Steps for Starting the Daniel Diet Fast

By Donna Sundblad

While some people may try the Daniel fast for weigh loss purposes, for most it is meant to be a spiritual experience that draws them closer to God. The fast is a partial fast based on accounts found in the biblical book of Daniel, of a time when Daniel refused to eat the king’s food to follow God's ways. Instead of eating from the king's bounty, he opted to eat only vegetables and water. His decision to do so is a lesson, for people today, in learning to deny self and to seek God’s will. For anyone thinking of embarking on this spiritual/physical journey, there are a few steps to take before getting started.

Before You Start the Daniel Fast

Before you start the Daniel fast, it is important to take into consideration the influence such a change in diet will have on your body. For example, giving up caffeine can lead to side effects such as severe migraine-type headaches and nausea. Eliminating sugar from the diet all at once may also lead to undesirable symptoms as the body detoxifies. The most common symptoms associated with the Daniel fast include:

HeadachesFatigueLeg crampsMalaiseSix Wean Off Caffeine and Sugar: With possible side effects in mind, one of the first should be to wean off caffeine and sugar before you start the fast to avoid these debilitating symptoms.How Long to Fast: Decide how long you plan to follow the fast. As a partial fast, the body does get adequate nutrition and can be followed for weeks. It is typically followed for 21 days.Check with Your Doctor: Check with your doctor before starting the Daniel Diet. Let your doctor know what you'll be eating and how long you plan to follow the fast. Your doctor will know your medical history and whether or not the fast should be modified in some way to fit your physical needs.Prayer: The Daniel fast is a physical as well as a spiritual experience. Through prayer, the dieter should ask for God’s guidance and strength as they prepare to deny self and battle physical cravings.Set Spiritual Goals: Also as a matter of prayer, spiritual goals to be accomplished while fasting should be set. These often include prayer, Bible reading, study and medication.Stock Your Kitchen: The Daniel Diet is a fast that limits many foods. Before you get started, stock your kitchen with fresh fruits and vegetables. The fast is difficult enough without running out of the foods you need to eat.Daniel Diet for Weight Loss

For people interested in following the Daniel fast for weight loss, it can be done, but this approach is not really considered a fast. As a weight loss plan, it would be considered the Daniel Diet and a form of a vegan diet. It is often used by people who want to lose weight or improve their health.

What Daniel Ate

More than one version of the Daniel fast exists because no one knows for sure exactly what Daniel ate when he turned down the king’s food. The premise for this partial fast is found in Daniel chapters one and 10. Some versions of the fast also follow Jewish fasting guidelines. Some people restrict the fast to only vegetables while others include fruits. This choice is based on early translations of the Bible that translate vegetables as foods grown from seed which can also include nuts.

No matter which version of the fast a person follows, it shouldn’t be as much about the food as it is about the spiritual journey to become closer to God. A fast takes the focus off food and physical things and places it on things eternal and the relationship one has with God. The basics of all these versions of the Daniel fast are similar. There is no profit in becoming legalistic about what to eat or not eat. The purpose is deny the physical self as a matter of discipline in order to strengthen the spiritual.

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