FAQ, Facts, and Advice

Q&A

Since I’ve started my fast, I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me asking a lot of question, seeking advice, and support. I wanted to put together this Q&A page to get some frequently asked questions answered. I will be updating this entry as often as necessary, so remember to check back.

Do you only drink juice? No in-between snacks?:Yes, only juice. One of the biggest reason to do a juice fast is to allow the digestive system to “take a nap”. When you extract juice from fruits and vegetables, it is then that it’s at its easiest form to digest. This allows the body to take the energy that it would normally use for digestion and put it towards detoxing and purifying the body. When you add “snacks” in this requires the digestive system to wake up from its nap and work again.

How much money do you spend in a week on groceries? Usually right around $60. I get a lot of organics and farmers market products.

What is the best juicer to use? I am currently using a JuiceLady. It works just fine for me. I’m borrowing it from my boyfriends parents, so I’m not entirely sure how much it costs. There are several good brands on the market. I suggested looking up reviews on any juicer before you buy it. Different people prefer different types of juicers.

When can I start working out after I start my juice fast? Take it easy the first week. You will be weak while your body goes through detox. All of the energy that you have you want to allow your body to use to push toxins out. After the first week gauge how you feel. Start out light and ease into it. Every person is different, so learn to listen to your body. Don’t push yourself too hard.

How do I get protein? This is a subject that really gets me. People think that only animal products have protein; these people couldn’t be any more wrong. Spirulina (blue green algae) has more protein that any other type of food on earth. That’s right, you can eat a steak and still get less protein than ingesting some spirulina. It comes in a powder or a tablet. Mix some in with your juice. Chia and hemp seeds are also packed with protein and can be mixed into any juice. Chia seeds also have tons of other healthy benefits. Fact: A healthy vegan gets just as much if not more protein then a non-vegan. Our bodies aren’t made to digest animal proteins either. I’ll get into that more later.

How much water should I drink? I drink about a gallon a day. I pee all day long, but staying hydrated is very important. I recommend getting a water bottle and making sure you fill it up enough times in one day to be drinking close to a gallon a day.

How much juice do you drink in one day? I drink about 5 16oz juices a day. Again, every person is different, so you may find yourself drinking a little more or less a day. Drinking more will not prevent you from losing weight as fast. Listen to your body. Know the difference between hungry and thirsty. The great thing about eating/drinking healthy is that if you are hungry you can eat; no matter what time it is or how much you’ve already eaten. If you are hungry….have a juice.

How do you deal with cravings? The first week is hell. The cravings are strong and it almost physically hurts. I imagine that’s what a crack head going through withdrawls feels like. It isn’t fun but it’s worth it. Now my cravings are usually for an apple, which isn’t so bad. Occasionally I still get a craving for candy or pizza. When this happens I reminded myself why I started. I think about how far I’ve come, and how badly I never want to go back. I look in the mirror. I look at my before pictures. Then I have a juice. Chances are if you have a craving than you’re hungry, so drink a juice. Once you have started juicing never forget why you’re doing it. Week one sucks; why would anyone want to go through that twice? Push through, be strong, and never give up.

How long of a juice fast should I take on? Again, every person is different. It is an incredibly personal decision. Think about why you want to do a juice fast; Weight loss, detox, ect. If 30 days feels comfortable to you, than do it. If you get to day 30 and decide you want to keep going than that’s perfectly fine. Choose what is the most comfortable to you and go for it.

How do you stay motivated? My blog, my family, my friends, and myself; you all keep me going. I put myself out on the internet for the world to see. I was huge and I let people see that. There’s no way I couldn’t begin making a huge change when people were watching. Some people want to see failure and that drives me too. My family and friends are so supportive. Find the people in your life that will be supportive and hold on to them tight. There will be ugly people who think you’re crazy. Let that go; brush it off. I keep myself going by remembering why I started.  

Fruit and vegetable ratio? Your juices should be 80% vegetables. There is a 20/80 ratio on www.rebootwithjoe.com.

What kind of juice should I make? Be sure you are getting a “rainbow” of juices. Don’t stick with one color. Be sure to get tons of leafy greens as well as orange color juices. There are tons of recipes all over the internet. www.rebootwithjoe.com has some fantastic recipes. I will be posting another entry on my favorite recipes as well. Sometimes I just throw together a bunch of things that sound good and hope for the best.

Can’t I just do a “nutrition system” diet thing? No. You may get tablets that say they give you nutrition and shakes that fill you up and crap that gives you energy. You may actually lose a ton of weight, but there is not a damn chance that you are healthy. THERE IS NOTHING HEALTHIER THAN PLANT BASED FOOD IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM.  Once it has been modified it’s just a chemical cluster of “nutrition”. You may be skinny, but you WILL NOT be healthy. You will still run higher cancer risks, higher diabetes risks, and so much more. Why can’t we all just get our nutrition the right way?

Don’t you get hungry a lot? Not really. The first week I was hungry pretty often. My body has changed and now when I am hungry I have a juice and I’m super full. It’s more satisfying that it seems.

Can I make juice in advance? You certainly can. Don’t store it for more than 24 hours unfrozen. If you need to freeze some for advance, only leave it frozen for 10 days; no more. Of course having fresh juice is the best way to get all of the nutrients, but most people need to juice ahead of time to fit their schedules; this is okay.

Can I chew gum? Yes, just be sure it isn’t chemically modified (sugar free). Sugar free gum is just a chemical cluster….yeah

Can I use protein powder in my juice? I don’t recommend it. It’s more work for the digestive system. Also, if you use spirulina, hemp seeds, or chia seeds, there is no need for a protein powder. If you really feel the need to use protein powder, get one that is organic, gluten free, and vegan. This will be the easiest for your Digestive system.

Are the juices good? Before my fast, the only fruit or veggie I would eat was pineapple and spinach. I hated fruits and veggies. With that being said, I love my juices. They are delicious. Every now and then I’ll make one that I’m not fond of, but I can usually modify it to make it tasty. I actually crave juice.

Should I peel my citrus fruit? This is completely optional. Of course it’s more nutrition if you leave it on, but it can taste very bitter. I usually leave them on, but sometimes I just don’t feel like it. Personal preference really comes into play here.

Do I have to do a juice fast? Can I just incorporate juice into my diet? You absolutely do not have to do a juice fast to get healthy. Putting any amount of juice in your diet will be healthier. There are several different “reboot” plans on the www.rebootwithjoe.com website. He gives easy to follow recipes, a laid out eating plan, and a shopping list. It’s very organized and easy to follow. Anyone can do a juice fast, but it isn’t for everyone. Listen to your body and decide what is best for you. Any steps toward healthy change is a positive step. There is something to be said for that.

Can I make smoothies instead of juice? Yep! I recommend getting an industrial style blender for this. I have used both a Vitamix and a Blentech and love them both. If you use a more standard blender your fruits and veggies will not blend enough and it will be kind of gross to drink. I prefer juice; I think it’s easier to drink. I’ve also read that people who do juices usually lose weight faster. Juice also keeps me just as full as a smoothie.

Can I use almond or soy milk? Just like the protein powder, I don’t recommend it. During a fast you really want the simplest of foods.

Can I use coconut water? You should actually drink at least a full glass of coconut water a day. I’m guilty of not doing this as much as I should. It is highly recommended.

Herbal tea? Drinking herbal tea every night before bed is recommended. I get a cherry vanilla tea from the local farmers market that is really good.

Do you get the "poops"? Maybe this is TMI. The first few days you'll poop all day long. Every person is different. You may have solid poop...you may have runny poop. Stay close to a potty. Your poops will become regular. 

Where did you learn about the juice fast and other information? I have watched tons of documentaries and I’ve done my research. “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” was the documentary that kicked my butt into gear; In this documentary a very inspirational man named Joe cross goes on a 60 day juice fast. Everyone who is planning a juice fast should watch this. I also watched “Vegucated”, “Hungry for Change”, “Forks Over Knives”, and “Food Matters”. Each of these films has a ton of useful information. I use www.rebootwithjoe.com all the time for information, recipes, tips, and a community board.

Facts:

- Our bodies are very close to being identical to the gorilla, yet we eat like tigers. Let that simmer for a minute. 

- Gorillas, pound for pound, are the strongest animals on earth. 

- Gorillas only eat plant based products (leafy greens, nuts, and seeds)

- Humans eat like tigers. We are the sickest and fattest animals on earth.

- Our bodies are NOT made to digest any type of animal proteins. The body sees animal products as a foreign object; not as food. 

-  Heart disease and cancer are the number one killers in the U.S.

-  When more than 51% of the food that we eat is cooked the body starts a process called leukocytosis. It generates white cell activity against food you’re eating because that food is seen as a toxin. This causes your immune system to focus all or most of it's energy on digesting this food. This lowers your immune system's ability to function normally. This causes the body to become vulnerable. 

- Spirulina has the highest protein content of any food in the world. Spirulina is a plant based food; not steak.

- You can have big muscles as a vegan :)

- The Max Plant Institute discovered that when ANY food is cooked that 50% of the protein in that food is destroyed (That steak doesn't have as much protein as you think)

-  Raw Cacao beans have the highest natural content in chromium, iron (not red meats!), manganese,   zinc, copper, vitamin c, and antioxidants (all vitamins and minerals essential to a healthy metabolism). When cacao is turned into processed chocolate it loses all of these natural vitamins and minerals.

-   Less than 6% of graduating physicians in the USA receive any formal training in nutrition (I just thought this was interesting)

- When the body is nourished it has the ability to heal itself. 

-  2 handfuls of cashews give you the therapeutic equivalent of a dose of Prozac. 

- Dr. Max Gerson (1930’s 1940’s) did a study showing that vitamins and large quantities of veggies juices and organic foods would help to cure cancer. He had a 50% cure rate with terminally ill cancer patients.  

-   Americans spend 2.2 trillion dollars a year in health care. That’s more than 5x the defense budget.

- Healthy eating is the original health insurance.

- 500 calories of plant based food fills the stomach completely sending signals to the brain that we are full. 500 calories of processed food fills the stomach far less, therefore telling the brain that we are still hungry and need more food.

-    “He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the time of his doctor” – ancient Chinese proverb

-  Contrary to the popular belief, the higher amount of dairy in ones diet leads to a higher risk for osteoporosis.   Animal protein tends to create an acid like condition of the body called metabolic acidosis. The bodies defense in the condition is to call upon the most acid reducing substance in our bodies;mainly calcium. By this, our bones are weekend, not strengthened, giving us a higher risk for osteoporosis.  

-   The relationship between milk and prostate cancer is as strong as the relationship with cigarettes and lung cancer.

-   It takes over 10x the amount of fossil fuels to produce a calorie of animal based food then it does to produce a calorie of plant based food

- According to the United Nations the livestock industry is a greater contributor to global warming than the entire transportation industry.

Food Matters. 2008. Documentary.

Forks Over Knives. Dir. Lee Fulkerson. 2011. Documentary.

Hungry For Change. Dir. James Colquhoun. 2012. Documentary.

Snyder, Kimberly. The Beauty Detox Solution. Richmond: Harlequin, 2013. Print.

"Vegucated Documentary." Kind Green Planet. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2013.

Tips and Advice on beginning your own Juice Fast:

-Have a game plan. You'll want to ease into this fast. Take a week or so to really get mentally and physically prepared. 

-THIS IS NOT EASY, but it's way more than worth it. Gather a group of people who support you and hold onto that. 

- Watch "Fat Sick and Nearly Dead", "Vegucated", "Food Matters", and "Hungry for Change". 

- Get a nice juicer and some mason jars.

- My blog keeps me going; I advice starting a blog of your own. Give me your blog address and I'll post a link to your blog from mine!

- peppers are helpful in weight loss and they are super yummy!

-When you start your fast, make sure you have a few days to not do anything. Start on a weekend perhaps.

You're going to feel like crap...it's awful. So take some time where you can literally just lay there and feel 

   sad for yourself. (the first 3 nights of my fast I cried myself to sleep every night)

- Drink close to a gallon of water a day. 

- People are going to tell you that you are crazy and that you should try a different way of losing weight. Ignore them. Just remember why you're doing this and why you started. Put a smile on your face and watch your pounds fall off.

- I hear a lot of, "you're awsome for doing this, but I wouldn't be able to do a fast". You are a liar if you have told me that. You can do a fast; you just don't want to. I realize that it isn't for every one. I know this sound cliche, but you can do anything you set your mind to, so DO NOT tell me that you can't do what I'm doing. Yes, I am awesome, thank you.

- Stop trying nutrition supplements and diets. Just go natural. There is no better way. Eat what the earth grows for us. 

- You don't have to count calories on a plant based diet.

- Cut people out of your life who do not support your decisions to become a healthier person. If they don't support you; they don't care. These people just weigh you down and influence you to make bad eating decisions. Explain to your family that they don't have to agree or follow your life style, but that you would love their support and respect.  

- If  you live with people who cook yummy smelling food a lot - I have no advice at this point. Just stay strong and get through it. You're getting smaller

- Get a lot of rest.

-Drink as much juice as you want. You cannot have too much. If you feel hungry make a juice. 

-Always remember to take pride in what you are doing. Remember that what ever progress you have made, small or large, is still progress. 

For questions, comments, or concerns leave a comments or email me at healthyhaley60@gmail.com

Xoxo Hay