Juicing this, fruit juice that, is wheat grass good? should I have juice for breakfast? Should I do a juice cleanse to lose weight faster? I don’t like fruits and veggies, can I just drink juice?
Lately I have gotten a huge influx of questions regarding juicing, fruit juices, vegetable juices, and all of the above. Look, the first thing I am going to tell you is, if you are looking at juicing as your ‘miracle cure’ for weight loss or getting your fruits and veggies into your diet, you better think again. Juicing seems to have become more of a multi-million dollar marketing fad instead of accommodating a nutritious diet. Your key to successful fitness results is knowledge, so I think it is important for you to know the facts and myths surrounding juicing.
So why does anyone like juicing in the first place? Because it is easy? Because it is convenient? Because it tastes good? Because its supposed to be healthy? It already sounds to me like your are trying to take ‘easy street’ to health and fitness.
First, juicing does have its benefits. If you are not one who enjoys eating fruits and veggies throughout the day, you can get a plentiful amount of the nutrients and minerals you need in one glass of juice. Ill tell you the truth, sometimes I make myself a nice kale, carrot, ginger, parsley, and apple juice with my lunch because it tastes good and I get some nutrients. But, the bottom line is, I don’t rely on that juice as my sole source of fruits and veggies for the day. I still have more throughout the day and week. Let me explain this further…
When you juice, the juicing machine extracts the juice from whole fruits or vegetables. The processing results in fewer vitamins and minerals, because the nutrient-rich skin is left behind. Juicing also removes the pulp, which contains fiber. Fiber is a HUGE factor in fruits and veggies because it keeps you full as well as helps proper digestion. Why not just use a blender instead of a juicer you ask? Well, you can, but its not going to be quite as enjoyable as the juice version, which is partially the reason you are drinking it in the first place. To much rind and seeds will be in it, and without enough water, you end up with baby food puree instead of an enjoyable drink.
Second, as with anything you put into your mouth, you have to be conscious of the calorie count. If it’s one thing I tell all my clients to avoid like the plague, it is to avoid liquid calories. While you don’t have to worry about the caloric intake as much with veggie juice, you need to pay more attention to fruit juices. Vegetables are very nutritious and don’t have many calories to begin with (eat more veggies!), but its fruit counterpart contains a lot of sugar, and sugar means calories. As I said above, you lose a lot of the necessary fiber in juice, especially with fruit. What you may end up with instead is a minimally nutritious, high in calorie, sugar cocktail. Your healthy fruit juice can contain 300-800 calories depending if you make it yourself or if you buy it somewhere. Thinking about a healthy fruit smoothie perhaps? Forget about it.
Third, juicing for weight loss and cleansing has become one of the biggest fads in the past decade. Many people claim to loose ridiculous amounts of weight with juicing alone and even make claims about cancer reducing effects. While those claims are highly speculative, I will uncover the secret behind what is making you lose weight and get healthier.
I can make an educated guess that most of you out there don’t have an immaculate diet and probably don’t get enough fruits and vegetables in your diet in the first place. So one day, you saw or heard about juicing on a day time talk show, or heard about it from your best friend and the ‘miracles’ it has on your health. So you decide to try it, and hey guess what, it worked! You lost 6 lbs in 2 weeks and feel like you have more energy than ever! Congrats!
I just want to make one thing EXTREMELY clear. ANY positive change to an existing unhealthy and inconsistent diet will have a positive effect. I mean, think about it… if you are eating bad for months and years, and then all of the sudden, introduce a drastic positive change, of course it will positively effect your body and health! The bottom line is, don’t just attribute it to juicing. Attribute your results to making a positive change for something (ie. fruits and veggies) that should have been a part of you diet in the first place.
Fourth, a lot of people ask me if it is good to have juice for breakfast or juice before a morning workout. 
So, my answer to the juice in the morning before your workout. . . sorry, but scrap the idea. Look, be honest with yourself for a second… Are you serious about getting leaner muscles and a tighter stomach? Then what you should be having is 1 scoop of whey protein mixed with water and 1 whole banana, and don’t turn the two into a smoothie, eat them separate. You are far better off with this combo in your journey to weight loss and tighter muscles as this 1, 2 combination gives you the most bang for your buck! Protein for your muscles, and carbs for your energy.
Remember, juicing does have its benefits, but don’t rely on juicing solely as your ‘miracle’ to weight loss. Be conscious of what you are putting into your body, and ask yourself “maybe a small fruit salad with lunch and a leafy green salad with dinner would solve my lack of fruit and veggies?” And don’t forget, positive changes are GOOD, just make sure you are making those decisions for the right reasons, and not just for the quick fix.