Alternate Title: The Incredible Shrinking Man

So here he is in all his glory (with his underwear strategically hidden behind red squares, for your viewing pleasure) –  Zak the Juice Fasting Maniac:

April 22, 2013

May 13, 2013

And today, one month exactly from the juice fast start date,

May 22, 2013

(Don’t mind the toys on the floor that we failed to kick out of the way for this picture.)

A little excel spreadsheet chart to see his weight loss trend:

(missing data points are dates he didn’t record his weight)

And some Biggest Loser style stats (cue beeping scale!) he’s lost 13.6% of his body weight so far.

According to this ideal body weight calculator, as a 5′ 10″ man with a medium frame, his ideal weight is between 151 and 163… so he’s still got a little way to go before he reaches “ideal”.  (Awww, he’s already ideal to me!  Corny, I know.  Shut up.)

While putting this post together I asked him when the last time was that he weighed this little.  He guessed high school (that’s the early to mid 90’s, folks.)  He’s definitely the smallest I’ve ever seen him in our 15 years together – it’s crazy to wrap my arms around him and I try not to say “where did you go?!” every time.

Even though his continued weight loss is expected, I’m still amazed by it all.  I think I’m also amazed that he’s gone so long without eating.  Like many people, I’m sure I *could* do it… I just don’t want to.   I want to eat.

While we’re talking about juice, I’ve got another new juice recipe from this week – Orange Juice.  Orange in color thanks to orange and red vegetables, no actual oranges.

A bunch of carrots, two sweet potatoes, half a cantaloupe and a whole red pepper.

(Speaking of the early 90’s, does “cantaloupe juice” remind anyone else of this Friend’s episode where everybody tried Carol’s breastmilk and Ross totally freaked out? “It tastes like… cantaloupe juice.”)

(Kaz DOES really like cantaloupe, for what it’s worth.)

Moving on, sweet potato juice isn’t nearly as weird as I expected it to be, and cantaloupe in juice is really good!  Cantaloupe also makes surprisingly little pulp.  This is a great combo of ingredients and flavors if you’re looking to try something different.

This quantity of ingredients made enough juice to last him all day!

I’m resisting the urge to worry, but he’s drinking a lot less juice now than he was at the beginning of the fast.  He often points out that he’s very sedentary with his 9 – 5 desk job and doesn’t burn a lot of energy throughout the day.

He also says he’s become very aware of when his stomach feels contentedly full.  He use to drink a 16 oz glass of juice each time, but has cut that down to probably 12 – 14 oz per glass now. (Again, trying not to worry!)  He says he drinks when he feels hungry, and he’s also added coconut water (for the potassium and electrolytes) and drinks plenty of water, tea and Kombucha sometimes too.

FAQ #4 What About Protein?

Where are Frequently Asked Questions 1 – 3?  Here!

He’s been getting the protein question a lot lately, people are asking me this question too!  According to Joe Cross (The Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead guy) green juices have some protein.

I really like that Joe says:

if you decide to do a Reboot and it works better for you to add more protein, then you should do so! A Reboot is meant to be personal so it really is about creating what works best for you.

Joe also lists spirulina as a source of green vegetable protein.  When I read that I ran out and bought him a green kombucha and made him drink it while standing in front of me.

1 gram of protein per serving? (click to enlarge)

I’m not impressed, Spirulina.

FAQ #5 What Kind of Juicer Do You Have?

We have the Breville Juice Fountain Plus. We are also the new owners of a hand-me-down Omega Masticating Juicer from my mother who just recently upgraded hers.  It is a lot slower than the Breville though and needs the vegetables to be cut into small pieces, so he’s been sticking with the Breville for now because it’s easier to use and any juice he makes doesn’t sit around for more than 12 hours.  We’ll probably play around with the Omega more once his juice fast is over.

More juicer questions?  This guide is really helpful and answers a lot of common questions about the differences and pros and cons between juicers.

FAQ #6 Can You Make Juice in a Blender?

Yes, but you’ll need a nut milk bag to strain out the pulp.  Further explanation here.

9 Days to Go

Today was the first day I heard him say that he’s looking forward to the juice fast being over.  He’s joked that the he’ll be breaking his fast with a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate!  (I started drinking coffee again a few days ago.  Coffee, I missed you.)

If I might weigh in here (har har) I would guess that he’ll gain some weight back once his juice fast is over at the end of next week (Friday, 5/31 will be the last day, it will be time to chew on June 1!) but in my own opinion based on our lifestyle and the kinds of meals that I prepare, as well as some of his new awareness with fullness cues and working to be a more mindful eater, I don’t think he’ll have much trouble keeping most of the weight off… but of course, time will tell.

I do think he’s lost some muscle mass, and so I think at the very least he’ll regain some muscle weight as he starts eating more protein again.  He’s just recently begun to do some body weight exercises and kettle bell swings on a more regular basis, both activities he’s done on and off in the past.  Beyond that, any activity he does is pretty much limited to walking 1/2 to 1 mile per day – sometimes simply going for a walk,  as well walking to and from the bus stop for work twice a day, three times a week.

I guess that’s it for this update!  Zak had a lot of fun responding to your comments and questions in my last post about his juice fast, so feel free to hit him up with specific questions if you’ve got any in the comments!