Recommended Pre fast/pure detox diet for a guy.?!
Question: I'm a young guy and recently I've decided to undergo an extended fast in order to quit smoking, (3 years, pack a day) as well as to regain my old level of health.
I was curious what my regular diet should be leading up to that, I'm not picky at all about what I eat (I had my fun over the holidays and willpower isn't an issue).
Doesn't really matter how awful it tastes, I'm just looking at food as fuel for the time, I just need the absolute healthiest way to go about things for before and after the fast.
I've heard raw vegetables and fruits are the way to go (although not sure which ones) and have just been eating those for the last few days, but feels like I'm missing quite a bit in my diet.
Anyways, any recommendations would be great.
Answers: I'm a young guy and recently I've decided to undergo an extended fast in order to quit smoking, (3 years, pack a day) as well as to regain my old level of health.
I was curious what my regular diet should be leading up to that, I'm not picky at all about what I eat (I had my fun over the holidays and willpower isn't an issue).
Doesn't really matter how awful it tastes, I'm just looking at food as fuel for the time, I just need the absolute healthiest way to go about things for before and after the fast.
I've heard raw vegetables and fruits are the way to go (although not sure which ones) and have just been eating those for the last few days, but feels like I'm missing quite a bit in my diet.
Anyways, any recommendations would be great.
Try a strict vegetarian diet for the duration -- you're already halfway there :). It's difficult to get all the protein, calcium and iron you need eating just fruits and vegetables, so you'll want to be sure to add some beans, soy products and grains, too. This is what the vegan food pyramid says we should have daily:
*2-4 servings fruit
*3-5 servings vegetables (one of which should be 1 cup of dark leafy greens for calcium)
*2-3 servings beans (black, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, etc) and/or soy products (tofu, tempeh, TVP, veggie burgers)
*2-3 servings fortified dairy substitutes (i.e. soy, almond or rice milk, soy yogurt, veggie cheese)
*6-11 servings whole grains, rice, bread, pasta cereal etc.
*0-1 servings vegetables oils, fats, sweets, nuts
*8-10 glasses of water
If you can afford it, buying organic will help with the detoxification process (think pesticides). Avoiding all the hormones and antibiotics in meat and dairy products goes a very long way to make a person feel clean on the inside.
As for the best fruits and vegetables -- pretty much any are good so long as you get a variety. Go for the rainbow of colors every day if you can -- reds in berries and tomatoes, yellows in peaches and corn, oranges in carrots and sweet potatoes, greens in broccoli and collards, blues in berries and 'red' cabbage and so on.
Sometimes when vegetables are cooked the live enzymes in them are denatured and mild toxins are released. Eating them in their raw state can help the detoxing process.
After the detox and quitting smoking, you're going to feel awesome! Good luck with everything!
you need to have some carbs and protein in your diet, veggies fresh that is are great steam or boil, fruit as well, you need protein as well... my bf and i tried fasting.. you also need to take a vitamin daily esp. while you fast you can get good cheapo ones at GNC or vitamin shoppe
Try the Lemonade Diet. An older, heavy gentleman I work with does it for 11 day periods. It works well and he swears by it.
I did the veggie thing too - for 2 weeks and it worked good. Also go to GNC and buy a detox purifying kit. Watch your red meat intake too... you dont want a meat sweater in your intestines!