Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Hebrews 12:11

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

I made it through my 10 day Daniel fast and I felt so encouraged and blessed by it. Afterwards I had the treat of taking a trip to Disneyland with my friend and her family. It was a nice break from the real world, but now I am back to the grind.
After completing the fast I felt so healthy and strong and it motivated me to get my life in check. I was living in such an unhealthy manner, and because my body is suppose to be a temple I knew that it was time to treat it that way.
Currently I am working on completing day 3 of my new lifestyle. I am not on a diet, and I am not banning myself from enjoying good food, but I am getting healthy. I have been working out for about an hour every day, and trying to eat half the amount I use to, as well as filling myself with a lot more fruits and vegetables.
Although this lifestyle is currently pretty painful I know it will produce good fruit and get easier as I push myself further.

Monday, March 11, 2013

3-8

Things were okay on day three. Because I was so busy I blended a strawberry-banana smoothie for breakfast and took it to go. Lunch I ate some left over broccoli-butternut squash salad and a slice of sweet potato. Dinner was just a half of a sweet potato and some green tea as I headed for Vallejo to work at my Church children ministry.

Day 4 has definitely been more dificult. All I want is cheese and bread. For breakfast I ate a strawberry and banana smoothie (they are getting kind of old.) My friend asked me to get lunch with her, and since we haven't seen each other in quite some time I thought we should get together. The problem is there is hardly anything I can eat. So I head to the place next store to my work, expecting to ask for a plain green salad with no dressing or anything. As we sit down and begin perusing the menu I see that they have plain potatoes grilled with olive oil and sprinkled with seasonings. Starch and olive oil are both on the "okay" list. So lunch turned out to be pretty tasty!
Dinner was pretty delicious. I took some yams and cut them into small slices. Then I tossed them with olive oil, garlic, and various seasons and set them in the oven to cook. When they were done I had some delicious sweet potato fries. I grilled up some veggies and dinner was served.

Day 5 was fairly average. More fruits and veggies and a struggle to avoid all the junk food at my friends birthday party. I succeeded :)

Day 6 (Saturday) was probably the hardest day so far. I spent the night at my friends house Friday night so on Saturday I woke up and didn't eat. It was no big deal as the day went on until everyone decided we should go to Mary's for lunch. Okay, bread and pizza are my weakness! So I ended up ordering a spinach salad, which ended up being mostly spinach with a few walnuts and cranberries sprinkled on top. Lunch turned out to be basically spinach leaves. Afterwards I headed home and had to hurry and get ready because my family and I were headed to a show. We planned to get dinner with the group we were going with. Obviously my experience earlier that day did not make me think wisely before we left the house. So I left the house, still hungry, and assumed I could eat a salad at whatever dinner place we went to. We ended up in Napa... at a pizza place... are you serious!! They ordered a salad for everyone to share, but all it had on it were a few pieces of chicken and some cheese. Again, something I totally couldn't eat. By the time I got home that night I was so hungry it was ridiculous. I ate an orange and went to bed. That was certainly a trying day.

Day 7 was pretty average. I actually treated myself by making some homemade protein cookie things. I boiled apples and cinnamon to make apple sauce and dates, water and cinnamon to make date honey. I mashed bananas, fresh ground peanut butter and crushed almonds together, mixed in a little date honey, apple sauce, cranberries and oats and rolled little balls to make cookies. It tasted kind of like an oatmeal bite. Pretty tasty and satisfied my sweet tooth with a healthy, all natural solution.

As day 8 begins I can't help but be proud of myself. This has had it's ups and downs, but the Lord has definitely given me strength to succeed. I know even when this is over I want to continue with a healthier life style.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Day 2, 3/05/13

Day two wasn't awful, but it was definitely harder then day one.
In the morning I enjoyed a banana-strawberry smoothie, which included: bananas, strawberries, almond milk, and fresh ground peanut butter.
Lunch was a little harder as my coworkers enjoyed pizza and I was munching on my dry salad, but a few pears, carrots, onions and dates in there to give it some flavor and it wasn't to bad. I rewarded myself when I got home from work with a snack of celery and fresh ground peanutbutter.
For dinner I grilled up a whole bunch of broccoli, butternut squash, black beans, onions, cranberries and carrots in an olive oil, lemon, garlic, parsley and basil dressing.

The hardest part about all of this is that the cooking takes a lot of work and I miss bread and cheese. Other then that I am doing okay. My body is already starting to feel healthier and I have more energy.
I am definitely learn that I can't do anything without Christ. He has definitely been giving me the strength to overcome challenges and avoid temptations, and I know He will continue to do so.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Daniel Fast, Day One 3/04/13

The first day wasn't as hard as expected. Yes, there was a few times I felt tempted but I got down on my knees in prayer and got through it in no time at all.
For breakfast I ate a banana with some fresh ground peanut butter (no sugar or oil added.)
Lunch I munched on some carrots, baby tomatoes and oranges.
I treated myself with a tasty snack of blackberries, rasberries and a bottle of unsweetened citrus green tea.
Dinner was were I really started getting fancy. My mom and I chopped up mushrooms, celery, bellpeppers and onions, and mixed it with sunflower seeds, fresh ground peanut butter, a little lemon juice and olive oil. It was all grilled up on the stove and wrapped in pieces of iceburg lettuce to make a tasty lettuce wrap.
It was totally healthy, natural and delicious!

Day 1 of 10 complete, and I am feeling good.

Daniel Fast

Daniel chose not to live off of the kings richest food and best wine but to live off of vegetables and water. He did not want to defile himself with the glutinous ways of the court, but chief eunich was afraid that if Daniel ate only vegetables and drank only water he would be weaker then the other men his age and this would displease the king. Daniel told the chief eunich to test him for ten days, whoever was the weaker of the men would be dealt with accordingly. God blessed Daniel's faithfulness and after ten days Daniel was found healthier then the men of the King's court.

After reading this story it really inspired me to take a step foreward and do a fast. So today marks the beginning of my ten day fast. My fast focusing on two things I am praying for. The first is something I have struggled with for my entire life, my weight. The second thing I am currently struggling with, my future.

I have tried all kinds of things to be healthy, but the key I have been missing every time I work on my weight is prayer. I have not asked the Lord to help me but have relied on my own strength to make it happen. I know I can't do anything without the Lord's help but I never really thought about Him helping me with something like weight loss and healthy living. Now I am realizing that I have to ask Him for help, because I really can't do it on my own. This fast is not about losing weight but about praying that the Lord strengthens me in my struggle to be healthy. Everytime I feel hungry or tired I am reminded to pray.

As I start transitioning into a new adventure in life the unknown future looms dauntingly ahead of me. I am quitting my job at the beginning of May, and leaving to spend the summer in Oklahoma at the end of May. After that I don't know exactly what I am going to do. This fast is a constant reminder to ask the Lord to give me peace in the future and courage in the present.

So I challenge you to take ten days and fast. Ten days of no animal products, processed sugar or grains (bread, pasta etc...) Stick to fruits, veggies, nuts and beans.
Not only will you feel healthier but you will see your relationship with God grow stronger. I have only been doing this one day and I am already seeing the positive effects.