What do y'all think about juice only diets?

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

I've been considering trying it. Not for long, a week tops, but I'm curious if I'd be able to do it. Of course, I'd drink lots of water and vitamins, but no actual food. Its not that I'm fat (I'm a little out of shape, but I'm cool with that) or anthing, but I've been curious if I would be able to (not physically, but mentally)

[LadyoftheRabbits]

1. Good grief, no

Ugh. :( That sounds like unnecessary punishment. :P

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

2. You don't think it would be interesting to test one's will power like that

? :P To each their own I guess

[LadyoftheRabbits]

3. Ehh...

I guess. It was a knee jerk reaction :P You let us know how that goes... :shrug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

4. They won't cause permanent weight loss, but they are a good cleanse.

Really read up on it first, because it can be dangerous if done improperly. Also, focus on vegetable juice, not fruice juice. And you really need to have a juicer or a good juice bar, because you can't really do it with bottled vegetable juices. The sodium in them is insane.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

6. Yea. As I said, if I did do it, it would be out of a personal

challenge more than anything else. I had figured that low sodium V8, multi vitamins, 100% fruitjuice and water would suffice for a week. While I'm no expert, I've always figured that in a short term thing, as long as you got some protien and carbs, as well as vitamins

[auntAgonist]

8. you really should use juices you've made if you have a juicer

bottled stuff is full of sodium and sugars.

http://www.healthalternatives2000.com/fruit-nutrition-chart.html

and there's not enough protein in veggies to keep a mouse alive.

http://www.annecollins.com/protein_diet/protein-in-vegetables.htm
http://www.annecollins.com/protein_diet/protein_vegetables.htm
http://www.annecollins.com/protein_diet/protein-vegetables.htm

[ForeverWinter]

16. I don't know about mice...

But there's certainly enough protein in veggies to keep a career fitness instructor who is training for multiple marathons (yep, YT) alive and thriving. Especially in leafy greens like spinach and watercress. Yum.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. Honestly, if you're going to do a juice fast, you should do it right

and use fresh-made juices and drink very little fruit juices.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

10. Noted

:)

[sendero]

14. Well..

.. the sodium may be insane but it can be treated. There is no need to stigmatize the sodium!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

17. Well, generally people doing a juice fast are doing it as a cleanse.

You don't want the excess sodium or for that matter, bottled juices.

[sendero]

18. I need...

... more smilies or something.

[Blue_In_AK]

35. I got it.

:)

[auntAgonist]

5. why not

eat healthy?

If you're not 'fat' and a 'little out of shape' why bother with the juice 'diet'

OR

are you talking about the cleansing diets we hear so much about?

aA

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

7. Eating healthy is something I should really do anyway

but for this thing, I guess it would be more of a cleasing type thing. Just go for a week without any fat or refined sugars and see how I feel about it.

[ZombieNixon]

11. Hey, I love juice, but I don't think I could do juice only.

I need substance...meat or cheese or carbs or something. :shrug:

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. How old are you?

Aren't you in high school? What do your parents think about this?

[Left Is Write]

13. What do I think? It's not for me.

[AlCzervik]

15. i think for a day or 2 it would ok if you used fresh juice but i know

i'd be wicked cranky and even more unpleasant to be around than i am now with food in me.

[pitohui]

19. juice is sugar and water in a pretty container

we can't rant about the evils of fructose and then turn around and drink juice

it's a terrible idea but don't just blindly believe me, try it, you'll be amazed at how nauseated you get

[ForeverWinter]

20. Do you mean packaged juice, or homemade?

You're exactly right if you're referring to pasteurized, packaged juice. Homemade juice (made fresh and cold with no additives with your juicer), on the other hand, is just like eating fruit.
And fruit, whatever you may hear from the Atkins or Weight Watchers types, is not "fattening". You're getting a lot of nutrients and hydration for those calories. An apple a day is still the way to go...

[sir_captain]

21. actually, neither of you is quite right

juice, while hardly bad for you, has a much highe concentration of calories than a piece of fruit--think about it this way--if it takes x number of oranges to produce one glass of juice, there are going to be more calories in that glass of juice than there would be eating an orange.

that said, yay for eating fruit

[ForeverWinter]

24. No, I agree

If you juice 3 oranges, instead of one, you're eating 3 oranges, instead of one.
However, the amount of calories is well balanced by the amount of nutrients, and frankly, I've known many people (YT included) to gain weight off many things, but fresh squeezed OJ isn't one of them. I'd worry about the refined flour and refined sugar first!

[sir_captain]

25. absolutely

we are in complete agreement. it's just a little tricky when people drink lots of juice or eat a lot of dried fruit and don't realize how many calories that could be ingesting.

[pitohui]

26. i mean fresh squeezed juice from the tree i grew it on

test yourself on the glucose meter, i'm fairly disgusted to learn that my organically grown and squeezed juice might as well be a chocolate bar

[ForeverWinter]

29. I'm not sure you should be so concerned...

Glucose, or fructose, specifically, isn't so bad and in fact is what fuels me through 5.10 125' pitches, marathons, and century bike rides. Sugar is fuel, if you don't alter and refine and distort it.
On a related note, you'll be happy to learn that chocolate bars aren't necessarily "bad" for you! Shoot for something dark, organic, at least 70% pure cocoa, without refined sugar, and do it in moderation, and it's no problem. :D Cheers!

[sir_captain]

22. there's a difference between fructose

and HFCS -- the latter is the one that has a statistical correlation with obesity and diabetes and so on

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

23. Not fresh vegetable juice.

You know, kale, spinach, that sort of thing.

[pitohui]

27. kale, spinach don't squeeze out juice

okay so it's too hot here to grow spinach but i raise kale, it does not produce juice, no way, no how

[ForeverWinter]

30. A good juicer does squeeze kale.

I do a juice of kale, romaine, ginger, and lemon for breakfast 3 times a week. It's not a whole lot of juice, for sure. Maybe a few tablespoons per 5 to 7 leaves, so you're right that it isn't much, but it's something.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

37. Yes, they do.

I worked at a health food store with a juice bar. I've made juice with kale and spinach many times. Sorry, but you're wrong.

[chaska]

28. The body can take anything for a week....

If you're healthy you'll be fine. Go for it. I know where you're coming from, I like to do weird things like this too. I just finished a 40 day water only* fast (not recommended). I did it sort of in conjunction with the Cindy Sheehan Code Pink fast.

Write to Jodie at Code Pink. She'll steer you toward some resources on fasting.

*Contrary to the advice given here, you need sodium. Otherwise it is very easy to get dehydrated. I drank a cocktail of Propel fitness water (basically sugar free) and Pedialyte to maintain my electrolytic balance. I took a multivitamin and a potasium tablet (very important, you need a small amount of carb too, for proper brain function) a day, as well.

Remember, damn few people, in this country at least, know ANYTHING about fasting. Oh wait, I have something useful. If I can find it I'll post it.

Here 'tis: http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1996

[Lethe]

31. done juice fast a few times, they are doable

it is a good test of someone's willpower. the first three days are the hardest, then your body will acclimate a little and the hunger won't be so bad. i did several from 3-7 days.

i think juice fasts are a good way to cleanse every so often. it really lets your body clean house and get correct itself. if you are really interested, try to read up a little on the subject, and how to do it properly. one thing to remember is that your digestive system will be slowing down, but your body will be trying to get rid of stuff it doesnt want. you might think about doing salt water flush or enemas if you feel bad. doing one of those will make you feel better instantly. there is no reason to suffer (except hunger) on a juice fast. also don't break the fast with food, cook a veggie soup and eat that for a day first. (it will seem like a feast)

i wouldnt do a juice fast with canned juice. only juice from fresh veggies and fruit. the easiest juice fast to do with no equipment is the lemonade one. it is organic lemons and grade b organic maple syrup.

protein not much of an issue for fasts less than 10 days. you could get away with drinking raw eggs if you feel like you need the protein. (most juice fast gurus will gasp at that)

you will lose weight, but half will come back fairly fast. on my first 7 day fast i lost around 15 pounds and slowly gained 5 back over a couple months.

i disagree with a lot of what the juice diet people say about nutrition. (i am not an expert or doctor though) specifically with regards to them dismissing concerns about low protein and low fat intake for prolong periods of time.

[ForeverWinter]

If you are worried about fat and protein...

Coconut water has a significant amount of fat, and it's SO tasty, and some leafy greens have more protein than most animal flesh.

[bonito]

32. If you juice the veggies make sure you wash them

carrots for sure, much comes from so.america and you can get worms, I know first hand and second. carrot juice really gives you energy, I don't care for the taste but I still drink it.

[Kali]

33. (putting on fire retardant suit)

Evolutionarily speaking, I would suggest occasional fasting is more "natural" than a vegan diet.

[astral]

34. So much contradictory information!

It is very confusing when you try to educate yourself about health issues, so many people who seem to know what they're talking about totally contradict once another, and my conclusion is simply that we are not all built the same, and we don't all have the same kinds of needs nutritionally.

I also have never tried to actually fast, although considered it many times.

Ikhor had an interesting comment QUOTE: "i wouldnt do a juice fast with canned juice. only juice from fresh veggies and fruit. the easiest juice fast to do with no equipment is the lemonade one. it is organic lemons and grade b organic maple syrup.

Some years back I heard an interview on the Art Bell show with Merle Haggard, who'd been on this lemon juice fast with either real maple syrup or raw honey, and he also had alot of cayenne pepper in there, but I do not recall whether that was all the ingredients. He'd gotten so high feeling off this fast he couldn't believe it.

Read some stuff online as to the different reasons for fasting which dictate the different kinds of fasts there are instructions for, and from people who actually practice doing it and can tell you first hand about it. I'd like to hear more on this topic.

A little organic apple cider vinegar mixed with pure water might be a good thing to add to your juice fast, as well as the organic raw honey and/or organic blackstrap molasses, as these things add minerals and vitamins.

[Lethe]

36. very confusing sometimes!

compounding the problem is the fact that so many "experts" rely on dogma instead of scientific studies or evidence. And then there is the fact that everyone's body is different and has different needs.

yep sounds like Merle was doing the lemonade fast, also called the Master Cleanse. the book was written by Stanley Burroughs. The diet works great but he is flat wrong on a lot of points he makes in the book. He says that humans can use the nitrogen in the air to make amino acids, and some other bizarre things. It tastes just like lemonade with the maple syrup. I tried it once with the molasses and it was awful i thought. The grade b organic maple syrup is supposed to have trace minerals and vitamins. (good for pancakes too hehe!)