The Ideal Combination Of Faith, Food And Fitness For A Healthier Life: The Daniel Plan

In the Old Testament before he faces the lion’s den and the fiery furnace, Daniel’s resistance to accept the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar begins by refusing to eat the king’s splendid meals and choosing to eat vegetables and fruits instead. After the Babylonians attack Jerusalem and kidnapped young Israelites like Daniel to serve the king, it was expected that they would stick to all customs of the king. Still, Daniel was concerned about his health condition and challenged the king. After ten days, Daniel and his friends prove to be much healthier than Nebuchadnezzar’s men. Pastor Rick Warren inspired by this story, decided to change his diet and challenged his family and friends to do the same. In addition, here is the Daniel Plan for a healthier life:

Banish Sugar – In general, people eat a lot of sugar and flour. Some statistic show that people eat almost 400 grams of sugar per one day, which is quite a lot. The sugary foods can cause your blood sugar to rise and to produce insulin, a hormone connected to fat-storage. According to the Daniel Plan, the key for losing weight is to avoid refined grains and sweets.

Load Up On Clean Carbohydrates – The Daniel Plan is a high-carbohydrates diet. The carbs come from the foods we do not generally think of as rich in carbohydrates. Instead of eating cereals, pastas and bread, you should try fresh vegetables and fruits. These carbohydrates are clean and are the most essential part of your diet, extremely important for long-term weight loss. They are full with nutrients and vitamins the body needs.

Make Protein A Side Dish – According to the Daniel Plan, you should start considering the protein as a side dish. By eating small amounts of protein with every meal, you can focus on the quality: eating organic chicken, fresh fish, whole eggs etc. Taking the right amount of protein will balance your brain chemistry, help you regulate the blood sugar and build the muscles.

Do It Together – The Daniel Plan requires the complete support of family and friends. People always use willpower when they try to lose weight on their own. This works for a while, but for most of them, the burden is too much to bear alone. Forming a group of people for support is the best way to make some visible changes. The support, feedback and encouragement you get is very important for success. In Waren’s Saddleback congregation, 12.000 member worked together to lose weight. They found that by being in small groups, they lost twice as much than those who did the plan alone.