Looking for someone to "check-in" with

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biorach
biorach Posts: 60 Member
Hello all, I have been searching for a juicing forum without all of the negativity for awhile now and I think I've found it here!
Ok, I am looking for some people to share updates with (maybe weekly) just so I can stay on track and maybe help someone else stay on their track. Maybe exchange recipes too! Anyone interested?



A little bit about me:
Since I was a preteen, I've been overweight. I gained and gained, then I got pregnant and gained about 35 MORE pounds. When my son was starting to eat "real food", I realized that I didn't want him eating anything like I ate (Sonic, McDonald's, microwavable dinners, etc.) so I did a complete 180. We no longer eat out, I haven't had a soda in a year and a half (my little one has never had a soda), and we snack on fruits and veggies when we're hungry. I don't drink milk at all and I eat bread maybe once a month, although I still have a weakness for cheese :tongue:

So far, I've lost 40lbs and am finally past my pre-pregnancy weight! I juice but not exclusively, I eat almost all of my fruits and when I have a craving (say two or three times a week), I eat... I know it sounds dumb but I think I've figured out the best way for ME to lose weight and to stick with it. I've fasted before (12 day) and lost 8lbs but I realized that I am no good at sticking to a dated fast. Basically, I am not on a diet. I've CHANGED my diet, permanently, although I still have some tough days :smile:

Replies

  • sanjoparolas
    sanjoparolas Posts: 557 Member
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    I will send you a request. I have not used juices as my exclusive form of nutrition for over a year but when I did, I was amazed that it wasn't that hard and that I could feel the benefits of the nutrition immediately. Now I only have juices occasionally because that is what works for me right now but without trying the juicing I'm not sure I would have made the progress I have. So I certainly don't think your approach is dumb because you are learning what works best for you! I think the most important lesson for me from juicing is that I was eating calories that weren't nourishing me. Now I eat some form of greens daily with few exceptions. I try to build my meals around them. If I am hungry for a treat after, I still have it but I surprised myself when I found I sometimes forgot to eat the treat! Juices led me to crave real, whole, unprocessed nutrition. I have since switched to a 5:2 fasting approach in which I restrict calories a couple non-consecutive days per week and the rest of the time eat 'normally' (whatever normally means). That way, I always know I can eat the following day and in truth, once I set my mind to fasting I don't find it that hard (because it is only for one day). Anyway, long response but I will be glad to support you in your healthy choices.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    Hello all, I have been searching for a juicing forum without all of the negativity for awhile now and I think I've found it here!

    It's often rather quiet in here. But, this is where you'll find like-minded people.
    without trying the juicing I'm not sure I would have made the progress I have. So I certainly don't think your approach is dumb because you are learning what works best for you!

    ^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^

    I only did juice exclusively for 10 days. It's all I could take. I started dreaming about salads, salads with nuts, salads with tuna... and that didn't seem so bad. So, after the 10 days, I did juice about 4X a day, and a HUGE salad for one meal. Now, I try to eat greens as much as possible.... I'm sort of a wannabe vegan, but I can't do it completely... I try to follow the Eat to Live lifestyle.

    It is what works for you. I totally agree that without juicing, I don't think I'd have made the progress I have. IMHO, it's not so much about the 'diet....' but about the exit strategy.... anyone 'can' lost weight by restricting calories... but, if a person doesn't have a plan to switch to a sustainable diet after that.... we all know what happens. :sad:
  • biorach
    biorach Posts: 60 Member
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    So I certainly don't think your approach is dumb because you are learning what works best for you! I think the most important lesson for me from juicing is that I was eating calories that weren't nourishing me.

    I absolutely agree and thank you for the reassurance!
  • biorach
    biorach Posts: 60 Member
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    I'm sort of a wannabe vegan, but I can't do it completely... I try to follow the Eat to Live lifestyle.

    Lol, I think I may be a wannabe vegan as well :)
  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
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    Id love to be your friend!:) Im new to this whole new lifestyle so its huge for me:) I plan on doing the juicing detox and cleanse for at LEAST 2 weeks, maybe a month, and then going to nothing but veggies, fruits, and lean meats with the occasional cheese:)...I love cheese too lol. My biggest thing that Im going to be giving up is Bread. I am a breadaholic....seriously!:) Oh..that and sugar...I like to have a little bit of coffee or tea with my sugar LOL. Its going to be a journey but Im desperate to change and improve my health on top of loose all this excess weight Ive gained over the past 10 yrs:( Im going to be starting this Sunday:)
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    CountryMom,

    Best of luck to you with the start of your new lifestyle. One thing I've noticed ( OK, a couple of things ) is that, I now, seem to just naturally try to make smarter choices. I tend to walk by places or food that I would have naturally gravitated towards, just 6 months ago. That said... for me, I need to try to abstain from certain 'trigger' foods, and when I eat a particularly 'old school' type meal, I almost always feel like ( and give in ) chasing it with sweet deserts. So, while I try to follow a fairly strict 'nutritarian' lifestyle... I'm not that strict with it, but I try not to stray too often or for too long.

    I found for the short time I did juice only, and even after I was doing juice + salad... that if I stuck completely to the plan, it was pretty easy.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    I just wanted to add, hopefully as some encouragement.... This is what I eat for lunch, almost every day. At least 5 days a week at work... the salad with the tuna on it, on the plate, I eat 2 plates of that, I just took the pic on the plate, 'cause it looked nicer. Normally, I just eat the big tupperware container full every day for lunch. I've never weighed it, but it's heavy, I wouldn't be surprised if it's 2 lbs. I think I log it as about 700 calories, including tuna, or black beans, and mixed nuts on top. ( less with tuna, and I put 1/2 large can of black beans on, which is quite alot ) It takes me probably a solid 1/2 hr of chewing to wolf this entire salad down. My point is.... for in the same calorie neighborhood as a Big Mac, or a Whopper ( by themselves ) I get one helluva lot of eating satisfaction, and nutrition.


    This is what I've moved towards since coming off of juicing. *ETA* Damn... the tuna salad on the plate pic is too big.

    Salad1_zpsfdd15618.jpg

    Salad002_10_zpsaf99c1a2.jpg
  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
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    That looks delish sloth3toes!:) None of us are perfect, we all have bad days or little slip ups from time to time. I dont feel that those few slip ups do that much damage, or when you eat something only on rare occasions. I think where people get into trouble health wise and weight wise is when it becomes a habit or your eating something bad on a consistent basis. And I totally agree with you on the amounts:) You can eat SO much healthy and nutritional foods that are packed with nutrients, or you can have one big mac thats downed in just a couple of mins thats tons of calories and no nutritional qualities, and actually promotes illness and disease!:)
  • blackdiamond912
    blackdiamond912 Posts: 54 Member
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    That salad looks awesome, do you eat it plain or do you put dressisng on it.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    I juice up a lemon, ( in an old fashioned 'squish' juicer :wink: ) and pour that on top. I find with all the different flavors going on... I don't need dressing. And I used to be a hard core, half bottle of dressing kinda guy. :bigsmile:

    Unfortunately for me... I'm trying to eat as close to vegan ( Eat to Live ) as I can... and I'm a terrible cook with no imagination, so I eat alot of those salads.
  • biorach
    biorach Posts: 60 Member
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    Id love to be your friend!:) Im new to this whole new lifestyle so its huge for me:) I plan on doing the juicing detox and cleanse for at LEAST 2 weeks, maybe a month, and then going to nothing but veggies, fruits, and lean meats with the occasional cheese:)...I love cheese too lol. My biggest thing that Im going to be giving up is Bread. I am a breadaholic....seriously!:) Oh..that and sugar...I like to have a little bit of coffee or tea with my sugar LOL. Its going to be a journey but Im desperate to change and improve my health on top of loose all this excess weight Ive gained over the past 10 yrs:( Im going to be starting this Sunday:)

    Bread is my grandmother's weakness... I'm talkin' every single meal. Breakfast with toast, snack with chips, lunch with a roll, and dinner with potatoes and a loaf of bread... :wink: Bread is super hard to cut out because it is in EVERYTHING! Just like sugar... :sad:
    Juicing is so great for our bodies, you will love it!

    Slothetoes, that salad looks incredible and I want one!!