Anyone doing the juice plus diet/detox?

[4390evans]

Haha, Honestly I dont know? we have fruit in etc but over the past few days all I have ate is veg, fruit and smoothies but ... I dont know how to explain it... I just dont feel fulfilled. I feel full but there is a want there and I just dont know what its for other than chocolate or biscuits. I sound like a right idiot saying this and also think gawd its only chocolate just dont eat it but I feel like I need a bit

Why don't you stop buying kitkats and have some fruit instead?

[veggiechicken]

You're craving sugar (chocolate). As others have said, eat everything but in moderation. Don't binge on chocolate, have one bar and no more.
I used to keep an emergency M@rs bar in my office desk drawer - wrapped in layers and layers of sellotape. It was impossibe to just tear it open, I would have needed a knife - but knowing it was there if I was desperate was enough to stop me eating other chocs..

[4390evans]

You know, I understand that eating 8 kit kats in one sitting is horrendous but its not like its every week. I don't drink or smoke even if I wanted to I couldn't afford to. I think comparing me to someone who suffered inside the belsen concentration camp is a bit far. I'm not easily offended as Its only a thread after all but I can see where others could be.

Moving on....

As I grew up my mam got stuff that was cheap quick and easy to make the only veg we had was on a sunday. I didnt even know red onions existed never mind what they were for till I left home and had to do my own shopping. Ive piled the weight on over the past 2 year I was massive when I was pregnant and believe it or not at my healthiest I walked 3 times a day with the dogs for 1 to 2 miles each time, but once I gave birth I was stuck in then when the bairn had her op I lived out of the hospital ect ect.

Now everything has settled I have the time to make proper meals but thought this juice plus would of got it off quicker and it would of been healthier for us all.

I have found shopping healthier so much more expensive! I can get a shop in for us and the 2 kids for �65 and not have to worry if Im going to run out of food at the end of the week, where as when Ive bought fruit,veg and water I got a shop in for �100 and I think Ive spent �30 extra just topping up.

Think Ill look into slimming world Ive heard some good feedback from people who have done it.

Thanks guys

[Alison]

You know, I understand that eating 8 kit kats in one sitting is horrendous but its not like its every week. I don't drink or smoke even if I wanted to I couldn't afford to. I think comparing me to someone who suffered inside the belsen concentration camp is a bit far. I'm not easily offended as Its only a thread after all but I can see where others could be.

Moving on....

As I grew up my mam got stuff that was cheap quick and easy to make the only veg we had was on a sunday. I didnt even know red onions existed never mind what they were for till I left home and had to do my own shopping. Ive piled the weight on over the past 2 year I was massive when I was pregnant and believe it or not at my healthiest I walked 3 times a day with the dogs for 1 to 2 miles each time, but once I gave birth I was stuck in then when the bairn had her op I lived out of the hospital ect ect.

Now everything has settled I have the time to make proper meals but thought this juice plus would of got it off quicker and it would of been healthier for us all.

I have found shopping healthier so much more expensive! I can get a shop in for us and the 2 kids for �65 and not have to worry if Im going to run out of food at the end of the week, where as when Ive bought fruit,veg and water I got a shop in for �100 and I think Ive spent �30 extra just topping up.

Think Ill look into slimming world Ive heard some good feedback from people who have done it.

Thanks guys

Sounds like you'll do just fine with the attitude you have, just try not to get disheartened when it doesn't happen overnight. I agree with some of the other comments that crash diets and fads don't help and often make it worse. Small changes that you hardly notice are often far more effective and can be kept up for so much longer. Actually the word diet annoys me in the way it's used. We're all on a diet or we'd die, it's what we eat and a lot of these faddy ones which cut out food groups are very difficult to keep up and therefore any weight loss is reversed as soon as you go back to what you did eat.

Maybe you could also do some active stuff with the kids (not sure on age) which would help and they'd probably enjoy it too. Doesn't have to cost either, a mate of mine does exploration bingo walks with her kids where they all race to find / see a list of things be it a robin, a yellow car, a tree with apples on it or whatever. They have a great laugh doing it and end up running round the roads and parks playing on it. Sounds daft and isn't for everybody but she's sure it's helped her.

[Dorothy rouse]

Once you have started,and eating good quality natural type food ,the weight will begin to go, you will find you have more energy, and enjoy life more and importantly feel happier with yourself. On a 'calorie' type diet, you know what your eating and of course you can have some chocolate, but in moderation.

I think you have been very brave to come on here and tell us so much about yourself,some of the comments have been harsh. Plan some nice things to enjoy and fill some of the space in your mind ( take the place of chocolate) Spring is coming,get out and about.

Wishing you all the best and very good luck .

[Hazel at the Hill]

Think Ill look into slimming world Ive heard some good feedback from people who have done it.

I think you are on the right lines Make sure you take notice of the talks and don't just go for the weigh in. Educating yourself is the key - I learnt budgeting, housekeeping and cooking all from my mum growing up so it seems odd to me that not everyone knows about how to cook and what to eat, and we had domestic science lessons too. All we have now to educate ourselves on food is a load of TV chefs.

It's very cheap to eat healthily - I'm not sure why your shopping bill is so huge. Oh yes - you're at the supermarket? Go to the greengrocer - much cheaper.

Buy things in season/on offer. Aldi have a 'super6' of veg every week which are either 49p or 69p a bag.

Plan your meals around what you have bought cheaply. Make soup - great for lunches - cheap, filling and packed with good stuff. (alternatively, if you have a tendency to impulse buy, plan your meals, make a shopping list and stick to it).

Never go food shopping when you're hungry. Never do the weekly shop with small children - you are open to pester power to buy a load of sh1t you don't need, and you won't be able to concentrate on what you are planning on buying.

Keep your eyes open in the shops and get a 'feel' for what things cost, then when you are shopping you know if you are seeing a bargain (and not what the supermarket is shouting is a bargain!).

Stick to 120g of meat per adult per portion. That's about 2/3 of a pork chop or chicken breast. Easy to cut up chicken and stir fry. Have half your plate with veg or salad and fill up with these; moderate your carbs - ditch sugar where you can, ditch anything refined (have wholemeal alternatives).

Remember that your husband needs more calories just to live than you do - make sure your portion is smaller than his as a matter of course.

Don't have cr@p in your house if you don't have much willpower - if any of you are hungry, grapes are sweet and carrot sticks are crunchy.

Be more wary of processed food than stuff that is supposed to be 'bad' for you. I'd run a mile at a 'healthy' lo fat yoghurt, but don't worry about a bit of olive oil or butter or a glass of wine.

Always have a breakfast even if you don't feel like much - better a piece of toast at 8am than three of them at 11am because you are starving.

And I can't stress enough the DO MORE bit - exercise makes you feel good. Dog walking is great - but make sure you stride it out to get a bit puffed out and sweaty. Do something extra that you like doing - swimming perhaps? But not these sessions with the kids - you want to be exercising not making sure they don't drown.

Oh - and well done for not being offended by a couple of remarks on here - we are a pretty caring and helpful bunch, but occasionally a bit insensitive.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Doesn't have to cost either, a mate of mine does exploration bingo walks with her kids where they all race to find / see a list of things be it a robin, a yellow car, a tree with apples on it or whatever. They have a great laugh doing it and end up running round the roads and parks playing on it. Sounds daft and isn't for everybody but she's sure it's helped her.

Just brilliant - love it!

[Patchninja]

Haha, Honestly I dont know? we have fruit in etc but over the past few days all I have ate is veg, fruit and smoothies but ... I dont know how to explain it... I just dont feel fulfilled. I feel full but there is a want there and I just dont know what its for other than chocolate or biscuits. I sound like a right idiot saying this and also think gawd its only chocolate just dont eat it but I feel like I need a bit

Eating well isn't about just eating fruit and veg. If you're looking to lose some weight, then stop the smoothies!!! They are calorie packed. Eat whole fruit and veg. Example, don't eat smooth soup, eat chunky soup as you'll feel full for much longer. You need to get hold of some books to learn about it as it's actually very complicated if you're used to eating lots of choccy and things. You can have sweet things while you lose weight, but they have to be the right things. Crikey, anyone would think I was paid by slimming world but have a look at the books. Just look at this link to get an idea of what you can eat and drop the pounds!!!
slimming world books | eBay

[maytreefrannie]

I can recommend Paul McKenna's book, I Can Make You Thin. It's not a 'diet' book at all.

Despite its hubristic-sounding title it's full of good sense and it worked for me, even though I didn't do all that was suggested.

Here's my brother's recommendation :
If you want to lose weight, do one exercise - push yourself away from the table sooner.

[Mikey]

If you crave chocolate then there are a few ways which you can cheat the feeling a bit.

1 swap to jaffa cakes, hardly any calories in a jaffa cake compared to a choccie bar, just pack them in 2s and 3s and put the others in the freezer. You won't suck on a frozen one, and the time taken to allow it to defrost the sensation has passed.

2 keep a bar of plain chocolate in the house, its very hard to eat a lot of plain chocolate without feeling sick.

3 grate your chocolate over a healthier dessert, a single square looks loads when grated, this principle works well with cheese too.

Its not easy cutting things out of your normal diet, and chocolate is like coffee and tea and other addictive drugs, it will take a while for the extreme cravings to go away. Your body gets used to the sugar rush, there are studies done where sugar bingeing is thought to create a similar reaction to heroin. I say cut yourself a bit of slack to start with, a little chocolate in grated form is far better for your mental wellbeing than going cold turkey.

[Alison]

........its very hard to eat a lot of plain chocolate without feeling sick.

Some good ideas but not sure I agree with this one unless it's the horribly sweet stuff types like you get in the US

[greenishfing]

its very hard to eat a lot of plain chocolate without feeling sick.

Dark Chocolate Oranges must be an exception, although I do eat them slightly more slowly than an actual orange.

[Tomato Head]

Unfortunately for some people eating sugar in moderation is not an option. Nobody would tell an alcoholic to drink in moderation but I've lost count of the number of times people have told me I'll be fine if I just eat cr*p in moderation. It's hard for those not addicted to sugar and it's cravings to understand but anyone who's done the midnight dash to a supermarket to stock up on sugary rubbish because they need to eat it RIGHT NOW will understand! Or paced around the kitchen in an evening looking for something to eat. It's not until you get yourself off sugar that you realise it was a physical addiction and not that you had no willpower. Thankfully now I am totally sugar free and the only chocolate I eat is 100% cocoa solids. My tastebuds have changed and on the rare occasion I try something sugary I think it tastes horrible and wonder how I ever ate stuff like that.

Remember that the diet industry is big business - whether it's diet clubs or diet products sold in supermarkets - they are businesses out to make money. And how do they make the most money? By repeat custom. They are not interested in your health.

My advice is simple and unoriginal - ditch the processed rubbish and eat real food. Don't graze constantly throughout the day either. If you aren't eating loads of sugar you wont have to keep "topping up" your blood sugar levels and all of a sudden 3 meals a day is achievable. If you ditch one thing make it sugar.

Finally - for anyone interested in how what you eat is more important than how much you eat check out Sam Feltham's experiments.

[Maddiesaur]

I highly recommend "The Food Bible - Judith Wills". It sounds like a preachy book from the title but it isn't. It's one of the text books we studied from at college on our dietary and healthy eating modules and in my opinion, is brilliant. It isn't about "dieting", cutting out all the things you enjoy - or making you feel guilty about enjoying the things you do! It's more educational and common sense than that. It explains the facts about what the body needs to THRIVE in real, understandable terms, including what calories really are and how calorie counting can be both a blessing and a curse. Why fad diets don't work but life style changes do. And so much more.

What I loved about it, was the detail (In human terms, you don't need a degree in nutrition to understand the book) that it went into for certain situations. There is advice specific to those with both types of diabetes, heart conditions, those wanting to lose, gain and/or maintain weight, it covers various diseases, medications, fertility, menopause, how hormones affect our eating habits, how our emotions play a part etc

Most importantly for me, it teaches not to ignore what you are craving. You crave things because the body is trying to tell you that you need something. You might crave chocolate for it's fast release of sugar the same as some people crave tomatoes, or pregnant women crave MacDonalds chips dipped in Coco-cola.. because you and they need something within them and the body knows it can get that from those things/combinations. Don't ignore the cravings you have but look at HOW you can supply your body with what it needs in a more healthy/alternative way.

It has really great quick reference guides, easy to understand meal planning, loads of great recipes that are quick and easy and don't require you to spend an absolute fortune etc

There are loads of similar books available so it's well worth having a look around and reading a few reviews - from real people, not paid journalists or review panels. This was a college text book but I love having it around the house. It's been a great help to me personally and I've used it to help a lot of friends and family who had tried and, not surprisingly "failed" all these diets.

I personally found YouTube a great help. You can find "beginner exercise" videos all over it. Ten minute blocks you can do in your living, bedroom, garden, wherever and whenever. You can find videos that suit you, to tackle specific "problem" areas of the body and so on. It's free, quick to do, if you don't take to one type of instructor or exercise series after a week or two, you can change to another.. combine this with a bit of extra walking, more "oomft" in your daily life and you'll soon see a difference.
My gran used to put music on and dance while hoovering.. every bit of energy spent counts and you can make it fun

[Maddiesaur]

And green tea.. disgusting! To cut down on my tea and coffees I started drinking fruit teas a year ago.

I still have a coffee for breakfast. 1 sugar down from 3.
I still have a tea around 10-ish. 1 sugar down from 3.
But I now have filler fruit teas instead of tea and coffee for the rest of the day. About a quarter teaspoon of sugar.

I won't lie, it took a couple months of trying fruit teas to find ones I liked - Holl@nd and B@rr@tt do a nice selection and won't break the bank. Instead of diluting squash I now make up a fruit tea and let it cool in the fridge in the mornings, it is much more refreshing. And it's taken that long to cut down just that much sugar but I feel MUCH better for it. I could go down further, I probably will, sometimes my morning coffees now taste too sweet but at this point, I take stock and think "Wow Mads, you actually did good in just making those changes. Think what you might achieve over this next year". Baby steps

I used to drink at least 10 coffees per day and at least 5 teas. Being an insomnia to the extreme, my days can last from 20 hours per day, to three days straight. Keeping tabs on what I've eaten and how much I've been drinking used to make me feel ill so I worked to change it. Some will chuckle when I say it was hard.. but it was. Worth it though