ChrisM2097

Anyone in here try Juice Fasting? My wife and I have been on a low-glycemic (basically low carb) diet for a while. It was working great at first, but we've both hit a plateau. I'm 6'2" & currently 255lb (down from ~305-310). I want to shed another 40-50lb.

Anyways, I know it's always a good thing to change things up, so I'm going to try something different - even if it's just for a week or two. I've been reading about Juice Fasting, and recently watched the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". I'm not looking for a miracle transformation like those folks, just something to get me past the current plateau.

What are your experiences with the juice fast? I've heard the first few days can be very difficult. Did you do it to lose weight? Detox? Both? How effective was it? Did it affect your riding in any way (strength, endurance, etc)?

FrenchFit 

Yo Milpitas. I realize I'm off your juice topic...but I'm entering month six of intermittent fasting, more or less following Ori's Warrior Diet. I've scheduled a physical for end of August, I'm saving my review until then. But I like what I see, and that's with regular dinners at night, going out for extravagant meals, enjoying cocktails-beer-wine. As "diets" go, crazy easy to maintain. I wouldn't say strength, but definitely sustained energy. I just noticed my resting HR has dropped into the 50s, I'm thrilled! Ori's book is on Amazon, Kindle, you might give it a look.

sstorkel

When I want to break through a plateau, I take 7-10 days off from dieting and cut back on exercise. I don't go crazy with my eating, but I increase my calories to the point where I think I'm going to maintain my current weight or maybe gain a pound or two. After a week on a more "normal" diet, I find that returning to my regular weight loss plan starts working again.

ChrisM2097

I've read several articles on Dr. Mercola's website regarding intermittent fasting, and how beneficial it is, especially when it's combined with high-intensity (fast-twitch) workouts. This is something I'm also considering.

I've tried that. It hasn't helped me much.

Sasquatch16

This has worked for me. I have lost almost 100 lbs. I will lose 25 lbs or so and when I stall I will eat a little more and try to maintain within a few months and then go back to cutting calories and weight will come off a little faster. I read this someplace but cannot remember where.

TrojanHorse

My wife and I did the juice thing for 7 days back in January or so - i was suffering from post-holiday fatness and wanted to get back to my preholiday weight (about 12 lbs lower or so... so i was 213 before Thanksgiving and got up to 226 or so and it just wasn't going down)

I gave up coffee, alcohol and just juiced for that 7 days and I tell you, giving up coffee cold turkey was painful.

It did work, I did lose a bunch of weight in a hurry and got down to 215 and was able to maintain that until my recent ankle surgery (hello 228!). I didn't notice any particular lack of energy aside from my caffeine issues and those headaches but... i will tell you that I dreaded making another juice. We tried to mix it up with different veggies and I learned a few things. Find a recipe that works, inventing your own can have bad results, taste-wise. I wasn't hungry. It got to the point where I didn't want to drink anything either because I wasn't happy doing it.

We scaled back to juicing once a day just to make sure we got some veggies in our system, and we changed our diet to include a lot more vegetables and lean protein like chicken or fish and I was dramatically happier doing that.

So the outtake is that it was good for busting off my plateau and I may do it for a week again in August for the same reason. it's a lot of work though - you have to have sufficient fresh vegetables, eat 'em before they go bad and then cleaning that juicer 5 times a day was a pain too. See if you can borrow a juicer before committing $300 to one.

tunavic

TH, why not just juice with one of these: A Vitamix blender. It's more expensive than a juicer but it does a lot more and it's much easier to clean.

link: https://secure.vitamix.com/5200-Getting-Started.aspx

ChrisM2097

I've already got a juicer (Jack Lalanne), and a BlendTec blender. I live in an area with plenty of farmers markets, and grocery stores with a plethora of organic fruits and veggies...so getting fresh produce won't be a problem. I'll definitely have to experiment with recipes to find out what I like.

Anyone have any recipes that worked good for them?

Right now, I'm just trying to make use of the last of our perishable groceries - meats, eggs, dairy, etc. so that we can start the juice fast without wasting what we've already purchased.

TrojanHorse

Supposedly the blenders are better because you don't lose all the pulp but I've already got a juicer and there is no N+1 rule for juicers so I'm good there.

ChrisM2097

I've heard both sides of the argument:

Blender = Less veggies, less fiber, less expense (because of using less produce)
Juicer = less fiber, but because you're using more veggies, you're getting more nutrients

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...f-juicing.aspx

tunavic

You obviously haven't been to blenderforums.net

TrojanHorse

I believe that domain is open for your exclusive use! Have you blended tuna yet?

tunavic

They obviously aren't using a Vitamix

tunavic

I took a young man fishing with me once. He didn't know the fisherman's rule. The first large specimen of each species you catch........you have to eat the heart raw.

Here he is.........no juicer or blender necessary Oh and Coke makes everything taste great!

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RWBlue01

Cube mate tried juicing. Basically what he said is it get the gut moving. i.e. Don't plan on riding to begin with.

ChrisM2097

Thanks! I'll try to stay within 100 yards of a restroom for the first couple days!

ChrisM2097

Friday morning I weighed 256lb. I started the juice fast Friday afternoon. Saturday morning i weighed 252.5. This morning (Sunday), I'm down to 250.5.


*** TMI Warning ***

What I've found odd is that I haven't had a bowel movement since Thursday. I added psyllium husk to my breakfast shake this morning. Hopefully that helps.

ChrisM2097

Down another 1/2 lb this morning, for a total of 6 lb after juicing for 2.5 days. My wife is also doing this, and has lost 3 lb. I think I'll try to stick with it until Friday, since I'm going to be traveling next week, and will need a transition period to get my body used to 'normal' food before I go.

Depending on how I feel, I may do it again when I get back home.

ChrisM2097

True, but https://www.blenderbabes.com/ is already taken.

zandoval 

Most of the recipes I have looked into just did not have enough Bourbon to make them palatable...

There is of course a very quick solution for this problem...

jimnolimit

what are you using as a protein source?

ChrisM2097

https://www.3fatchicks.com/top-8-vege...gh-in-protein/

There are many vegetables that provide protein, but since I was planning on doing this only for a week, and thousands of people successfully fast without significant protein intake on a regular basis, I wasn't too worried about it.

Now, if I was planning on doing the fast long term, or if I were to become a vegetarian (not likely, since I love hunting and fishing), I would definitely be concerned about a protein source.

IAMAMRA

Just be warned when you stop doing it be prepared for a gain. My brother in law did it, lost fifty and gained 65. Problem with these type of things is they are not sustainable, and you often gain twice as much as you loose.

ChrisM2097

If you go back to your old habits, then yes you'll put it all back on.

I did the Atkins diet 20 years ago. Lost 90. Then gained 140. Been there, done that.

Diets don't work. Lifestyle changes do.

WonderMonkey

No matter what anybody chooses make sure that you aren't losing muscle while you are losing weight. It's great to lose xxx lbs but if you are losing muscle in the process then in reality it isn't the thing to do.