Juice for Weight Loss

Tilran

Alright, so I was bored the other night and watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead which is a documentary about a morbidly obese man who goes on a juice routine of 5 juices per day and no solid food. He ends up losing absurd amount of weight.

Now of course it is easy when you are really big to lose the weight, especially when you are cutting down calories like crazy but I've also heard that doing a juice cleanse for 1-2 weeks can kick start metabolisms and really get your weight loss going.


Has anyone had any luck with this method? I'm always up for trying new things, but juicing is super expensive and if its not meant for "average" weight than I wont waste my time and just keep logging like I always do.

For comparison sake. I am 5'8, 178 pounds and 18% body fat and looking to drop to around 160 pounds which should put me under 10% body fat hopefully.

If you are similar in size and have had luck with this method, lets chat.

juggernaut1974

He lost weight because he was consuming less calories than he was expending...the content of those calories (juice vs. 'regular' food) made no difference.

You don't need to 'kickstart' your metabolism. It is always running and doesn't stop.

Laurenloveswaffles

He lost weight because he was consuming less calories than he was expending...the content of those calories (juice vs. 'regular' food) made no difference.

You don't need to 'kickstart' your metabolism. It is always running and doesn't stop.

Yep.

It's not worth it. I dropped $70 on a juicer for this same reason, and I have not even touched it since I bought it. I'd rather eat my calories than drink them.

Beckboo0912

There are people who live on the light from sun and air. I prefer real food though.

JoanaMHill

I'll echo what others have said in the past and say that Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead isn't a documentary, it's an infomercial.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

Fat Sick and Nearly Dad is nothing but a glorified commercial for juicing crap. My sisters bought into it hardcore, and it's laughable.

Here's my beef with it: They are suggesting that people with years of unhealthy eating under their belts somehow need to make up the lack of nutrition by suddenly injecting huge amounts of vitamins and nutrients into their systems (via juicing) as quickly as possible. Which is not the case. Put it this way: If you have been chronically dehydrated for several weeks or months, do you need to FLOOD yourself with water--fifteen gallons all at once---to get healthy again? No. Nutrition does not keep tabs, you do not need to "pay back" any nutritional or vitamin deficiency like a credit card with interest. All you need to no is simply start eating more healthy foods, and keep up at it.

Juicing can be delicious, and an easy way to get in more vitamins for those who have a hard time liking vegetables and fruits, but it is absolutely 100% not necessary to lose weight or get healthy. Mostly it's just a pitch to get people to buy expensive juicing appliances or "weight loss programs".

geebusuk

Going very low calories, if it's going to do anything, in any 'science' I've seen will do the opposite of 'kickstart' your weight loss.

Ok, it'll see you losing even more than the caloires might suggest due to lower water retention, but it'll also have the highest chance of causing your metabolism to slow down, making the rest of the weight loss harder.

Tilran

He lost weight because he was consuming less calories than he was expending...the content of those calories (juice vs. 'regular' food) made no difference.

You don't need to 'kickstart' your metabolism. It is always running and doesn't stop.

Kick start perhaps was a bad choice of word insinuating that it was stopped. Clearly the metabolism only stops when you are dead, however your metabolism can slow down. The things I have heard revolve around a juice cleanse bringing your metabolism back in line if it is too low. Could all be false, but that is what I am wondering.

Lolowolf - That is what I was afraid of and the reason I wanted to ask before I went ahead and bought a juicer. I was debating about buying the cold pressed variety from Whole Foods/Earth Fare places but they are about 5-8$ a pop and would need 4-5 a day. That would get pricey quick.

Branstin

The human body cleans itself and doesn't need help from any cleanse products. Secondly, the purpose of any weight loss program is to burn fat calories and juice won’t do the job. Third, there isn't any such thing as kick starting your metabolism. Your metabolism works all day and all night. Boosting it requires exercise but it will mean nothing unless accompanied with a calorie deficiency. If you are losing with your current method then save your money. If not then read this link:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920

juggernaut1974

The things I have heard revolve around a juice cleanse bringing your metabolism back in line if it is too low. Could all be false, but that is what I am wondering.

It IS false. See the thread pinned to the top of the board about detox/cleanses.

Mykaelous

The main benefit of juicing from my perspective is being able to add some vegetables that I tend to not like/eat into a drink that I can consume without puking.

ChrisUK70

I juice once a day as a way of getting fruit and veg into my system, also got to justify using the bloody juicer I bought after watching the same film!

geebusuk

Kick start perhaps was a bad choice of word insinuating that it was stopped. Clearly the metabolism only stops when you are dead, however your metabolism can slow down. The things I have heard revolve around a juice cleanse bringing your metabolism back in line if it is too low. Could all be false, but that is what I am wondering.

I would be confident it IS false, because that's about the opposite to general understanding.

Low calories over an extended time will reduce not increase metabolism.

The best way to increase resting metabolism is to eat more.
You can of course increase metabolism generally by moving more.

I have another solution to that Mykaelous - I don't eat them. Seems to work nicely for me too .

Laurenloveswaffles

He lost weight because he was consuming less calories than he was expending...the content of those calories (juice vs. 'regular' food) made no difference.

You don't need to 'kickstart' your metabolism. It is always running and doesn't stop.

Kick start perhaps was a bad choice of word insinuating that it was stopped. Clearly the metabolism only stops when you are dead, however your metabolism can slow down. The things I have heard revolve around a juice cleanse bringing your metabolism back in line if it is too low. Could all be false, but that is what I am wondering.

Lolowolf - That is what I was afraid of and the reason I wanted to ask before I went ahead and bought a juicer. I was debating about buying the cold pressed variety from Whole Foods/Earth Fare places but they are about 5-8$ a pop and would need 4-5 a day. That would get pricey quick.

Oh yeah, the $70 was AFTER I spent $150 in juices from a juice shop in Dallas that makes them. I want that money back :frown:

_Josee_

He lost weight because he was consuming less calories than he was expending...the content of those calories (juice vs. 'regular' food) made no difference.

You don't need to 'kickstart' your metabolism. It is always running and doesn't stop.

^^^ +1 for this.

troelsandtheis

I have a spinach and blueberry juice for breakfast everyday, it actually fills me more than porridge does but only just. I normally have soup for another meal and then something more substantial for the third meal. It works for me as it means I can look forward to a proper dinner in the evening, plus I love soup and smoothies! But all that sugar in juices, natural or not, just would make me crash if I had more than one a day. In fact most soups I make are eyes calories than a smoothie and way healthier in terms of vegetable count, and filling too. Some people need a fad diet to kick start them into getting on track I guess so if it was for a few days then you could try it out but brush your teeth after each one!. My friend never eats mum food or sugar but has had a smoothie every morning for years and her dentist said her teeth were ruined!

CCSavage88

I drink juice in the AM only because I've never been a morning eater...I don't like eating foods in the AM so I juice to get a healthy drink in me..Aside from that juicing is just a tasty way to get fruits/veg, nothing else. Now you put enough greens in your juice, you might become more regular lol that's about it that's about all...My juicing isn't expensive to me at all but I'm in MD where we have plenty of orchards all around selling veggies/fruits dirt cheap.

geebusuk

I drink juice in the AM only because I've never been a morning eater...I don't like eating foods in the AM so I juice to get a healthy drink in me..Aside from that juicing is just a tasty way to get fruits/veg, nothing else. Now you put enough greens in your juice, you might become more regular lol that's about it that's about all...My juicing isn't expensive to me at all but I'm in MD where we have plenty of orchards all around selling veggies/fruits dirt cheap.

Every study I've seen has shown it doesn't matter when you consume your food.

If you don't feel like eating in the morning and don't have bad effects from that (ie lack of energy, etc), then you might as well not eat in the morning.

juggernaut1974

I juice once a day as a way of getting fruit and veg into my system, also got to justify using the bloody juicer I bought after watching the same film!

I will add...if you enjoy drinking the juices/smoothies/whatever, by all means do so. I usually down a few protein smoothies a week made with various fruits & sometimes veggies myself because I find them a nice way to get a 'sweet' treat and get a few more fruits/veggies too.

But there's no magic to them any different than consuming any other form of food. They're still calories that must be counted against your daily goal. And they certainly don't jumpstart anything - save for maybe your digestive system if you get too much fiber!

FireOpalCO

I never understood juicing. It leaves all the best parts of the fruit and veggies on the counter as waste.

Now if you want to do whole fruit/veggie blended drinks (smoothies) those can be beneficial for when you want something with very low prep, portable, and/or won't heat up your kitchen in summer. It can be a good way to sneak in some veggies by disguising them with fruit, and you can use frozen/defrosted which brings down cost vs. fresh but out of season.

It won't kickstart anything, but it will make sure you reach your fiber goals and will be a great deal healthier then the average drive through breakfast.

Valrotha

If you're going to "juice" then use the whole fruit, not just the juice from the fruit. The fiber in fruit offsets the issues from just taking in fructose alone.