EmpowerMoms

The Daniel Fast for Weight Loss: A Biblical Approach to Losing Weight and Keeping It Off (released December 29, 2015) by Susan Gregory

I love to read health and fitness books and although I am christian, I was pretty skeptical of this book. First, I don’t particularly agree with “fasting” like the author states that she does on a regular basis in the beginning of the book. I do fast occasionally for religious purposes but not on a regular basis as I feel like it is not beneficial for my body with all the exercising that I do.

This book is based on Daniel’s 21 day fast that is mentioned in the bible in Daniel chapter 1. The author states that this is meant to be a life long spiritual journey and not a temporary diet type method. The thought that came to my mind as I was reading this first several chapters was “eat to live, not live to eat”.

Part 1 of the book focuses alot of the spiritual aspect of the book. What the purpose of the 21 day fast is, what the bible tells us about our bodies, the benefits to doing the fast, and how to stay with this way of eating after 21 days.

The author recommends cutting back on sugar and caffeine at least a week ahead of time so the cravings aren’t so brutal during the fast. She includes a list of foods that are to be eaten during the 21 days and what foods are not allowed during the 21 days. She lists then on page 142-144.

Basically you will be eating all fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, oils and water. You will NOT eat any meat and animal products (like meat, fish and eggs), dairy, sweeteners, leavened bread, refined and processed products, deep fried foods, solid fats and beverages other than water.

She recommends eating 3 meals and 2 snacks per day which I also agree with. “The key to success is to stay nourished and not let yourself get hungry”. She also says its important to focus on the foods that you CAN eat, especially if you are wanting this to be a spiritual journey.

I liked reading the “10 habits practiced by healthy individuals” section. She lists all 10 things like eating small bites and drinking lots of water-and then goes into specific details about each one. They are practical, easy things to follow.

Part 2 includes the recipes and 21 days of devotionals to be read each day during the fast.

My overall thoughts on this book:
I read through the whole plan and most of the recipes. I think the concept is good and I like the religious aspect of it; but I personally don’t see myself following it. It would take ALOT of willpower and determination to eat like this and then maintain this lifestyle long term. Kudos if you can do it!

I personally do not eat much-if at all-fast food and sugar. But because I have to eat gluten free it would be very hard for me to not have any meat or eggs when I already can’t eat the grains except for oats. I also try to eat more veggies than fruits because of the sugar content. I feel like I eat healthy most of the time, but obviously not as strict as this book is suggesting.

If you are wanting to reset your body, take away cravings and you don’t have any food restrictions like I do; you may want to read more about this plan to see if it’s something you can follow. It is very well written and easy to read.

I received a copy of this book complimentary from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media. All opinions are my own.

About the Book:
If you’re tired of chasing the latest diet fad only to find that you’ve gained weight, it’s time to try an entirely different approach. The Daniel Fast for Weight Loss succeeds where other programs fail because it focuses on your relationship with God as well as on your relationship with food. Once you discover the pleasures of eating the food God has provided for optimum health, you will not want to turn back. The Daniel Fast for Weight Loss offers a strategic, biblically based plan backed by solid research that will eliminate your cravings and help you to drop those unwanted pounds once and for all.

You can purchase a copy here:

Susan Gregory, “The Daniel Fast Blogger” and bestselling author of The Daniel Fast, is back with a spiritual and practical roadmap to this wildly popular 21-day fast for anyone who wants to lose weight and develop a lifestyle of health in a way that honors God. Way beyond a diet plan, The Daniel Fast for Weight Loss includes more than 90 new recipes, multiple tips for successful fasting, a 21-day devotional, and practical guidance for maintaining weight loss and good eating habits even after you complete your Christ-centered fasting experience. Embark on a life-changing journey toward happiness and confidence about the body God designed for you.

http://daniel-fast.com/

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http://store.walkathome.com/product/new-year-new-you-bundle?product_id=WA233

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Take our pre-loaded MP4 player outside and walk to the beat of 21 songs (7 miles total) that you know and love! These songs are engineered at the perfect pace for fitness walking. Mix and match your favorite songs to jumpstart your motivation. This MP4 player also come preloaded with three 5 Minute Mini Walks that play right on the screen!

2: 3 Mile Walk and Firm DVD

The 3 Mile Walk and Firm program combines walking with strength training to help tone your muscles and increase the calories you burn.
Full 3 mile session is approx. 48 min

As an added bonus: Three 5-minute mini walks! Perfect to give yourself a short metabolism boost.

3: Fitness Gloves

Enjoy a more comfortable workout! These Walk at Home fitness gloves can be used to protect your hands while using bands, tubes and all resistance type fitness accessories. With these gloves, your fingernails won’t press into your hands and resistance bands won’t press into your skin.

You can buy it here:
http://store.walkathome.com/product/new-year-new-you-bundle?product_id=WA233

I’ve read a couple other books by this author which I loved so I guess I had high expectations for this story as well. I felt it was slow at parts and somewhat hard to follow because it went back and forth between modern day characters and characters from the late 1940s. The story line and characters all tied together in the end but it was still hard to follow alot of the time.

There were alot of misunderstandings, jealousy, and bad family dynamics with all the characters young and old. It ended on a happy note but overall I felt like the story was depressing and not very positive. I had a hard time finishing it, but I did for this review.

I loved the description of the wedding chapel and what it represented though.

This is considered a christian fiction, but there is mention of “lovemaking” between married and unmarried characters through out this book so it wouldn’t be suitable for young adult readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
For sixty years, a wedding chapel sat silent, waiting for love. But times have changed and the hour has come when it just might be too late.

Retired hall-of-fame football coach Jimmy “Coach” Westbrook never imagined anything would come of his labor of love—the wedding chapel he built for Collette Greer, the woman he fell for back in ’49. But now an offer has come to turn the chapel into what it was meant to be—a place for love—and Jimmy sees no reason to hang onto his dream any longer.

Photographer Taylor Branson is trying to make a life for herself in New York. Leaving her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, she put a lot of things behind her, including her family’s abysmal marriage rate. But love surprises her when she falls head-over-heels for Jack Forester, a top ad man. Their whirlwind romance results in an elopement, and a mountain of doubt. Jack, while genuine in his love for Taylor, can never seem to overcome his own demons to find the words of his heart.

When Taylor takes an assignment in Heart’s Bend, the job does more than send her back to her hometown, but into a world of family secrets buried beneath the sands of time.

When Taylor’s journey intersects with Coach’s, they rediscover the heartbeat of their dreams and that the love they long to hold is right in front of them. And worth every waiting moment.

About the author:
Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as The Wedding Dress, Love Starts with Elle, and Once Upon A Prince. She also penned the Songbird Novels with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Booklist named their novel, Softly and Tenderly, one of 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals. She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pets.

You can purchase a copy here:

Is sixty years too long to wait for love? Two stories of romance, one in 1949 and one in the modern day, meet in Rachel Hauck’s The Wedding Chapel. When Taylor Branson takes an assignment in Heart’s Bend, the job does more than send her back to her hometown, but into a world of family secrets buried beneath the sands of time. When Taylor’s journey intersects with Jimmy “Coach” Westbrook’s, they rediscover the heartbeat of their dreams and that the love they long to hold is right in front of them. And worth every waiting moment.

Join Rachel in celebrating the release of The Wedding Chapel by entering to win a copy and a $100 cash card—perfect for finishing up your Christmas gift shopping!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of The Wedding Chapel
• A $100 cash card

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 31st. The winner will be announced January 4th on Rachel’s blog.

This is my review of the brand new Jessica Smith Walk Strong (4) dvd set that was released on Amazon this month.

She will be starting a free challenge this coming Monday January 4th using this exact set and her 6 week calendar. More info on her challenge can be found here: http://walkonwalkstrong.com/

This is what the calendar looks like. I like getting calendars because it helps me stay on track with my workouts and I especially like that the calendar tells you what disc the workout can be found on! For example, day 1 is Cardio Party which is on D1 (disc 1) and day 2 is Total Body Training which is on D3 (disc 3).

This is disc 1 Menu.
Jessica Smith’s welcome message is 7:43 mins and explains that her program is meant to be a lifestyle transformation, not a diet or quick fix program.

She states that this DVD set is for all levels and shows low impact and modifications, and is a mix of workout styles. All the workouts are 30 mins each and all are used during the 6 week calendar rotation.

Jessica then goes through each workout in this set showing mini clips and talking about each one.

EQUIPMENT YOU WILL NEED FOR THESE WORKOUTS:

*Lighter set of dumbbells for the shoulders, arms, and upper back area.

*Heavy set of dumbbells for the legs, chest and back area.

*If you don’t have any weights you can use (2) 16oz water bottles which equal 1 pound each.

*Mat or Towel to work out on.

*Sturdy high back chair with no arms.

*Hand Towel.

The cast is the same in this dvd set. Beth shows more advanced exercises and Debbie shows modifications and easier exercises. Jessica alternates between the two but mostly does intermediate movements.

All the workouts begin with a motivational quote picked by Jessica; followed by the list of equipment needed for that specific workout.

All the workouts have a 30 minute timer that is displayed on the bottom right during the entire workout.

All the workouts have a couple minute warm up and couple minute cool down and stretch.

In all my reviews I like to mention the full workout time, and whether the movements are standing or on the floor for those that have issues with doing floor exercises or who have issues getting up and down.

Workout 1/Disc 1
“Cardio Party”
30:50
Equipment: NONE

This is the only workout that has more than 3 cast members. You do movements like hamstring curls, side to side v steps, skaters and speed bag arms. I wish the music was louder in this one-I felt like I could barely hear it. But it was a fun, group workout!

Workout 2/Disc 1
“Interval Mix”
31:05
Equipment: Sturdy Chair

There are 4 round of intervals. There is a little bell that sounds so you know when to do a faster cardio pace and then you have 30 seconds of a movement using the chair, like mountain climbers. Beth does not use the chair-she uses the floor which makes it harder.

I definitely felt some tension in my shoulders after this workout because of using the chair for intervals; but after some stretching and water, they felt fine.

Disc 2 Menu


Workout 3/Disc 2
360 Abs
31:15
Equipment: (1) single light dumbbell (no more than 5 lbs) I personally used 3 lbs. during this workout.

For the first several minutes of this workout, Jessica did boxing type movements like jab/cross/knee, which I really enjoyed!

From 23:35-29:24 you are on the floor for some exercises.

Workout 4/Disc 2
Brain Fitness Fun
31:10
Equipment: NONE

The beginning part of this workout reminds me of her other workout called “Brain Booster” from her 5 fat burning miles dvd. The whole workout is not a repeat, but I did recognize some of the exercises. You will definitely have to think and concentrate during this workout, so I would suggest doing it when its quiet with no kids around. I felt like some of the exercises were a little complicated with doing both leg and arm movements, so sometimes I did just the leg movements.

I liked that all through out this workout, there were brain booster tips and quotes by Dr. Pasinski on the bottom of the screen that you could read while exercising.

Not one of my favorite workouts because I had to concentrate so much on it, but still good!

Workout 5/Disc 2
Barefoot Fusion Sculpt
31:20
Equipment: 1 set of light dumbbells and bare feet.

You begin by using the dumbbells after the warm up at 6:30 and continue using them non stop through 26:55. Most of the movements are flowing, ballet type inspired.

I would guess that Jessica and cast are using 1-3 pound dumbbells during this workout. At the end she does some Tai Cheng style movements.

Disc 3 Menu

This is an example of one of the quotes shown before a workout. I love that she added these!

Workout 6/Disc 3
Total Body Training
31:15
Equipment: 1 set of light dumbbells and 1 set of heavy dumbbells

You begin by using the dumbbells at 3:55 and stop using them at 24:50. You alternate between light and heavy weights through out this workout depending on what exercises she is doing. Debbie just uses 1 set of light weights the entire time. I am guessing that Jessica uses 5 or 8 pounds for her heavy weight but I’m not sure.

You will be working out on the floor, on your knees and back, starting at 20:10 through the end of the workout.

Workout 7/Disc 3
Upper Body Strength
30:45
Equipment: 1 set of light dumbbells and 1 set of heavy dumbbells

You begin by using the dumbbells at 3:30 and stop using them at 20:20. You alternate between light and heavy weights through out this workout depending on what exercises she is doing. Debbie just uses 1 set of light weights the entire time. I am guessing that Jessica uses 5 or 8 pounds for her heavy weight but I’m not sure.

You will be working out on the floor, on your knees and back, starting at 17:55 through 29:05.

Workout 8/Disc 3
Lower Body Sculpt
31:30
Equipment: 1 set of light dumbbells, 1 set of heavy dumbbells and chair

You begin by using the dumbbells at 4:36 and stop using them at 20:15. You alternate between light and heavy weights through out this workout depending on what exercises she is doing. Debbie just uses 1 set of light weights the entire time. I am guessing that Jessica uses 5 or 8 pounds for her heavy weight but I’m not sure. You also will use the chair though out this workout as well.

You will be working out on the floor, on your knees and back AND using the chair, starting at 20:15 through 27:50.

Disc 4 Menu

Workout 9/Disc 4
Dynamic Stretch
31:10
Equipment: Hand Towel or Yoga strap and Bare feet

This is a great stretch using the hand towel though out this entire workout. You will be getting on the floor at 15:10 and remaining there until the end of the workout.

Workout 10/Disc 4
Prehab Routine
34:50
Equipment: Chair, Hand Towel and Bare feet

You use the hand towel and chair though out this entire workout. You will be getting on the floor at 17:12 though 28:10. This workout is completely different from the Dynamic stretch but both would be great to use during active recovery days.

I like that they show body facts on the screen off and on during this workout.

Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this set! My favorite workouts were the 360 Abs, Total Body Training, Upper Body Strength, and Lower Body Sculpt.

Out of the 10 workouts: 2 workouts are stretching, 5 workouts use dumbbells, and 3 workouts are cardio with no weights.

Because this set uses cardio during all 8 workouts, the dumbbells used would never be more than 5 or 8 pounds otherwise you could injure yourself with the faster pace of the workouts.

I would consider this set a good mixture of cardio and strength training, but if you are looking for a strength training workout to increase your weights and lift heavy-this workout would not be for you.

I am looking forward to starting this 6 week challenge with Jessica Smith and a couple of my friends next week.

According to the 6 week calendar, you exercise 6 days a week with 1 rest day being on Sunday.
1 day a week would be a stretching workout.
On week 1 there are 2 cardio days and 3 strength training days.
On week 2 there is 1 cardio day and 4 strength training days.
On week 3 there are 2 cardio days and 3 strength training days.
On week 4 there is 1 cardio day and 4 strength training days.
On week 5 there are 2 cardio days and 3 strength training days.
On week 6 there are 3 cardio days and 2 strength training days.

I was given a complimentary copy of this DVD set in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

You can purchase a copy from Amazon here:

To read more about this program, you can read my blog post here:
http://empowermoms.net/2015/12/walk-strong-6-week-total-transformation-system-by-jessica-smith-new-order-now.html:

You can purchase a copy of the dvd here:

More info about the Walk Strong program is here:
http://walkonwalkstrong.com/