Daniel Fast Food Ideas

okay ladies, I attemtpted "The Daniel Fast." If you haven't heard of it, it is a biblical fast. I think I came across it on one of my PCOS sites or maybe it was on the radio (I listen to Christian Music- and someone was talking about it) okay, so yes- I attemped the Daniel Fast. You can do a 10 or 21 day commitment. I got to 14 days (hey, but that is better than I THOUGHT I would have done!) SO yes, here is the run down of what you can eat: 1. All fruits 2. All Veggies 3. Whole grains 4. Oats/Seeds 5. Water Water Water NOTHING else to drink, no tea, no juice, no soda--NOTHING! And here.... are the "No-No" items: 1. No sugar 2. No artifical sweetners 3. No dairy 4. No white breads 5. No Caffeine 6. No Meat 7. No processed foods, or foods with un-pronouncable chemicals

St. Jerome states, "When the stomache is full, it is easy to talk of fasting." HECK YEA it is! On January 2 when you are sick to your tummy from all the holiday binging..all you can think about is fasting. So, Cody and I started Monday, January 3- It was painful, but in a good way! After the first week, we actually felt GOOD! After the second week, we felt GREAT. Then temptation set in. I blew it. I had a diet coke after 14 days. I was SO let down. I really need to get back on the "bandwagon" and start up again, we have been off 3 days. I know that doesnt seem like alot, but hey, eating the "Daniel Fast" way and taking my Metformin, was leaving me with NO side effects. When I started eating processed foods and sugar again, I started to get tummy aches and nausea with my new meds. So, looks like I am going to the store TONIGHT, and fasting until February 3, which is the begining day of my weekend church retreat. That means 14 days on, break, then another 14 days. In that 14 day period I need to come up with a plan that allows me to incorporate MOST of the "Daniel Fast" eating plan with other healthy foods like dairy (especially for fertility) lean meats, and unsweetened iced tea- for my caffiene. I just want you all to know, that I did not have ONE caffiene headache and I pretty much bleed diet coke; when I got off cold-turkey that Monday of the fast, I prepared to have lots of headaches, but I actually felt better than before and never suffered (that's a God thing)! Also, with the Daniel fast, I did not lose any weight (that is a PCOS thing), but I did start taking my Metformin days 12, 13, and 14 of the fast and when I weighed in last saturday, I lost 3 pounds. For some of you that's easy, but for me and my PCOS sisters, that is massively hard! 3 pounds for someone with PCOS is like working off 10 pounds for a normal person! So, yea- bummed that I got off, but hey, I am human...I am getting back on track TOMORROW! Oh, and I wanted to give my peeps some food ideas as well (for all the Daniel Fast-ers out there) this is what Cody and I ate:

*****Breakfast ideas: 1.plain instant oatmeal, with raisins and apples 2. all natural, sugar free apple sauce 3. fruit 4. low carb tortilla with a tiny amount of all natural peanut butter in it (Skippy Cruchy All Natual is my favorive)- 3 sugars, but if you use 1 Tblsp instead of the two, you only get about 1.5 sugars- that is really as "natural" as you can get, and still taste good! 5. Gluten free, sugar free (sweetened with fruit juice) blueberry waffles- frozen in the gluten free section of the grocery store, "Vans Natural Foods"-- yummy fresh out of the oven topped with smart balance "butter" 6. all natural Raspberry fig bars (our grocery store, HEB, has an entire section of granola and other cool products like dried fruit and natural stuff) it is like going to the candy store, but for health foodies...you get a bag, reach in grab items, weigh and label... over in that section, are these Raspberry Fig bars and other trail mixes. 7. Granola (love the blueberry and the orange/almond-- at HEB too!

***** Lunch Ideas: 1. Amy's Frozen Organic whole wheat bean and rice burrito with salsa 2. Amy's Organic Black Bean Enchilada, with corn and rice and salsa 3. Salad (I used a clear dressing- you are supposed to make your own with oil and vinegar, but i used a clear, low fat dressing, and the sugars were only at 2-3 because I didn't use alot of dressing) 4. Whole Wheat Pita packed with veggies and soy cheese 5. Healthy Choice Mixers (the pasta mixer with the red marinara sauce and no meat) it is called (Zesty Rotini Ithink, it will be in the grocery story around all the other rice/pasta items totally great and has LOTS of fiber to keep you full) 6. Leftovers from dinner the night before

7. Soup

***** Dinner ideas: 1. Pita pizza (OUR FAVORITE!) get a whole wheat pita, spread a little warmed, Smart balance butter and garlic on it" broil) then take it out of the oven, use some left over pasta sauce or get a low sugar pizza sauce, spread. Top with Soy mozzarella cheese and tons of veggies. Place it back in the oven for about 5 minutes on high (450) and then I always broil the last 2 minutes because I like the "cheese" brown" 2. Boca burger patties, plain no bun, with sides 3. Quinoa chicken (veggie and soy chicken nuggets) 4. Quinoa Turkey loaf (veggie, but the texture is REALLY like turkey! 5. Veggie smart ground beef, chicken cutlets, 6. Morning Star Chicken patties, with a baked potato and some other veggies 7. A crockpot of beans (15 bean soup/ pintos or white northerns are my fav) 8. Vegetable Soup

9. Salad

10. Nachos, with whole grain corn chips, beans, soy cheese, guacamole, and salsa

*****Snacks: 1. Applesauce 2. carrots and clear/light dressing 3. banana with a tiny smear of pb 4. melba toast with salsa 5. Almonds/Seeds 6. trail mix (love one from HEB with coconut, dried cranberries, and nuts) mmm- that is my movie mix! 7. Fig bar 8. Cherrie tomatoes with salt and pepper 9. Guacamole and light whole grain chips 10. Popcorn! love the smart bags I hope this helps all my Fast-ers, and if you don't think you can do it, try it for 10 days, you will feel wonderful. oh, PS-- let me know how you do, if you decide to try it!