Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

[befreckled]

I watched this show on hulu recently and it's quite inspirational. I am thinking on going on an extreme juice diet to get things started again.

 

I've watched my weight go up and down in the last 7 years. I was on anti-depressants and it caused an extreme weight gain of over 100lbs in less than 6 months. It promptly messed up my metabolic rate.

 

I gained more weight over the next couple years as my illness stabilised. About two years ago, I went from lump to working out every day almost - a HIIT, tabata workout with strength training at its core and I went off simple carbohydrates. Lots of protein and complex carbs for over a year and successfully lost about 35lbs until I hit a plateau and no matter how hard I tried changing my diet (which was very very clean already) and how much harder I worked out, it didn't help.

 

Eventually I decided to try changing my workout completely and I started Muay Thai training but a month later, I was in hospital for a gastric infection (unrelated to Muay Thai!) and I fell off my bandwagon big time.

 

I reverted to not working out at all, lots of carbs regardless of type.

 

I am tired of failing at losing weight. Has anyone else tried a juice diet for any period of time? I know it's difficult and I'm thinking of a 7-10 day diet to get started.

[Exit]

Saw that movie maybe 6 months ago. I fell for it too. It's easy for those types of films to get people hyped up and inspired. Now I have a $200 Omega juicer on my kitchen counter collecting dust lol. It was a decent learning experience, for a while I was leaving the grocery store with bags full of nothing but produce, no junk, nothing in a box, but it didn't stick. If it gets you motivated, great, give it a try. The big claim is that juice fasting gives your digestive system a break while still getting nutrients into your body, and sure, while it's not as bad as having to digest a big steak, your digestive system still doesn't really get to rest. It still has to work with the juice. I've seen people argue that water fasting is the only thing that really lets your digestive system shut down enough to let your body start healing elsewhere. In my experience I was actually able to last longer water fasting than juice fasting. Having glasses of juice throughout the day is just enough to stimulate your appetite and make you realize just how hungry you are. With water fasting, you stop stimulating your digestive system and the hunger actually shuts off after a few days.

 

Give it a try if you'd like though. Focus on juicing greens and vegetables and only add sweet things to the mix to make it bearable to drink. Don't juice a bunch of fruit, too sweet, too many simple carbs, especially since juicing removes the fiber. Also I wouldn't make the same mistake I did, after watching the movie I got all picky about researching juicers and got all caught up in nonsense like "the cheap juicers oxidize the juice and ruin the nutrition", etc etc. So I ended up with a $200 auger type juicer that spins at a much slower speed and compresses the matter to squeeze the juice out rather than pulverizing it with high RPM blades. But in the end I wish I had just bought a $50 juicer at a big box store, at least until I figured out if I was going to stick with it or not.

 

In the end there is some great information in the movie and things to learn from it, but almost everyone I showed the movie to got the initial burst of "yeah, time to change my life!" but nobody sticks with it lol.

[tman666]

You will look, feel, and perform worse if you go down this road. Learn to establish an eating plan (with whole food-lean meat/veggies/'taters/eggs/good fats) that works for your goals and lifestyle.

[befreckled]

Saw that movie maybe 6 months ago. I fell for it too. .....In the end there is some great information in the movie and things to learn from it, but almost everyone I showed the movie to got the initial burst of "yeah, time to change my life!" but nobody sticks with it lol.

 

I've been researching juicers too and I came to the conclusion that I would just get a cheapie juicer if I went this route.

 

Did you lose any weight on this? I see it as a good way to jumpstart a healthy routine...did it change the way you ate after you went off it?

 

I'm still debating it

[befreckled]

You will look, feel, and perform worse if you go down this road. Learn to establish an eating plan (with whole food-lean meat/veggies/'taters/eggs/good fats) that works for your goals and lifestyle.

 

Have you been on something similiar and hence that's your point of view or ? Seems like a pretty blanket statement. When I lost all that weight a couple years ago, I was on a sound eating plan and it was my life - lean meats, vegetables, good fat and no refined foods. And it was coupled with ALOT of exercise. 5-6 days a week of working out. In the last couple months, I've worked out 2-3 times a week, looked at my diet carefully and the weight loss has been dismal (I don't consume more than 2,000 calories per day. on average 1,500) and so that brings me here. What "ELSE" can I do besides what I am doing now?

[Exit]

I think I lost about 10lbs in the amount of time I was doing it, but like anything when you make a drastic change and cut calories so low, I'm sure a lot of it was water weight. For me, no, this didn't change my habits long term, I was back to eating junk eventually, but I've struggled with food for a long time so maybe I'm a bad person to ask. I'm sure others out there have tried juicing and have been able to change their lifestyle.

 

You'll meet a lot of hard-headed resistance when it comes to drastic concepts like juice fasting. Take the reply you got above "you'll look and feel worse"... well what, were the people in the movie computer generated fakes or something? Obviously they looked and felt better. A lot of people are going to tell you fasting is crazy, dangerous, etc.

 

People have been so conditioned by the "eat small meals 6 times a day" etc etc stuff that has been proven not to work for so many of us. People who have never tried fasting a day or an hour in their life will be happy to tell you how crazy it is despite having no knowledge of it. You have to listen to your own body and if you feel like you want to try something new and drastic, go for it. Yes fasting can actually make you feel worse, quite terrible actually, as your body detoxes. It can actually bring upon flu like symptoms, soreness, lack of energy, as you transition through the initial stages.

 

You'll just have to research for yourself and decide. You can ask a million people and you will always come across opposing opinions. Everyone believes they are an expert based on what they've heard and read, and the one or two diets they've tried.

[xpaperxcutx]

A juice diet is too extreme especially if you've been a yo-yo dieter.

 

If you're eating the same kinds of food everyday, switch it up. If it's not your diet, then it's the exercise. You might want to try something with HIIT and works all your muscles to create muscle confusion.

 

It's okay to detox, but definitely don't juice because you're going to put your body into starvation mode.

 

Look into P90x if you have the time.

[Exit]

Oh no my favorite (not) phrase has made an appearance, starvation mode! That's a whole nother debate all together.

[tman666]

Have you been on something similiar and hence that's your point of view or ? Seems like a pretty blanket statement. When I lost all that weight a couple years ago, I was on a sound eating plan and it was my life - lean meats, vegetables, good fat and no refined foods. And it was coupled with ALOT of exercise. 5-6 days a week of working out. In the last couple months, I've worked out 2-3 times a week, looked at my diet carefully and the weight loss has been dismal (I don't consume more than 2,000 calories per day. on average 1,500) and so that brings me here. What "ELSE" can I do besides what I am doing now?

 

No, I've never experimented with an all-juice diet. The people who I have seen try such things invariably spin their wheels and regress to a worse state than when they started. If you know of reputable examples that can suggest otherwise (i.e. not the people selling the juicer/diet book), I'd be interested to know.

 

As far as what else you can do besides what you're doing now to lose weight and keep it off, I would venture there is plenty. The point is that if you want permanent results, you have to find something in the way of training and diet that is sustainable. Everything about "juice cleanses" or similar concepts screams "quick fix"-which if you've been in this game long enough, you know that those claiming to have the magic bullet are selling you snake oil.

 

Have you tried upping your activity levels both in and out of the gym? Have you examined your intensity in the gym? Have you tried carb cycling/intermittent fasting/"paleo" or other methods of structuring your eating?

 

Basically, there are many, many options for creating a long-term solution for yourself. Finding the right one for you takes dedication and patience. Hard work in the gym is the common thread that binds all of them together.

[befreckled]

A juice diet is too extreme especially if you've been a yo-yo dieter.

 

If you're eating the same kinds of food everyday, switch it up. If it's not your diet, then it's the exercise. You might want to try something with HIIT and works all your muscles to create muscle confusion.

 

It's okay to detox, but definitely don't juice because you're going to put your body into starvation mode.

 

Look into P90x if you have the time.

 

I'm not sure if you read my original post but

A. i'm not a yo-yo dieter. My weight gain has been primarily been from anti-depressant medication. At my worst, my diet has more carbs than the amount that i function optimally on. e.g. lots of bread as opposed to no bread at all. I still eat between 1,500 to 2,000 calories regardless of what my meal plan when I work out because anything below 1,200 would be starvation.

 

B. I was/and still work out with HIIT and Tabata style programmes with strength training being it's focus e.g. I work with free weights, burpees, body weight etc.

 

C. Thanks for the tip on PX90x but I was on the "afterburn" training programme by Cosgrove and that I think kicks PX90 where the sun doesn't shine.

[befreckled]

No, I've never experimented with an all-juice diet. The people who I have seen try such things invariably spin their wheels and regress to a worse state than when they started. If you know of reputable examples that can suggest otherwise (i.e. not the people selling the juicer/diet book), I'd be interested to know.

 

I think if I lost 100lbs via juicing, I'd write a book too! So it's an cause-effect issue.

 

The point is that if you want permanent results, you have to find something in the way of training and diet that is sustainable. Everything about "juice cleanses" or similar concepts screams "quick fix"-which if you've been in this game long enough, you know that those claiming to have the magic bullet are selling you snake oil.

 

I find that my body does best on being absolutely 100% - eating clean, working out x5-6 a week but that's it, I guess..it's alot of effort and it's extremely difficult to do that and for me, the consideration is - could doing a juice fast sort of jump start a weight loss for my body?

 

Have you tried upping your activity levels both in and out of the gym? Have you examined your intensity in the gym? Have you tried carb cycling/intermittent fasting/"paleo" or other methods of structuring your eating?

 

Right now, I'm recovering for another flu infection (I'm a sickly kid! no excuses there!) and it seems to be hampering my efforts to go full-on back into gym and eating clean. I think the key is consistency and I haven't been consistent enough to be at a place to get results with changes like upping my activity levels in and out of gym and be able to notice.

 

I haven't tried carb cycling because, I have very little resolve with carbs...once I start, I can't stop! :o So, no complex carbs at all works much better for me but I will research that again and I eat pretty close to paleo when I'm eating clean so that has worked out for me.

 

 

I suppose you are right, I lack the patience. It feels like an uphill climb.

[CarrieT]

At my worst, my diet has more carbs than the amount that i function optimally on. e.g. lots of bread as opposed to no bread at all. I still eat between 1,500 to 2,000 calories regardless of what my meal plan when I work out because anything below 1,200 would be starvation.

 

Have you considered the South Beach Diet? I lost 80 pounds on it... You don't have to count calories, but you essentially give up all carbs.

 

I gained a bit back over the holidays and by removing carbs again, am back to starting to lose without much thinking...

[tman666]

 

Sh*t dawg, if this stuff were easy, don't you think everyone would be shredded?

 

It sounds like you have a pretty solid grasp on what works for you and what you need to work on (long term consistency, for example).

 

I think some people end up getting discouraged by how long it takes to see visible changes in their physiques. That's why it's beneficial to love your training AND have a diet that isn't so restrictive that you're ravenous and/or never allow yourself any treats. If you love what you do, you'll be able to stick to it.

 

You may want to investigate intermittent fasting. I personally do IF in a similar way to Leangains ala Martin Berkhan (which incorporates carb-cycling, by the way). The benefits for my physique and state of mind have been numerous, but one of the most notable benefits has been shedding the mindset that I needed to eat every few hours to keep my muscles from falling off. I'm a firm believer that if your diet is stressing you out, then you're doing it wrong, haha.

[FitChick]

Sounds like the antidepressants are the culprit. Can you change them or lower your dose? If you are eating properly and exercising, you shouldn't need a higher dose. Do you take vitamin D3, which has been proven to help depression?

[befreckled]

Sounds like the antidepressants are the culprit. Can you change them or lower your dose? If you are eating properly and exercising, you shouldn't need a higher dose. Do you take vitamin D3, which has been proven to help depression?

 

I'm not on any anti-depressants anymore. I weaned myself off successfully a couple years ago.

 

I don't take D3 but perhaps I should? Will investigate that too.

[lordWilhelm]

Well, what do you typically eat now?

[befreckled]

Well, what do you typically eat now?

 

I fall in and out of eating clean/working out and not. I'll give both cos they often exist in the same week.

 

Breakfast: two eggs (clean) / two eggs and toast (not)

 

Snack: a handful of nuts (clean) / nothing (not)

 

Lunch: salad with lean chicken (clean) / 450 calorie burger with an iced lemon tea (about 600 calories - not)

 

Snack: an apple or a slice of watermelon (clean) / nothing (not)

 

Dinner: clear soup with lean chicken or pork with whole corn, carrots (clean) / same as clean except with a bowl of rice

 

That's typically what I eat regardless. I might have a can or two of coke in each week or a boba tea but not much more.

 

I don't ever exceed 2000 calories.

[Amber3]

I skimmed through the posts, but I read the first post. I've had weight issues since childhood and it was only a few years ago that I finally could get rid of it. I did a lot of things over the years and I'll tell you what finally helped. There are three key variations to your lifestyle that will result in getting you back on track:

 

Cardio Exercise:

You should increase your level of activity. Start by walking everyday and increase it to jogging and running slowly. If you don't wanna do it outdoors get a treadmill or elliptical trainer. You should aim for running 2-3 miles of non-stop jogging within 3-4 months. You could do some aerobics too, that makes you feel much better, but do it after you're on track with your cardio exercises.

 

Adding some muscle weight:

Don't be afraid, I'm not talking about steroids or those stuff. Just do some weights and add a little bit of muscle (it won't make you look like boys, I promise). The extra muscle in your body will improve your heart and breathing and burns calories automatically, unlike fat that burns nothing. This makes you lose weight 24/7 and makes cardio exercises easier too.

 

Eat healthy:

You don't need to go on 7-10 day juice diets (or similar stuff). They're not for you and they ABSOLUTELY won't help you. You should start to maintain a healthy, good diet. Don't eat junk food, don't eat saturated fat. Limit the amount of carbs you eat. Your diet should have vitamins (you could take multivitamins), low-carb fruits and vegetables and proteins. Don't count calories, it won't help. Just don't eat much, limit your saturated fat and carbs and eat healthy food. That's enough. This is VERY important for losing and maintaining weight. You should have variety in your food, if you don't have enough minerals that seriously slows down your weight loss.

 

About what you currently eat, it's not well-balanced and healthy. Ditch the burgers for stakes, ditch the nuts for fruits, don't drink ice tea if it's sweetened, don't add salad dressings (lime juice or vinegar is fine), drink some milk everyday, don't eat corn, don't eat rice, instead add some low-carb high-fiber vegetables, don't drink carbonated drinks, don't drink milk shake, hot chocolate, don't drink alcohol, don't drink more than one cup of coffee per day (less the better) and most importantly stay disciplined and DON'T occasionally break your diet.

 

For the first two getting a personal trainer will help you (it costs but it's well worth it). It's not difficult to lose weight, you only need to be disciplined, patient and eager. Couple these three and you'll lose weight guaranteed. You'll look and feel great in no time. There are times when you see no change for weeks, that's not right, there are changes in your body you just won't see them, stay disciplined and continue, you'll see changes again.

 

I helped a few friends get in shape, and I'm sure you will too.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Amber3

[lordWilhelm]

Your clean diet looks pretty good, so I'd say try to focus on sticking with it. Are there any triggers that cause you to fall off it? For example after exercise do you get hungrier maybe?

[befreckled]

Your clean diet looks pretty good, so I'd say try to focus on sticking with it. Are there any triggers that cause you to fall off it? For example after exercise do you get hungrier maybe?

 

I am just bored of it and I've been trying to get back to the gym but I keep facing setbacks - I fell ill recently again (a flu bug that lasted 10 over days)

 

I usually work out in the evenings after work so I eat after the work-out so that's not an issue.

 

I think it's just being really bored and I find it very challenging because I get discouraged after not seeing results for a week. It sounds silly but when you give it everything you got, to not get anything back. It truly sucks