The Daniel Plan

I am fat.

There, I said it.  The truth will set me free.

And it's high time I took responsibility and action.  I've been looking for a while.  I've been considering the easy way to take care of it.  Would I like to lose 50 pounds?  YES  Do I want to WORK to do it?  Maybe……..how much work are we talking about?  

One year ago, on December 15, 2012, I declared it "The Year of Me".  All three of my children were going to be graduating in May and by golly  I was NOT going to be the fattest Mom there.  That's when I started P90 DVD exercise.  Wowza!  It kicked my butt.  And I lost inches.  Mostly from my waist and abdomen but even my knees got skinnier.  Graduation weekend I walked in wearing new dresses to each ceremony.  I was still not satisfied.  I had not managed to be my goal size.  

Then summer came.  And vacation.  And then the emotions of sending my middle daughter off to college to live in the dorm.  FOUR HOURS AWAY!!  

Where did time go?

All that to say, it's been a year.  And here I sit.  Heavier than I was last year.  Still wandering and searching for a solution.  

Weight Watchers?  Been there, done that.  Way back in my 20s when I had just graduated from college I went to WW to lose 10 pounds.  TEN POUNDS!  Gosh, those days.  Those glorious thin and trim days.  That was back when WW had the selection plan.  Remember that?  You ate this many fruits, this many veggies, this many breads, this many fats.  It was straight forward.  Just check it off as you go.  Bob's your Uncle.  Then they changed to the point system.  I could fill my points calculator up with nutrigrain bars and rice krispie treats faster than you could say SIMPLE CARBS.  You guessed it, I didn't lose much.  It was sloooww going.  Even when they realized that's what the sneaky members were doing, and they changed fruits to be "free" in order to entice more healthy choices……I still didn't get it.  I just added fruit to my already factory food choices.  My blood sugar spiked.  Migraines returned.  Horrible.  And don't get me started with the BORING MEETINGS.  Ugh.  I would switch class times and instructors and still - nothing.  Time to move on.  (Congratulations to all the WW success stories, though.  )

NutriSystem ?  Never tried it.  I don't think I would enjoy the prepackaged food thing.  I like to cook.  I like to eat real food that I cooked.  And the expense was just too much.  

My Fitness Pal - now, this app is great.  Honestly.  It keeps tract of your calories/carbs/fats/etc.  Gives you daily goals.  The scanner is perfecto.  I'm a fan.  

But I need more.  

One day right before Halloween I was standing in the grocery story check out line thinking about how bad I was feelings.  Looking into my basket I had so much JUNK.  And yet, I was feeling lost.  I didn't even know where to begin.  Then I heard that small still voice telling me, "Look to me.  The Lord your God is with you wherever you go"   Yes.  I think that's what I've been missing.  I've been missing the spiritual aspect of it all.  Have I been thinking God didn't care?  Or didn't notice?  Or had too many important things to concern Himself with than my weight?  Yes, yes and yes.  So I asked for forgiveness, repented and dove into God's word looking for help.  I started eating clean.  No fast food, no factory food, no artificial stuff.

And then something happened:  Thanksgiving.

I was trying to do it on my own.  And I can't.  I just can't.  Will power isn't enough.  In my weakness, He is strong.  So I gave my weakness to my creator and asked for his strength.  

I began with a different goal.  I have to make wise, mature choices.  And God will guide me.  I'm IN BY FOR.  

In His Grace

By His Power

For His Glory.

About a week ago I was in Barnes and Noble and I saw this book.  I flipped through it.  Being a Rick Warren "fan" (is that what the word is…..seems odd to say FAN.  )  Anyway you know what I mean.  I saw that he had a new book out.  So I grabbed it.  Could not WAIT to get home to read.

Wow!  

So for the next 40 days I'm going to blog - day by day - my Daniel Plan Journey.  I'll try not to skip a day.  I'll try to remember.  But mostly, I surrender.  Let the journey of healing begin.

Day 1 - Breakfast Smoothie

* I had made a shopping list and somehow someway completely forgot to get almond milk.  I thought we already had some………so I had to substitute soy milk.  Yep.  I heard a voice saying, "Well, you don't have the right stuff.  Just wait and begin tomorrow"  But I did NOT listen to that negative talk.  I substituted soy for now and the next time I'm shopping I'll pick up the almond milk.  

Something else - I probably should have gotten unsalted pumpkin seeds.  Didn't notice that until I got home.  Oh well……… I already had the almond butter which I enjoy.  I already had the blueberries and banana.  Coconut Oil - I was a little nervous about that.  Coconut is not my favorite flavor.  Or smell for that matter.  But……. I went ahead and got some.  It must be the new fad because Kroger had an end cap FULL of the stuff.  Did you know coconut oil is not oily?  It's not liquid.  It's more like…..chapstick. Ha I followed the recipe…..

Put it all in the blender…..

60 seconds…..

DELICIOUS!

I would not lead you astray.  DELICIOUS!!!  I couldn't believe it.  WOW!  

Morning Snack:

Hummus.

DELICOUS!!

Recipe in the book.  WOW!  Even Ironman LOVED it.

Lunch:  Quinoa and broccoli with dressing

I made the dressing as I was cleaning up from making the hummus.  Yes there was a lot of cooking this first day.  But I enjoy cooking.  And really it wasn't any more than I would normally do.  And I made enough hummus for several days.  I will NOT let the labor required discourage me.  

I whipped up the dressing and put it in the frig to chill while I went on with my day.  

I completely forgot to take a photo of my lunch.  Quinoa and steamed broccoli.  Poured a little of this dressing on the top.  Satisfying and tasty.  Plus I wasn't just famished by 1:00pm lunch so this light meal was just fine.  ( I didn't miss the cheese on the broccoli!)

Afternoon snack

I actually did start feeling hungry about 4:30.  It was the first time all day hunger bells went off.  It was so welcoming to look on the detox menu and see a plan for an afternoon snack that wasn't just "one almond" or "1 inch square of cheese".  The first day calls for veggie juice.  I don't have a juicer.  I thought about just chopping up veggies and actually started to do that when I decided to look on day 2 for an idea.  I was intrigued.  Roasted Crunchy Chickpeas?  Huh?  Never even heard of that.

So…… I popped open a can of chickpeas, rinsed, spread of a baking sheet, added the few spices and roasted them for 30 minutes in a warm oven

DELICOUS!!  

I popped a few in my mouth immediately and they were delicious.

A few minutes later as they cooked they got even more crunchy. 

Ironman ate the whole tray.  Almost.  I ate my serving size.

Where can I get more chickpeas?

And then there was supper.  Stirfry.  DELICIOUS.  The only thing I added was just a tiny sprinkling of ginger.  I ate ALL of it.  

I went to bed feeling satisfied.  

A few extra notes:  Faith, Food, Fitness, Friends and Focus.  I know I mostly talked about the food.  Because really, the food needs to taste good.  My first day of Detox was delicious and satisfying.  

I know you can find the recipes online for free.  But the book - oh my goodness.  I'm only on page 40 or something but the words have made a huge impact on me already.  You have to get the book.  It's so much more than the food.