The Daniel Fast - Day 5

I can't believe it's Day 5!  Sometimes it feels like I've only been doing this fast for 1 day or so and other times it feels like I've been doing this for months.  I'm halfway there!!!  YAY! 

I thought you might like an update on how I'm feeling and what I've been eating.  First of all, I feel great.  I really have not noticed any adverse effects.  I have energy and my mood is good.  (The true test will be in a few days when the week-before-THAT-time-of-the-month-hormones kick in!) 

And I've lost 3 lbs.  I put on my least favorite pair of jeans today (you know...the kind that are tight in the waist and make you grumpy the entire time you are wearing them...) and they fit!  So that excited me! 

And here's the weirdest coolest thing I've noticed yet:  I'm starting to crave fruits and veggies!  Seriously!  Don't get me wrong.  Sometimes I crave a Snickers bar.  Or a big juice steak.  Or just sweetened peanut butter.  But most of the time I crave fruits or veggies.  I LOVE that.  That was one of the things I hoped to accomplish by going on this fast.  The thing I'm craving the most right now are sweet potato fries.  Not the deep fried kind.  The real deal.  Raw sweet potatoes cut in quarters and tossed with some olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and salt & pepper.  Bake them for about 40 or mins in a 350 degree oven.  And prepare yourself to indulge in a little slice of heaven.  That was actually all I ate last night for dinner!  Anyone who knows me knows that that is just not like me! 

Another thing I've noticed is that I'm actually TASTING the food I eat.  For example today I had a spoonful of natural peanut butter (for the protein) and it tasted so good!  It's like I'm more sensitive to the flavor of the foods I'm eating.  Sounds weird, I know. 

So what have I been eating?  Well...pretty much the same thing day after day.  Since my family isn't eating the same things as I am, I cook for myself (which usually makes 3-4 servings) and then for my family.  So I eat the leftovers of the meals I've made for myself.  I made veggie burgers this week and couldn't wait to try them!  They weren't nearly as good as I expected them to be, but there are other recipes for veggie burgers that I need to try, so maybe I'll find one I LOVE as much as the sweet potatoes (although I'm not sure that is possible!).  I also eat Cream of Wheat made with oat milk (who knew oats could be turned into milk?) and some Polaner All-Fruit for a bit of sweetness and flavor.  I've had fresh pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and bananas.  I made unleavened bread (which tastes like pie dough). I bought hummus.  And I've made veggie stir-fry and I've eating sesame stix, pistachios (my newest fave!), and sunflower seeds for a snack.  I have to admit, I'm getting bored with my selections and find myself wondering what on earth I will eat for the next 5 days. 

But I'm going to stick it out. 

When I first started this fast, that first day it was as if I was constantly focusing on all the eating boundaries.  The things I couldn't eat.  With each day, I've sort of "submitted" to the ways of the Daniel Fast and the boundaries have become less and less irksome.  So a transformation is definitely taking place!  I think, once this fast is over, I will continue with this style of eating, although adding 1 or 2 servings of dairy each day, 1 serving of bread, and 1 serving of meat.  I am thinking I'd like to eat vegetarian for breakfast and lunch, and then have meat for dinner. 

Well, I think that's all the updating I have for you!  Will update you again in a few days!