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Pros and Cons of Liquid Diets

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liquid dietsIt can be hard to tell what to think about liquid diets. They are both promoted as one of the best ways to rapidly lose weight and criticized for the very same reason. There are two basic types of liquid diets available; store bought and medically supervised. Each of them has their pros and cons. Deciding which will be best for you requires that you understand why a liquid diet works, and how it can backfire as well.

What is a liquid diet?

A liquid diet is a way of radically reducing caloric intake by only consuming foods in a liquid form. This can take the appearance of using powdered or pre-mixed shakes, pureeing foods or restricting your food intake to soups and store bought/prescribed drinks. Due to the lack of solid shape foods, liquid diets mostly reduce calories through eliminating processed carbohydrates, meat and fiber sources.

How well do they work?

The results for a liquid diet are nearly the same whether you are choosing a store bought, over the counter system or using a medically supervised program. With both, there is rapid weight loss due to the sudden caloric restriction. Major weight loss occurs within the first 3 months of a liquid weight loss diet program and then will reach a plateau where the loss is not as great. This is why doctors often prescribed a medically supervised liquid weight loss diet before surgery or to help those who are morbidly obese quickly leave dangerous levels of obesity before assuming a more controlled regular program of diet and exercise. The problem with all liquid diets, store bought or medically supervised, is that there can be a rebound effect. Liquid diets can place the body into a starvation mode which forces the body to transform stored fat into ketones which it can then use as fuel to provide glucose for metabolic activity. If your body experiences starvation mode for too long, it slows the metabolism down. This means that you can stop losing weight even while on a liquid diet. Many people also rapidly regain the lost weight when they go off the diet because it is too restrictive and the body will generate cravings and appetite to promote consumption of food to avoid starvation again.

Pros and cons of medically supervised liquid diets

A medically supervised liquid diet means that you are working with your doctor and nutritionist to make sure that you are getting the right amount of nutrients to sustain your health. Your doctor will also monitor any associated conditions you may have and keep a close watch on your blood sugar levels. Even with a medically supervised liquid diet there is a high risk of malnutrition. In the long term, liquid diets of any kind cannot provide the body with all the carbohydrates, fats and proteins it needs to function well. The main bonus of a medically supervised liquid diet is you have professionals making sure you are getting what you need and who can let you know when it is time to stop. The major drawback of a medically supervised diet is the cost. You can expect to pay quite a bit for the visits and diet supplies. Not all insurances will cover these programs.

Pros and cons of store bought liquid diets

Store bought liquid diets can often provide as much vitamin, mineral and nutritional content as any liquid provided in a medically supervised program. By carefully reading the nutrition information on the package, you can make sure that you are getting the best value for your money. These diets are significantly cheaper than a medically supervised one. The major drawback of a store bought diet is that they may also contain high levels of sugar and other preservatives that are not healthy for you. Some of these drinks are just sugar, synthetic vitamins and protein powder. You also lack the behavioral, one on one support that you would get in a medically supervised program, as well as any monitoring of any associated medical conditions.

Which should you choose?

Due to the cons of liquid diets, I would not recommend them for most people unless they were doing is for a medical reason.  The incidence of gaining the weight back once you start eating solids again is too great for me to suggest it for the average person wanting to lose weight long term.  I would instead suggest a juice fast or smoothie fast for 7-28 days with the understanding that you are detoxing the body and that you’d have to have go on from there to clean eating, low carb eating, low fat vegan eating or make some other substantial change in your lifestyle when it comes to eating to see long term weight loss.

The only way to know which liquid diet is right for you is to talk to your doctor. This form of rapid weight loss dieting may not be beneficial for everyone. Your doctor can help monitor your health if you choose to go on a store bought liquid diet, or they can provide recommendations to a nutritionist for a medically supervised program.

What is the Keto Diet?

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low carb fishThe ketogenic diet, better known as the “keto” diet, is a diet that was originally developed to help people with difficult to control epilepsy (specifically, children with epilepsy). It is a high-fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate diet. Here’s why it has been recommended for epilepsy: Carbohydrates are important for brain function, usually in the form of glucose. If there are very few carbohydrates in the diet, the liver is forced to do something different to make up for it. The liver converts the fat into fatty acids and a substance known as ketone. Ketone bodies replace the glucose, and are used in the brain instead. Apparently, this state of elevated ketone levels (known as ketosis), actually helps to reduce how often seizures occur in epileptics (not a cure all but it has worked for some people).

Before the keto diet, the original diet for children with epilepsy gave children enough protein for body growth, proper development, and any repairs that may have been necessary. The diet also had just enough calories to help maintain appropriate weight for the child’s age. This adaptation threw in the fats at a 4:1 ratio so that the body can be forced into ketosis. This is achieved by excluding high-carbohydrate foods such as starchy fruits and vegetables, bread, pasta, grains and sugar, while increasing the consumption of foods high in fat such as cream and butter. Full-fat dairy is an incredibly important part of the Keto diet.

If you’ve understood everything that I’ve talked about, you can understand how the Keto diet could be adapted for fat-burning. It’s actually become an popular way for bodybuilders and weight loss enthusiasts alike to lose excess fat and tone up. The low carb fashion of the diet is what draws most people to it, especially because it would seem counter-intuitive to eat a high fat diet in order to lose fat (even though the body needs fat too.)

Basically, the understanding that those who are trying to lose weight have about the diet is that your body isn’t really consuming carbohydrates at all, and so the body will “mistake” fat for carbohydrates. So that means that, instead of burning those carbohydrates for energy, you’re now burning the fat for energy instead. As we talked about above, your body will start burning the fat into Ketone bodies, and in the end the fat is assumed to develop into healthy energy.

This also reduces the insulin production in your body. When your insulin production is at almost zero, the amount of Glucagon is increased greatly. At this point in the keto diet, your body’s fat burning ability is kicked in to high gear and fat storage is slowed or halted.

So what can you eat on the Keto diet? Here’s a basic list of ideas.

Vegetables:

  • Broccoli
  • Celery
  • Asparagus
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach
  • Cucumbers

Meats and Dairy:

  • Pork
  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Fish (especially fatty fish like salmon and swordfish).
  • Ham
  • Cheese
  • Butter
  • Mayo

Other foods:

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Nuts
  • Peanut Butter
  • Eggs
  • Whey Protein

As with any diet that goes to extremes, there are some things that you will need to watch out for. First off, your body stores a lot of carbohydrates to start with and if you don’t exercise much, you can get through a day without a lot of carbs. The problem comes in when you’re active and you aren’t eating a lot of carbs. You’re going to burn a lot of those carbs, and you’re going to burn all of your glycogen stores. Here’s the problem: glycogen holds up to four times its weight in water. So yes, not only are you starving, you’re also dehydrated, and you won’t be able to have enough energy to do anything because fat burns more slowly than carbs do. As with any weight loss plan, you should talk to a doctor about all the risk before even considering a plan like this.  There are a lot of low carb plans out there for you to choose from, so consider all the options if you want to go low carb.

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #29: Don’t Follow The Fads

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fad dietsToday’s Weight Loss on a Budget Tip – #29: Don’t Follow The Fads!  This tip is really easy to understand and follow.  The bottom-line is that weight loss is an Industry!  Any industry needs products, diverse products.  If you’re in business, you also have to create new products to keep your marketshare and keep your customers interested.  The way this works in the diet industry is that there are new fads, books and workout styles that become popular each year and those that die out.  Sometimes the old diet and exercise fads will come back, and sometimes they are exposed as fads and abandoned by their followers.  Buying into all of these plans and equipment can be very expensive, especially if you don’t lose weight with these plans.

So, so how does knowing this save you money?

  • Don’t spend money on fad diet products – You don’t have to buy the latest diet book, workout aid or pill to lose weight.  You can change your eating and exercise and see results without special supplements or an online personal trainer.  I’m not saying that there aren’t great books, workouts and programs out there for you to buy.  There definitely are, but if you can’t afford them, avoid them.
  • Get as Much Information as Possible on Diet Books Before You Buy – Read the reviews online on sites like Amazon.  Research the science behind the diet books.  Borrow the book from a public library or on Kindle and Nook’s borrowing system.  Know what you are committing to and whether you truly believe it will work for you by doing your research.  You’ll save money on books that aren’t good or good for you.
  • Don’t Buy Equipment that You Don’t Need – I know that the infomercial on Saturday afternoon promised quick weight loss results, but you may not need it.  You may really believe that you will use that elliptical machine if you buy it, but don’t if it’s just going to become a high priced clothes hanger.  You have to be realistic and frugal because there will be a large variety of diet products to choose from.  It’s easy to spend a lot of money on trial and error.  Focus on affordable items like an ab wheel, free weights, yoga mat, lifting gloves, weight bench and workout DVDs.

Erika lost 42 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Erika lost 42 pounds.  This 5’2″ diva went from 180 to 138 after years of trying diet pills and fads.  A friend’s success with just eating right and calorie counting inspired her and now her story can inspire others to do the same. Here is what she shared with us:

Erika weight loss before and after

October 17, 2012 for the third time I decided I was going to give losing weight a try. The first time I tried taking phentermine diet pills and after losing my first 7 pounds in 3 days I couldn’t lose anymore, I gave up. The second time I tried the HCG diet and lost 12 pounds, but after a month I gave up because I was still hungry. After waiting a whole year I had gained all that weight back. At the age of 23 I was 5’2″ tall and weighing 180 pounds. I was overweight, uncomfortable, unhappy, and had low self-esteem. That wasn’t the person I knew for 22 years of my life. After 3 years, I was finally fed up with being that person.

On October 17, 2012 I woke up and looked in the mirror and said to myself “I’m about to lose this weight once and for all”. This time I was serious because after seeing one of my close friends lose 14 pounds in one month by just eating healthy and counting calories, it gave me hope. That very same day that’s what I did. I downloaded a app on my phone called “Lose it”, which by the way is one of the best things to happen to me. That app helped me tremendously. My very first month I lost 12 pounds. By Christmas I was down 21 pounds. Finally I had found something that worked for me. I was so happy. After 3 months of losing weight just by eating healthy I decided to add some exercise in. I took Zumba classes once a week and I stayed in the gym. I weigh 138 pounds (42 pounds lighter) and I’m feeling like the person I used to be. My goal was to be able to wear a belly shirt, but most importantly to be healthy and fit. Best decision I’ve ever made. Im still eating healthy and exercising to stay in shape and this is now a lifestyle.

Could you tell us more about how you changed your eating habits?

VEGETABLES & FRUITS
I love salad so I eat salad a lot. I try eating different meats in my salad such as low sodium bacon, turkey and chicken lunch meat, or tilapia. I make sure I eat vegetables especially green vegetables with every meal (broccoli, spinach, green beans, peas, etc. I also eat lots of fruit (apples, bananas, watermelon, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, mango, blueberries, and especially pineapples because they help with digestion.

MEATS
I eat fish (tilapia or salmon), turkey (bacon, ground, burger, etc… and chicken, mainly breast (baked, grilled, or broiled). I try eating 6 times a day, 3 small meals and three snacks.

DRINKS
I started off drinking crystal light but now I only drink lemon water and smoothies. Sometimes, I may drink a smoothie in place of a meal. In my smoothies I use frozen and fresh fruit, almond milk, and sometimes frozen yogurt.

SNACKS
I am a big snacker so when I’m craving sweets I buy and eat 100 calorie snacks such as (cookies, brownies, chocolate candy, pastries, chips, etc, or I may have some fruit. I eat a lot of Special K and weight watchers products (frozen dinners, cereals, ice creams, cheese, etc.

Don’t worry about how fast you lose the weight

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Weight Loss Inspiration:  Don’t worry about your pace or how quickly you are losing weight. Focus on crossing the finish line. The finish line is your unique weight loss and wellness goals. You will reach them Right on time!!  Just keep going and stay on course.  Victory is on the way and your weight loss journey will evolve the way it is destined to.

weight loss inspiration

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #9: Don’t Buy Over the Counter Diet Pills

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diet pillsIt’s Day 9 of our October Challenge and I’ve got another Weight Loss on a Budget Tip for you.  Tip #9: Don’t Buy Over the Counter Diet Pills!

I know that the commercials make weight loss look easy.  I know that many pill manufacturers provide before and after photos with stories of quick weight loss “results” (even though the fine print reminds us that the results are not typical of users of the product).  I know that you may feel like there is no harm in using a diet aid.  However, the experiences of thousands, even millions of other people have chronicled the opinion that diet pills don’t guarantee results.  Many people agree that the average over the counter diet pills may not have any impact on your weight loss goals.

You have to ask yourself if it’s worth the money.  The choice is yours and you might find a pill that works for you, but for a lot of people it’s a waste of money in the end.  If you can save the money and use it on something that will help you on your journey, it’s something to consider.

If you have money to burn, then that’s another thing.  This month I’m giving tips on saving money while losing weight, so this is something that is “extra” vs. necessary.

Questions:

  • Even if you do see some short term results from diet pills, what happens long term?  Are you planning you pay for the pills forever to keep the weight off?
  • Why not just eat right and exercise?
  • Will the weight come right back after you use the pills?
  • If the pill you are taking aren’t regulated by the FDA, are you putting your health at risk?

When it comes to pills, the financial cost at the register is not the only thing to consider.  There are other potential medical costs, if the pill is unsafe.  There is the cost of re-losing the weight if you gain it all back when you stop taking the pills.  Save yourself the money and try lifestyle changes first.  Commit to habits and choices that are time tested for weight loss, like eating clean, eating low carb, walking, working out with DVDs, etc.  There are all kinds of options available.  Find one that works for you.

More info available on this topic: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid Non-Prescription Diet Pills

30 Day Weight Loss: J’me is down from a size 20 to a 14/16

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Sharing about 30 days of weight loss progress, J’me wrote to us to share her photos and let us know she’s down  33 pounds.  She is using her clothes as a measurement for success as well.  She is down from a size 20 to a size 14/16.  That’s right…in a little over 30 days.  Here is what she shared:

J'me weight loss

Sept 4, 2013: I’ve been so inspired by the before and after photos that have been posted in your page that I had to create my own. My beginning weight was 240 as of August 1, 2013, current weight 207 pounds. Thank you for your inspiration.

What was your motivation?

My motivation is to be healthy. Over the past couple of years, I’ve let myself go. I have always watched my weight but now that I’ve gotten married and had a child, it has been really tough staying active and eating right.

I changed my habits because I found that I’d gotten so big that it took a lot of energy to do minimal things.  Plus, I hated what I saw I when I looked in the mirror. I was used to dressing up and having a sense of style but when I realized how big I was, I became depressed and not motivated to dress well. My husband never treated me like he was not attracted to me, but I felt as though he deserved for me to look my best.  I eat mostly low carb foods and wheat bread if I eat any bread at all.

What did your workout routines look like?

Right now, I am walking the neighborhood because it gives me the ability to do the intervals I need, as well as it forces me to keep moving. I know that if I walk by myself three miles away from home, the only way to get back to walk myself back. My issue with gyms is I would start going and then stop, but walking the neighborhood has kept me consistent.

What was your starting weight?  I would have to guess that I had gotten up to 240-245 or so.

What is your current weight? I believe I am around 207. I no longer own a scale so I’m estimating. However,my starting pant size was 20 and now it’s size 14-16 in 30 days.

6 Reasons Why Quick Weight Loss Isn’t Healthy

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Although doctors and scientist have reiterated time and again that healthy weight loss takes time, crash diets and fads promising rapid weight loss continue to ensnare those looking for a quick fix. From celebrity diet fads to fat-burning pills, people are looking for an effortless way to take off the pounds fast. Unfortunately, such methods rarely work, and some also pose several health risks. While you may be able to lose weight quickly, the price might just be too high to pay.

diet plansHealth Risks and Negative Side Effects of Rapid Weight Loss

Losing weight too quickly can cause the body to go into shock and ultimately cause serious health conditions. Not only do many extreme dieting methods cause severe fatigue, dehydration, malnutrition and weakness in the short term, it can also cause long term effects. Following are 6 reasons why you should avoid rapid weight loss:

  1. Losing weight quickly requires extreme efforts such as consuming starvation-level calories and following intense exercise regimens. Not only are such extreme efforts hazardous to the body, they are impossible to maintain long term.  You are not going to drink cabbage soup everyday for the rest of your life, right?  True weight loss takes a lifestyle commitment. It’s just simply impossible to follow a “eat only these 7 things” style diet for the rest of your life or to exercise non-stop indefinitely.  Your weight loss plan should be realistic.
  2. Once you give up on your extreme diet – and you will – you will put the pounds back on plus some.  This is what happens in the long term for most people.  This is called the yo-yo effect, and it’s often associated with rapid weight loss plans. You see, extreme diets cause your body to go into starvation mode – a mode where your body uses fewer calories, thus your metabolism slows down. Once you start eating again, it takes your body a while to start using those calories again. In the amount of time it takes your body to adjust your metabolism, you will regain the weight you lost plus additional pounds.
  3. Rapid weight loss places undue stress on the body, heart, and immune system. Low-calorie, low-nutrient diets can also result in mineral deficiencies, fluid imbalances, cardiac arrhythmia, muscle cramps, and bone-mass loss.
  4. Losing too much weight too quickly is just uncomfortable and not very pretty. Side effects associated with extreme, rapid weight loss include headaches, irritability, fatigue, dizziness, constipation, hair loss, muscle loss, loose skin and menstrual irregularities.
  5. Several medical conditions are caused by rapid weight loss including gallstones. In fact, gallstones occur in as many as 25-percent of people who take weight off too quickly. Dehydration and malnutrition are also not uncommon as are fainting spells. In rare cases, severe electrolyte imbalances can put your life in danger.
  6. Following a fad diet slows your metabolism, pushing your body into starvation mode. Not only does starvation mode result in rapid weight gain after you give up dieting as mentioned above, it also causes your body to break down muscle to use as energy. This means that much of the weight lost during a fad diet is likely a combination of muscle and fat.

For the best results, a balanced, moderate diet and exercise is recommended. If you reduce your food intake by about 250-500 calories per day and increase your activity level, you will achieve a sustainable weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week.  Not only is this amount of weight loss healthy, it’s easy to maintain for the long term.  Of course, this is the case for most people.  I’m not taking into account health issues and those who have more than 100 pounds to lose.  In that case, a healthy diet may be more limited or less limited depending on your health needs.  You really should speak with a doctor and a nutritionist to really understand what works for you as an individual.  Education is key and there are a lot of great resources online that can show you want a healthy balanced diet really is.  Do your research and don’t fall for the weight loss fads and schemes.

Loose Skin after Weight Loss: Why It Happens and What to Do about It

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loose skin after weight lossFor many people, the joy of watching the number on the scale and the size of their clothing go down gets overshadowed by the presence of loose skin. Not only can your skin get loose and saggy after extreme weight loss, your body can maintain the same shape it had before your weight loss efforts. The image in the mirror, while smaller, appears to change little all the while your skin loses shape and elasticity. Fortunately there are ways you can combat loose skin while dieting.

Why Do People Have Loose Skin after Weight Loss?

Your skin is an amazing organ with the ability to expand and contract along with your growth spurts and changing body. This ability is called elasticity and it is at the heart of the factors that contribute to loose skin. You see, once elasticity is gone, your skin loses its ability to shrink back – much like a worn out rubber band that refuses to recoil. Following are just a few things that can affect your skin’s elasticity:

  • Obesity – If you are considered obese, your skin has stretched considerably. Those who need to lose 100 lbs. or more in order to reach their goal weight can expect some lose skin.
  • Time – the amount of time you have been overweight also has some bearing on how loose your skin will be once you lose the weight. The longer your skin remains in a stretched-out position, the harder it will be for it to snap back.
  • Age – As we age, we lose elasticity – it’s what causes wrinkles. Younger skin has more ability to shrink back after weight loss than older skin.

So, some of these factors can not be affected that much.  This is why many people have to have surgery after losing large amounts of weight.  It’s just a fact.  However, you should never let loose skin stop you from losing weight.  Being obese or overweight and dealing with weight related health issues is not worth the vanity.  Your health is more important than some loose skin.

How to Minimize Loose Skin during Weight Loss

As mentioned before, there are several things you can do to minimize loose skin during weight loss. While you may not be able to avoid loose skin altogether, you can surely improve your skin’s ability to retract.

  1. Lose weight slowly – Sustaining a gradual weight loss of approximately 1-2 pounds per week will go a long way in preventing loose skin. You see, it takes time for your skin to contract. When you lose weight quickly, your skin has no time to catch up.
  2. Consume plenty of protein and good fats – Your skin, hair, and nails are made up of protein. Eat plenty of it to alleviate loose skin.  Collagen is a protein that is related to this in the body.  The issue is that if you aren’t eating right and your body starts to cannibalize the protein in your body…it could eat up or hinder the production of collagen that you need for skin elasticity.  It’s also important to include healthy oils in your diet to keep the skin flexible and as healthy as possible.
  3. Get a weekly or monthly massage –  Massages improve circulation to the skin and helps skin retract. Getting a massage also helps alleviate cellulite – another unsightly issue that occurs during weight loss.
  4. Take a multivitamin or monitor the vitamins you are eating – For good skin health, you need vitamin C, E, A, B-complex and K.  Iron, selenium and zinc are also minerals you’d want to get the recommended amount of.
  5. Don’t be afraid of weights – Weight training will help to reshape and redefine the body.  Muscle also burns fat at rest.  Adding some muscle definition and muscle tone will help to redefine your body so that it doesn’t appear that you have just deflated.

In addition to these tips, it’s vital to remain hydrated. All of your body’s organs, including your skin, need water in order to function properly. If you stay hydrated, lose weight slowly, follow a balance diet, and make efforts to increase your skin circulation, you can greatly diminish the amount of loose skin you will have after you lose all the weight. In cases of extreme weight loss, however, it often becomes necessary to surgically remove excess skin when it becomes apparent that it isn’t going to bounce back into shape.

Juice Fasting: 4 Basic Steps

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By Carla Douglin, Author of Juice 28: 28-Day Juice Detox Plan

Through the ages, many cultures have used fasting for many different reasons, including religion and health.  Today, people use fasting for similar reasons, and now also do things like juice fasts.  With a juice fast, one drinks nothing but a wide variety of fresh, nutritious juices bursting with flavor, to cleanse the body, boost immunity, and shed unwanted pounds.  They fast for a pre-determined length of time, anywhere from 1 to 100 days.

Prepping for the Fast

juice fasting basicsBefore starting the juice fast, it is important that the body is prepared for the fast.  This means that the cleansing process should have already begun before actually starting the fast, by eliminating anything processed or difficult to digest.  Preparing the body will help to make the fast easier, and the symptoms of detoxifying will not be as severe.

Therefore, а week before the fast is due to begin, one should eliminate or at least reduce the intake of fast foods, processed foods, and sugar, as well as alcohol and caffeine.  Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables are essential, as they are high in fiber and will help to get the cleaning process going.  During this time of preparation the body will begin to experience certain detox symptoms that are associated with juice fasting.

The Fast

Juice 28 juice detox
Want to try a juice fast? Check out Juice 28! It’s a guided, detailed 28-Day Juice Detox Plan

During the fast all solid foods are eliminated from the diet, which makes it absolutely essential that lots of fluids are consumed, especially fruit and vegetable juices.  These juices contain high amounts of nutrients that the body needs, in order to function and cleanse the body. Since you are getting all your nutrients from fresh juices, it’s vital that you get enough juice each and every day, and that you vary what you put in your juices.  You should be consuming at least 64 oz of different kinds of juice per day, on top of the same amount of fresh water.  If you are hungry, err on the side of caution–more juice should be consumed, rather than you go hungry.  More nutrients are a good thing!

Detox

Symptoms associated with а juice fast include а headache, fatigue, dizzy spells, body odor and moodiness.  These symptoms are merely а sign that toxins are leaving the body, and the worse they get, the more toxins are leaving.  This is why someone who is used to fasting on а regular basis does not experience these symptoms to the same degree as someone who has never done а juice fast before.

Breaking the Fast

Breaking your fast is just as important, if not MORE important, than the fast itself.  You must re-awaken your digestive system with the proper foods, at the proper time.

Remember the rule: Allow yourself one third of time spent on fasting to get your digestive system used to solid foods again.
• If you fasted for 3 days, build up for 1
• If you fasted for 5 days allow 2 days
• 10 days of fasting needs at least 3 days

How you eat after the fast is а big part of detox and cleansing.  Think of the time you are breaking your fast, as that you’re still fasting, but now you’re eating some solid food too.  Have lots of juice the first day, and throw in a smoothie made of fruits and vegetables with a high water content.  Gradually move on to salads, while continuing with the juice, again with soft vegetables and fruits that have a high water-content.  It’s best to take longer to transition, than to cut it short and pay the price.  Avoid junk and processed foods at all costs during the transition period, and consider including clean, whole foods in your diet afterward.