Book Review: “The Daniel Plan” by Warren, Amen, and Hyman

I just finished reading The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Warren, Amen, and Hyman.  I can tell you that there haven’t been too many books I’ve read that have actually changed my life, but this one did!

I was intrigued by it because someone close to me had recommended it when she was going through cancer treatment.  I saw how she changed her eating habits and was inspired by it. But I couldn’t seem to get to the point where I could make those changes myself.

So I started reading The Daniel Plan.  I learned that it isn’t using willpower to change how you eat, but there are 5 parts to the plan.

In order to get healthy, you need to change and grow in 5 essential areas: Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends.

1. Faith— Growing in your spiritual life is the most important component.  If we understand that it is God who created our bodies and created us for a purpose, we are much more likely to focus on making the changes He wants us to make.
2. Food— I learned so much about food in this chapter, what are the best foods to eat, what I shouldn’t eat, and why.
3. Fitness— Not only do you learn why fitness is important and how it helps your body, you learn all kinds of ways to add fitness into your daily activities.  There are even lots of exercises with pictures to help you to do them at home.
4. Focus— It is our brain that is often the saboteur to our getting healthy.  We need to recognize the destructive thoughts and take them captive in order to get our brains to help and not hurt us.
5. Friends— If we have an accountability group, we are far more likely to be successful in these life-changing habits of getting healthy.

 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Where God guides, he provides.  What he calls you to do, he equips you to do.  He doesn’t need your strength and willpower, but he does need your commitment.”

“God designed us to experience joy. In fact, we crave it and search for it. Unfortunately, when stress builds up, joy escapes us, and we wind up overeating, overworking, overstressing, overdoing, and even over-sitting.”

“Even the setbacks on your journey can help you move forward. If you pay attention and track your progress, a bad day gives you good data.”

The Daniel Plan gives a very well laid-out plan for a 10-Day Detox.  It includes a shopping list, a daily menu of 3 meals and 2 snacks for 10 days, and recipes for each meal and snack.  I decided there was no reason not to do it.  At the end of the detox, here is what happened: I learned that I really could go without sugar, gluten, dairy, or any additives/preservatives for 10 days!  The food was fun and filling, so I wasn’t missing anything. I lost about five pounds.  I learned that I don’t have a problem with gluten or dairy.  I learned that you really do stop craving sugar if you stop eating i! I learned that there is sugar in all kinds of things I didn’t expect when I started reading labels–like the chicken at Chick-Fil-A, salad dressings, ketchup, etc.  And I learned how to buy and cook all kinds of new foods and recipes!

I connected with a Facebook group where we encourage each other in our new focus on a healthy lifestyle.  This helped me make it through 21 days of a no-sugar challenge!  And now we’re doing 21 days of regular exercising.

The last part of the The Daniel Plan book gives you a plan for 40 days to make the healthy lifestyle a habit.  They have a specific exercise plan and food plan to follow.  I have been lax about the food for the last couple of weeks (although I have still been exercising), so I need to do this 40 day plan and get the habits fully set!

 

I love the recipes in The Daniel Plan, and I also purchased The Daniel Plan Cookbook: Healthy Eating for Life, which is only $4.99 on Kindle version right now!

(Remember, you don’t need a Kindle to read a Kindle book.  Just read it on your computer or download an app to read on any e-reader, smartphone, iPad, etc.)

I’ve now lost 10 pounds and am so happy with my new healthier lifestyle!

(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The Daniel Plan from BookLook Bloggers in order to write this honest review. This post contains affiliate links.)