'Daniel Plan' health outreach, walking club set to debut in Bude on March 25

by Nicole Stokes

A new community health and fitness venture for Franklin County residents is set to launch later this month.

Lindsay Trout, in conjunction with the Bude Community Foundation, will start a group promoting the “Daniel Plan,” which is a Biblical-based diet program developed by Pastor Rick Warren with help from Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Mark Hymen and Dr. Mehmet Oz.

The initiative seeks to motivate people to start positive, healthy habits while eliminating self-defeating ones.

“The idea of the group is to introduce the benefits of the Daniel Plan and to incorporate a fitness program that is simple, free and engages the community,” Trout said.

“The main goal of The Daniel Plan is to eliminate indulgent foods. The plan offers a comprehensive approach to a healthy lifestyle. (It) also incorporates the five pillars (of) faith, food, fitness, focus and friends.

“The idea was presented to me by Heather Jacobs, who is the Bude Community Foundation’s Board of Directors vice president. She wanted to introduce and involve local residents in the outreach.

“I was selected to develop a plan that can encourage the community to join through fitness opportunities, meal plans and an overall healthier lifestyle.”

The group will also have a weekly walking club, which will meet every Saturday — weather permitting — at 8 a.m. at the Bude Community Foundation’s community center building at the corner of Third and Main streets (the old Bude United Methodist Church).

The first meeting is set for Saturday, March 25.

“We will begin with light stretching and then take an approximately 30-minute walk around downtown Bude,” Trout said.

According to Trout, the health and fitness group’s goal is to bring residents together for an effort that will hopefully pay dividends resulting from an improved way of living.

“We would like for members of the community to be able to benefit from any aspect of the program,” she said.

“Whether they join the weekly walking club or are able to prepare a meal for their family using the resources from the program, our hope is that members can start a journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

“Using our program that incorporates healthy eating aligned with fitness, we hope that everyone who participates gains a greater sense of healthy living and being able to maintain an improved lifestyle.

“It’s very easy for anyone and everyone to get involved. Our Facebook and Instagram pages will be updated with The Daniel Plan news. New recipes, fitness opportunities, meetings and much more will also be posted.”

For questions regarding the group, contact the Bude Community Foundation’s program director, Veronica Brown, by calling 601-810-9684.



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