Incorporating fresh juice is a technique that may help with weight loss---particularly if fresh vegetable juices become the focus. Drinking fresh juices may help curb your appetite and insure you are getting adequate nutrition while on a low-calorie diet. Some nutrients and compounds in juices may also help flatten your belly by reducing water retention and bloating.
Step 1
Select low-calorie vegetables for your juices. Choose dark greens such as spinach and kale, cabbage and broccoli. Try asparagus, celery and cucumber which create a diuretic effect, helping flush out your system and discourage bloating. Use vegetables for most of your juices because they are lower in calorie than fruits, which are high in sugar.
Step 2
Drink juice before meals to decrease your appetite. Avoid including herbs like coriander (cilantro) and basil, which are known appetite stimulants.
Step 3
Continue to eat whole foods, with a focus on proper portion sizes of lean proteins and healthy carbohydrates. Do not skip meals to drink only juice, as this can lead to feelings of extreme hunger and deprivation---only leading you to overeat later. Aim for 3 oz. of protein (try skinless poultry, white fish or bison) and a 1/2 cup of whole grains at each meal. Include some fruits and vegetables in your meals to obtain the important nutrients that can only be obtained with the whole product.
Step 4
Replace high-calorie snack foods with a glass of juice. Try carrot juice to satisfy sweet cravings and to help maintain blood sugar levels to prevent hunger.
Step 5
Include spices in your juices to rev your metabolism. Add a dash of cayenne, chili powder or cumin during or after the juicing process.
Step 6
Keep as much of the pulp in your juice as possible. Eat this beneficial fiber to help scrub out your system, eliminating chances of developing constipation, and to make you feel fuller.
Tips and Warnings
- Do not store fresh juice for more than a day. Without pasteurization, fresh juice may be subject to food borne bacteria and can make you sick. If purchasing fresh juice, rather than making your own, look for ones with no added sugar.
- Juice fasts can be a dangerous way to try and lose weight. Most of the weight you lose will return when you go back to eating whole foods, but in the meantime you may suffer from nutritional deficiencies, fatigue and irritability.
Things You'll Need
- Juicer
- Fresh produce such as dark greens, cabbage, cucumber, carrots and asparagus
- Cayenne pepper, cumin and chili powder
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