Friday, August 05, 2011

The Juice Movie: Psyche and Skepticism



This looks like a nice, inspiring film that will probably create a very minor juice fast craze. And that’s great. People should juice veggies at home. I do it all the time. I also hang out at a juice bar/coffee/bike shop so much that I could get mail there and no one would bat an eye (that incidentally bought their juicer from Whole Foods who now uses concentrates in their smoothies, so don’t buy them). The star seems like a funny guy, the show is filled with information that everyone should know, and I love the angle that it’s how you feel, not how you look, that ultimately matters. I’ll give it a thumb’s up based only on a preview. So where’s the skepticism?

I can see the excuses already. I can’t afford a juicer. I can’t juice fast with my job. All liquids but soda make me sick (an actual Message Board excuse), etc. The lesson many people are going to take away from this film is going to be that you must either juice fast or be fat. We are a country that, for some strange reason, sees the world in black and white terms. And nothing could be less black and white than nutrition because there are many different healthy ways to eat.

Somebody mentioned to me recently that Beachbody had a lot of different diet plans. While this is true, as each diet plan uses a slightly different psychological tool for motivation, all of our “different” plans end up doing the exact same thing; transition you away from junk food so that your diet consists mainly of whole natural foods. It’s all very simple and we have millions of success stories to show it works. You don’t need juice. You don’t need eat like a caveman, a French woman, Aphrodite or Dr. Phil. You don’t need to stay in a zone or pretend you live on The Riviera.

The only black and white thing about nutrition is the cause of the obesity epidemic. We eat too much crap. And we don’t exercise very much. If you change those two things you will stop being fat, you’ll get sick less, and you’ll feel good most of the time. The real solution is a lot simpler than even dumping veggies into a blender. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

26 comments:

Christopher Robbins said...

I actually watched this a few weeks ago. I streamed it on Netflix. It was Ok. Nice is a good word for it. It falls short of being inspiring. It even fails as a propaganda film (which I assume was part of its purpose) for Dr. Fuhrman and his nutritarian way of eating. It's just sort of there. The weight loss on the one guy they got to try the juice fast isn't that dramatic and is sort of anti-climactic.

Micah said...

Well put Steve. Always psyched to see posts like this.

When I was chefing people used to ask me "What my secret was for staying fit?"

The answer - "I eat real food and use my body a bunch"

You wouldn't believe how many people's minds I blew with that revolutionary technique.

bob banks said...

First off, fuck Whole Foods and their rich clientele (they sold their squeaky clean soul to Monsanto months ago showing that they're really just a huge company that is strictly about making shitloads of money...but that's another story).
Secondly, I enjoyed this flick (not great, but good) and I disagree that people will take the lesson from the film that "either juice fast or be fat". I don't see that at all. The dude seemed genuine in his desire to get people to eat healthier foods, just using a juice fast as a way to 'kick-start' people into realizing that they might feel better by eating better.
And I thought the transformation of that fat-ass trucker in 60 days of manning up and drinking fucking juice for every meal was hardly "anti-climactic". Didn't he lose like 100 some-thing pounds? I can't imagine how much that sucked. I found it very inspiring.

Steve Edwards said...

Bob, you disagree because you surround yourself with rational people. How many of your friends claim to be allergic to water or ask at what point of fitness can you stop exercising for good?

Christopher Robbins said...

I disagree, it was anti climactic & hardly inspiring. He lost 100 pounds, woohoo. Could have done it on any diet that consisted of a huge caloric deficit. They didn't exactly insure compliance. And it wasn't a dramatic transformation. Kudos for losing what he did, but *yawn*. I'd rather see the fattie go to super slim energized triathlete. That would be a great informercial for juice fasting. Not going from 200 pounds overweight to maybe 100 pounds overweight.

bob banks said...

Touche'

bob banks said...

BTW the touche' was directed at Edwards.
Robbins, you're obviously a tough sell. But I don't think the trucker had triathlons in mind.

Brian said...

@Steve, have you actually had people say they are allergic to water??? LOL... I didn't get "do a juice fast or remain fat and die" from this preview... looks like the juice fast is what he used to springboard himself into healthy living and understanding nutrition... the point is, that's what got him on the right path - but I didn't see that preview as saying everyone has to do this

@Bob, your mix of angry expletives and honest review was interesting

bob banks said...

You should read my collection of children's stories

josh said...

Aren't vegetables just a delivery device for good tasting fat?

I mean, how do you get your hidden valley buttermilk ranch dressing into your fat face? A carrot.

Although, come to think of it, you could use a stick of cheese. Maybe pepper jack?

And yes, Bob's children's stories are incredibly interesting.

You should read, "micah and bob go bouldering". In fact, you should read it to your kids tonight as a bedtime story.

j

Reed said...

Josh, you make me laugh. I'm going to go read "Micah and Bob go Bouldering" right now. Maybe I should also read "Micah gets fuxored by lame Dr. in Santa Barbara but keeps Spirits up Anyway."

I'm not going to start drinking smoothies but I think most people eat like shit, realize it, but just don't care enough to change. Heck, I'm like that to a degree, just not the same degree as the "average American."

gregory said...

i saw this on netflix 'bout one month ago. it was good and better than most of the junk that they permit you to stream. but...

what appears to be a documentary is really a well done infomercial. if you pay close attention during the film, you'll notice that joe is a successful businessman. hmmm...who is selling these juicers? oh yeah, he is.

hey, i am all about getting fat people thin. but i also believe in, and promote, transparency. i just don't think this was completely honest.

DaveWard said...

I enjoyed it. I liked how the second guy took things on and passed on a good idea to his community. We could all use a few good ideas.

Anonymous said...

Bob, one German organic farm has killed twice as many people as the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the Gulf Oil spill combined.

Don't be a Luddite. Technology isn't inherently evil.

Paula C. said...

I had the opportunity to watch a screening of the movie a couple of weeks ago and Joe Cross made an appearance at the end, for Q & A. I was impressed by the strong will of these individuals, although I find it very, very hard to do for 60 days. I did notice that he has put a few pounds and he doesn't seem to have an exercise routine. So I think he did change some bad habits, as he said at the Q&A, he doesn't drink, eat meat, or party hardy anymore. I think he lacks exercise and so does the message of the movie. I think the message i got was to lose weight you drink juice and stay home cause otherwise you won't make it. I am juicing though, but in addition to my Beachbody meal plans and exercise routines.

Shortteacher83 and Thrilledmomof2 said...

Hahahahaha @Steve , I get ask that question all the time, in fact my husband thinks that u can lose your belly fat by doing sit ups...

dan said...

Paula you may be interested in this blog post by Joe Cross

Anonymous said...

I really think that every one is entitled to their own opinion but please stop criticizing about everything and every one!! there is a lot of people that do not know how to be healthy or are too lazy or whatever the reason is there is always something that will trigger a person to start a healthy life style, some people really need that in order to start and what really matters about this film and all films of this sort and all diets and exercise programs is that one of them may be the reason you made the change in to being healthy so screw the rest and go get there!!!

Melldy said...

I'm confused by this back-and-forth. Isn't the fact that these guys lost weight and did it through diet and moderate exercise still pretty amazing!!!?? I'm proud of that trucker. My god, he was morbidly obese and he changed his freaking life to lose that weight AND he inspired his brother to do something about his heatlh. He didn't get his stomach stapled, didn't take pills, didn't use a hormone and he had guidance from his doctor. I say bravo and maybe we shouldn't criticize people who DO accomplish something of this level.

Body Power Fitness said...

I loved this movie, found it very inspiring and the fact that I'm from Iowa, as is Phil, the truck driver, am extremely glad that they picked someone from this state to portray his transformation. I've also become friends on Facebook with both Joe and Phil, they both are interactive with their "friends" and are willing to help and motivate others.

Like Melldy said, the fact that they lost weight and did it through diet and exercise is pretty amazing. There are many healthy paths to lose weight and the more people realize the options out there, the more likely they will find one that works for them.

Michelle DeMarco said...

I watched "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" recently and found it to be very inspirational. While I agree that there is no ONE way to change your eating habits, I found the movie incredibly motivating and embarked on my own "fast" of sorts only with Shakeology. I added some juicing into the mix and have had amazing results. The best thing that came of it was retraining my palette to want wholesome foods - like vegetables. Juicing has certainly helped there.

What the movie does is it makes people realize how they are killing themselves with the regular processed foods they are putting in their bodies. That is an important message for people to get. Glad to be part of the solution!

Gina said...

I watched this movie about a month ago and wrote a blog about it. I thought it was a good movie. For me it was not necessarily about a juicing diet, but about two guys taking control of their health and making better choices. What was more fascinating to me was the attitudes of those he talked to around the country. The fact that some don't care about what they eat as long as they are happy. The lack of understanding the consequences of poor diet is crazy to me. Do they think they will just drop dead one day without warning? They don't believe they will feel any effects of eating poorly? While there are some who don't understand good nutrition, there is a lot of short term thinking and denial.

My 9 yr old son watched with me. Needless to say, we now have a juicer, but it's not with the intention of going on a juicing binge. It's to drink healthier juice!

rpgivpgmr said...

Very good points. I believe you are totally correct. Most programs hint one must do a small amount of exercise as well in order to kick start the body's metabolism as well. Thanks.

Kristen said...

As someone who has lost 125 lbs. in the past using a "shocking" blend of counting calories and exercise, I tend to agree. Juicing is not exactly the end all and be all of weight loss and it isn't a quick fix. It's a great way to help someone with terrible habits (like the trucker) kick start healthy eating IF a transition plan is in place. Otherwise, he (like anyone else on a restrictive diet) will gain it all back in the long run.
The only truly successful diet is education mixed with moderation, as well as variety to keep a person interested enough to not want to wander to the dark side.

On a side note, I have seen this movie. I found it interesting and it did introduce me to juicing -- which I now do to augment my higher calorie days, rather than less healthy post-workout shakes -- but it certainly isn't for everyone. It's a decent documentary on the state of the world's health for those people who haven't quite opened their eyes to reality yet. Not earth shaking, but worthy of a view.

Unconventionalpastor said...

I watched the movie on Netflix fat sick and nearly dead. I was so inspired I went out and bought an expensive juicer. it made me so ill for several days I thought I was going to die. After recovering and waiting a month, I went to a juice bar and had them make me ONE juice supposedly done right. OMG, just like before, the next day I was deathly ill and it took days for my intestines to re-stabilize.

Debbie said...

Watched the movie. Love to eat healthy foods but got into a rut with eating away from home alot. Job and stresses were tugging at me. Juiced totally for 32 days last year. Lost 30 lbs and kept it off. It's now been a year and decided to do it again every year for at least 30 days as a cleansing detox. Feel great doing it. Had a blood panel done before and after and although I only have problems with vitamin D, at 52 would like to continue feeling this good. Oh, for exercise I walk, always use the stairs at work nothing major