Fasting Guide

Remember, the objective of fasting is not only to eliminate things from your daily routine, but also to replace them with prayer. If you usually eat breakfast at a certain time of the day, spend that time in prayer instead. If you normally watch TV when you get home from work, consider replacing that activity with reading the word of God. As you fast, it is important to be consistent. However, if you break your fast by accident or even miss a few days, don’t beat yourself up or give up. Rather, get right back to your fasting objectives. Remember, the objective isn’t to be perfect, the objective is to be transformed.

FooD Fast

The Daniel Fast
Whole Grains
Amaranth, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, freekeh, millet, oats, purple rice, quinoa, rye, sorghum, spelt, teff, whole grain pasta, whole wheat, and wild rice.
Beans & Legumes
Black beans, black-eyed peas, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), great northern beans, kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, pinto beans, and split peas.
Nuts & Seeds
Almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, nut butters, peanuts (actually legumes but people think of them as nuts), pecans, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), pine nuts, pistachios, poppy seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, soy nuts, sunflower seeds.
Vegetables & Fruit
All vegetables are allowed (fresh, frozen, dried, juiced, and canned). All fruit is allowed (fresh, frozen, dried, juiced, and canned). However, any dried fruit shouldn’t contain added sugar (check ingredients to be sure).
Oils & Others
Oils (such as coconut, olive, and sesame, for example) are allowed but should be used minimally. For example, you can sauté foods in olive oil but avoid deep-frying them. Unleavened bread (whole grain bread made without yeast, sugars, or preservatives). All herbs, spices, and seasonings are allowed, including salt and pepper. Soy products (such as edamame and soy nuts) and tofu are acceptable.
Beverages
Water should be the main beverage on your Daniel Fast. Distilled, filtered, sparkling, spring, and mineral water are allowed as well. However, you may have 100% fruit juice on occasion (just don’t overdo it). You can also use 100% fruit juice in recipes. Also, unsweetened non-dairy milk is acceptable (such as almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk).

Progressive Food Fast

Fasting at a pace.

Week One: No coffee, No Caffeine, No Sweets, No Alcohol, No Fried Foods
Week Two: Week One Restrictions + No Dairy and No Animal Meat (Beef, Pork, Turkey, Lamb, Chicken, Fish)
Week Three: Week One and Two Restrictions + No Processed Foods (Foods with artificial coloring, chemicals, food additives, preservatives)

Week Four: Week One thru Three Restrictions + Daniel Fast (Whole Grains, Fruit, Nuts, Beans and Legumes, Vegetables, Fruit Juice and Water – (Sparkling, Spring, Still, and Mineral accepted),
Week Five: Week One thru Four Restrictions + No Fruit Juice
Week Six: Continue with Week Five or INTENSIFY (Liquid Only)

** The Food Fast will be observed for 24 hours each day and will intensify every week. If you are unable to intensify each week, maintain a safe and appropriate fasting level in consultation with your medical provider. Please check with your medical provider before committing to the Food Fast, as some underlying health conditions may preclude participation.

Social Media Fast

Week One: Limit Gaming, Technology, Entertainment, Social Media to 2 hours/ day
Week Two: Week One Restrictions + No Gaming and No Entertainment Streaming
Week Three: Week One and Week Two Restrictions + No Non-Essential Texting
Week Four: Week One thru Week Three Restrictions + No Non-Essential Phone Calls
Week Five: Week One thru Week Four Restrictions + 15 minutes of Daily Bible Reading & 15 minutes of Daily Prayer
Week Six: Week One thru Five Restrictions + No distractions – An entire week of silence – outside of business meetings and calls, this week is purely devoted to hearing the voice of God speak in the silence.

**This fast acknowledges that Social Media is a means for news and information. Those participating are asked to significantly reduce entertainment social media, commenting, and scrolling.

Financial Fast

Adapted from Michelle Singletary’s 21-Day Financial Fast

Week One: No Retail and Online Purchases
Week Two: Week One Restrictions + No Gift Purchasing to include gift cards
Week Three: Week One and Two Restrictions + No Credit Card purchases

Week Four: Week One thru Week Three Restrictions + Create a Budget and Check Credit Report
Week Five: Week One thru Week Four Restrictions + Commitment to Tithing
Week Six: Week One thru Week Five Restrictions + No non-essential spending