The Juice Project

Hey Star, I'm more of a "spicy over sweet" kinda person. A couple of indulgent foods on my list to treat myself to after reaching my weight loss target include: chicken tikka masala w/ veg samosas & chicken fajitas. I really appreciate your post today about juice fasting myths. I was also wondering about whether or not I would end up gaining weight when I start eating solid food again. I feel as though I will never stop juicing though. The benefits of fresh juices are just too amazing to ignore. After my fast I plan on eating meals that include complex proteins and carbs about 20% of the time and the other 80% fresh fruits, veg and grain. Let me know how the wheat grass works out. I used to take 1 oz shots and it was pretty nasty stuff. I guess mixing it in with other stuff would be the way to go.
 
Originally Posted by Starlillies


Yay! 1 pound less!

Morning juice = carrots, pear, collard greens, strawberries, parsley & flax



I have been reading up on the ideas of muscle loss and gaining weight back quickly after I reach my goal weight and found some interesting info

These are 3 Myths of juice fasting explained



Myth #1 - Juice Fasts contribute to muscle breakdown

As far as muscle loss is concerned, there is a slight breakdown in muscle tissue in the early portion of a fast, but then stabilization occurs. Essentially, you have to tear down a house before you can rebuild it. Personally, the dramatic detoxification experienced in a juice fast is worth a little muscle loss to me. A fast not only detoxifies as Dr. Fuhrman highlights in “Fasting and Eating for Healthâ€, “it also breaks down superfluous tissue – fat, abnormal cells, athermoatous plaque, and tumors and releases diseased tissues and their cellular products into the circulation for eliminationâ€. Compelling benefits which are hard to ignore!



Myth #2 - Most detox-type diets incorporate little to no protein, which are not only building blocks of cells but also a key ingredient to losing weight

We have to rethink what we have been taught about protein. We do need protein – both the essential and non-essential amino acids that make up a “proteinâ€. We can’t be healthy without protein. However, we have been led to believe that animal based proteins are the only way to get the necessary amino acids (or protein) we need – in the form we need. Leafy green foods however also have protein! Per calorie, green veggies actually have more protein than animal based products. Pretty cool!



Myth #3 - A juice fast will slow your metabolism down, leading to weight gain when you start eating again

Skeptics believe a fast or diet that cuts calories too low will trigger a biological response that will slow your metabolism down and when you begin eating again you will typically regain all the weight you lost on the fast (usually just water weight) plus more. Veteran detox enthusiast and clinical nutritionist Natalia Rose expands upon this often raised fear beautifully in her online community, “detoxtheworld.comâ€. She notes, “A well executed fast actually improves metabolic function. The metabolism is not some phantom part of the body that operates in a vacuum, but the composite of every system in the body constantly breaking down substances that threaten its pristine state. The metabolism keeps the body clear and functioning optimally from the cellular level through (1) ingestion, (2) digestion, (3) absorption, and (4) elimination. Maximum metabolic power comes from ensuring there is never more to metabolize than these systems can gracefully manage. If the cells become overwhelmed and congested with more than they can reasonably metabolize, the whole body becomes congested and backed up with waste. This is why diets recommending 3 to 5 meals a day are so damaging. The average person today has deeply clogged cells, a condition that can lead to exponentially larger problems with every meal. Juice fasting, mini-fasts, and Quick Exit eating [executed through proper food combining] all help correct this problem and thereby support a highly functioning metabolism.†One additional thing to keep in mind is that while in fact on a short fast often water weight is the first thing that you lose, if you emerge eating a clean diet filled with nutritious fruits and vegetables, you will sustain the weight you lost and perhaps lose more.



Here, here!
Click to expand...




Hi Starlillies! I completely agree, and congratulations on your amazing discipline and losing so much weight!


There is starting to be more and more evidence from recent research that the body is better able to utilise protein and other nutrients from vegetarian rather than animal sources. And on a personal note, I know I feel instantly energised after eating a bowl of lentils, as opposed to a steak which leaves me feeling weak for a day or so before I can absorb the iron from it. Food for thought!
 
Lost 1/2 pound since yesterday. Not bad, but I'm really eager to break 170. 175.8 still sounds so far away!


Started the day off with 4 glasses of water and a juice of orange, collard greens, parsley, celery, carrots and flax.

I planned on making some homemade lentil soup this week as a protein-packed treat one night, but I think I'm going to hold off until I lose another pound or two. Like I said, no food I eat will make me feel as good as weighing less. No need to rush it, the ingredients aren't going anywhere.


Hi Shinsplint! Thanks for reading my thread :) I am jealous of your weight and hope to be there by the end of this week!

It's amazing how long meat can stay in your system. Our bodies are trained for hunting/gathering and want to hang

on to every bit of food for as long as it can, but there's no need for that today!! Part of what I love about juicing is the absorption rate. There's

nothing standing between those nutrients and my cells so I know my body's not wasting energy on digestion. It's going for the energy I have stored up


I thought of two things to put on that list I saw on your thread. So far I have:


1. Kayaking down a quiet stream

2. Hiking on a trail where I can't hear any cars or civilization in general


Yeah, I'm kind of a nature girl :)


@Sugarbear - Tikka Masala and Samosas sound fantastic. What a great choice. I think I'll have to add those to my list :)
 
I forgot to mention that I fit into my skinny jeans again!! I wore them yesterday for the first time in months and it felt great! :party:


Juice for lunch - carrots, pear, parsley, cucumber, & flax

I was inspired by katehunibun's weight ticker and made one for myself to keep me motivated about watching those numbers go down.

These flowers remind me of star lillies
 
star i just need to say that I would be starving if I were doing this fast of yours!! :piggy:


i would be grouchy and tired and drooling over EVERYTHING


how on earth are you keep your willpower so freakin high?!
 
@jmlw7 Lol! It's not the easiest thing in the world, I'll say that. I guess I'm just determined to get what I want this time.

And it helps to know that food isn't going anywhere. It'll be there when I'm ready :)


3rd Juice - apple, grapefruit, cucumber, tomato, collard greens, carrots & flax
 
Woohoo! 1.8 lbs less and feeling good!


Started the day with 3 glasses of water and a juice of carrots, apple, parsley, grapefruit, celery & flax


Update - yay! I fit into a pair of shorts I haven't been able to wear in a while. Piece by piece I am taking back my wardrobe!

Salad for lunch - red leaf lettuce, tomato, onions, beets, kidney beans, corn, celery & 1tb blue cheese dressing
 
Argh! I seem to be on a plateau over the last three days. Hopefully I will blast through it this week in time for my St Paddy's celebration

(no I'm not Irish but I love corned beef and cabbage!)

Went kayacking yesterday and I really feel it in my arms today, great workout


2nd juice of the day - carrot, spinach, parsley, apple, grapefruit, flax
 
So I finally watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. NOW, I understand what you are doing. I didn't want to comment before because I didn't understand, Now I get it. That show is has such a major impact on viewing nuttition. Amazing, is all I can say. I use to juice (not fast) a few years ago. So I pulled it back out today and went to Costco and got veggies and fruits for the week. I'll most likely start with the reboot phase of juice in the AM, solid meal at lunch, juice in the PM. for a week and then move into a 7-10 day fast. Thanks for the suggestion on watching the that show!
 
Wow Star! That picture of the fat comparison is both disturbing and enlightening at the same time. Whenever I feel tempted to eat something bad in the future, I'll think of that image. I have now been juicing for over a month but I wouldn't say I'm completely fasting, since I have lunch everyday I'm at work during the week. It's not feasible to lug the juicer with me, so I do my best to find foods that are mostly raw like salads and sashimi or the occasional vegan soup. Things that are easy to break down and still offer a great deal of protein and nutrients. I'm getting the benefits of juicing while still having the chance to actually "chew" something which helps me stay committed. Although my weight fluctuates slightly up and down from day to day, I've lost a total of 28.5 pounds and I am feeling great. It's really nice to start fitting into my wardrobe again, and as you said that's far more important to me than the tastiest cheeseburger on the planet. Thank you for that post!!
 
Lunachick - thanks for commenting :) I'm glad you enjoyed the film and it's great that you decided to whip out your juicer. Let me know if you come up with any particularly tasty recipes!


Sugarbear - I'm not completely fasting either, but it's close enough for me. I don't consider a few nuts and a salad here and there a big betrayal to my juice project. Congratulations on your weight loss! I can't wait to lose that much. I've been stuck at 174 for a few days but today I am 173.8. Small difference but Yay!


I've decided to post information now and again about foods that amaze me. Today's tribute goes to PARSLEY - one of the 7 most disease fighting foods in the world today.


"Parsley contains a whole range of healthy vitamins, minerals and nutrition. Here is just a sample of the kinds of good stuff that parsley is loaded with.


Beta Carotene-Beta carotene is converted by the body into Vitamin A. This nutrient helps eyesight and protects the liver, colon and lungs. Next to carrots and sweet potatoes, parsley is one of the best natural sources of beta-carotene.


Chlorophyll- parsley is loaded with chlorophyll. This substance helps to fight bacteria and fungus, suppress viruses and aids the lungs in expelling environmental pollutants.


Folic acid- the folic acid in parsley can help prevent heart disease by strengthening blood vessels.


Iron- Parsley is a great source of iron, which helps to fight anemia, it also is 20% protein.


Parsley also contains many other vitamins and minerals that help to strengthen your immune system purify your blood and keep your body healthy and strong.


The high iron content in parsley can help you from becoming anemic. Since Parsley also contains more vitamin C than oranges, it not only adds iron to your system but uses the vitamin C to help the body absorb the iron better.

Parsley also is known to kill bacteria. Making it great to take both internally and use as a wash for cuts and scrapes.

Helps stop bacteria. Since bad breath is generally caused by a buildup of bacteria, eating parsley or drinking parsley tea can actually help to prevent bad breath.

Purifies the blood and Dissolves cholesterol- Parsley purifies the blood helping to prevent assorted blood related diseases and in addition it is believed that parsley also actually dissolves some of that cholesterol that builds up on the walls of your veins and blood vessels. Thus helping to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Drinking parsley tea can help to ease diarrhea. Using this tea as a wash on bug bites can also reduce the itching and swelling these bites cause.

Parsley can also help reduce edema because it acts as a diuretic thus helping to eliminate excess water from your system.

It is also believed that parsley when consumed daily can help to regulate menstruation cycles, balance hormones and in general helps to build a stronger, healthier immune system."



Who knew?
 
The Nutritarian Food Pyramid

Dr. Fuhrman’s Nutritarian Pyramid is based on the foods that are the richest in micronutrients and have shown consistent benefits to health and longevity in scientific studies. The USDA pyramid treats these protective foods as “side dishes,†and allows the vast majority of calories to be obtained from nutrient poor foods. Nutritional science in the last twenty years has demonstrated that colorful plant foods contain a huge assortment of protective compounds, mostly of which still remain unnamed. Only by eating an assortment of nutrient-rich natural foods can we access these protective compounds and prevent the common diseases that afflict Americans. Our modern, low-nutrient eating style has led to an overweight population, the majority of whom develop diseases of nutritional ignorance, causing our medical costs to spiral out of control.
 
Lost .6 lbs from yesterday. I'm going to test Dr. Fuhrman's theory today by having a small salad with a few shrimp in it. Supposedly shrimp helps burn fat, and it's also low cal and low fat.
 
I like shrimp! It's funny....I've thought about adding to my salads....DURRRRRR..:angel:


I have a question for you! Do you juice once for the enitre day? I was reading on Join the Reboot and it talks about being able to keep juice in the fridge for 2 days. Have you ever tried this? I was just curious. I juiced for breakfast and snack yesterday. But I was thinking....OMG..this is SO MUCH work! Today I bought some mason jars and are air tight and juiced enough for one day. Got it all done at once so I don't have to wash..peel..chop...blend...wash the juicer....4 times a day! I was just wondering how you do your juicing for the day. Oh yeah...and how much do you drink (in oz.) for one meal. Thanks!!
 
That was a tasty salad! I mixed ten medium shrimp (less than 100 calories) with chopped garlic, cayenne, paprika, celery salt, honey and olive oil and baked at 450F for 5 minutes. I added them into my green and red leaf salad with carrots, celery and onion with 1.5 tbs blue cheese dressing. Yum!

We'll see what the damage is when I weigh myself tomorrow !


Lunachick - I personally juice 4-5 times a day because the nutrients in the juice dissipate with time. Although if you store it right, it will last up to 24 hours so what you're doing should be fine as long as you drink it all the same day. Here's an excerpt from an article you might find helpful:


"Juicing is a time-consuming process, so you'll probably be thinking to yourself, "I wonder if I can juice first thing in the morning, and then drink it later?" This is not a good idea. Vegetable juice is HIGHLY perishable so it's best to drink all of your juice immediately. However, if you're careful, you can store it for up to 24 hours with only moderate nutritional decline. This is really helpful if you are bringing your juice to work with you so you can consume it during the day.

How to store your juice:


Put your juice in a glass jar with an airtight lid and fill it to the very top. There should be a minimum amount of air in the jar as the oxygen in air (air is about 20 percent oxygen) will "oxidize" and damage the juice.

Purchase a food vacuum pump like Food Saver with a Ball jar attachment. You can pour your juice into a pint jar and put the lid on and use the Food Saver to suck out the air in the jar to vacuum pack it. This will remove most of the oxygen that will damage the juice.

Immediately store it in the fridge and consume it when you are ready. It is best to drink it as soon as possible and in any case within 24 hours of juicing.
 
2nd juice of the day - apple, grapefruit, broccoli, spinach, celery, cucumber and flax - not the tastiest but that's okay


I'm listening to a mix tape my boyfriend wooed me with 6 years ago. LOVE IT! Bjork, Beatles, Joy Division, The Church, Smiths, Portishead... what a sweetie :blush5:
 
Fitting into 'skinny' clothes is such a GREAT feeling! When I want to eat something out of my eating plan, I first go to the full-length mirror in my room and look at my body to remind me how much better I look already....and it just makes the sacrifice so worth it ! Congrats on fitting into that skinny jeans again!


And can I just say you are indeed a star for doing this Juicing Diet? I could never do this!!!!! xx
 
YAY! 1.2 lbs less. I've FINALLY reached the 20lb mark. Phew! I guess the shrimps helped. My stomach is looking smaller than it has in years - WOOHOO!

Okay... now for 20 more!


1st juice of the day - apples, orange, parsley, carrot, cucumber, celery, flax, grapefruit


Thanks for the feedback Wild At Heart! I love that name :) I completely agree with you. Seeing the progress reminds us that this sacrifice won't last forever, just until we get what we want!
 
Congrats on the hitting that 20 pound mark!! HOw long did it take ya?

I added parsley in my juice this moring..OMG :ack2: SO STRONG! Little goes looooonnnnnggggg way.....Has to add a pear to balance it! Even the smell is throwing me off...dunno if I'll use it again.eekkkk
 
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