Reader Question: Juice Fast + Training

Briana asks:  

"I finally watched Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead a couple weeks ago and Joe's journey with juicing has inspired me. My own eating habits aren't the best especially since I have increased my mileage. I am training for my first half marathon that's in late May. What I'm wondering is if you have any experience with juice fasts combined with regular running?"

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I wrote back to Briana right away because I don't have any specific experience with fasting -- with or without food -- so I'm not the best person to ask. However, her question stuck with me because I think it's a common one these days. I see variations of fasts popping up in my Pinterest feed almost daily.

I've dabbled with juicing, even going to great lengths to make juice at home using my blender versus buying a juicer. In my own experience, when I've had fresh juices -- plain carrot is a favorite -- I feel this amazing rush. Whether that feeling is psychosomatic or not, I don't think anyone can deny adding juice to the everyday diet can be a good thing.

But can it stand alone? I'm not so sure.

And support running? I'm really skeptical.


For those of you who are unfamiliar, a juice fast is when a person chooses to consume only 100% fresh fruit and/or vegetable juices for a set amount of time. I've seen fasts from a few days to months at a time. Proponents claim a number of benefits, including a cleansed and regulated colon, a strengthened immune system, increased mental clarity, increased energy levels, and more (source).

A lot of these quick detoxes or more long range plans look enticing, but when combined with an athletic training plan, my first thought is: BAD IDEA. Since I don't have any first-hand knowledge, I thought I'd toss this question out to you guys.

First, here's some information/personal experiences:

Do Juice Cleanses Work? 10 Truths About the Fad (Huffington Post)
My 14 Day Juice Fast (HighExistence)
How I Ran 20 Miles Whilst Fasting (Running On Juice)
Beginner's Guide to Juice Fasting (Living Green) 
Burning Runner: Preparing for a Juice Fast (Competitor)
The Juice Clease: A Strange and Green Journey (New York Times)
10 Tips for Before, During, After a Juice Cleanse (MindBodyGreen)
Intense Exercise During Juice Fast? Is it Even Possible? (Nina Cherie, Ph.D)

I am inclined to keep eating a balanced diet while training -- complete with all the food groups -- adding in juices for an extra boost.


Briana's question inspired me to make a fresh batch of juice at home last night. I combined 3 apples, 2 blood oranges, and 8 carrots with a good amount of water + blended in my Ninja blender (or, as we affectionately call it, the poor man's Vitamix) + ran it all through some cheesecloth to strain. 8 cups of juice in all.

I guess my (somewhat ignorant, but I don't mean in the pejorative sense) answer is that I don't think drinking ONLY juice while training for a half marathon is a good idea. I think adding juices to your diet might help you clean up messy eating habits and give you some of the benefits without having to make a drastic change. I'd wait until the race is completed to try a full-on juice cleanse.

What's your take on this question?

Can you smash 20-mile runs drinking only juice? I'm not promoting or condemning the practice. It's such a massive trend these days, I think it's an interesting topic for discussion!

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Who's Got the Juice?

We recently bought a container of Lakewood 100% organic carrot juice. We're both not huge juice fans . . . so besides drinking it, we tried coming up with some creative ways to use it in our everyday recipes. This stir-fry experiment works beautifully.

Why carrot juice? It's one of the richest sources of vitamin A that can be used in the daily diet. It also ranks high as a source of the other vitamins, especially those of the B complex. Its mineral content is equally rich, and includes calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, and iron. (Source and more info . . .)

In addition, Lakewood lists these benefits in the bottle:

• Reduce Phytosensitivity and improve eye health
• Strenghten the immune system and promote healthy cell growth
• Help support healthy liver functions and fight anemia
• Reduce the risk factors related to Heart Disease such as High Blood Pressure

What are you waiting for?
Go grab a container of this juice and get cooking!

What you'll need . . .

• 1 tbsp potato starch (or corn starch)
• 3/4 cup pure carrot juice
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp horseradish
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 small parsnips, skinned and chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• Large zucchini, chopped

Method . . .

1. In a large bowl, mix together the potato starch and carrot juice, then add the vinegar, sugar, horseradish, soy sauce, ginger and pepper until well mixed. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the garlic and onion in oil about 5 minutes.
3. Add the parsnips and cook for five minutes over medium to medium-high heat. They should start to soften.
4. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes -- you want them still slightly crisp (not soggy).
5. Add the sauce mix to the veggies and cook until mixture thickens, approx 5 to 7 minutes.

One of our other favorite juicy recipes includes POM pomegranate juice (and it's also inspired by Richard Simmons!). So, if you're looking for a perfect dessert compliment for this simple stir-fry, check out our Pomegranate Dream Cakes.

Have you ever used juice in your cooking or baking? Let us know! Just leave us a comment or shoot us an email at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!!

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