifestyle)
  • Eggs
  • Tofu and Soy Protein Products
  • Protein Powder of your choice (the most natural you can find that is not full of extra chemicals and fillers)
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Whole Grain Cereal/Low Sugar Granola
  • Whole Grains – Quinoa, Barley, Oatmeal, whole grain brown rice
  • Quality Oils – olive, canola, various vegetable oils like grape seed, etc
  • Natural Seasonings, Herbs and Condiments (vinegar, Ms. Dash, sea salt, fresh herbs, etc)
  • Herbal Tea made at home (drink without sweeteners)

If you want to stick with the more simplified, traditional vegan Daniel Fast, that’s good too.

The NO List: No bread, No crackers, No processed sugar (candy, ice cream, cookies, cake, etc), No white flour, No dairy cheese, No fried food, No alcohol and No soda.  Limit your dairy to just cottage cheese, greek yogurt and whey protein powder.  Avoid sweeteners like agave, honey and stevia during this challenge.

To Do List

  • Create a grocery list before you shop so that you have a plan going into the land of temptation.
  • Don’t go to the grocery store hungry or while emotional.  That can affect your purchases.
  • Buy a journal or use an app like myfitnesspal.com to track your meals.
  • For this challenge you will need to create a list of meals that you can have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and meals/snacks in between.  YOU SHOULD REPEAT THE SAME CLEAN MEALS! Believe me, it will make this fast much simpler.  Here are some ideas.
  • Buy lunch box ice packs and an insulated lunch bag.  You will likely need to prepare your meals at home and take them on the go
  • Buy a water bottle so that you carry water at all times.
  • Buy glass mason jars so that you can carry smoothies with you to work and on the go.
  • Look at menus online before going out to eat so that you know what foods are available that work with this plan.  When in doubt, have a salad.

I will be posting tips, recipes and advice for dealing with food addiction and emotional eating this month, so stay tuned and check your inbox.  If you haven’t signed up for our email list, sign up today (box on the right).

Here is the first exercise: Exercise #1: Letting Go of Our Favorite Foods

Free Recipe Sites You Should Check Out:

BTW…here are scriptures the fast is based on: Daniel 1

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

 

 

Related posts:

  1. Modified Daniel Fast – February 2016 Challenge
  2. Q&A: Plant Based Eating Twitter Chat with Tracye McQuirter, MPH
  3. Free Vegetarian Meal Plan – Week 4
  4. Recipes – Free Vegetarian Meal Plan Week 3
  5. Free Vegetarian Meal Plan – Week 3
  6. Free Vegetarian Meal Plan – Week 2
  7. Free Vegetarian Meal Plan – Week 1

Reader Interactions

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Comments

    • If this is the Angela I am on FB with I did this last month. I would do it again to continue what I has learned. Let mw know how you are doing.

      Reply

  31. I am so looking forward to this. You make me want to do every challenge you post.

    Keep up the motivation!

    Roxiee

    Reply

  33. I will be joining the fast and blogging about it. My birthday is August 31st, so this will be a great way to bring in my new year of vision and focus. Thanks for having this!

    Reply

  57. Am join in September challenge Also for the rest that’s join god please be with all of us that’s doing this is going to be days where we want to give up but we know that we can’t have to push are self to believe that we can do this

    Reply

  63. Ok, I’m down with this challenge. Since I already journal and meditate, this should help clear my mind and body even more.

    Reply

  69. Yes. I am looking forward to re-focusing my mind for using food for nourishment. I am looking forward to the support.

    Reply

  90. I think I’m gonna try this one…I definitely have food addictions and dependencies!! Count me IN!!

    Reply

  94. Sooo ready, I also enlisted two others to join in with me! Time to get the full body whole, healed and complete!! Count us in!

    Reply

  99. Seems God does things at the right time. This is right in time for me to break this sugar addiction and get back to a healthy eating regime. I am in! !!

    Reply

  108. Im so ready for this…I need a boost and encouragement to do this and get healthy..Im going to trust God and I know he will direct my path!!!

    Reply

  115. I’m in I ready need to take control of my health. Hopefully this will help me spiritually get better with God and myself.

    Reply

  134. I’m in! Ironically a dear friend just told me that for her successful weight loss and health change, getting more spiritually in tune was key (in addition to exercising and changing her eating habits)..God is so on time!!!

    Reply

  153. I’m in as well. I like the spiritual emphasis and definitely some addictions I’d like to clear out ….blessings to you all and onward we go!

    Reply

  156. I’m in! Im also starting the morning miracle practices so my goal is with both of these I’ll gain clarity in my life and control over my eating habits.

    Reply

  162. Did this last year and it was so beneficial both Physically and Spiritually. Been looking for motivation to do it again and this just came perfect

    I am IN!!!!!!

    Thanks for the opportunity

    Reply

  163. I’m going to do this one! NO Quitting this time! I’m determined to be refocus my mind, body, and soul! Let’s do it!

    Reply

  168. I am in! This is so perfect for where I am right now! Mind, body and soul all need to be cleansed and refocused for God. Thank you!

    Reply

  183. I am committed to completing this challenge. This is right on point with what I wanted to do this month to assist my journey.

    Reply

  192. An answer to a prayer, and a perfect opportunity to develop some discipline in my eating. Count me all the way in

    Reply

  195. I started fasting last week for longer hours and I loved the mental clarity and peace my body felt from not processing the foods I was eating. So I will definitely be continuing this with fruits and veggies. Ready!

    Reply

  215. I’m nervous but I want to give it a shot!! Bread is my weakness but I want to overcome!! LET’S DI THIS!!!

    Reply

  222. I’ve done this once before with a christian online group and it went very well. I look forward to doing it again and this time keeping all of the good habits that I develop

    Reply

  239. Yes, I am in! I’ve done the Daniel Fast before but it’ been while. This will definitely help take my fitness journey to the next level.

    Reply

  244. I am sooooo ready for this challenge. I really need to take my eating to another level and I know with your tips and help I can do this.

    Reply

  246. Yes I am committed to this challenge!!! I will use this opportunity to jump start my healthy weight loss:)

    Reply

  265. I am ready for this challenge. I do a lot of stress eating and I think will get my body on the road called straight.

    Reply

  306. Just few hours into day one and I’ve discovered that although I’ve done really well at making better food choices over the passed few month, I am STILL addicted to food. I eat way to many healthy snack (nuts, seeds, raisins, kale chips, etc) after I’ve supposedly had my last meal for the day.

    So this month I will master this. It’s just mindless light night eating while I’m doing other things. But I can do the other things without putting unneeded food in my mouth.

    Just wanted to share that with you all.

    Reply

    • You can have turkey bacon, lean ham or other lean meats with eggs, veggies, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, greek yogurt… It just depends on what you like. I would suggest a protein and veggies or protein, veggies and whole grains

      Reply

  346. I’m in! I have been off my game lately. I recognize that it is all emotional. I lost my mom in November and the time is approaching and I’m feeling some kind of way. I can’t explain it but its there. Looking for a new beginning! Also an accountability partner too!

    Reply

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