Been quiet for the last few days, partly because I have undergone a major project to clear out a store room (astonishing how much crap I have accumulated), and also because I have been accompanying she who must be obeyed on a three day juice fast.
She has decided that she wants to eat better, and she wants to lose weight, and to kick things off she wanted to spend three days drinking nothing but veggie/fruit juice. The inspiration for this was Joe Cross’s documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead; and if you have a weight problem and want to do something about it, it’s worth a watch. The idea is to reboot your digestive system and give it a rest for a few days by consuming nothing but juice. A minimum of three days is recommended (although you can go for thirty days or more if you really need to shed a load of weight). Watching Joe’s film, it was clear that the first few days are the worst as you system adjusts to a fluid diet; so I was assuming it would not be fun.
And it wasn’t. The juices we put together were tasty enough, but I suffered from headaches, listlessness, and generally felt like crap. She who must be obeyed suffered similarly, and it was good to head back to solid food today. We both lost close to 3kg in three days; it is now up to my wife to decide whether she wants to continue her weight loss by eating sensibly, or whether the constant need for Thai snacks will win.
As for me, I was happy to return to my normal consumption of fruit and vegetables in solid form.
It’s a few days away from the one year anniversary of my juicer purchase. I drink fewer juices than when I bought the machine, with the juice ingredients now being consumed as salads instead; which is of course more filling and just as beneficial nutritionally. Thanks to my improved diet (which also excludes meat), I weigh ten kilos less than I did a year ago (expect that to revert to 8 kilos once the juice fast effect has worn off), my waist size has decreased from a tight 34" to loose 32"; and most important of all I feel healthier. I was regularly afflicted with man flu, and variations thereof. Since I started juicing and eating well, I have not had a single day’s sickness.
More support for a primarily plant-based diet came from the results of study published last week that suggested that the recommended five portions a day of fruit and vegetables is insufficient, and to gain maximum benefit we should be consuming seven portions. “Eating at least seven portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day was linked to a 42% lower risk of death from all causes”. Presumably this excludes being hit by a bus.
Cue much moaning in the comments section of news sites, arguing that eating such a large quantity is unrealistic. Seven portions represents 560 grams of produce; how could anyone eat that in a day?
This is my typical daily salad meal (that’s a large plate on a large stool):
Carrots, walnuts, kidney beans, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, cranberry and apple. A tang is added by grating some frozen lemon and mixing it in (an Antz tip if I recall). Served in a large bowl and chomped through for half an hour or so; delicious! Typical weight is about a kilo of food; that’s more than twelve servings. Plus I will probably knock back some fruit or some more nuts at other points in the day.
Definitely feel 42% less likely to die today.
Comments 🔗
2014-04-07| jon sutton saysAre all your stools that large?
2014-04-10| Spike saysIndeed they are; although some are a darker brown.
2014-04-19| Parry saysNice one Spike. Watched the Joe Cross documentary, ordered a juicer straight after, knocking this contract down to two days a week from Tuesday. Doing sixty days juicing to kick off.
In a very bad way after just three months out of the jungle and back on site in the UK. Diabetes roaring and weight piling on, borderline non-functional now, very ill, not far off the state of the truck driver in the film.
Time to change.
2014-04-21| Spike saysWish you luck Parry. Sixty days will be tough; but it might save your life.
2014-04-21| Parry saysBrother, I am in a very, very bad way. Meeting with the Chairman tomorrow before I go down to two days a week work. Juicer should be here tomorrow or Wednesday. Starting on the kale/celery/cucumber/apple/lemon and ginger juice. It’s so bad now I spent most of Easter in bed, on site, in my bunkabin, next to a river in Devon. How strange.
2014-04-23| Spike saysThe first ten days will be the worst; after that you will feel and look wonderful!