Weight loss is a journey. It takes time, thought and effort. There are no quick fixes. No flab to fab in 45 minutes. Still, we want to help you succeed. Pick up a copy of the Alive Smoothie Listand get step by step instructions.
This focus is on juicing fresh fruits and vegetables as one way to improve your health, nourish your body and lose weight.
Why juicing works:
Aside from the fact that juiced fruits and vegetables have very low calories and no fat, they are loaded with a variety of high quality vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes that help your body function at its best. Our bodies spend a good deal of time trying to repair, detoxify and protect cells. When we are undernourished our bodies go into protection mode and store fat for survival (yay, survival instincts, not). But, when your body is functioning at it’s at peak condition and being nourished it can focus energy on fat loss. Juicing delivers a concentrated health cocktail straight into your belly. No extra effort is needed to break down the juice and so it is absorbed quickly and starts working magic immediately.
Keys to weight-loss success while juicing:
Juice mostly vegetables and herbs while limiting fruit. Yes, fruit makes it taste so delicious and yummy! Yes, fruit sugar is better than refined table sugar… but it’s still sugar and will still cause spikes in your insulin and if your body cannot clear those sugars out they will convert to fat stores. Also, watch how many carrots you use, those sneaky guys have a lot of sugar too.
Save juicing fruits for before and/or after workouts. For the same principle as above, when you work out your body becomes primed for using glucose (sugar).
Skip snacking and start juicing. It seems that people always get hungry between meals. The solution to avoid noshing on things you probably shouldn’t be eating right before dinner is to juice up a big green glass of goodness. Hopefully the liquid will tide you over until your next meal or at least gets your brain thinking about health-conscious snacks.
Snack while juicing. Not on cheese and crackers or anything man made but on the vegetables you are getting ready to juice. Sometimes our brains like chewing and feeling food in our mouths and tummies, give it that satisfaction while nurturing you.
Healthy habits don’t end with juicing. Whether you are having 1 juice a day or 10, remember that beyond your green mason jar, you need to be eating healthy all day long. It kind of defeats the purpose of juicing for weight loss when you eat a big bowl of sugary cereal for breakfast, pizza for lunch and burgers and fries for dinner.
Fill up on fresh juice before meals or going out. Even though juice is digested quickly and doesn’t leave you full for long, your hunger may be quenched by the nutrients more than the feeling of full.
Vary you veggies. Two ways that this works: you don’t get bored and you get a variety of nutrients.
Add chia seeds, avocado, or oils. Healthy fats and fibers are not only good for you, but will keep you fuller longer. No one wants to diet, or live with someone who is dieting, who has a big hungry monster in their belly.
Create lasting healthy habits:
Remember,juicing for weight loss is not a diet. Let juicing be your caveat for healthy living. If you are taking the time to wash, chop and juice fresh fruits and vegetables than you should be making time to prep and cook healthy homemade meals.
Some people start cold turkey with a juice fast. Others like to test the water with one, slowly adding more as they feel necessary. If you prefer to start with a balanced, nutrition-rich eating plan, you will find that having at least one glass of vegetable juice per day will make it easier to reach your weight loss goals in the long run. Try replacing your morning, afternoon, or before-bed snack with a juice and you are on your way! And remember, we are in this together.
Morning-time concoction:
- 1 beet
- 1 pink lady apple
- 1 small slice of ginger
Before dinner:
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 green onions
- ½ green pepper
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery ribs
- Handful of parsley
- Handful of cilantro
- 1 peeled lemon
Before bed:
- 2 cucumbers
- 4 romaine lettuce leaves
- Handful of mint
- (+lime if you want a mojito)