[epro]

Lately I've been too lazy to cook and I don't think it's something that will change any time soon.
I saw the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and thought maybe I could make my own version of it (recipe for disaster maybe?). I'm not a major fan of vegetables, so I thought I could substitute certain meals with fruits instead of veggies. I eat breakfast every morning (2 eggs, wheat toast and a banana with a glass of fat-free milk), lunch, snacks, and dinner are my weaknesses.
Does this seem like a worthwhile plan? It's basically just stacking up on fruits (and some veggies). Is it healthy on the long-run?

freedomyou[DOT]com/recipes/fruit_diet_meal_plan.html

[celly123]

So if you do this, would you be eating only fruit and vegetables? Or just for lunch and dinner?

I think in the short term it's fine, as many people do detoxes and cleanses that are fruit and veg only. However, in the long run I doubt it's sustainable.

Honestly, it just seems like a better idea to get more fruit and veg into your diet rather than stopping eating normal food.

Maybe try adding more fruit/veg to each meal? Incorporate more salads and such into your regular diet and eat fruit for snacks instead of typical snack food?

[kaplods]

It's hard to eat a balanced diet with mostly fruit (you'd likely be shortchanged on protein and healthy fats).

If you're carb-sensitive, sweet fruits can trigger hunger and cravings and can mess with blood sugar (and people with diabetes have to be even more careful).

Substituing fruit as a meal here and there isn't likely to be a problem, unless you have blood sugar issues. Eating fruit and only fruit at most of your meals daily, could be a problem. With fruit, it's really hard to say how much is too much, but your body may let you know (In my case, if I eat too much fruit, I get severe diarrhea. I don't know if that's becasue I have IBS or because the fruit sugars in fruits have that effect on everyone if they eat enough of it).

Sugars, even fruit sugars, tend to increase my hunger, espeically if I eat them on an empty stomach. How I or anyone could be ravenous with diarrhea, I don't know - but it happens. I can also stall my weight loss because I love fruit so much that I tend to overeat it (I've eaten more than 1000 calories in fruit in a day - no wonder I get diarrhea. I find that some fruits once I start eating I can't stop - watermelon, lychee, cherries and grapes especially. Lychee I don't usually have to worry about because they're so expensive that I don't buy enough at a time to binge too badly on).

I find it helpful to eat fruit with a little protein and maybe fat, but never as a meal or as a snack alone on a totally empty stomach. Pairing fruit with a bit of protein and/or fat (say some cheese or cold rotisserie chicken), helps prevent the blood sugar spikes (and then crashes) that drive my appetitie haywire.

Not everyone has blood sugar issues or even digestive issues from fruit, so you may find fruit filling enough to use as a meal, just make sure you're not short-changing yourself on nutrients that fruits generally don't provide (mostly protein and fat). Avocado of course are a fruit that does provide healthy fat, but you want to be careful with it, because a single avocado can contain up to 350 calories or so.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that fruit is bad, only that some people have to be careful with it. I don't know if that's true for you or not, so I'd suggest experimenting and see what happens, as long as you can treat it as an experiment and not a reflection on your effort or success. An experiment that doesn't turn out the way you expected or wanted, isn't a failure - it's successfully gaining information.

I suspect that most people don't binge on fruit, otherwise I don't think programs like Weight Watchers would make it a free food. But for those of us who do, we have to be a little more careful. For me, I find exchange plans most helpful, because it forces some balance. Left to my own devices, I tend to go on food jags (and then my digestive system pays for it).

[epro]

Thanks, celly and kaplods. I decided against it. I'm adding more fruits and veggies to my diet, but definitely not making them my only source of food.

[Suzanne 3FC]

From what I can tell, the diet promoted in that documentary is mostly vegetable juices with some fruit - but mostly vegetables. You would consume a lot of veggies like kale, celery, cucumber, broccoli, beets, etc and with some fruit to help balance out the flavors and nutrient profile. They also recommend only juicing 5 days, alternately with whole vegetable and fruit days. If you pick your veggies carefully, you'll get plenty of protein, calcium, iron, etc. The website is www.jointhereboot.com if you want to check the menus and recipes.

[nelie]

I checked out the plan and it seems pretty well balanced. The plan says 50% plant foods, 25% lean protein and 25% whole grain and gives guidelines for each.

[brillmama2]

There are millions of vegans in the world. And lots of them only eat raw foods

[nelie]

I looked a bit deeper and it looks before the recommended diet, there is an initial phase that is fruit and veggies. As Suzanne pointed out, you can get protein from fruits and veggies and healthy fats are included. It is fairly short term. It isn't a raw diet and the follow on diet isn't vegan. I don't see a problem with someone doing a short term veggie/fruit diet but some might find it difficult to stick with. It seemed though that the questionnaire on the site would help point you to the recommended plan for you.

[PhatBeth]

Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat. They add flavor and variety to your diet. They also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Margarine, butter, mayonnaise and sour cream add fat to vegetables and fruits. Try using nonfat or low-fat versions of these foods. You can also use nonfat or low-fat yogurt or herbs as seasonings instead.
but all in all the choice is not bad....

[TheLindsy]

There are a lot of raw vegans out there. But they also have to supplement for the lack of macro/micro nutrients that they need! Our body cannot function without the right amounts of them. It might work for a while, but after some time, you will realize you will feel fatigued, hair loss, ect. If you change your mind and do this, just make sure you are still getting the right nutrients for your body!

[nelie]

Originally Posted by TheLindsy

There are a lot of raw vegans out there. But they also have to supplement for the lack of macro/micro nutrients that they need! Our body cannot function without the right amounts of them. It might work for a while, but after some time, you will realize you will feel fatigued, hair loss, ect. If you change your mind and do this, just make sure you are still getting the right nutrients for your body!

Actually the diet mentioned isn't a raw vegan diet. I'm not a raw vegan but I am vegan. Raw vegans can easily get all the macronutrients and can get more micronutrients than many non-vegans. I've even heard that vitamin deficiencies are up in the general population and even cases of scurvy! Vegans in general are pretty aware of nutrition although occasionally you'll find some that aren't. Vitamin b12 is really the only thing vegans have to worry about but blood tests can test for that easily.

Anyway, the reboot diet is pretty well planned and backed by doctors and dietitians. It is also meant as short term.