The Daniel Plan - Detox - This was not the week to do it

What a time to start the detox plan of the program.  Let's see what I have gone through so far.  My mother's birthday and her choice to eat at - the Chinese Buffet.  Donut Day and having been given homemade fasnachts.  My group at church called Friendship Circle, where there was an over abundance of great food and a birthday cake that I bought for my mom.

Now if you know me, you know that my favorite food is store bought birthday cake.  I don't know why - probably the icing is my favorite thing.   But one thing I have to remember it's not about the food, it's about the fellowship.  We had great laughs last night, I had great Italian Veggie Soup made by Nancy - I had 2 bowls of it. So tasty.  I did have some noodles and a piece of sausage, but I ate turkey kielbasa with sauerkraut and let's just say that kind of cleaned out the system.  But I did have a piece of cake and a fasnacht later and I did have 3 pieces of candy at the meeting.  Oh well. Today is another day.

Luckily I read the wrong day in my devotional this morning entitled "Trust God One Day at a Time".  The Lord's Prayer says "give us our daily bread".  We are to trust God for today and not worry about tomorrow and at the same time I need to let go of yesterday.

AND YES, I am drinking a cup of coffee today.  Sorry - after a late night at church I needed a java jolt this morning to get started.  It is like the nectar of heaven to me this morning.  God made coffee beans for some reason right?  I did discover though that I do like a few teas out there.  My favorite so far is Egyptian Licorice Root by Yogi - it is sweet and curbs the cravings for sweets.  Maybe I should have taken that to Friendship Circle.  Oh well, today is another day - I brought all good food today for breakfast and lunch and tonight there is a Daniel Plan recipe made for supper.

So, I might not
loose a ton of weight this week, but with friends, fellowship and faith I am rich.  God gave me lots of blessing to count.  Take time to count yours.....may you run out of numbers.
God bless.

Daniel Plan Day 1 of Detox - Just Kill me Now

No, not really - I just thought I grab your attention.  However, I really don't feel like myself and it might not be the Daniel Plan and instead,  new medication which I started today.

I went to Hackman's last night for the Daniel Plan Program and really enjoyed working with a small group of ladies from the area, we got to know each other and prayed for each other.  When we were in the large group we watched a video from Rick Warren and others.  Today we were to start the detox.  That's no grains and dairy, since they are the ones that cause the most inflammation and in addition to that no alcohol and no caffeine.  So as I sit here and sip my second cup of green tea dozing off, I can tell you I miss my coffee.

Today wasn't my day though, I started with a smoothie.  Memo to self - do not freeze the banana - I had the world thickest, almond milk, hemp seed, chia seed, protein powder, raspberry, banana smoothie know to man.  I had to microwave it to drink it.

Secondly, we went out for breakfast around noon.  I had a garden omelet-- forgot to tell the waitress no green peppers so I ended up picking them out of my omelet.  You cannot imagine how many green peppers are in an omelet until you pick them all out.

And lastly, today is my mom's 80th Birthday and as a tradition we go out to the Chinese Buffet.  I tried to stick with veggies and protein, but most of it was either drenched in sauce or butter.  I did eat a few things I shouldn't have but I skipped the annual donut ball for dessert.

So, it's around 7pm and I am as tired as dirt and could probably sleep for the rest of the night.  My eye is twitching, my knee hurts, which means so much for the new medication.  Tomorrow will be another day.  Oh yeah, we have breakfast at church tomorrow, but that's ok - I can have eggs......I will bring my green tea bag.  So here's to raising my cup for a better day tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Getting back on Track

I was doing well on the Daniel Plan - then it snowed and I started to eat M & M's.  Like a bear fattening up before a winter's hibernation, I thought that M & M's would somehow help.  But they didn't.  I ended up gaining 4 of the 5 pounds back that I lost and started to feel blah again.

To my encouragement though, I received in the mail and by email a flyer from Hackman's that they will be doing a Daniel Plan meeting at Hackman's starting February 21st.  Yahoo, and I will be attending.

I did find a few interesting things along the way though, I found out that if I truly give up processed sugar and sugar substitutes that I sleep through the night.  I don't have to get up and go to the bathroom, like I have for years and it takes me about 3 days to get the sugar out of my system.  I learned to make recipes with quinoa, barley, lentils and buckwheat and I now drink my coffee black and love it.  If I miss soda I drink club soda with a little juice in it for flavor. 

So why the slip up, human nature, I didn't rely on God's power to help me through, instead I thought I could do it alone and failed.  So I started again yesterday with success and continue through today.  Tomorrow's the test - work is where I fail the most, stress does me in.  So I will make sure I pack enough healthy options tomorrow for lunch and snacks.  Got some pea pods yesterday - love my pea pods and hummus. 

Today I also realized something, during Pastor Mike's sermon.  He said, "Jesus came to chase away the darkness"  and I think I have been suffering from a little "darkness" called the winter blues or SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder-not a severe case but I feel like this has been the longest winter I ever experienced, and I think part of that is because of my legs.  I have Osteoarthritis in both knees.  My right leg which has always been the "bad leg" finally was doing pretty good after a series of shots.  So now my left left has decided to turn to the dark side and become the "bad leg"  hurting even worse than the other leg and after hurting it further on Saturday morning and crying lots Saturday afternoon I have come to the obvious conclusion that I need to loose weight.  Not to look good, not to be sexy, but to be able to walk. 

Well, as I write this - I see snow again.  I was out in the kitchen adding tons of fresh veggies to a pot roast and packed my pea pods for lunch.  For a snack I am having some nut crackers and for dessert tonight I am going to have an apple with maybe a little almond butter on it along with a cup of green tea.     I think when I get to heaven I am going to ask God why He couldn't of have made quinoa taste like chocolate.

John 1:    ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
 ***This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine!****   Shine on.

40 days of Lent - Are they crazy?



Yes, that really is a Maple Bacon Donut and no, I am not
really eating one.



WHAT - are they nutz!!!!!!!

Are they crazy - OMG- okay - just breathe,  breathe - here we go.

Today's Lenten Message

February 27 ---  (I shudder just to write this)  Give up caffeine, sugar or meat for today.  How did you body, mind and soul feel.

What - I can't have a bacon donut with large coffee this morning?  How will I exist?

Back in the day I use to say that I ran on Coffee and Candy. 

But seriously (I wrote the above yesterday when I read ahead) I prayerfully considered what to do.  So I decided to sleep on it and start the day with elimating all three and see which one I could stick with, lol!

Meat, of course, is the easiest - but it will depend on what I make for supper.  The frozen pizza I have has meatballs on it - so it might be easier to order Papa Johns and have it either plain or with a veggie on it.  Lunch is a white bean wheat berry salad and some roasted carrots so that's already meat free.

Next there was caffeine - on a good day I could do without but not today.  Last night I came down with a major headache, so I took Benedryl and was foggy minded this morning, and I didn't want to not have caffeine and get a caffeine headache later.  So I started the morning with the usual cup of joe, but on the drive in my headache returned, but it is still not as bad as last nights, so keeping my fingers cross on that.  The coffee at work is decaf anyway, so I am not having a huge amount of it.  I'll skip the Pepsi Max tonight.

Lastly, sugar....Oh how I love thee...so since this is the most difficult - I will try to do without it.  (Good luck Barbara, since you sit behind me -- around 3 I should be getting the heebie jeebies).  I almost blew it this morning when I got jelly out for my toast, then I remembered so I switched to some laughing cow cheese.  Since sugar is indeed my downfall I will let you know tomorrow how I did, and how I felt.

So if you had all of the above already, you might want to try this challenge on another day, if not try one for today and remember - you can do all things with God who strengthens you.