Green Smoothie Diet? Is it Nutritional?

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DeterminedbyGod
DeterminedbyGod Posts: 130 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone, I am back into losing weight for a healthier lifestyle. About 2 years ago I went on a weight loss journey dropping over 60 pounds!. Now 2 years later, I have gain all of it back plus a little bit more. I became lazy with eating healthy and exercising during my final months in college and gained it all back. Before I went on JJ Smith's green smoothie cleanse I tipped the scale at 330 pounds! I am currently 319 pounds. The smallest I have ever been was 245 pounds.

I would like to know if anyone are familiar with the green smoothie challenge or lifestyle? I am concerned that it may be a crash diet and I do not want to mess over my metabolism by participating in crash diets.
The smoothies consists of fresh green veggies and frozen fruit. The challenge was to drink at least 3 green smoothies and snack on eggs, any crunchy veggies and fruit of your choice, and to drink the right amount of water. She has smoothie recipes and a shopping list for the 10 days in her book titled Green Smoothie 10 day cleanse. It also discusses different detox methods and liver cleansers to use during the 10 days.

I must say that I was much fuller and more energetic with work outs while on the 10 day challenge. I enjoyed it so much that I am thinking about doing the 30 day challenge which only allows 2 smoothies through the day and one big meal.

I am also now convinced that the smoothies, while they are good and healthy that this technique is no different from what I did to loose the weight the first time around.

Replies

  • DeterminedbyGod
    DeterminedbyGod Posts: 130 Member
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    MeganAM89 wrote: »
    I see nothing wrong with incorporating smoothies into your diet so long as you're getting the other nutrients that you need, but drinking only smoothies and eating only some veggies over ten days sounds just like a typical "cleanse" that really only makes you lose water weight.

    Generally, when you're being advertised a liver cleanse or detox, it's just nonsense. They just want your money.

    I agree. Around the 2nd day of doing it, a light bulb came on. It is common sense why someone can lose 10 pounds on the cleanse.
  • mpontorno
    mpontorno Posts: 10 Member
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    JJ Smith makes it clear that the 10 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse isn't supposed to be for weight loss but to basically reset your taste buds and to clean your body of the toxins that make you crave all of the junk we've become used to eating. I've had some success with the cleanse but mostly as a cleanse. My biggest success was last year (2015), between Christmas and New Year. I did the cleanse and during the same period we got new night stands. (huh? Why is she telling us this?) I kept my two antidepressant prescriptions on the old night stand but decided to put them in the drawer of the new one... I forgot to take them. I did the cleanse and after 5 or 6 days realized I had not been taking my antidepressants. I was on them for the majority of 20 years, I have been off them since then. I have found that doing the cleanse helped me with my depression! What!?!?!? Which in turn helps me control my weight. Think about it, most of us eat to handle emotions, loneliness, boredom, depression, whatever. Tomorrow, I'm starting JJ Smith's 10 +30 Challenge and I'm really excited about my anticipated results. I actually came on MFP to try to find an accountability partner, hoping I could find someone else doing the challenge at the same time.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
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    There are no such things as food "detoxes" or "cleanses" that are recognized by any of the scientific community including biology and physiology.
    If you're losing weight it's for a couple of reasons: you're dropping more water weight initially and you're in a calorie deficit (albeit it may be too high).

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • JohnnyPenso
    JohnnyPenso Posts: 412 Member
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    Any program that ends in the words "cleanse" or "challenge" is nothing more than a temporary, feel good, quick fix that isn't sustainable in the long run. Use the site tools to determine an appropriate calorie target and religiously count your calories. To lose weight about the only thing that really matters in the long run is calories in vs. calories out but overall health and fitness is more complicated. What worked for me during the weight loss phase was being active, counting my calories and eating lots of high volume foods like vegetables and fruits, mixed with some meat, seafood, eggs, whole grains etc. It works for everyone assuming your metabolism is healthy and you aren't on medications that counteract good eating habits.
  • madelonism
    madelonism Posts: 292 Member
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    I have had great success with green smoothies, ive never used them for all three meals but i use them post work out and for breakfast, i started at 319 last month and ive dropped to 294 in the last month and a half. with a good fitness routine as well. look at my diary for 1/31/2017, thats my ideal day at this point. and i love them, i quit caffeine, my skin is better, im MUCH less bloated. and i feel as though my depression has lifted. some people use these for cleanses and thats great but i strongly encourage adding fresh veggies and fruit into your diet as a long term choice.

  • DeterminedbyGod
    DeterminedbyGod Posts: 130 Member
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    mpontorno wrote: »
    JJ Smith makes it clear that the 10 Day Green Smoothie Cleanse isn't supposed to be for weight loss but to basically reset your taste buds and to clean your body of the toxins that make you crave all of the junk we've become used to eating. I've had some success with the cleanse but mostly as a cleanse. My biggest success was last year (2015), between Christmas and New Year. I did the cleanse and during the same period we got new night stands. (huh? Why is she telling us this?) I kept my two antidepressant prescriptions on the old night stand but decided to put them in the drawer of the new one... I forgot to take them. I did the cleanse and after 5 or 6 days realized I had not been taking my antidepressants. I was on them for the majority of 20 years, I have been off them since then. I have found that doing the cleanse helped me with my depression! What!?!?!? Which in turn helps me control my weight. Think about it, most of us eat to handle emotions, loneliness, boredom, depression, whatever. Tomorrow, I'm starting JJ Smith's 10 +30 Challenge and I'm really excited about my anticipated results. I actually came on MFP to try to find an accountability partner, hoping I could find someone else doing the challenge at the same time.

    WOW!!!!!!! THATS AWESOME! I am starting the 10+30 challenge next week when I have the funds for the groceries
  • DeterminedbyGod
    DeterminedbyGod Posts: 130 Member
    Options
    madelonism wrote: »
    I have had great success with green smoothies, ive never used them for all three meals but i use them post work out and for breakfast, i started at 319 last month and ive dropped to 294 in the last month and a half. with a good fitness routine as well. look at my diary for 1/31/2017, thats my ideal day at this point. and i love them, i quit caffeine, my skin is better, im MUCH less bloated. and i feel as though my depression has lifted. some people use these for cleanses and thats great but i strongly encourage adding fresh veggies and fruit into your diet as a long term choice.
    Wow! Thats great

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    There are no such things as food "detoxes" or "cleanses" that are recognized by any of the scientific community including biology and physiology.
    If you're losing weight it's for a couple of reasons: you're dropping more water weight initially and you're in a calorie deficit (albeit it may be too high).

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    This.

    I would also mention that at your current size I would try my best to stray away from things that will detract from your long-term success. This includes things like trying "detox/cleanses", "wraps", and other "fad diets".

    The greatest piece of advice I have is to find a way to eat the right calories in a way that is both sustainable and ENJOYABLE! If you can't maintain this diet long term, what does it really matter?
  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,074 Member
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    My sister and one of my co-workers did this cleanse last year. Both lost weight while on the program. Of course once they went back to eating they gained it back. I thought about doing this myself for the first of the year. I even bought the book. Then my common sense kicked in. I eat loads of veggies everyday and I make sure I have a fruit each day. I am losing fine eating regular food so for now i am going to keep doing what i am doing.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    DeterminedbyGod wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I am back into losing weight for a healthier lifestyle. About 2 years ago I went on a weight loss journey dropping over 60 pounds!. Now 2 years later, I have gain all of it back plus a little bit more. I became lazy with eating healthy and exercising during my final months in college and gained it all back. Before I went on JJ Smith's green smoothie cleanse I tipped the scale at 330 pounds! I am currently 319 pounds. The smallest I have ever been was 245 pounds.

    I would like to know if anyone are familiar with the green smoothie challenge or lifestyle? I am concerned that it may be a crash diet and I do not want to mess over my metabolism by participating in crash diets.
    The smoothies consists of fresh green veggies and frozen fruit. The challenge was to drink at least 3 green smoothies and snack on eggs, any crunchy veggies and fruit of your choice, and to drink the right amount of water. She has smoothie recipes and a shopping list for the 10 days in her book titled Green Smoothie 10 day cleanse. It also discusses different detox methods and liver cleansers to use during the 10 days.

    I must say that I was much fuller and more energetic with work outs while on the 10 day challenge. I enjoyed it so much that I am thinking about doing the 30 day challenge which only allows 2 smoothies through the day and one big meal.

    I am also now convinced that the smoothies, while they are good and healthy that this technique is no different from what I did to loose the weight the first time around.


    Crash diets - are the calories very low, are the foods very restrictive?
    Very low calorie for a long time will mess with your health. Very restrictive is not a behavioral change....the thing that helps you stay at goal weight.

    Green smoothies are a lifestyle? I guess it makes for good advertising. I don't think I would like any smoothie well enough to drink it for the rest of my life. That's what a lifestyle change is, a behavioral change that helps you keep your weight in check.

    Detoxes and cleanses are just the latest diet fad. This is woo. Your liver & kidneys do a fine job detoxing on their own.

    If drinking your calories is satisfying......if you can see using these as meal replacements forever....great, you found what works. But if this is only going to be a temporary thing.....find a maintenance plan before you get there.

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