After a few months off our feet, a huge trend at the moment to shift the dreaded lockdown weight is fast dieting.
Most of us have all put on a little extra and want it gone, but just because you can do something quickly. That doesn’t mean that it is the best idea for you…
Today we’re focusing on juice diets. Why they work, what they are and whether or not they are the right thing for you.
So let’s get this out of the way first. This is NOT a review on how juicing is a miracle tool, or that we shun it completely. Today, we’re purely focusing on the facts of a juice diet and how they can impact your results both short term and long term.
WHY DO PEOPLE JUICE?
Juice diets have been around for a while and something that some people see huge results from. You’ll see statements like “I lost a stone in a week!” Or “It’s completely revitalised my body!”…Whilst those statements may very well be true, we’ll tell you now, they are not the whole story.
Chances are that without a sustainable eating habit, that stone of weight loss was put back on the following month, and that revitalised feeling wore off after a week or two…
Statements like that are purely advertising, which is why it is especially important to think about WHY you want to juice diet. If it’s for short term results, you might want to re-evaluate your approach.
FORS AND AGAINSTS
So fruits and veg are notoriously good for our bodies. They’re full of a whole variety of vitamins, minerals and everyone’s favourite…fibre. Fibre is what helps give our bodies that ‘fuller for longer’ feeling and is why fruits and veg are what we like to call ‘high volume foods’ meaning that they help fill up more volume in your stomach, and leave you feeling nice and full throughout your day.
When we blend our foods we actually remove almost all of that fibre. Think about it, a full orange takes up far more room than a blended one! What this means is that if you are purely relying on blended foods for your diet, you’ll actually ind yourself getting hungry super quickly.
…THAT BEING SAID.
It’s not all bad news and juicing your foods can actually be very beneficial for some of the enzymes in your body. Studies have shown that as there is less fibre to work through, the enzymes in your body are able to access the sugars in blended foods much quicker.
This means that you’ll likely feel a spike in energy immediately after a juice, which can be a good thing! For example that added pick me up after a tough training session can be just what your body needs to keep your mind focused on the day ahead!
So as long as you aren’t purely relying on juicing for your entire meal count, you body might actually thank you for it!
HOW SUSTAINABLE IS THIS?
Something that is so easily overlooked when it comes to nutrition is the psychological impact of keeping your food sustainable. Think about your social live and day to day.
Could you honestly allow yourself to only drink juices whenever you go out for a meal with friends? Or what about Christmas Day? Birthdays? I know I personally don’t fancy a Christmas dinner smoothie!
If the answer is yes though and you can imagine yourself juicing every day for the next 10 years?
Then perhaps it’s for you…If not, I’d stick to regular foods and use your juices as fun little treat supplements for a great post workout boost!
