22 Benefits of the Daniel Fast: Emotionally, Spiritually, and Physically

Back in February, I completed the Daniel Fast for the entire duration for the first time. In the past, I would only complete the fast for a few days and give up. This time, I went in prepared. Here's a post on How to Prepare for a Daniel Fast. You can also click on the link below for a free Daniel Fast Meal Planner e-book that includes 30 meal ideas.

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In today's post, I will share the spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits of a Daniel fast. There is a record of Daniel completing two types of fasts. In chapter one, he completed a 10-day fast when he only ate vegetables and drank water. He fasted from savory foods, so that he could prove to the king that he would be better off without indulging in his types of foods. It was contrary to the other men in the king's court.

This is synonymous with the battle that we experience in everyday life between God-made natural foods and processed foods. It's often a daily battle for many of us to not indulge in our cravings and eat takeout or processed foods every single day. We know it's bad for us over eating the homemade, God-given foods that are healthy for us and nutrient-dense.

If you're wrestling back and forth between choosing God or lowercase "gods" (addictions, struggles, etc.) I would highly suggest attempting a Daniel Fast. Even if you do not complete it for the entire 21 days, just try it for a few days to see how you feel.

In chapter 10, we see Daniel doing a 21-day fast. This occurred at the beginning of the year, which is the month of April in the Bible. He was in mourning and prayer because of the terrifying visions that he saw of the future. So he decided to take some time out to pray for his people. He also ate no savory foods and discontinued the use of certain items, like lotion. We see fasting is more than about food, but about consecrating yourself and focusing on the Lord.

This fast has changed me not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually. During the last two weeks of the fast, I felt the pull to stop using social media and to focus more on other things. In February, I actually read the most books I've ever read in a month because I wasn't consumed with doomscrolling on TikTok and binge-watching YouTube videos out of boredom.

1. This fast taught me to have an actual healthy pre-workout snack instead of caffeinated pre-workout drinks. I was reliant on preworkout but could not use it during the Daniel Fast. I opted for a small piece of fruit and half of a protein shake, which sustained my energy more than I thought it would. We are often deceived into thinking that we need synthetic supplements instead of God-given natural foods; everything that we need, God already placed on this earth. Do not be deceived by marketing tactics making you believe that you need to be reliant on supplements

2. Speaking of supplements, the Daniel Fast helped me discover the miracle of beans and how they should be incorporated into your daily diet. I used to take psyllium husk as a fiber supplement. Now I realize that if you eat a decent serving of beans each day, you don't need supplements. The same goes for chia seeds. Instead of taking an omega-3 pill, you could just take a tablespoon of chia seeds to exceed your daily required serving.

   
   

3. You don't need caffeine every single day. I realized that caffeine was overriding my body's natural signal for rest. I didn't give myself a chance to feel tired because I was too caffeinated. This will lead to burnout. You don't need more caffeine; you need to go to sleep and replenish your body.

   
   

4. I learned that I am able to eat healthy consistently. I wanted to complete the fast, so I had no other choice. I became accustomed to being in a routine of just eating healthy and eating what I already prepped for myself instead of going out and grabbing something else. It also taught me to stop being greedy and picking off other people's plates.

5. You do not need to eat if you're not hungry. Sometimes I would eat straight out of pure boredom, which should signal that you need some other source of entertainment that is not food. Listen to your body. If you genuinely feel hungry, then eat. If not, put the fork down.

   
   

6.  Fast food is not worth ruining your progress. Yes, I know this fast is not about weight loss, but I do have to mention that I lost five pounds within the three weeks. I have been struggling with my weight lately being up and down. I feel like everything is connected in the body, mind, body, soul, and spirit. If I am struggling emotionally or mentally, I've seen that my weight is also affected. I would go out to indulge in fast food, gain weight, hate myself for it, and self-deprecate. Then I would try to make up for it, by skipping meals or overexercising. I realized I can't keep up with the cycle and it's not worth it. I'm not saying you can never have fast food or indulge, but set boundaries.

   
   

7. Boundaries help you break the loop and cycle that you feel like you can't get out of. Instead of take-out food every day, try to replicate your favorite foods at home. It'll be 10 times healthier and better for you. You might find it fun. It may not taste the same, but these companies make highly palatable foods on purpose, so that you can keep spending your money and going back. They're basically hijacking your taste buds, so that you're not satisfied with regular food. It will also be better for you financially. You may not see the effects of it right now, but 10 to 15 years later down the line, you will regret it when you're on diabetic and high blood pressure medication.

8. You do not need to eat huge portion sizes. I find that a small portion size is enough food based on my energy levels. If I'm sitting down at a desk all day, I do not need huge portions of food that make me feel over-stuffed and lethargic. Base the amount of food you need on your energy levels. If you are not running a marathon, then stop eating like an athlete. If you are at a desk job, eat the portion correct for your size. If you are resting more, you do not need a lot of food because your body is not expending a lot of energy.

   
   

9. Every bite counts, regardless of how you try to make it not count. I would snack here and there, with little bite sizes, thinking it didn't count towards my calories, but it does actually count. Stop lying to yourself.

   
   

10. Appreciate your meal prep. Stop letting your meal prep rot in the refrigerator while you're wolfing down some fried chicken and french fries. Stop taking the time, energy, and effort you put into your food for granted. Going the cheap route is going to cost you in the long run.

11. I learned not to take what I already have for granted. I used to ask God for an abundance, not realizing that I already had abundance. God helped me realize that many items I already had are just sitting there collecting dust. Yet, I was still asking for more. I started appreciating what I already had, used it more, and stopped wasting stuff.

12. This fast taught me creative ways to use things. I couldn't eat meat or use certain items I was accustomed to using, like white flour. I use substitutes and alternatives, such as oat flour. I would snack on fruit and vegetables instead of junk food snacks.

    
    

13. This fast helped me to appreciate simplicity and consistency. When I was planning out my meals, I would get overwhelmed trying to think of a million different ideas. God showed me that the simpler the better. It reduced my overwhelm, frustration, eventual burnout, and tendency to quit. It taught me consistency because I couldn't stray from my plan to just indulge in something else. I had to stick with it if I wanted to see it through.

    
    

14. Instead of going to the next step and bulldozing all my accomplishments, I had to sit down and realize how far God has already taken me. I had to stop trying to get to the next thing. I realized that I'm not where I was several years ago, and I have significantly improved on the inside. Sometimes I felt like I wasn't progressing in life due to comparisons on social media. When I reflected on my life, I realized that I had made significant progress. The things that I used to pray for, I have already received in the current moment, and even more than what I expected.

    
    

15. I learned that I need to appreciate and take advantage of many of the modern-day conveniences I already have that save me time, energy, and money. When my sink and windshield wipers broke, I realized that we have so many appliances, like a dishwasher, washer and dryer, electric pressure cooker, air fryer, and blender that save us so much time and energy in life. I started to appreciate them more and use them to my advantage. God helped me not to despise doing household work like laundry, cooking, and cleaning. If I were living hundreds of years ago, I would not have these appliances and would have to do work manually.

    
    

16. I learned to speak positively and to continue blessing my family and blessing God. I read a book called You Too Can Be Prosperous. It taught me that what was already confirmed in the Bible, which is basically to stop speaking death into your situation. You speak death into your situation when you say negative words that are contrary to God's word. When you're always self-deprecating and speaking negatively, it is destroying your situation. I get it, sometimes we can't help it because we're frustrated, but you need to try as hard as possible to only bless your situation, to bless your family, even if they get on your nerves, and to bless God. Even if you feel like you've been waiting 100 years for a promise. You need to be content in your situation right now, realizing that it will not be the same forever. When you speak negatively about other people, it does not benefit you but actually harms you.

    
    

17. It taught me that feelings were temporary and I needed to be more patient and wait on God's timing instead of my own. I realized that God is not in a rush to do anything, so I should just relax. I was only stressing myself out.

18. I did not have to resort to food for comfort. The Daniel Fast forced me to leave the junk food alone. Therefore, if I felt emotionally dysregulated, I could not resort to sweets and snacks. I had to resort to the Word of God. For example, if I felt emotionally distressed, instead of going downstairs to bake some cookies, like I usually do, I would open up the Bible to a random page and see what God had to say. It would always speak to my situation and calm my nervous system. In a sense, this fast regulated my nervous system.

19. I realized that books are just as entertaining as social media. I read some really amazing books during this fast that I thoroughly enjoyed. I noticed my mind creates imagery that makes the book come alive like a movie. I was entertained without looking at a screen all day.

20. I would come up with the most brilliant ideas that helped me in real life by being bored. When I put down social media during the last two weeks of my fast, I had time to be bored. When I was bored, the ideas would flow into my head about how to make my life easier. For example, I created a food inventory list that would sync across all my devices. It helped me meal plan better. I wasted less money at the grocery store by not buying duplicates. I would come up with random ideas that had I been occupied doomscrolling on my phone, would have never come to me.

    
    

21. Instead of sulking, I would take action on the things God told me to do. If He told me that I needed to make preparations for something, I'd do it. Just because I didn't see it physically yet, doesn't mean I should sit on it. So, I started jotting down ideas and preparing things, so that when it does come to pass, I'm already ready and not behind.

22. Cravings will go away the more you deny them. The more you indulge your cravings, the stronger they become. The more that you resist the cookies, chips, and fried food, the easier it gets, and the smaller the food noise gets. But you have to start with the first no. Food is not the boss of you. You are the boss of food.

Those are the 22 things that benefited me during the Daniel Fast that I hope benefit and bless you as well.

Do not give up, even if you are only able to do it one day. That's one day more than you did it before. Next time, try two days. Next time, try five days and keep going after that. It took me two prior attempts to finally complete the Daniel Fast.

Don't forget to check out these resources for more information.