Seven Day Juice Fast

I just finished a seven day juice fast. And I feel fantastic. As the Summer came to a close, I was feeling a little sluggish from all the weekend barbecues, pizza's and overall dietary slacking that I fell into. Sound familiar? Let's face it, most of us indulge in our favorite not-so healthy foods during the summertime. Well, I put on a few extra pounds during the Summer, so I decided to go on a week long juice cleanse. I followed Joe Cross' Reboot. 

A juice cleanse? Are you serious? Why?

Yes. I went on a juice cleanse. 

You see, the average American gets only 5% of their overall calorie intake from fresh fruits and vegetables. When you consume only vegetable and fruit juices, your system is flooded with an abundance of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help your body shed excess fat, stay strong and fight disease. You bump up the percentage of fruits and veggies to a maximum 100%. So I spent 7 days of drinking only fruit and vegetable juice, coconut water, herbal tea, and water. 

What is a Reboot? 

It's a period of time where you commit to drinking and only fruit and vegetables, herbal teas, and water in order to regain or sustain your vitality, lose weight and kick-start healthy habits that recharge your body and get your diet back in alignment for optimal wellness.

It's a great way to power up your system using plant-based energy to help you lose weight, increase your energy levels and think more clearly. When you consume only juice, your system is flooded with an abundance of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help your body stay strong and fight disease. 

Who's Joe Cross? 

Well, If you've seen the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, you'll know Joe as the man who went on a 60 day juice fast in an effort to reverse his chronic illness. If you haven't seen the movie, Joe drove across America, sharing his message of health and wellness to anybody who would listen. I highly recommend you see it. If nothing else, it will leave you inspired to make a change for better health. Even a small change can have big results. 

Does it work? 

In a word, yes. I dropped 6 pounds in seven days . I went from 160 pounds down to 154 pounds. But to be honest, I did it more for my health, not so much for losing weight. Dropping pounds is more of a side-effect. 

The amount of weight loss will vary, depending on how much weight you have to lose. Those with a lot can lose much more than the average, while those with little to lose might find they drop less. I only have 10 pounds to lose, so my transformation was less dramatic than someone who has 50 or more pounds to lose. After a week, I decided to keep up with juicing just two of my meals and I am still dropping. My goal is to drop back down to 150 pounds.

Your weight loss will probably be a combination of fat, muscle, and water, but staying active and drinking enough juice and water will help to preserve muscle mass and promote comparatively more fat loss.

So just how bad is it?

The first two days were a little rough (just being honest). I was tired, sluggish and had a  headache. 

Did I mention I went off coffee and alcohol during the fast? Yep, I did. Caffeine and alcohol are substances that are metabolized by our liver. This means that the liver must perform extra work to safely package and remove their toxic compounds from our bodies. Drinking caffeine and alcohol will therefore give your body additional work to do and could potentially limit the overall effectiveness of the Reboot.

I did drink Coconut water once a day. Coconut water can be a great natural option as a quick electrolyte replenishing drink as it contains high amounts of potassium and moderate amounts of magnesium, sodium, calcium, chloride and phosphate.

WARNING!

You will goto the bathroom a lot. I'm just saying. So be prepared to do some internal house cleaning.

By day four I was feeling better. More energy. Clearer thinking. 

I'll post more about juice fasting, and it's health benefits. For now, let me leave you with something to chew on. Well, actually, you will drink it. Below is my favorite juice recipe:

Joe's Mean Green
Juice 6 leaves of kale, 1 cucumber, 4 stalks of celery, 3 apples cut in half, a small piece of ginger and 1/2 lemon. The tasty cocktail will double most people’s daily intake of healthy veggies

The views expressed on this site are my opinions and should not be taken as a substitute for qualified medical expertise. I am not a Doctor. I do not give medical advice or make claims to cure any sickness, disease or affliction. I simply share my understanding of health and fitness. Please consult your Doctor or Health Care Practitioner before starting any diet or fitness routine.

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