A few weeks ago I watched this documentary on Netflix. Then I watched it again, in the presence of my husband. The premise of this documentary was one so controversial and foreign to my general philosophy on life that I felt compelled to get a second and definitely more objective opinion. I didn't want to get all swept up in inspiration and subjective camera work and start this endeavor for nothing.
Essentially the premise of this film is that this guy (the documentarian) is overweight and suffering from a debilitating condition in which his body creates too much histamine, causing sores to break out all over his body. He is taking multiple medications and living an all around wretched life, when inspiration hits. He goes on a sixty day juice fast, drinking nothing but juice that he has juiced with a juicer from unadorned fruits and vegetables. At the end of the sixty days he has lost a massive amount of weight and was able to completely give up his medication regimen. The theory is that by drinking nothing but fruit/vegetable juice, you will retrain your palate to crave what are called "micronutrients" rather than fats and sugars. This will allow you to maintain a more well-rounded diet that is full of healthier foods and is more nourishing to the body, increasing energy, boosting metabolism, and resulting in overall healthfulness.
Obviously I was hooked. It seems so easy! Just drink juice for a little while and magic will soon be running through your veins! So, after a lengthy discussion with Norris about the pros and cons of this plan, my notoriously flimsy willpower factoring in heavily, I decided to give it a try. For ten days. Even I am not idealistic enough to believe I could do it for two whole months.
So today was day one. I woke up, full of resolve, and stood in the kitchen contemplating the strange silver machine on my counter top. I borrowed a juicer from my parents and was now fully equipped. So, I grabbed some strawberries out of the fridge and got to work. They juiced beautifully, and the juice was delicious. Breakfast: no sweat. Toward lunch I started getting hungrier, but not starving, so I drank some more, then went shopping for a list of good juicing fruits and veggies that I had found online. After class, I came home, ready for "dinner". I was proud of myself for making it through the entire first day without giving in. I mixed up a recommended blend of beets, carrots, kale, apples, and ginger.
It. Is. Disgusting.
It. Tastes. Like. Grass.
I. Felt. Like. Gagging.
Norris suggested that ice might make it better, so we gave it a try. Anything to water it down. It was still super gross. But I powered through and drank it all. The goal of this, after all, is to get nutrients, not just starve myself. I am trying to bear in mind that my palate is being retrained, so it may take a little while to get used to the flavor of things like beets and kale---things that I rarely, if ever, cook with.
So far, hunger has not been the problem. So far, it has been the sheer desire to eat solid food. Add to that the fact that my husband is not juice fasting, so I cooked him pasta with red sauce for dinner. This is going to be more than an adventure in health and fitness. It is going to be an exercise in sheer willpower. As someone who is prone to indulging herself, this might prove difficult, but I am convinced that it will be good for me in one way or another.
And on the bright side, by next Friday I will be able to sink my teeth into something again. Nine days to go...
Essentially the premise of this film is that this guy (the documentarian) is overweight and suffering from a debilitating condition in which his body creates too much histamine, causing sores to break out all over his body. He is taking multiple medications and living an all around wretched life, when inspiration hits. He goes on a sixty day juice fast, drinking nothing but juice that he has juiced with a juicer from unadorned fruits and vegetables. At the end of the sixty days he has lost a massive amount of weight and was able to completely give up his medication regimen. The theory is that by drinking nothing but fruit/vegetable juice, you will retrain your palate to crave what are called "micronutrients" rather than fats and sugars. This will allow you to maintain a more well-rounded diet that is full of healthier foods and is more nourishing to the body, increasing energy, boosting metabolism, and resulting in overall healthfulness.
Obviously I was hooked. It seems so easy! Just drink juice for a little while and magic will soon be running through your veins! So, after a lengthy discussion with Norris about the pros and cons of this plan, my notoriously flimsy willpower factoring in heavily, I decided to give it a try. For ten days. Even I am not idealistic enough to believe I could do it for two whole months.
So today was day one. I woke up, full of resolve, and stood in the kitchen contemplating the strange silver machine on my counter top. I borrowed a juicer from my parents and was now fully equipped. So, I grabbed some strawberries out of the fridge and got to work. They juiced beautifully, and the juice was delicious. Breakfast: no sweat. Toward lunch I started getting hungrier, but not starving, so I drank some more, then went shopping for a list of good juicing fruits and veggies that I had found online. After class, I came home, ready for "dinner". I was proud of myself for making it through the entire first day without giving in. I mixed up a recommended blend of beets, carrots, kale, apples, and ginger.
It. Is. Disgusting.
It. Tastes. Like. Grass.
I. Felt. Like. Gagging.
Norris suggested that ice might make it better, so we gave it a try. Anything to water it down. It was still super gross. But I powered through and drank it all. The goal of this, after all, is to get nutrients, not just starve myself. I am trying to bear in mind that my palate is being retrained, so it may take a little while to get used to the flavor of things like beets and kale---things that I rarely, if ever, cook with.
So far, hunger has not been the problem. So far, it has been the sheer desire to eat solid food. Add to that the fact that my husband is not juice fasting, so I cooked him pasta with red sauce for dinner. This is going to be more than an adventure in health and fitness. It is going to be an exercise in sheer willpower. As someone who is prone to indulging herself, this might prove difficult, but I am convinced that it will be good for me in one way or another.
And on the bright side, by next Friday I will be able to sink my teeth into something again. Nine days to go...
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