DAY 2: The Daniel Fast

Hi all, Shocolaategirl here..Last weekend I was at a Bridal Shower for a good friend. While I was there I ran into another girlfriend who was looking better than ever. She was telling me about this "Fast" she was participating in. For her it is a Religious Fast. The first 6 days of her fast, she lost 6 pounds. And she was looking thin and slim so automatically I was interested in how she did it. When you fast for Religious reasons it is not supposed to be to lose weight. For that reason, this is not a Religious fast for me.Rather a Detox. While the rest of us were sipping Champagne and eating imported cheeses and crackers as well as our Cordon Bleu Crepes, My GF (Deziree) was only drinking water and eating grapes. I felt super bad for her! But hey, shes devoted and she's sticking with it!! So a day later I asked her what the guidelines were. She sent me the link and started right away. I think that when you start a diet/detox/any kind of weight loss program, the last day you should start is on Monday. You should start as soon as you are prepared , if that's Tuesday than so be it! For me it was (Yesterday/Tuesday). When I started Tweeting about what I was doing, I got a couple to join in! They are shopping this week an are going to start on Monday.We are using a hashtag on Twitter called #DanielFastPB. Incase you feel like joining after reading! Post all of your thoughts/recipe ideas or whatever you feel like with that hashtag. To break down the detox simply it's basically like this. No meat(including chicken, fish, or any other animal), no Caffeine (This is hard for me because I suffer from bad headaches, so I'm allowing myself 4 oz every morning for the first week), No Sugar or Sweeteners (YES THAT MEANS NO CHOCOLATE) (Must be naturally sweetened), No Dairy or eggs, No ALCOHOL, and lastly NO White Carbohydrates. It sounds like a lot of things right? Well actually i've been searching for recipes and come up with quite a few good ones. This detox makes it easy be creative in the kitchen. The best part about this detox, YOU GET TO EAT EVERY 3 HOURS!! I mean seriously what is better?! Yesterday upon waking up I made a huge pitcher of Lemon/Orange/Cucumber infused water. I've been drinking this stuff all day, it has curbed my appetite and the fruit adds a nice flavor rather than just the same old water. Here is a photo of the yummy stuff!!

For dinner I am making a Vegetable Thai Soup *Spicy. I'll upload a photo as soon as it's done. Here is the recipe for those interested! A deep soup pot Extra Virgin Olive Oil (enough to coat the pot) 1 HUGE Yellow Onion (Large slices) 4 cloves Garlic (Minced) 2 Tsp Fresh Ginger (Diced) 1/4 C Red Bell Pepper (Small dice) 2 Bay Leaves 1 dried red chili (Whole) Salt and Pepper to taste Garlic powder Vegetable broth (1 box) 2 Large Carrots (small chop) 6-8 Mushrooms (Chopped) 1 C Peas 1 tomato (diced) Lemon or Lime Cilantro (and lots of it) In the pot sautee the onions, garlic, ginger , bell pepper, red chili and bay leaves. Let these items sweat. Season with Salt, pepper and garlic salt. Add the vegetable broth, on medium heat add the rest of the ingredients except for the cilantro. Lower the heat, let simmer for 20 mins. Add cilantro for garnish. To thicken the soup add 1/2 C of lentils. Add them at the beginning process to allow proper cooking with the rest of the ingredients. I will keep you all posted with more recipes! If you feel inspired to start the detox please let me know! Follow my personal twitter to get the latest updates @Shocolaategirl Here is the official link for the fast. DanielFast