A Day of Daniel Fast

I mentioned this a little while ago in this post, but I'm currently on this meal plan called the "Daniel Fast." I won't lie, there have been a few times where I've cheated, but for the most part this diet isn't really too difficult to follow. Whole grains, fruits, veggies, and water to drink-- it isn't too bad. Although my meals vary from day to day, here's a typical day of meals & snacks on the Daniel Fast.

{Breakfast}

Normally for breakfast you are supposed to eat a bowl of oatmeal or this smoothie, but I've changed this meal up a bit. I need something that will be easy to make & will keep me full for a few hours. 2 eggs & a banana seem to do the trick!

{Snack #1}

This has become one of my favorite things to eat throughout the day. Almonds & cranberries are the perfect combination! I'd never been a huge fan of cranberries until I gave these a try. They are so good.

{Lunch}

I could eat this every single day, and I basically do! Carrots, hummus, and a tomato basil wrap make for one tasty meal.

{Snack #2}

Watermelon is my favorite fruit, so I absolutely can't get enough of it. It is the perfect summer snack!

{Dinner}

The recipe on the meal plan for this salad is 3 cups chopped romaine, 3/4 cup each canned corn & black beans, 1/3 of an avocado, 1/4 cup fresh chunky salsa and lime wedges. I'm not a huge fan of avocado, so I left that out of this one.

I do get hungry at other times throughout the day so if I need something to snack on, I'll have some variation of fruits, nuts, or veggies. I think the most important thing to remember when your following a diet plan like this is that you have to make it your own. If a smoothie isn't cutting it in the morning, substitute it for something that will. Remember too, it's okay to "cheat" here and there too. Don't let a diet keep you from having a nice meal out with your friends!

If you'd like to read more about the Daniel Fast, click here!

Sweet Summertime: Smoothie Edition

I have now deemed this month's Thursday theme to be "Sweet Summertime." It may be raining outside right now, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the summer, right? You may remember the post I talked about last week all about the meal plan I'm currently on (click here to see). Today, I wanted to share with you all one of the recipes. It is super easy, quick, and delicious-- perfect for the summer.

The recipe calls for the following:
-1 cup calcium-fortified unsweetened soy milk (oops, we went with the vanilla kind)
-1 small banana (or 1/2 of a bigger banana)
-1/2 cup frozen berries of choice
-2 to 3 ice cubes

According to the plan, this would be a breakfast meal along with 10 almonds or 20 pistachios. Just put it in the blender, let it go...

And enjoy! It really is simple and tasty. I made this to go along with my lunch today and then proceeded to spill half of it on my couch. Oh well. No sense crying over spilt... smoothie.

Healthy Eating

If you read this post, then you might be aware that I'm trying to get back into a healthy routine. This past week I was in Annapolis, and I must confess, I ate a lot of food. A lot. So, to jump start this healthy routine I am going on the Daniel Fast Diet, which I have done in the past. I know fad diets are not the answer to weight loss or anything of that sort, but I think it'll really help me get into that routine I want to. This will be the boost that I need, and then I will be on my own to make healthy choices.

You can read more about the diet on their website here, but I'll give you the general outlines. The diet I am following is actually one that my mom cut out in a health magazine way back and I think it is a little different from the one on the website. You have a few meal options you can choose from as your main meals, and you can eat as many fruits, veggies, or nuts as you please. The only beverage you drink is water, and you don't eat any meat. Really, I don't see it as a "diet." You're basically just eating whole grains, fruits, veggies, and water, and the meal options are helpful to keep you on track and add a little variety.

I'd love to talk about this more if you guys are interested. Just let me know! I think it's a 21 day diet, but I'll be starting it today and continuing through the end of June. If anything, I'll let you guys know what results I see at the end of the month. I'm also going to be exercising along with this, and I'll definitely let you all know how that's going. I'm really excited to be starting!


The photos above are not mine! All were found on Pinterest.