So, having gone through 6.7 days of juice fasting, I thought I would share a little summary of my pros and cons. You can read about my actual experiences
here and
here.
Cons:
- Obviously the hunger. Made even worse by the fact that I still had to feed my kids and then sit there and watch them eat. Torture at times.
- The mess. Juicing is messsssssyyyyyy. Aside from all the prep you need to do for the produce, the juicer itself constantly needs cleaning. And it is kind of a pain. Not to mention the tiny bits of veggie pulp that go flying everywhere that I am still finding.
- Those days when you feel like absolute hell....tired, weak, grumpy, exhausted. Ugh. Combined with hunger? Kill me now, please.
- The cost. You need a ton of produce. Which can get really expensive. Plus a juicer, which isn't exactly cheap.
- Not conducive to a social life. I mean, you can't really go out for dinner and bring your juice...you know?
Pros:
- The weight loss factor. For me (because I am vain), this is the biggest pro. My starting weight was 147. My ending weight was 141.8. However, I think a good portion of this was water weight....I definitely have added some back. And I would not consider this a permanent or sustainable method of weight loss, unless you are prepared to make some serious lifestyle changes when you are done.
- The health factor. I mean, you are getting super doses of all those veggie and fruit vitamins and nutrients. All while avoiding the crap food you normally consume.
So...for the future....
My takeaways from this...I did like the idea of getting more fruit and veggie nutrients, so i do see myself adding in more vegetarian meals. And it was nice to kind of re-set my eating and drinking habits. There were several juices that I did like, so I do think I will sub one of those for a meal or snack, especially after a booze/sugar/processed food binge.
A new (to me) breakfast...apples and blueberries sautéed in coconut oil with a little cinnamon.
As to whether or not I would attempt another fast...I have no major health or weight issues, so I don't really need one. And I am thinking I didn't experience the same benefits as people who actually needed one. I guess I am not sure....maybe? But definitely not any time soon. I am enjoying masticating way too much to try it again now.
Another juicing-inspired meal...pineapple, tomatoes, and 1/2 a baked sweet potato with salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle chili powder.
So, having gone through 6.7 days of juice fasting, I thought I would share a little summary of my pros and cons. You can read about my actual experiences
here and
here.
Cons:
- Obviously the hunger. Made even worse by the fact that I still had to feed my kids and then sit there and watch them eat. Torture at times.
- The mess. Juicing is messsssssyyyyyy. Aside from all the prep you need to do for the produce, the juicer itself constantly needs cleaning. And it is kind of a pain. Not to mention the tiny bits of veggie pulp that go flying everywhere that I am still finding.
- Those days when you feel like absolute hell....tired, weak, grumpy, exhausted. Ugh. Combined with hunger? Kill me now, please.
- The cost. You need a ton of produce. Which can get really expensive. Plus a juicer, which isn't exactly cheap.
- Not conducive to a social life. I mean, you can't really go out for dinner and bring your juice...you know?
Pros:
- The weight loss factor. For me (because I am vain), this is the biggest pro. My starting weight was 147. My ending weight was 141.8. However, I think a good portion of this was water weight....I definitely have added some back. And I would not consider this a permanent or sustainable method of weight loss, unless you are prepared to make some serious lifestyle changes when you are done.
- The health factor. I mean, you are getting super doses of all those veggie and fruit vitamins and nutrients. All while avoiding the crap food you normally consume.
So...for the future....
My takeaways from this...I did like the idea of getting more fruit and veggie nutrients, so i do see myself adding in more vegetarian meals. And it was nice to kind of re-set my eating and drinking habits. There were several juices that I did like, so I do think I will sub one of those for a meal or snack, especially after a booze/sugar/processed food binge.
A new (to me) breakfast...apples and blueberries sautéed in coconut oil with a little cinnamon.
As to whether or not I would attempt another fast...I have no major health or weight issues, so I don't really need one. And I am thinking I didn't experience the same benefits as people who actually needed one. I guess I am not sure....maybe? But definitely not any time soon. I am enjoying masticating way too much to try it again now.
Another juicing-inspired meal...pineapple, tomatoes, and 1/2 a baked sweet potato with salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle chili powder.
It's cool that you're taking some ideas away from juicing, but you're right that it's absolutely not sustainable. I don't think I'd ever do it (I love eating too much, and honestly I can't see how it would possibly work out with how much that I exercise - I need to fuel for that!), but I can see it's benefit as a way to reset your eating/drinking a little. But as for weight loss that you can actually keep off? Probably not so much.
ReplyDeleteNo....and not all that much fun either. There are people out there who need something drastic to change, but I am not one of them. Oh...and I know you would not try this, but you are supposed to avoid most exercise while fasting. The one bonus for me....at least I had an excuse for sitting on the couch. ;)
DeleteAh, that makes sense - I couldn't figure out how anyone could be active while fasting! And the quick loss kind of reminds me of how I lost 6 pounds with food poisoning, definitely not fun, and it came right back.
DeleteI'm still torn. It's quite an accomplishment of will power, and I'd love to drop some quick ell-bees. Unfortunately, I think the mess is the deal breaker. Ain't nobody got time for that!
ReplyDeleteI think I saw a Groupon or Living Social thing where you can just BUY a juice cleanse, so that would at least eliminate the mess. But seriously, the not eating thing is a deal-breaker. My stomach is growling right now, and I just ate breakfast.
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