The Magic Bus Trip

mae_west

Hi everyone!

I was gone for awhile, but I am back. Many, many personal things going on and then that horrible binge over the holidays...'nuff said.

I read the articles Dean posted on fasting and detox. This has lead me in search of more information.

I found tons of sites about water fasting, the master cleanse fasting and juice fasting.

Many juice fasting sites expect people to go straight into a raw vegan style WOE, but I would NOT be one of those people! Have they ever smelled the aroma of meat grilled over open flame? Which is why now is a good time to try a juice fast (too cold this week to be outside cooking meat, so no temptation from the neighbors).

Juice fasting appeals to me because I really don't like eating vegetables. I have tried over the years, but since reading many posts on this site from the pure carnivores, it was really easy to clear out that leafy green stuff and replace it with cheese and more eggs.

However, since Christmas I have eaten nothing but crap and have had a hard time even getting myself to eat meat- such is the pull of cheap chocolate and phyllo pastry appies.

I am going to try this for a couple of days (or longer if I can). And I would be lying if I said I was not interested in the rapid weight loss that accompanies a fast of this kind...apparently no saggy skin either. We will see...

Potassium broth: A couple of potatoes, some celery, carrots, onion and some herbs and hot pepper flakes. Drink this for breakfast and before bed.
* I have read that some people use a meat bouillon cube to torque up the flavor of this. I will mix it with some homemade beef broth, and see if everything works as planned.

Fresh veggie juice: whatever I can get organic. I have read lot's of recipes on the net, so I think I know which ones will mix for good flavor.

Fresh fruit juice: this is the fun part! apples and pineapple! grapes and bananas; melon juice.

Plus the requisite 2 litres of water daily (easy, peasy).

I will stick with my Slow Burn twice a week for exercise.

The point is to detox my system, clean out the colon of years of carbs and garbage food, and see if this helps my winter dry skin and year round allergies.

to break the fast I will add in whole fruits and veg, more meat broth, poached eggs, and then eventually REAL MEAT!! I want to go into a VLC way of eating, and maybe throw in some veggie juice once or twice a week, which should be enough. My kid is a total carb addict too, but I cannot put her on a fast (too young), so I am hoping the juice along with more portions of meat will help break her away from the carbs. It is hard to pack a good lunch for kids when there is no access for them to heat up meat dishes.

Ideally you should detox for at least 15 days to get any real benefit, and can safely fast for 40 days or more. I just want a clean slate to low carb onto. I also hope to do more fasting when the fresh veggies and fruits/berries come into season, but that would be a couple of days or a week at a time.

If anyone has any opinions or ideas for me, I would appreciate the input. This is an experiment. I may wimp out right in the beginning, however I did have that potassium broth mixed with beef broth last night and I am still not hungry, soooooo.....

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http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

Manaloa · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject:

Good luck with the dry skin, the only time mine feels good is when I'm eating over 300g of fat.

I pack my daughter chicken, tuna or ham salad, cut veggies, beef sticks, cheese sticks & nuts. She loves her lunches, because no one ever has what she has. LOL

And she says she's never starving hungry anymore when she gets home.

Good luck with the fast. Happy

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Manaloa

Dean · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:50 pm Post subject:

Hey, Mae,

Great to have ya back on the Bus! Cool

If you are wanting to lose weight and detox, this might be a good way to do it. I think, in the long run, getting back to VLC is the right thing to do, as you are obviously wanting to do. It is sorta hard to lose while eating lots of animal fat. The way I see it, people get overweight by eating an unnatural diet, so losing that weight eating an unnatural diet may be the quickest way. Who knows. But, for weight maintenance, as many have already proved, a VLC diet seems to be the ticket, and it should come as no surprise, since that is our natural diet.

Good luck with the fast, and please keep us informed on how it goes for ya.

Sunny

_________________
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
- Jimi Hendrix

Every day you'll see the dust
Never get off the Bus!

jeff · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject:

Mae, welcome back and good luck. Keep us posted.
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Eat, Drink and Be Merry, For Tomorrow We'll Die

mae_west

I don't want anyone to fall off the low carb wagon by reading these posts. I am posting just to give information to others about what I am doing.

Anyway, I seem to be down about 5 pounds (depends on what time of day I weigh myself). I have not hit that point where hunger stops, but I am getting used to the routine. You really have to keep on top of things. I am juicing for the next day because I have a couple of shifts at work that start at 5:30 am, and no way will I get up earlier to run the juice machine!

I am still drinking beef broth (homemade, no veggies), and it is so good and nourishing, but I hope I am not defeating myself. I drink it for breakfast and it gets me through about 2 hours.

You have to drink some form of juice about every 2 hours and drink water in between. I am drinking herbal tea as well.

I gotta tell you, so far the vegetable juice is just rude and gross. I made some with organic spring mixed greens, cucumber, celery, carrot, and a sweet potato; also an apple and half a lemon. Now that is a lot of veggies for one day! But that juice is gross. To be fair, I did read that you should not have more that 1/4 of your juice from green leafy stuff for just that reason (I think the quote was to have a barf bucket handy!), but I am trying to use it up before it goes bad. My mistake- which I will pay for all day today. :p

I am gonna try tomato, carrot and celery and then add to that whatever I can get that appeals to me , but I do not hold much hope that I will like veggie juice. It is so not V-8.

Fruit juice on the other hand is wonderful. We all know why too.

On another note: You are right Manaloa. I have just been caving to my daughters high carb cravings. Poor thing was eating so much junk over the holidays that she is very addicted now too. Today I gave her ham, cheese, some crackers (not too many) and some applesauce, and a bottle of water. I know it is my job to break her away from the high carb crap, and I thank you for reminding me that there are ways to incorporate low carb into a child's lunch.
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

Dean

Manaloa · Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject:

Believe me I feel for you, it's been a real process weaning my daughter off high carb stuff too. And because I don't want to give her a complex about food, I tell her she brings her lunches at least 3 of 5 days and she gets to pick which days. Some weeks she brings her lunch everyday because she enjoys it so much now. Especially since I give her a bunch of options and she gets to pick. There are days she'll pack meat and cheese and almonds for lunch and that's it. But, boy, she sure didn't get there overnight. I figure she can't do too much damage with 2 meals a week.
LOL

I'm glad the juicing is working out for you. I don't think I could do it, I've never liked V-8 or even most fruit juices.
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Manaloa

Kim · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:00 pm Post subject:

jeff · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:

I won't speak for Dean, but I think a high percnetage of fat is good, but I also think keeping calories in check will help.
_________________
Eat, Drink and Be Merry, For Tomorrow We'll Die

Red · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:14 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure if that's what Dean is saying, but personally, I would highly recommend that you not do that! Firstly, fat is essential for life. Secondly and less importantly (but more apropot to weight loss), a high-protein, low-fat diet is ultimately a high-carb diet (due to protein being converted to fat), just like a high-carb, low-fat diet is ultimately a high saturated fat diet (through conversion of glucose into fat). Eating insufficient fat and lots of protein knocks you out of fat-burning mode and into glucose-burning mode. The excess protein you're eating will convert to glucose (at a rate of 58 - 70%, depending on the source you read) and you'll lose the benefit of being on a LC diet entirely, plus put a tremendous strain on the body.

In order to stay in fat-burning mode, it's generally accepted that one should consume at least 1 gram of fat for every gram of protein and carb, added together. Meaning there should be 1 gram of fat for every gram of non-fat.
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Red

Kim · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject:

Good, then I will keep eating my fatty meat.

Kim

Dean · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject:

Yes, Kim... you definitely should keep eating your fatty meat! Yup

What jeff and Red are saying is what I believe as well. You should keep your fat percentage high. The 80/20 rule is probably a very good one for a life long WOE, IMO.

IMO, eating as carnivorously as possible, keeping carbs as close to zero as possible, keeping your diet as clean as you can mentally stand, keeping your (animal) fat ratio as high as possible, while still getting adequate protein (and not much more), keeping your calories in check, plus doing a bit of IFing, is going to be the healthiest way to go.

If you are trying to lose weight, it is probably gonna be necessary to create a caloric deficit through keeping calories in check and exercising, but even if you are at a desired weight and body composition, eating a lot of calories (which you will find you will have to force yourself to do... just ask jeff) is really taxing on the body (just ask jeff about that too... I think he said he had one of the worst colds in his life while stuffing himself with food, which puts an unnecessary strain on the body).

If you eat natural animal foods, stay clear of any chemical additives that may give you problems, cut out the carbs, get adequate protein, and keep your fat ratio high, everything else seems to take care of itself, no matter what weight you are at. The more you weigh, the greater the calorie needs you have, so it's easy to stay under that naturally, especially with the appetite suppression you will get on this WOE. BTW, losing weight at a steady rate, and not too quickly, is healthier. You will be healthier along the way, the more you eat like this.

From what I keep seeing, it's when we stray from our natural diet that we get in trouble, and the SAD WOE is about as strayed as you can get! Roll Eyes

It's so fricken addicting and is used by people for emotional reasons. This ZCarnivore WOE is gonna help you get away from that type of behavior, though, with some determination. Just keep gettin' back on the Bus, no matter how many times you fall off. Everything will work out just fine. Cool

_________________
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
- Jimi Hendrix

Every day you'll see the dust
Never get off the Bus!

Vesna · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject:

I'm glad you're back because I love your avatar and everything Mae West.

Happy

I haven't actually even read this thread yet.

jeff · Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:56 pm Post subject:

mae_west · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:58 am Post subject:

I love you guys! I learn so much just coming here and reading the posts...I know it will be great to be back on LC. I think that when I get off this fast, I can eat like I am supposed to eat.

I am finally free of the tummy growlies... a sign that I am going into detox mode. I guess when I stop thinking about chocolate is when I am at the deepest part of the detox (can't wait). I feel really great, but still think about eating junk (not cravings so much, but just thinking about it- probably because I am around food all day. I have not cheated tho). My mind seems to be clearing, and I have had the best sleeps this past week- really, really restful sleep. Can't remember how long it has been since that happened.

I was following Protein Power, mostly because I could eat fruit (which I was hoping to replace vegetables with) but clearly I was not ready for the carb impact. And not enough fat either, from the above posts. It pays to stick out the VLC for as long as possible before adding in other types of foods. Too easy to stray off the path.

I won't post my weigh loss until the end. I fear people will freak out. I will say that I am losing and I feel great. That should be enough (?) Devil

Mae
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

Vesna · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject:

So how's your juice experiment going?

Kim · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject:

Dean · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:29 pm Post subject:

mae_west · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject:

Hi all!

I made a huge mistake following some goofball's recipe for the Master Cleanse. Too much cayenne and it was undrinkable. I thought MC would be a nice change from juicing on those busy days.

Master Cleanse is water, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne. I am sure many people have heard of it as part of a diet, however it is supposed to be a cleanse, and a way to do what is closest to a water fast, but with some calories. If you follow the recipe and drink the correct amount, you should be drinking 1200 calories. There are many, many recipes on the net for this stuff. I was not prepared for how hot it would be or how repulsive it would taste. I ended up on an 8 hr. shift with nothing but water. I had to add some commercial juice (from where I work) because I could not stand that taste in my mouth.

When I got home, I had 2 HUGE mugs of beef broth and felt much better.

This morning I made a smoothie with strawberries and coconut milk- not sure if it was a good idea, but I did it anyway. This afternoon I made juice from carrots, apples , lemon and cucumber (all organic) and it is pretty good. I am almost finished drinking a liter of it.

Tonight is vegetable broth mixed with turkey stock. And the requisite 2 liters of water daily.

I have to guess my calorie totals because there is no nutritional info on cucumber juice. I am trying to keep track in fitday, but it is not easy.
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

Kim · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject:

Red · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 11:46 pm Post subject:

Typically, the amount of protein that 'the experts' recommend is anywhere between 1 gram of protein per kilogram of your 'ideal' weight (that's what the Optimal Diet recommends), to 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass (your weight minus the fat, which can be determined with a bodyfat calculator/calipers). I try to aim for 60 - 70 and try not to eat more than 100 g on a regular basis. Every once in a while is no big deal.
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Red

mae_west · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:08 am Post subject:

UPDATE: Smoothie was a bad idea. too many berries or coconut milk? I don't know, but I gained weight. I am back on juice.
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

mae_west · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject:

I was reading that I should look for fruits/veg that are beneficial to my blood type (A-), and juice them more due to them being more helpful with the detox. For my blood type...

apparently I should be a vegetarian!

NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! It is amazing to me that so many web sites that are dedicated to fasting all think you should go vegan after.

Update on the fast: took a couple of days to lose the weight I gained from the smoothie, but I am back to where I was before I drank it ( down 15 pounds total so far), but I have TOM, so we will see what next week brings. I am at day 9 of no cheat juice fasting. This is good, as it means I should be able to do the "meat and egg fast" (very low carb) for at least 9 day without cheating if I just keep the variety in there ( in the past I only got to day 6).

Had to do slow burn 3 x this past week because my exercise days got all screwed up. I was pretty weak by that 3rd time, tho, so I guess I need more rest between strength training days. Probably due to the juice fast- I have days of high energy and days of low energy and it is hard to time the strength days into that kind of random-ness. I do feel more motivated to do the strength training. I don't love it yet, but that takes time I guess. I do enjoy the benefits and I do have more muscle tone.

type A blood types should not eat bacon, sausage, or ham. I don't want to live in THAT world! What happens if you are a "super taster"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/supertaster/ and you are supposed to be a vegan??? Not many foods are left. That would be scary!
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

jeff · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject:

Glad to hear it's going so well for you. Keep up the good work.
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Eat, Drink and Be Merry, For Tomorrow We'll Die

Dean · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:26 pm Post subject:

Mae,

I'm a blood type A as well, and tried that diet for three whole months, just before goin' to Neanderthin, back in the Spring of '02. As soon as I ditched all that soy Shock

and started eating red meat, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven! The Blood Type Diet, IMO, is ludicrous!

Congrats on the weight loss, and to sticking to your fast! Cool

_________________
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
- Jimi Hendrix

Every day you'll see the dust
Never get off the Bus!

mae_west · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:00 pm Post subject:

I have read some pretty scary things about soy and I am not going there. I know from what I have eaten in the past that I need to stay away from carbs and packaged foods (most , if not all, contain soy products) and stick to natural foods.

I am still having cravings, but for the most part they are low carb and meat related. I think that is a good sign!

Mae
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

Dean · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:02 pm Post subject:

Soy is extremely toxic! RUN from it! Outta Here

_________________
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
- Jimi Hendrix

Every day you'll see the dust
Never get off the Bus!

jem51 · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:45 pm Post subject:

wear garlic to avoid being attacked by soy...it's bad stuff. and that blood type diet is bunk, i think....

mae_west · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:31 pm Post subject:

I think going natural with food is the way to go. That being said, I cannot resist some un-natural foods (read that bacon).

Juice fasting is going well. I am losing weight at a steady pace. I have no hunger, but still a few cravings. My eyes seem to be getting better (all that beta carotene???). And the swelling (water retention) in my lower legs is gone. Used to be that when i took my socks off at the end of the day, I had visible dents in my ankles from where the socks were. That is gone. Must all that extra liquid in my system. This is a good sign too. I will be better able to judge what certain foods do to my body systems because most of the damage from eating junk foods will be wiped away. I can tell I am still detoxing as my tongue is coated (heavily) with this white pallor. When that clears, I can stop.

Mae
_________________
http://www.biblelife.org/plateau.htm this site has the best information all wrapped together.

Dean · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:26 pm Post subject:

Mae, sounds like you're doing great! Keep up the good work! Cool

_________________
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
- Jimi Hendrix

Every day you'll see the dust
Never get off the Bus!

mae_west · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject:

Well, my skin is not any softer, but I will keep up with the dry brushing. It could take up to 30 days to see any change, but that should speed up when I get back to eating meat and fat.