Toying with doing a short juice fast

[RunningPirate]

Right, then...

It's a new year, so it's time for new things. I've been toying with doing a juice fast since getting into a conversation about it in another forum.

I know that a few folks on the board have done this before (ThomDavid, TMo and I think Bare Lee) and always welcome their input. Has anyone else done this? Thoughts? I have a couple of primary questions:

1) Right now, all I have is a blender. Being that I'm not sure if I'm going to do this for more than one day, I'm leery of buying specialized equipment (e.g. a "juicer" or a NutriBullet) - can I just use the blender? Or does a juicer/Nutribullet do something special that really makes a difference? Is there anything currently bottled that I could use that will emulate the same effect? or is all the pre-packaged stuff so loaded with garbage to make it taste good that I might as well eat waffles, instead?

2) While fasting, did anyone attempt their normal exercise (running, weights, whatever) routine? Or did you shut that down until you got back to solid foods again?

Thankx.

 

[OdiarAmor]

I've never tried it but I just read an article about how the prepackaged juices lose the nutrients. It makes sense to me because you don't know how long it has been out our what truly is in it.

 

[NickW]

I have thought about this too RP. I do have a Magic Bullet which I use every morning for a banana smoothie thing. Been thinking about trying a kale drink thing I saw online somewhere... Hopefully there will be some good info contributed on this thread as I am really interested in trying something like this for a little bit and seeing how I do with it.

 

[rbondi]

You can use a blender and a strainer.

I have never juice fasted but I have water only fasted many times for 2 or 3 days and have done a 2 week supervised therapeutic fast. I felt fine on the 2 or 3 days, no need to change your routine. The longer fast was difficult, really low blood pressure, needed to reduce my activity. It is good to give your system a break, I assume juice fasting would be good physiological rest.

 

[scedastic]

Right, then...

It's a new year, so it's time for new things. I've been toying with doing a juice fast since getting into a conversation about it in another forum.

I know that a few folks on the board have done this before (ThomDavid, TMo and I think Bare Lee) and always welcome their input. Has anyone else done this? Thoughts? I have a couple of primary questions:

1) Right now, all I have is a blender. Being that I'm not sure if I'm going to do this for more than one day, I'm leery of buying specialized equipment (e.g. a "juicer" or a NutriBullet) - can I just use the blender? Or does a juicer/Nutribullet do something special that really makes a difference? Is there anything currently bottled that I could use that will emulate the same effect? or is all the pre-packaged stuff so loaded with garbage to make it taste good that I might as well eat waffles, instead?
.

What about going to a fancy coffee bar/hippie store/natural grocery or whatever? They usually have commercial juicers, and can mix you up something real niiiiiiize and frash

 

[RunningPirate]

What about going to a fancy coffee bar/hippie store/natural grocery or whatever? They usually have commercial juicers, and can mix you up something real niiiiiiize and frash

...and just where am I supposed to find a fancy coffee bar/hippie store/natural grocery in The Bay Area?

 

[OdiarAmor]

I just remembered that my boss made smoothies in her blender and would put spinach in it. She said if you put a banana in it, you didn't taste the spinach. I would rather use kale than spinach though...

 

[BFwillie_g]

I've done longer fasts in the past, last one was maybe five years ago(?). Seven to ten days with nothing but a little vegetable broth a couple times a day, and lot's of herbal teas and water. It feels good after the third day, but getting that far is the difficult part. After that, some kind of survival mode kicks in and I would actually feel a big surge in physical energy and mental clarity. Ending a fast is more of a conscious decision than a desperate return to eating after days of suffering.

What I can't vouch for is any long-term health benefits. Once I return to the regular routine, everything just goes back to normal. And the last time I did it, I started on a day when I felt a cold coming on. Big mistake. Turned into a full-blown flu within two days.

Anyway, I don't really see any real use in one-day 'fasts', and if you're going to be downing sweet fruit juices then all you're really doing is feeding your sugar addiction. I think the three-day mark is crucial, meaning, for example, eat the last real meal on a Friday evening and don't eat anything until the following Tuesday, although Wednesday would be better.

If you want juice, keep it vegetable-heavy and fruit-minimal. But really, that's no different than just eating anyway.

A somewhat different angle to intentionally plan a long, slow run (beyond the three-hour mark, say) on a fasting day.

Also, a good colonic cleansing (choose your method) at the beginning of a fast helps reduce the hunger problem. Why? I don't know, but it's standard practice.

 

[NickW]

Well RP, I've decided I am not going to do a "juice fast" but I am going to add in smoothies to my diet. I already do a breakfast one and so today I tried a "green" smoothy for the first time in my life for lunch. I was actually pleasantly surprised that I liked it. The recipe called for spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, and blueberries and then add water. The fruit really helped to tone down the flavors of the kale and spinach (which I really dislike by the way). I decided to give this a shot as I don't know how good juices really are as we need all the fiber and other stuff. I guess I'm not looking to do a cleanse though either which is what a lot of people do the juicing diets for. I'm trying to get nutrition that I wouldn't otherwise get because I can't stand that stuff. I was shocked at the amount that the recipe made when the recipe was just a single serving. Thinking I may be full for days from it, which may be a good thing as I won't be so hungry at dinner time.

 

[rbondi]

You will naturally be less hungry when getting the proper nutrients.

 

[NickW]

Well RP, I've decided I am not going to do a "juice fast" but I am going to add in smoothies to my diet. I already do a breakfast one and so today I tried a "green" smoothy for the first time in my life for lunch. I was actually pleasantly surprised that I liked it. The recipe called for spinach, kale, pineapple, banana, and blueberries and then add water. The fruit really helped to tone down the flavors of the kale and spinach (which I really dislike by the way). I decided to give this a shot as I don't know how good juices really are as we need all the fiber and other stuff. I guess I'm not looking to do a cleanse though either which is what a lot of people do the juicing diets for. I'm trying to get nutrition that I wouldn't otherwise get because I can't stand that stuff. I was shocked at the amount that the recipe made when the recipe was just a single serving. Thinking I may be full for days from it, which may be a good thing as I won't be so hungry at dinner time.

So, I know it's only been one day but WOW I felt strong today in my run. I ran 3.65 miles pushing the stroller at an avg 9:56 pace with the last 1.3 miles being all uphill! And my legs felt like they weren't even really pushing. It was my breathing that got me, stinking cold weather burning the lungs! Anyhow, gonna keep on with this experiment and see how I do.

 

[ChasingShadows]

It was my breathing that got me, stinking cold weather burning the lungs!

May I suggest one of these: http://www.buffwear.co.uk/ways-to-wear, the only way my asthmatic lungs will agree to function in the cold is if I have my Buff pulled up over my face. (Have hated the couple of alternatives I tried, they weren't breathable enough, the only problem I've had with these is the condensation in my breath freezing if it's really cold, so have to move it round a little every few minutes).

And back on topic; RP, what's the main purpose of your fasting? I've done a bit of intermittent fasting & planning to do more. Basically I just do all my day's eating within a 6 hour window, which is great for kicking my sugar dependency & for weight loss. (The ideal commitment-phobe's fast!)

 

[migangelo]

years ago i used to fast about one day a week. never had better and bigger movements in my life. i've thought about doing it again. i only drank water and tea. breaking a fast is supposed to be the important part. fruits or veggies for first meal. i never did this part.

as of now i make a "shake" salad every morning. i add whatever i have to my blender with about 8 oz water and blend until smooth. ya, some things have more fiber but you want that. i also like adding ginger. gives it some spice and is good for you.

 

[BFwillie_g]

made a crazy shake today: mixed frozen fruit, frozen, pressed baby spinach, frozen, pressed red cabbage (those first three were organic products from Aldi, the spinach and red cabbage are really cool, look like green and purple hockey pucks respectively), tumeric, stinging nettle seeds, chia seeds, dried hot chilli flakes, fresh black pepper, and pineapple juice as liquid. Basically, I just wandered around the kitchen and threw whatever crap I found into into the mixer.

The result was actually very tasty. The chia seeds made it kind of slimy, and the color was meh, but I could get used to it

I'm on a tumeric kick atm, btw. Was said to be a possible cure for my lipomas.

 

[inakilt]

Living on a small farm, last year we were looking for a new way to use the bounty from our 1/4 acre veggie garden, grape vines, wild berries, and fruit orchard. So, in the Spring I bought my wife one of those fancy Vitamix blenders from Costco. They are the same ones used by "Tropical Smoothie Cafe", it ran us about 400 bucks.

Anyway, last summer we subsisted primarilly on fruit and veggie smoothies. Nothing is wasted, these things even liquify the seeds (not peach and apricot pits and the like). If you combine the fruits and veggies in the right proportions, you don't even taste the veggies. Once in a while she'll toss in a jalapeno or part of a habanero for a little extra kick. She learned to make her own yogurt too, and adds some of that for a really nice treat.

She doesn't use it for much in the fall, except for making soup. It turns at such a high RPM that the soup is heated by friction, so most of the nutrients are retained. Makes great Daquiris and Margueritas too.

I really wouldn't call it a "fast" per se, but the concentration of dietary fiber, has had an interesting side effect, I have never been so regular in all my life.

Kevin

 

[BFwillie_g]

Basically I just do all my day's eating within a 6 hour window, which is great for kicking my sugar dependency & for weight loss. (The ideal commitment-phobe's fast!)

I've read good things about that method. Seems very natural to me, too. I think, in the 'wild' we wouldn't be eating all day and evening.

 

[Bare Lee]

I know that a few folks on the board have done this before (ThomDavid, TMo and I think Bare Lee) and always welcome their input.

Not me, although my brother did something like a thin juice with maple syrup and cayenne pepper fast once. Lost a pound a day without exercising.

I once dieted on half rations for five weeks. I lost 25 pounds, or about five pounds a week, but I was also working out and walking a lot during that period. I also went a day without eating for my colonoscopy, does that count as fasting?

I don't know if I would consider smoothies fasting either. I eat mostly fruits and veggies during the day, but I'm never hungry. If you do do a proper juice fast, make sure to walk a lot if you don't have the strength to run or boulder. It'll accelerate the process of burning fat stores.