You would have probably seen juicing been promoted by celebrities, nutritionists and media people alike and must be wondering to yourself, whether it’s actually good for you or just another fad diet plan. True, juicing is fast becoming a popular method of weight loss; but, before we delve into the truth about juicing and know its weight loss benefits, we must understand what exactly do we mean by juicing.
What is Juicing?
Juicing is the process of removing nutrients through fluids from fruits and vegetables. What you have is the product in a liquid form instead of solid. Juicing does not contain the pulp or seeds found in fruits and vegetables. You need a juicer for this.
How juicing can lead to weight loss?
For a person to lose weight efficiently, he/she has to maintain a calorie deficit. This means you need to burn more calories than you are consuming. A juicing diet contains fewer calories than a solid food diet.
Most of the fruits and vegetables used for juicing are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. When you blend items rich in these nutrients, you absorb them into your body.
Most of the people who engage in a juicing regime, experience some form of weight loss after three, four or seven days. One reason for this is that your body sheds water due to a decreased amount of starch that you consume.
This initial decrease in weight is what you need to remain motivated with the juicing program. When you continue with this regime, your body should start adjusting to eating small food portions – though this is not certain as some people increase weight when they go back to regular food.
Juicing is often sort as eating disorder treatment. It enables people to consume all your essential nutrients through a single glass of juice.
Ease of digestion
People who struggle with swallowing solid foods can find solace in juicing. When you take your daily nutrient content this way you make it easier for your stomach to digest the ingredients. This means you reach your daily content for nutrients. The amount of fruits and vegetables that can fit in a glass is higher than when you consume them directly.
The fruits and vegetables that we take have a specific sugar content that can help reduce cravings. People who are susceptible to weight gain often take sugary foods like crisps and sweets in between meals. These calories when not used in the body get converted into fat in the body. When you take a glass of fruit or vegetable juice, signals are sent to your brain that all your body nutritional needs have been met; this reduces cravings for sweets or other snack food items in between meals.
Reduction in appetite
When you practice juicing, your appetite is reduced. You can take a glass of juice every time you see your appetite picking. Juice is nutritious and does not have many calories like candy and other sugary stuff. When you take a glass of juice, you are left refreshed and revitalized.
How to have a juicing plan
The first step when losing weight through a juicing plan is to identify the right juicer. A cold press juicer is recommended since its slow crushing and you get the pulp remaining in the juicer. These juicers are more expensive and cannot handle tough fruits.
If you still do not have a plan, you can begin with purchasing fresh juice instead of concentrates. Concentrates often have artificial flavoring, sugars, and preservatives which can further inhibit your plans to lose weight.
It is advised that you aim at having a third fruits and two-thirds vegetables. This is because fruits often have more sugars than vegetables. Buy an assortment of fruits and vegetables to enhance the flavors.
You can purchase one of the several recipe books available both online and local stores. Make some juice and check out the flavors; you can always be creative and mix up your recipes.
When you are making the juice – start with the softer items like leafy vegetables, then more delicate fruits like bananas and finally the hard items like carrots.
Fruit and vegetables juices are susceptible to bacteria and should not be kept for more than 24 hours. Make one serving at a time and avoid making too much and then storing it. Mason jars are excellent for storing juices.
It is important that you customize your own individual juicing plan. Research online on the various juicing plans available and find one that suits you.
Once you have a juicing recipe make a diet plan with number of servings per day. To succeed in any juicing plan, you will need to be consistent and patient with yourself. Losing weight does not happen overnight. It is essential that you have a variety of juices to prevent monotony in your meals.
The next thing you need to invest in is a weight machine. It is ideal that you know whether you are making progress or not. Have a notebook in a place that you can record your daily weights. Encourage yourself and buy yourself a treat when you notice some weight loss.
Since every person is different, it is equally important to discuss with your doctor before engaging in any weight loss regime. Your doctor can redesign your program if your health is felt at risk. You can also contact a nutrition expert on the type of foods that you can take. The nutrition expert can detect an eating disorder that you may have.
In the beginning, start by replacing one of your meals with a juicing and then proceed with the rest with time. It is not safe to consume less than 1200 calories per day continuously. Take some solids occasionally. Should you experience fatigue, extreme hunger, or weakness consult your doctor.
There are various weight loss programs available and juicing is one of them. Juicing when done consistently leads to weight loss. You will need to be consistent and be creative with your juicing recipes for it to work. However, it is crucial that you consult your doctor before you engage in any plan.
This is especially so for people who are anemic or have heart problems. Always aim to meet your daily calorie content to prevent starving yourself.