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Talk to me about Juice Cleanses

I've been reading about the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse by JJ Smith. Has anyone tried it? I feel like this could help me jump-start my transition into eating better. I'm really overweight so I know that I can't just drink smoothies and get down to a normal size, but I really need something like this to tell me WHAT I'm supposed to eat. Has anyone had success with this? What did you eat after the 10 days? I know if I go back to eat chicken fingers and pasta all the weight will come back so I really want to make a change in eating, and I feel like this 'cleanse' is a good start.

Or is my cold medicine just making me wonky and giving me feelings of grandiosity? 
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Re: Talk to me about Juice Cleanses

  • I'm not a fan of cleanses. I think they are temporary band-aids instead of viable solutions. If you want to add juicing to your diet, it's a great way to get extra veggies. But I don't think skimping on vital nutrients like fat and protein for 10 days is a healthy idea.
  • I've been reading about the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse by JJ Smith. Has anyone tried it? I feel like this could help me jump-start my transition into eating better. I'm really overweight so I know that I can't just drink smoothies and get down to a normal size, but I really need something like this to tell me WHAT I'm supposed to eat. Has anyone had success with this? What did you eat after the 10 days? I know if I go back to eat chicken fingers and pasta all the weight will come back so I really want to make a change in eating, and I feel like this 'cleanse' is a good start.

    Or is my cold medicine just making me wonky and giving me feelings of grandiosity? 
    If your liver and kidneys are functional, you are cleansing your body every day. You don't need to go on a cleanse to cleanse. However, if you want to cut out the "bad stuff", just cut it out. You'll start feeling better because you're eating better. That's why cleanses make you feel better, you're changing your diet and it's how your body reacts to it. I've heard anywhere from people feeling great, tons of energy, sleeping well etc to being lethargic/tired, can't focus, hungry all the time etc. 

    Just start cutting things from your diet, don't go all cowboy and get rid of everything that's awful. 80/20 :) for me, if I make that drastic change, it doesn't work. It has to be a slow and steady process. Then I don't miss it as much.

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  • You guys are right. And she lost me when she said no beer or liquor. The hell you say!
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  • amelishaamelisha member
    First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited January 2015
    There is no need for "cleanses". Your body's organs do that just fine - it's what you have kidneys, a liver, etc., for. These "toxins" that people go on about are woo-woo. Period.

    If you want to kick-start weight loss, it's a great idea to eat whole foods, lots of vegetables, etc., but juices are just sugar-water with most of the fibre removed and they lack a lot of essential nutrients. It's a waste of money and a waste of time. Stick to balanced portions of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, keep your calories at about 20% less than your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE, there are great calculators all over the internet to find that out), eat a large variety of vegetables and to a lesser extent fruit, and you'll be taking much better care of your body and you'll lose weight too.

    Juice cleanses are crap and designed to lure people in with this hippie pseudoscience and there is zero, zero medical evidence for their benefit. People who argue for them don't realize that yeah, they're better than 3x daily fastfood with Dorrito snack breaks, but they are NOT really that healthy.

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  • You guys are right. And she lost me when she said no beer or liquor. The hell you say!
    I really liked WeightWatchers. It definitely taught me portion control and what I need to be eating. But you've got to discipline yourself into the program. I did it all online; 45lbs in 7 months. 

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  • I don't know anyone who has lost a ton of weight doing a juice cleanse (weight that stayed off, anyway). My sister did that lemon water and cayenne pepper one. She lost 10 lbs!!! Then gained it back within a month.

    If you're really overweight, I would try just starting to eat healthier. Most of it is stuff you already know - don't eat fried stuff, skip fast food, eat a ton of veggies, lean meat vs. fatty meat, fresh when possible, not processed. 

    "Dieting" is different than "changing your diet". One is temporary and usually has temporary results, and one is a long-term lifestyle change and has sustainable results. Changing your diet will only get you so far, though. Exercise is key. And it doesn't have to be going to the gym every day. Get up and walk at work, take the stairs, walk the stairs on lunch, park far away, do sit ups or arm weights during TV commercials. Just little stuff here and there that will motivate you to do more as you ease into the lifestyle change.
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  • amelisha said:
    There is no need for "cleanses". Your body's organs do that just fine - it's what you have kidneys, a liver, etc., for. These "toxins" that people go on about are woo-woo. Period.

    If you want to kick-start weight loss, it's a great idea to eat whole foods, lots of vegetables, etc., but juices are just sugar-water with most of the fibre removed and they lack a lot of essential nutrients. It's a waste of money and a waste of time. Stick to balanced portions of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, keep your calories at about 20% less than your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE, there are great calculators all over the internet to find that out), eat a large variety of vegetables and to a lesser extent fruit, and you'll be taking much better care of your body and you'll lose weight too.

    Juice cleanses are crap and designed to lure people in with this hippie pseudoscience and there is zero, zero medical evidence for their benefit. People who argue for them don't realize that yeah, they're better than 3x daily fastfood with Dorrito snack breaks, but they are NOT really that healthy.
    AMEN!!!

    Cut back on sugar, but you don't have to totally remove it from your diet.  Our bodies need some sugar.  And don't sub natural sugar for sugar free sweeteners, and I'd even stay away from Stevia and Truvia too.  Use regular sugar, but less of it.

    And exercise!!!!

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • You guys are right. And she lost me when she said no beer or liquor. The hell you say!
    I really liked WeightWatchers. It definitely taught me portion control and what I need to be eating. But you've got to discipline yourself into the program. I did it all online; 45lbs in 7 months. 
    I did Weightwatchers before and LOVED it. I lost something like 18lbs in 2 months, but then I met FI and we spent every day and night together and I didn't want to seem insecure and let him know I was doing WW so I was all, "Sure! let's go to buffalo wild wings/get chinese/etc" every night. And finally I just quit because I was spending the money for no reason. 
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  • BIL's gf is all about the cleanses. I think they are ridiculous for everyone above's reasons. Your body doesn't need to be cleansed the way these things are marketed. She did lose some weight, but that will happen when you only drink liquid fruits and vegetables for days on end. The weight will come back.

    Make changes slowly. I need to get back into eating healthier as I've slipped a bit. Add in more veggies. Cut things slowly. I would drink one or two pepsi cans a day 3 years ago. I cut it down slowly and now I never drink soda. I found it much easier to still have those "bad" foods on occasion to keep me on track. I will never ever cut chocolate ;)

    I also found it easier for weight loss to add in an exercise routine. Which is my current issue since I've slipped on it since the wedding. Burning off calories as well as portion control/healthier eating made a huge difference for me.
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  • Don't do it. Seriously. Your body doesn't need to "cleanse" - your liver does that for you. There are far better ways to jump start a diet.


    H and I started doing the "100 Days of Real Food" 14-week challenge and it's much healthier and more sustainable. The deadline to sign up officially was last night, but I think she has the steps listed out on her site. The first week you don't subtract anything, just be sure to eat at least 2 different fruits or vegetables with every meal. Goal is to start to "crowd out" less healthy choices with natural ones. The next week, you cut out all sodas and any other sweetened beverages (whether with sugar or artificial sweeteners) - drink just water, milk, coffee and tea only sweetened with honey, fruit juice limited to 1 cup for the week. Then it builds from there until you've gone the whole 100 days, bit by bit, without starving yourself.

    ETA we started on January 4th, but jumped in full steam with no processed flours or sugars and no ingredients we can't pronounce, spell, or cook with at home. Lots of veggies at every meal, some whole wheat bread I made with honey, etc. As of Monday H had lost 5 lbs and I'd lost 3.
    QFT. I came here to say largely the same thing.

    Your body doesn't need cleaning. It's not a bathroom floor. 

    What it does need? 
    -Fiber. Juices remove that. 
    -Protein. Juices have very little.
    -Balanced amounts of/not too much added sugar. Your juices may vary, but the one I did added agave. Yes, agave syrup was added to fucking orange juice. Plus, the fact that the fiber is removed means there's no "mitigating" nutrients/substance to prevent your sugar levels from spiking. Spiked sugar means highs and lows, and feeling like you are STARVING, which leads to bingeing later.
    -Sufficient calories. Juice cleanses rarely have "enough" calories for a person to live on sustainably. But you're only doing it for a short time, so who cares, right? Unfortunately cutting your calories down to starvation levels actually signals the body that it is, in fact, starving. The metabolism slows as a result, meaning your body will fight tooth and nail not lose weight, but it will also actually store more fat (on purpose) since it's busy "eating" your muscles (because muscles=protein!)


    My sources for all this shit? A little bit of generalized reading about the body, a lot of direct questions asked of the medical professionals in my family, and one failed personal experience of my own. (Lost 3 pounds! ...immediately gained 8 after, and had a hell of a time losing them).

    Tl;dr: don't do it! There's no "easy way out."
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    This baby knows exactly how I feel
  • Also, do you have a fitbit? I have one and it keeps me on track. It has a food diary, a pedometer and a sleep tracker. 

    Keeping a food diary is a solid way of being honest with yourself and holding yourself accountable. And you'll want to get a good understanding of what actual portions are. They're MUCH smaller than you'd think. So what most people consider "a glass of orange juice" is twice as much as an actual serving. What would really help with this is a kitchen scale. 
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  • I really just need someone to come move in my house, buy my groceries, and make all my meals for me until I learn what to do for myself. This was my parents' job, but nooooo taking me to McDonalds every night was easier lol.
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  • I really just need someone to come move in my house, buy my groceries, and make all my meals for me until I learn what to do for myself. This was my parents' job, but nooooo taking me to McDonalds every night was easier lol.

    YouTube is your friend ;-) Tons of How To info related to cooking. It just takes practice. You can do it!

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • These books are great because the teach you the science behind cooking. . .why you use certain ingredients to achieve certain effects, etc:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1933615982
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0596805888

    This book has a ton of techniques and basics:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1936493527

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • amelishaamelisha member
    First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited January 2015
    I really just need someone to come move in my house, buy my groceries, and make all my meals for me until I learn what to do for myself. This was my parents' job, but nooooo taking me to McDonalds every night was easier lol.
    Have you considered a couple appointments with a registered dietician (not a nutritionist...that field is barely regulated and you have no way to ensure if their credentials mean anything)? They can really help set you up with some guidelines and help you plan meals with your cooking ability in mind. They might even go to the grocery store with you.

    ETA: My insurance plan even covers them, so it's totally worth looking into!

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  • edited June 2015
  • @pinkrevenge I think you're probably right.

    @amelisha I hadn't considered that but that's a good idea. Thanks!!

    @prettygirllost I'll check those books out, I love to read anyway and education always helps!
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  • As far as losing weight, anyone I know that did a cleanse put whatever weight they lost right back on. 
  • edited June 2015
  • FI and I started a thing for cooking that we call one-ingredient ingredients.  It's our way of making sure we're eating in a more healthy way and avoiding hidden things in processed/packaged food.  So, for example, if I make marinara sauce, I use carrots (one ingredient in carrots - carrot), onion (one ingredient in onion - onion), tomatoes (I'm sure you get it by now), and basil.  That way we know we're not putting extra sugar, salt, or anything else in our bodies.  Also, we try to eat lean proteins and veggies as much as we can.  Eating too much pasta, white bread, rice, etc. gives me bad lower belly aches, so that's cut out for both eating well and because I don't like being in pain.

    We also got a food scale and are learning what real servings of food look like.  It makes a difference.  There was a show on the BBC (not sure if it's around anymore), but it really inspired me to first start learning about nutrition and eating better.  It's called "You Are What You Eat."  If you're into that kind of show, you may find it interesting.  

    Sugar-free candy = farts.  All the farts.  (That word still makes me giggle.)
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  • If your liver stopped working than you really need dialysis and juice won't fit that mess.
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  • KatWAGKatWAG member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited January 2015
    I really just need someone to come move in my house, buy my groceries, and make all my meals for me until I learn what to do for myself. This was my parents' job, but nooooo taking me to McDonalds every night was easier lol.
    YouTube is your friend ;-) Tons of How To info related to cooking. It just takes practice. You can do it!


    And pinterest. There are a ton of easy, fast and healthy recipes to be found.

    Get really friendly with quinoa. It is inexpensive, and full of fiber and protein. Instead of adding pasta or rice. Add quinoa.

    eta: I am eating it right now and its damn delicious. Quinoa, black beans, corn, salsa, gauc, peppers, etc. Yum.

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  • mrsdee15 said:
    FI and I started a thing for cooking that we call one-ingredient ingredients.  It's our way of making sure we're eating in a more healthy way and avoiding hidden things in processed/packaged food.  So, for example, if I make marinara sauce, I use carrots (one ingredient in carrots - carrot), onion (one ingredient in onion - onion), tomatoes (I'm sure you get it by now), and basil.  That way we know we're not putting extra sugar, salt, or anything else in our bodies.  Also, we try to eat lean proteins and veggies as much as we can.  Eating too much pasta, white bread, rice, etc. gives me bad lower belly aches, so that's cut out for both eating well and because I don't like being in pain.

    We also got a food scale and are learning what real servings of food look like.  It makes a difference.  There was a show on the BBC (not sure if it's around anymore), but it really inspired me to first start learning about nutrition and eating better.  It's called "You Are What You Eat."  If you're into that kind of show, you may find it interesting.  

    Sugar-free candy = farts.  All the farts.  (That word still makes me giggle.)
    So...what do you put the marinara sauce ON if you don't do pasta? 

    (I'm kidding. And this is all great advice.)
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    This baby knows exactly how I feel
  • Also, H and I took a couple cooking classes. Not really for fun but because we needed it. While I might be able to survive on scrambled eggs, pasta and frozen dinners. I would be the size of a house if I did.

    So a few cooking classes thought us how to make the basics and now we feel a bit more comfortable improvising in the kitchen.

    BabyFruit Ticker
  • mrsdee15 said:
    FI and I started a thing for cooking that we call one-ingredient ingredients.  It's our way of making sure we're eating in a more healthy way and avoiding hidden things in processed/packaged food.  So, for example, if I make marinara sauce, I use carrots (one ingredient in carrots - carrot), onion (one ingredient in onion - onion), tomatoes (I'm sure you get it by now), and basil.  That way we know we're not putting extra sugar, salt, or anything else in our bodies.  Also, we try to eat lean proteins and veggies as much as we can.  Eating too much pasta, white bread, rice, etc. gives me bad lower belly aches, so that's cut out for both eating well and because I don't like being in pain.

    We also got a food scale and are learning what real servings of food look like.  It makes a difference.  There was a show on the BBC (not sure if it's around anymore), but it really inspired me to first start learning about nutrition and eating better.  It's called "You Are What You Eat."  If you're into that kind of show, you may find it interesting.  

    Sugar-free candy = farts.  All the farts.  (That word still makes me giggle.)
    So...what do you put the marinara sauce ON if you don't do pasta? 

    (I'm kidding. And this is all great advice.)
    Spaghetti Squash
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  • mrsdee15 said:
    FI and I started a thing for cooking that we call one-ingredient ingredients.  It's our way of making sure we're eating in a more healthy way and avoiding hidden things in processed/packaged food.  So, for example, if I make marinara sauce, I use carrots (one ingredient in carrots - carrot), onion (one ingredient in onion - onion), tomatoes (I'm sure you get it by now), and basil.  That way we know we're not putting extra sugar, salt, or anything else in our bodies.  Also, we try to eat lean proteins and veggies as much as we can.  Eating too much pasta, white bread, rice, etc. gives me bad lower belly aches, so that's cut out for both eating well and because I don't like being in pain.

    We also got a food scale and are learning what real servings of food look like.  It makes a difference.  There was a show on the BBC (not sure if it's around anymore), but it really inspired me to first start learning about nutrition and eating better.  It's called "You Are What You Eat."  If you're into that kind of show, you may find it interesting.  

    Sugar-free candy = farts.  All the farts.  (That word still makes me giggle.)
    So...what do you put the marinara sauce ON if you don't do pasta? 

    (I'm kidding. And this is all great advice.)
    I'm kind of obsessed with tomato sauces, so I use anything I can as a sauce transportation device into my mouth.  But yeah, spaghetti squash, tofu shirataki noodles, bake chicken in the sauce... sauce for always!
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