The Daniel Fast

At the beginning of every year, usually Jan 1, I start the year with refraining from social media, TV or anything that I find destructive or takes up most of my time. I normally deactivate my Facebook account for a specific period of time, between 14 & 21 days. This time I didn’t deactivate my Facebook account but I did the whole day of Jan 1 without FB, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter and it felt great not hearing the notifications on my phone every second.

I am doing 21 Days of prayer and fasting,  turning off the phone for a specific period of time everyday and limiting myself to very few hours a day on social media. I do this to reflect on the year past, thank for the Lord for making it to another year, commit the year ahead to God, reflect on my spiritual life and rededicate it to God.

I use the method called THE DANIEL FAST, which is based on the Prophet, Daniel’s   fasting, hence the name. It is a partial fast where you abstain from certain food for a specific period of time. The Daniel Fast can also be used for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle to take better care of your body which is also important. Check out these yummy recipes. 

I love it because it’s not very intense, its doable and you do what works for you, you don’t have to strictly follow the plan on the website but you can use it as a guide. You are at liberty to either use the list provided or make one that you can commit to, especially if you are a beginner.

Foods I am eliminating on my Daniel Fast.

Ice cream

Chapatti

Pasta

Rice

Red meat

Pork

Chocolate

Sugar

Masala Tea

Nshima

Bread

Sugar

Pastries

Cookies

Wine

Carbonated drinks

Sweets

Coffee

Foods I am including in my Daniel Fast:

Lots of fruits

Vegetables

Bulgur

Quinoa

Chicken

Sweet potatoes

Pumpkin

Fish

Yoghurt

Milk

Black tea

Herbal tea

Drinking lots of water

Crackers (with no salt or yeast) 

Rice cakes

popcorn

Nuts

Oats

Peanut butter

Eggs

Smoothies

On the list of food I am including on my fast, I’ll be alternating some weekly, I am not eating all of them every week…. E.g, If I eat eggs this week, I won’t eat them next week etc.

My idea is to remove the food that I find hard not eat so that I can discipline myself. I am eating one proper meal at lunch then I either do fruit with yoghurt or smoothie at breakfast and dinner plus fruit and nuts for snacks.

Fasting is personal and I normally don’t tell people when I am doing it but I wanted to share just in case someone is interested in trying it out.

If you are a Christian and you haven’t tried the Daniel Fast before, I highly recommend it because at the end of it, you will feel rejuvenated, I promise you. It’s even better than the feeling you get after a workout or a run.

Caution: Make sure you consult your physician before starting any Fast if you have any health issues.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave me a comment.

Stay blessed!