juice fast?!? ....thoughts?

racheljones_2007
racheljones_2007 Posts: 8 Member
Anyone ever try a Juice fast ? The one in particular I am talking about is featured in the documentary "Fat, Sick, and almost dead" (you can watch it on netflix) He takes a juicer and makes juice out of fruits and vegetables for each of his three meals. The reason he used a juicer is because in order for you to get the calories you need out of just fruits and vegetables(nuts and beans are also allowed) you would have to juice them because it would be way too many to eat. you can do it for a week as a detox (from caffeine, fast food, and other junk) or in his case he did it 60 days and lost a lot of weight (plus was able to be taken off his medication) and after the 60 days he adopted a healthy life style. and it seemed to be healthy. I was wondering if anyone has tried this or something like it ? any success or failure with it ?

Replies

  • I liked that documentary. Wanted to try, but haven't had the nerve to yet! :)
  • Sorry it is called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" and you can also watch it on youtube
  • jcearth
    jcearth Posts: 46 Member
    It didn't work too well for Cameron and Mitchell.
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
    Why would you want to do that to yourself?
  • Honestly a bad idea as you will be deficient in things such as EFA, protein etc that are vital for the healing of your body, skin, cell and organ health.
  • I did juicing for 18 months back in the early 2000's. I did also incorporate all raw fruits and vegetables in now juice form as well after a while. I lost 96 pounds total. I was never ill. I felt amazing and had more energy than I have ever had in my life. Unfortunately, it is extremely hard to keep up with. Many trips a week to the grocery store or farmer's market in addition to constantly making fresh juice. IF you can do it - I highly recommend giving it a try. The diet I followed was called the Hallelujah Diet. You can probably google it. Best of luck!
  • I enjoyed doing the blueprint cleanse... it was for 3 days and rocked!
  • I have read a lot about detox diets and juicing things and here are a couple of my opinions:
    1. It is unhealthy
    Any nutritionist will tell you that these new fad cleansing diets and juices are unhealthy for the body. The way the intestines work is via maintaining healthy flora that can break down the foods and absorb nutrients into the body for your benefit. Killing these bacteria and essentially starving them of nutrients can be potentially harmful to your body and cause you to become sick .
    2. It is unnatural
    Does anyone on a normal basis drink juice for every meal? Only those who are unable to process the food themselves because of illness have to do this. The purpose of the diet is not only to LOSE weight but also to have a healthy relationship with food. Juicing everything doesn't promote this and it brings me to my next point...

    3. It is often unrealistic
    A diet is a way of eating on a daily basis. If you are someone who can truly keep up with drinking juices every single day, not only will it eventually make you ill because your body won't be getting what it needs nutrient wise, but it also is relatively unrealistic for those of us who enjoy eating. Think about socially... can you go out with friends and family and always be juicing things? Probably not.

    4. It should be discussed with a physician
    Any time a diet is started, especially one as potentially harmful as this, a discussion should be held between you and a physician. Now, being on the doctor's side (I am a medical student) I will say that not every doctor is really knowledgeable on this topic but a primary care doctor should be able to give you insight and help you to make the best diet decision for yourself
  • I have read a lot about detox diets and juicing things and here are a couple of my opinions:
    1. It is unhealthy
    Any nutritionist will tell you that these new fad cleansing diets and juices are unhealthy for the body. The way the intestines work is via maintaining healthy flora that can break down the foods and absorb nutrients into the body for your benefit. Killing these bacteria and essentially starving them of nutrients can be potentially harmful to your body and cause you to become sick .
    2. It is unnatural
    Does anyone on a normal basis drink juice for every meal? Only those who are unable to process the food themselves because of illness have to do this. The purpose of the diet is not only to LOSE weight but also to have a healthy relationship with food. Juicing everything doesn't promote this and it brings me to my next point...

    3. It is often unrealistic
    A diet is a way of eating on a daily basis. If you are someone who can truly keep up with drinking juices every single day, not only will it eventually make you ill because your body won't be getting what it needs nutrient wise, but it also is relatively unrealistic for those of us who enjoy eating. Think about socially... can you go out with friends and family and always be juicing things? Probably not.

    4. It should be discussed with a physician
    Any time a diet is started, especially one as potentially harmful as this, a discussion should be held between you and a physician. Now, being on the doctor's side (I am a medical student) I will say that not every doctor is really knowledgeable on this topic but a primary care doctor should be able to give you insight and help you to make the best diet decision for yourself

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  • catdoc1
    catdoc1 Posts: 227 Member
    I just received a Breville juicer today and plan a modified juicing "fast." In other words, I will replace 1 - 2 meals a day with juice and eat 1 - 2 meals per day. I'll use the pulp to make crackers and to stir into other recipes, so nothing is wasted (the thought of wasting organic produce is NOT okay with me).

    A long-term (60 day) juice fast may not have enought protein, but I think the folks that raise concerns haven't done their homework and are having a kneejerk response (but have your best interest at heart). I suggest checking out www.jointhereboot.com and books such as Idiots Guide to Plant-based Nutrition for more information before you decide what's best for you.
  • maura5880
    maura5880 Posts: 346 Member
    It didn't work too well for Cameron and Mitchell.

    lmao! Obsessed with Modern Family.

    To the OP, personally I'd never do a juice fast, or anything else with the word "fast" unless it happened to be the day before Lent! Just thinking logically about it, it can't be good to deny your body of actual food..
  • Spunndaze
    Spunndaze Posts: 10 Member
    I for one subscribe to the juice fasting philosophy.

    I'm on day 23 and feel great. There is a 3-7 day window of major detoxing that kicked my *kitten*, but once the fog lifted, my energy has been phenomenal. I was 235lb when I began, so weight loss was not my primary motivation ... my paradigm shift was the cleansing part of it. I am a typical american with a crappy diet and juicing (rebooting) is working for me. I was going to do a 60 day fast, but it's just not feasible for me.. my weight this morning was 205.9lbs.

    The reboot for me was always more of a cleanse than a weight loss program. The amount of nutrients (juice) that I consume daily is more than anything Ive eaten daily in years.. I will not be protein deficient in the time I'm on the program .. No way, full stop.

    The one thing I did have a concern with was "whats next"... what substantial change was I going to make that would help make my reboot take hold...something that would enable me to sustain a healthily lifestyle. It was by chance that I stumbled into something called P90X . I have decided to not go 60 days with my fast (for reason above) but instead I will break the fast once I hit 199lb :) I will then (once I retrain myself to eat solid foods), begin round one of P90X. I will use the P90X program to teach me good nutrition and how to eat. The side benefit will be I will lose the rest of the fat I have been carrying around for the past 20 years.

    If you are thinking of rebooting (juice fasting) I suggest you look at www.jointhereboot.com. It has all the information you will need to for you to decide if this may work for you. Also if you end up doing it there are FB groups(the reboot site is great for information but blows as an active community (the site is not set up for it, despite the bazilion members) .The group I belong to is rebooting 2011.
  • Charlottejogs
    Charlottejogs Posts: 351 Member
    I am interested in incorporating juicing into my diet by replacing breakfast and snacks- maybe lunch. Does anyone use a juicer they would recommend highly? I am trying not to spend a lot so I am also interested in any resources you know of to purchase a used one. Thanks!
  • Shannonigans84
    Shannonigans84 Posts: 693 Member
    I tried it after watching the documentary... it's very time consuming and requires a lot of work. That alone turned me off on it, along with how I felt by 8pm.
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    60 Days????? I am not a believer in self-deprivation. I've seen it work only temporarily for those that I know who tried it. I don't know anyone who has tried the juice fast, but 60 days is just plain crazy IMO. I truly believe to the only way to lose weight and be healthy is in portion size and control. Everything in moderation!
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
    It didn't work too well for Cameron and Mitchell.

    That just seals the deal for me....forget it! :laugh:
  • cdalt24
    cdalt24 Posts: 55
    It didn't work too well for Cameron and Mitchell.

    hahahaha oh my god. my thought exactly while reading this! LOVE it
  • shreddin_mama
    shreddin_mama Posts: 1,076 Member
    It didn't work too well for Cameron and Mitchell.

    lol that's who i was thinking about when i clicked on this post
  • shreddin_mama
    shreddin_mama Posts: 1,076 Member
    OK so i just watched the trailer...i can't believe how much weight that guy has lost. 60 days is a long time but if that's what motivates some people to lose weight than I'm all for it. Is this something you plan on doing?
  • racheljones_2007
    racheljones_2007 Posts: 8 Member
    I'm not sure if i plan on doing it or not I am researching it for now I dont see really that it is unhealthy there is protein in the juice 9grams if i remember correctly I am kind of wondering if i do the juice and eat only fruits, vegetables,and almonds, with it hmmmm???anyways i am just checking into it I am not into quick fixes the reason this interests me is to get a clean slate food wise thank you for all your opinions by the way who is cameron and mitchell or whoever
  • I've seen the film and read quite a bit on it. I've water fasted myself for days at a time and would recommend it to anyone. It's safe, as long as you don't have specific health complications and do your research first. A friend of mine (at 180lbs) juice fasted for 30 days and lost 20 lbs. She worked the rest of the weight off and two years later, weighs 130lb.
  • racheljones_2007
    racheljones_2007 Posts: 8 Member
    I just googled cameron and mitchell and watched that episode how funny lol
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    Anyone ever try a Juice fast ? The one in particular I am talking about is featured in the documentary "Fat, Sick, and almost dead" (you can watch it on netflix) He takes a juicer and makes juice out of fruits and vegetables for each of his three meals. The reason he used a juicer is because in order for you to get the calories you need out of just fruits and vegetables(nuts and beans are also allowed) you would have to juice them because it would be way too many to eat. you can do it for a week as a detox (from caffeine, fast food, and other junk) or in his case he did it 60 days and lost a lot of weight (plus was able to be taken off his medication) and after the 60 days he adopted a healthy life style. and it seemed to be healthy. I was wondering if anyone has tried this or something like it ? any success or failure with it ?
    Meh. Any "liquid" diet is a fad and temporary at best. Also, lack of certain minerals and macros wouldn't steer me to doing this nor recommending it to clients.
  • lfronczek
    lfronczek Posts: 11 Member
    I did it for 14 days and lost about 9 lbs. The first three days were the hardest and I almost quit but I stuck it out. I don't think I would do it again because it was very time consuming and it was hard to manage the juice all day at work because I don't have a fridge.
    Also an FYI, you are not supposed to eat nuts while doing the Reboot:

    Can I eat nuts with a fast?

    Reboot Nutritionist Stacy Kennedy says:
    Nuts are not advised during the fast but raw, unprocessed nuts are great for afterwards.

    Source: http://jointhereboot.com/health-faq-am-i-getting-enough-calcium-during-my-reboot/
  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
    No, I have not tried it. I prefer the old fashioned method called "Chewing"....plus, I don't want a permanent toilet ring imprinted on my butt. If I ever get a sex life, that could limit things.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    and after the 60 days he adopted a healthy life style. and it seemed to be healthy.

    This is exactly why the juice fast is completely unnecessary. Just adopt a healthy lifestyle. Start today, not 60 days from now.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,027 Member
    I'm not sure if i plan on doing it or not I am researching it for now I dont see really that it is unhealthy there is protein in the juice 9grams if i remember correctly I am kind of wondering if i do the juice and eat only fruits, vegetables,and almonds, with it hmmmm???anyways i am just checking into it I am not into quick fixes the reason this interests me is to get a clean slate food wise thank you for all your opinions by the way who is cameron and mitchell or whoever
    9 grams of protein? Just to keep the lean muscle you have without losing it to catabolism, you'd need about .8grams per pound of body weight.

    Cameron and Mitchell are characters on "MODERN FAMILY" and there was an episode on them juice fasting (and starving!!!!). It was hilarious, especially when Mitchell started to cry..............
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
    I wanted to try it but after tryin to buy enough fruits and veggies for the first week i was outta money by the second week and i didn't eat juice like every meal i only added in once or twice a day.
  • acerealtor
    acerealtor Posts: 6
    what most people forget about the film fat sick and nearly dead-- the fasting was the warm up for a lifestyle change -
    no caffeine, alcohol, sugar or processed food plus the introduction of an active healthy lifestyle.
    that last bit of the film was not emphasized as dramatically as the fasting itself.

    fasting may be a helpful tool for breaking the bonds of bad eating habits, or food addictions.

    the nutritional constitution of each juice is important. juiced root vegetable and fruits are
    high in sugar...vegetables above the ground are vitally important.
    it's good to be detailed about what your putting into you body daily.. and continue
    this vigilance when you start reintroducing solid foods. people most successful with long term weight loss are highly detailed about their diet daily and tracking caloric and, nutritional content, activity log, and weight logs. -source some documentary I saw on Netflix. it's a lot of work with the best payoff. your health... let's all run towards a healthy lifestyle

    I am on day 23 of a second juice fast. I was drinking daily and it scared me...two glasses of wine turned into four beers a day...
    so I s
    stopped everything nothing but juices until the desire goes away....
    it's still there, as is my desire for caffeine which I have cheated
    with black tea and sugar!
    .. so I will continue until the desire for sugar goes away or until my body says it's time to eat..

    breaking the fast it's my intention to use fresh 20... a shopping list meal plan program that helps you make meals at home using fresh ingredients... I don't feel great or enlightened and my skin does not glow... but I have not had drink in 23 days and
    I feel my personal feelings are more even keeled. And that is great for getting stuff done.
  • M______
    M______ Posts: 288 Member
    Have a juice a day, it is great for you and an easy way to get all of those nutrients in 10 seconds of drinking. But also eat food. Just stay under the calorie goals. And don't forget you can also blend that green drink, same drink but you get the fiber.
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