liquid fast vs. juice fast

[Jennifer2005]

Will expereinced fasters offer your views on liquid fast vs. juice fast?

(1) Which fast is easier to persist in for a longer period (like for one month)?
(2) Which one helps one lose more fat?
(3) Which one is healthier?

By the way, are melons (watermelons and honeydews and canteloups) allowed in a juice fast?

Thanks in advance for replies.

[Aleesha Sattva]

i have no idea what a liquid fast is so i can't really give you any advice on it. i can tell you that a juice fast (yes you can juice melons) is easy to do for 30 days and is very healthy but i can't say it's healthier than a liquid fast since i have no idea what that is.

[RawYorkCity]

Liquid fast = water fast?


(1) Which fast is easier to persist in for a longer period (like for one month)?
Juice fasting is definitely easier than water fasting if you're transitioning to a raw diet.
(2) Which one helps one lose more fat?
Water fasting most likely, but the weight can come back quickly if a proper ease into eating is not done.
(3) Which one is healthier?
To each own. I'd say juice fast for a week and see how you feel. If you think you can water fast for that amount of time go for it. If the detox is too much go back to drinking juice. Best of luck! :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

if liquid fast = water fast. i agree with rawyorkcity!

[Veronica01]

a 10 day water fast will give you the approximately the same results on a low calorie juice fast for 30 days. However you will still be ravenous on a juice fast as your total digestion system does not shut down and it will be hard to curb cravings as your body is getting a huge influx of simple carbohydrate, with NO fibre. It hits your blood stream right away and can cause problems with insulin spikes. Juice fasting is not actually fasting, a fast is meant to abstain from something, not only have something.

Doing smoothies for a long period of time with give you more nutrients and retain all the healthy fibre to control the sugar entering your system and because of the fibre you wouldn't be ravenous and it's very sustainable.

So I'd reccommend a short water fast or a smoothie feasting.

[Aleesha Sattva]

how is juice fasting not a fast veronica? fasting is abstaining from ANYTHING... and juice fasting is abstaining from fibre. ???

have you done a juice fast cause i am absolutely NOT ravenous at all. as a matter of fact i am seldom even really craving anything. i drink my juices - drink water... but hungry? no... not after the first couple of days.

[JEN]

Im not sure what the actual definition of fasting is and I dont think it matters what you call it. Just do what feels best for you. Ive never done a water fast although Im thinking of attempting to do a couple of days mixed into a juice/smoothie fast. I generally dont get hungry on juice once Im past the
3rd day. Most of the hunger is just a battle with the mind/thoughts not actual hunger. This is why meditation/relaxation helps.

Aleesha, did you have any cellulite issues and has fasting helped?? Im 5'6, about 125, small frame, but still have a lot of cellulite on my butt and thighs. Raw has helped some but not that much. Ive done short fasts and that helps some but I would really love to get rid of most of it. I havent tried doing just water though, and Im not sure if I can handle it, maybe a couple days mixed into a fast....what are your thoughts

[Veronica01]

I've just read a lot of info on fasting because I did a water fast and wanted to be sure I had made a good decision. I don't see fibre as the enemy, so to abstain from that and overload your body with a rush of sugar does not seem natural to me. No other animals juice fast, if they are sick they dry fast or water fast. I completely respect everyone's opinion to choose what they want to do and feel more comfortable doing... but abstaining from fibre is not a natural thing to do, and it is there for a reason. A lot doctor's that oversee fasters don't reccommend juice "fasting" for that reason as the body will do everything it needs to with water alone. Just my two cents.

[T-Bird]

have you done a juice fast cause i am absolutely NOT ravenous at all. as a matter of fact i am seldom even really craving anything. i drink my juices - drink water... but hungry? no... not after the first couple of days.

It's important to make sure your juice is properly strained - no solid bits at all. If you do a good job of no solid bits, the hunger goes away in a few days.

That's my experience and understanding, at any rate.

My longest juice fast to date is 14 days, water fasting, 2 days.

[T-Bird]

Aleesha, did you have any cellulite issues and has fasting helped?? Im 5'6, about 125, small frame, but still have a lot of cellulite on my butt and thighs. Raw has helped some but not that much. Ive done short fasts and that helps some but I would really love to get rid of most of it. I havent tried doing just water though, and Im not sure if I can handle it, maybe a couple days mixed into a fast....what are your thoughts

Jen - I've never had cellulite at all. I didn't think much about it till I dated a man 10 years younger than me and he was amazed - cuz I was 10 years older with 2 kids, lol, and his previous gf - his age/younger, no kids - had quite a bit. They were early 20's/me early 30's at the time. 12 years later - I still don't have any - despite gaining 30+ lbs

I thought about it , and the one thing I've done a LOT of is soaking in hot baths - super hot - like it takes me 5 minutes to ease into the water - on the verge of painful. I used to do baking soda - but now am a devotee of epsom salts. I also love saunas.

I don't know if this heat thing is the answer....but thought I'd pass it on and you could investigate....

[Aleesha Sattva]

jen, i have no idea. i'm not really worried about it and honestly... i don't look at the back of my thighs LOL sorry... i'm no help in this department. ;)

veronica, green juices don't give your body a rush of sugar... but hey... it's your choice to believe what you wish... i'm not here to convert anyone... just sharing from my experience is all. last year i fasted over 180 days and this year so far... i've eaten for approx 3 or 4 weeks i think... (in total)... i'm not sure but i think it's about that much. i can honestly tell you .... i don't get a rush of sugar from my juices and i usually drink fruit juices - and i certainly don't feel ravenous or i wouldn't be able to fast as much as i do.

no it's not 'natural' to juice fast in nature... but heck, lots of what we civilized people do is not done in nature, so i'm not too concerned about it.

[Jennifer2005]

Hi, ladies. Thanks for so many enlightening replies in a day.

Well, what I meant by liquid fasting is that everything you take in is in a liquid form. So a liquid fast can include juice, blended smoothies, broth...as long as all the foodstuff is processed (with water in a blender mostly) into the liquid form. All the foodstuff should be raw (except broth of course). So what one consumes is mostly smoothies (blended vegi and fruits with a few seeds/nuts thrown in). I guess some will call it smoothie fast instead.

So I guess I should rephrase my question as: What are your views on a smoothie fast vs. juice fast.

(1) Which fast is easier to persist in for a longer period (like for one month)?
(2) Which one helps one lose more fat?
(3) Which one is healthier?

[Morn]

how is juice fasting not a fast veronica? fasting is abstaining from ANYTHING... and juice fasting is abstaining from fibre. ???

have you done a juice fast cause i am absolutely NOT ravenous at all. as a matter of fact i am seldom even really craving anything. i drink my juices - drink water... but hungry? no... not after the first couple of days.

I agree, I am not hungry after day 2 either.

[margoss]

I've notice that when I do more juicing or smoothies, I'm prefering these to juicing now, I really don't want to eat solids. Is this my body enjoying not having to work as hard to digest or :(me being lazy? I'm loving the green smoothies now.

[Dimond]

I think it really depends on the individual and what they're use to consuming. If you're use to a light, raw diet consisting mainly of produce, it could be fairly easy to juice fast. Some others may not have an issue as well. For others, you may have to get use to it by drinking more often, in higher quantities. After a time, your body won't require as much. Smoothie fasts are definitely easier for most people. Both are ideal fasts for different reasons.

[PammieTaj]

I've done the Master Cleanse with no problem, but I would hesitate to do a water fast.

My reasoning is based on the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman. A proponent of fasting and a primarily raw diet, Dr Fuhrman seems to be of the opinion that water fasting impedes weight loss overall because of its effect on the metabolism. Since juice fasting and smoothie feasting wouldn't involve the calorie restriction that water fasting does, I imagine it might not be so harmful.

Interesting thread.

[annavon]

I've done the Master Cleanse with no problem, but I would hesitate to do a water fast.

My reasoning is based on the work of Dr. Joel Fuhrman. A proponent of fasting and a primarily raw diet, Dr Fuhrman seems to be of the opinion that water fasting impedes weight loss overall because of its effect on the metabolism. Since juice fasting and smoothie feasting wouldn't involve the calorie restriction that water fasting does, I imagine it might not be so harmful.

Interesting thread.

Ditto

I have seen this subject discussed by many raw food medical professionals and most of them say that juice fasting is the most effective for detox, weight loss and regaining health. You've got the nutrients, but less load on your digestive system. Added bonus, the small amounts of fiber help to push old wastes though where as water seems to be less effective and requires enemas and colonics to rid the waste.

On day five of a veggie juice fast and not hungry yet. :D