Starting a 30 Day Juice Fast 09/05/2012! Support needed!

The thing that has struck me the most about this thread is your amazing positive attitude, even when confronted with naysayers.

Your attitude is an inspiration and I loved it when you wrote "I do read everything, I'm just not responding the way you had hoped". Beautiful.

I think people are forgetting that if you live to 86 then a month is 1/1032 of your life.




Many figures in many different religions and cultures, throughout history have gone on spiritual fasts, a liquid fast is surely healthier, and your body is quite adaptive. Look at the whole "starvation mode" mythos as proof. I've read those studies, and the studies done replicating Nazis prisoners and as far as starvation mode goes, there is just evidence that suggests the less you eat, the more your body will store food (as it doesn't know when it's next meal is coming) and the lower your metabolism will get. And once your body learns to store food as fat, it's difficult to get it to stop. I know enough anorexics and bulimics to know that a diet can have long-term negative effects on your metabolism, but usually these are long term diets, and the harm is caused over years.

This shows that the body is beautifully adaptive to circumstances, but also that these circumstances are generally built up over time.

I also loved it when people call weight watchers a "fad" diet, yet weight watchers works of the same premise of myfitnesspal- low calorie. (If a very seemingly processed and flawed version of calorie counting). A focus on calories has been panned by many experts in the fitness, health and medical fields lately- with many professionals stating that it is better to focus on fruits, vegetables and healthy un-processed foods. With some experts claiming that calorie counting can be inaccurate (which I haven't found it to be in my experience). But that's not really the attitude on myfitnesspal (understandably as this is a calorie counting tool, it can be a very group-think community).

Studies have shown that people who "fad diet" are likely to weigh more than people of the same general grouping who do not, so I can see why people are concerned. But that data, and relying on it, seems like it contains numerous fallacies. Studies also show the importance of a positive attitude on health and well-being, and the negative effects of worrying (something I'm good at). Yet that's not something any of these negative "concerned" citizens who tell you you're being unhealthy- when years of being negative, looking for the worst in situations and over-intellectualising will probably harm my health far worse than my diet does, not to mention my sleeping habits.

Health is more than just food, and a month is a very limited period of time in the grand scheme of things. Having a lower BMI in general is linked to a lot of positive health consequences (not to mention social consequences) as long as it doesn't get too low. If you can detox for a month and lower your BMI then this seems to be very positive. Studies have also shown that you can re-train your habits in approximately this long, so this offers you the potential to re-train yourself into a more healthy lifestyle after having fallen off the bandwagon, so to speak.

But mostly my point is this. There are many studies, and they say many different things- and you can draw your own conclusions and really use them to make any argument you want (as long as you have half a brain). So people shouldn't be condemning you so quickly for things they haven't read, and for information that can inevitably get twisted to any purpose an intelligent person wishes. Most of the people who condemn you have only limited knowledge themselves, particularly when they mention "starvation mode" (which is a myfitnesspal community buzzword). In other fitness communities other buzz words are thrown around. And although it is based on research, it's also based on the ideology that people can't be trusted with their own health (which they can't) so better to keep them safe then to be sorry. It's like the dosage on medication bottles. Two aspirin for a 5 ft girl is different to two for a 6'4 body builder. But better to have uniformity and to prevent anything from happening by giving people clear instructions. People should stop harping on about the instructions so much though. Because the equation as to exactly how many aspirins a person needs for their body weight, age and condition is probably better, if more field-orientated knowledge. People on myfitnesspal are loosing weight slowly towards a long term goal the idea of someone loosing weight short term (after all this effort goes into a long term goal) can divide people. Obviously a long-term goal is going to be healthier and more fruitful long-term, but that doesn't deter from the positive outcomes that often result from other dietary plans. It's like comparing a thesis to an 1'000 word essay. Clearly one is better. But that doesn't mean writing an essay isn't a good start.

Yes, a fruit juice diet isn't a sustainable eating plan. But out of all the food groups to live off, I would certainly choose fruits and vegetables any day. They contain fibre, fats (hello avocado) carbohydrates and (contrary to popular belief) many vegetables also contain protein. While this is hardly the same as the amount in meat, an artichoke, corns, peas or collards will give you enough to suffice. Kale is also a good option when juicing.

There are going to be nay-sayers about any dietary change, but I can't help but think a move away from processed foods and complex carbs for such a small amount of time, in order to 're-set' your attitudes to processed foods and your diet is good.

I wish you much luck on your fruit juice diet!
I'm thinking about starting a kind-of vegan fast (more as a lifestyle re-program and to just see what happens and how I feel then for weight loss) and I might need support with that :S

I personally don't think I could do "just juice" but it will be interesting to see how you go with it.

This study form the Obesity Research Journal shows that very low calorie diets (VLCD) are an acceptable form of weight loss.

http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v9/n11s/full/oby2001134a.html
"VLCDs have been shown to be very effective in the treatment of obesity. An average weekly weight loss of approximately 2.0 kg in the first 4 to 6 weeks slows to an average weekly weight loss of approximately 0.8 kg over a 6-month period."

A juice fast is certainly a VLCD (under 800 a day) probably 200-300 calorie per juice. If it was me, I would probably substitute some whey protein shakes for juices, but for 1 month, all juice will certainly not hurt you. It is certainly not a long term diet.
The hard part is when you start eating again to not regain the weight. You will have to monitor what you eat very carefully.

You might want to check out the Intermittent Fasting group on MFP where you water fast for limited periods of time. That is what I am doing, and I find it helps to shrink my appetite and gives me better control over what I eat.

bumping for progress

Please don't do this. My girlfriend wen't on a juice diet and ended up in the hospital, she also went into kidney failure because of it, your body can only take in so much when it comes to an excess of vitamins and minerals. I really encourage you to calorie count, exersize and work on weight loss slowly to ensure that you keep it off while staying healthy. It is your choice, I just want you to know the risks. p.s. my girlfriend is still on medication to help her kidneys, it has been 8 years. Please don't do it. :ohwell:

Don't listen to the naysayers and fear mongers. Just try it! It worked for me. Follow the directions and you will not get sick. If you do feel like you can do this simple little trick...start eating normal food again! Don't believe the hate!

Good luck!

I'm going to start, so hats off to you and those who have tried juicing. I think I want to ease into juicing, starting with replacing breakfast and lunch with juice. Will this be counterproductive? Also, I know it's best to juice and drink immediately, but working in an office makes that impossible. I'll have to bring my "lunch" to work. That's ok too right?

Thanks!

bumping for news

Any news for us on how it is going for you? You'd be nearly 3 weeks in now!

I just bought my juicer too! I love juice in the blender but it takes too much time. I need a good plan or at least juice recipes to get started. I would like to supplement breakfast and lunch with something healthy and to keep my energy going. So if I get some good recipes online and I see that they help, I'll share the recipes. Good luck on your fast!