Juan Foote

I watched this docu/film on Netflix the other day and was rather intrigued with the results the people presented gained from this dietary change. I have changed my eating habits to a much more healthy and sustainable diet over the last couple of years, both as a desire to change my health as it related to what I was eating and weight, as well as due to a health condition my wife has that results in her inability to eat many different types of foods.
In essence I eat almost no red meat, no fried foods (or rarely) or fast food perhaps once a week, I eat very little pasta (she can't) or breads. We eat lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, yogurt, cheese, chicken and pork perhaps three meals a week, fish one, potatoes, rice, etc. I have gotten to a point where when I do eat fast food I can tell how bad it makes me feel afterward. I never noticed this before changing my diet. I wouldn't go so far as to say I have "detoxed" in the spirit of the documentary, but certainly have made positive enough changes that I notice when I am not eating right almost immediately.

Since changing my diet, and with all the riding I am doing right now I have gotten down to the 210# range. I am currently riding around 95 miles a week, but that is down from what I normally average at around 150-200 due to some outside issues and time. I weighed around 180# for a long time until I started into my 30's and then went to around 220# and stayed pretty consistent with that until my accident. I would be super happy if I could get back below 200, and a goal of around 180-190#. My blood pressure has gotten much better over the last year, as well as my pulse rate.

I was considering doing the 10 day program with this juice thing, see if I can drop those pesky pounds that I cannot seem to get rid of with my regular regimen, and then go back to a more normal diet. The thing is that I have found unless I eat pretty well before most of my rides that I feel weak on the bike and in some cases will even start shaking a bit like hypoglycemia (which I have not been diagnosed with, or diabetes).

I was curious to know if any of you have tried this program and if so, what your results were while on it and riding?

tallteacher

I watched/showed to my class that film as well as forks over knives (also on netflix)...watching those can really make one reconsider their diet.... after watching the forks over knives as well as the engine house 2 (or something) sequel/continuation of forks over knives we have changed our usual diet pretty heavily....

my wife sticks to a vegan regiment pretty closely with the occasional cheese dish thrown in... we have stopped buying milk and eggs (how i miss eggs)....she eats a diet that about 90-95% dairy free (cheese stuff)

Me...well..i cheat a lil more often than she does.....occasional hamburger, chicken sandwich, ham sandwich, etc....no eggs in months....i DO eat yogurt though....have substituted almond milk for regular milk...its more expensive but i drink less so i THINK its averaging out... we havent bought meat in months either....

I decided to NOT juice but rather get a blendtec blender ....it was between vitamix and blendtec...at the time the blendtec was a better deal through costco... I chose the expensive blender over the juicer to 1, avoid the mess, and 2, so i can get all of the fiber and other goodies that juicers cant... i aim for one a day...i try to get creative with what I put in...a green smoothie for me usually consists of...almond milk or water....for greens i alternate between spinach, collard greens and kale....or a combo of 2 of those....fruit wise i like bananas, seeded and seedless grapes, mango, apples, or whatever is on sale..love frozen berries but they can be pricey... and i also forget them sometimes if i do have them.....
the last things i alternate between is pb, greek yogurt and honey,

i can tell a difference when i DO eat red meat, that night and the morning after...it has helped me lose weight and i dont find myself missing some of those foods....that being said i DO occasionally cheat with a juicy cheeseburger and stuff...

good luck to you ...i know i should cleanse for 10 days or so but im not sure i could eat like that ONLY for that long...

Ridefreemc

+1 on the Blentec. We have been putting it through its paces with many hundreds of smoothies (387 to be exact). I have high-priced juicers, but the cleanup turns me off.

My wife makes some very tasty smoothies for us, many times with a bit of ginger and lemon juice - not much fruit. She even throws in the Avocado seed now and then.

We don't juice for all meals but just as a meal replacement now and then. I think it is a great idea to start somewhere and ease it into your schedule/diet.

Juan Foote

You do know that avocado seed contains poison, strychnine IIRC...

Ridefreemc

We know and we likey!

Just kidding, but thank you for the warning. It's actually cyanide (aka B17) and is not harmful. Some even say that it helps prevent cancer.

tallteacher

ever tried using canned pumpkin? or cantaloupe with seeds???

Mithrandir

I'm probably going to check those out this week. Not sure if I'll like them as health documentaries generally make me very uneasy (all things related to the health industry do; not sure why but it may explain why my bp always skyrockets at the doctors office!), but I'll try, and if I learn anything new, so much the better.

Closed Office

Haven't seen the show but it sounds like my story from what is being said here. The eating healthy thing grows on you. I used to be enthusiastic about chocolate, but now don't even care.

I don't use juicers or blenders. I really like fruit whole. Just biting into an orange gets better juice than I've ever tasted out of a container.

I put up a page with my most frequent and very simple recipe for the last 6 months. A messy popcorn recipe. Popcorn with a healthy twist.

I appreciate that kind of stuff now more than I ever did chocolate.

tallteacher

Forks over Knives presents a little more science...but it does make you think.....that part i like..i dont like the part about feeling guilty or that ill get a tumor and die when i have a bacon cheeseburger

ZippyThePinhead

I watched this movie, as did several in my family. I will have a mean green once in a while, but my sister-in-law did a ten-day juice fast and apparently did experience some benefits.

The movie has been discussed extensively here on BF, so take a look at some of the threads. There are some saavy observations/comments in some of them.

The only observation I can add: if you really want to do it seriously, I think the Breville Juicer shown in the movie is a good one. I bought a different one and regretted it later when I learned a little more. The main advantage the Breville offers is automatic pulp ejection. It has a hopper for pulp and a container for juice. The one I bought is not bad, but it does not automatically eject the pulp, which is a hassle. Cleaning it is a pain in comparison to the Breville.

chewybrian 

I think hypoglycemia is more like a symptom than a disease. It might be an indicator that you have a condition, but it can happen to anyone. You can avoid or postpone it by eating properly before, during and after your ride. There is good info at this site: UMCA

Here's a sample, and apologies if this is not news to anyone, but it can be a helpful for someone who has not learned it, especially for would-be long distance riders. Nutrition turns out to be the number one show-stopper on all-day rides, like randos or 24-hour races,

"...During an overnight fast, liver glycogen is used to maintain blood glucose levels. If liver glycogen isn't restored (by eating) before starting to ride, hypoglycemia can develop and will contribute to premature exhaustion...

...During the ride...Begin to take in fluid and energy immediately. If you allow a defecit to develop, it's almost impossible to recover..."

soloexceptional

Watched it last month and it is really the type of information that smacks you up side the head..

Juan Foote

I noted quite a bit of dis-information as well, but I suppose that is typical of "advice" from an online forum. Some good info to be gleaned as well. Thanks for the link.

ZippyThePinhead

Exactly; with any Internet forum advice, you take a little and leave a little.

markm109

Also watched the movie on Netflix. Very interesting but not sure I could do it for 10 days. My wife talked me into a Vitamix which I agreed to because I liked the idea of getting everything from fruits/veggies, not wasting the pulp. We use it for green drinks most mornings and I have one after riding sometimes with some extra rice protein powder thrown in. The green drinks have spinach and kale - two greens I never ate until we got the Vitamix.

I've been Vegan for 4 years so the Vitamix helps a lot. Rice / Soy / Coconut ice cream is very expensive. Now I just make fruit sorbet quickly and a lot cheaper than store bought. Also make soups like tortilla soup with it on occasion. I wasn't sure how much we would use it but by keeping it on the counter, it really is quick and easy to make stuff.

One added benefit, by son came back from college and had gained weight. He also doesn't like veggies - prefers quick fast unhealthy food. He actually likes the green drinks and has been making them for breakfast too. He's actually eating healthy.

I highly recommend changing your diet to more whole, less processed foods. And getting a good blender helped me eat foods that are good for you.