A couple of days ago I, reluctantly, watched the movie, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead by Joe Cross. I was reluctant to watch this movie because, to be perfectly honest with you, I am tired of watching this type of movies. By “this type of movies” I mean movies that claim to want to “inform” us of just how bad our eating habits are but instead do nothing but push an agenda. For example,
- Super Size Me: It’s hard not to see the Vegan/Vegetarian agenda weaved within this documentary.
- Fat Head: This documentary is made in opposition to the documentary, Super Size Me, and is clearly in support of the meat industry, which is the largest segment of the U.S. agriculture and has sales totaling far beyond $150 billion.
- Forks Over Knives: This documentary is clearly in support of the Vegan/Raw Food movement. In fact, the makers of this documentary are so confident that they go so far as claiming, “most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods”.
What impressed me most about the documentary, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead was the fact that I couldn’t spot an agenda behind Joe Cross’ quest to regain his health. Despite the fact that Joe Cross’ juicing diet is a Raw Vegan diet, he doesn’t push the Vegan agenda on the everyday people he encounters during his stay in the United States. This is because, unlike the highly educated scientists and self-proclaimed experts featured in the other documentaries, Joe understand the simple fact that the American society will never be a primarily Vegan/Vegetarian society. So, instead of wasting time preaching about the merits of such lifestyles, Joe focuses his energy on demonstrating to average Americans how to “reboot” and get back on the road to better health.
Joe is just a man looking for a way to stop feeling, and being, fat, sick and nearly dead. In other words, he is someone, we, as Americans, can relate to and deem inspiration from.
Why I Want To Start A Juicing Diet
Unlike the individuals featured in this documentary, I have no health problems and don’t need to lose weight. I am also a very busy individual, who must follow a healthy diet, in order to be able to both work and follow my intense fitness routine.
So, why start a juicing diet? To be perfectly honest, I am homesick. As a transient New York City resident, all the fruits and vegetables highlighted in this documentary reminded me of life in my home state of California, where organic fruits and vegetables are not only abundant but also affordable.
But, this is not the main reason why I am starting a juicing diet. The main two reasons why I am interested in conducting this experiment are to see:
- If the average New Yorker is financially capable of carrying out such a diet
- If I can maintain my current energy levels on a juicing diet, since all participants in this documentary claim to have increased energy levels
Healthy Living Obstacles In New York City
NYC is a city known for the vastness of its food deserts and the depth of its poverty levels. It’s no wonder then that obesity in NYC is out of control. In fact, obesity in NYC is so out of control that last year mayor Bloomberg proposed a tax on soda in hopes of preventing low income families, which have the highest obesity rates in the state, from purchasing it. Of course, this is not a new idea. In 2008, Governor Paterson also proposed an “Obesity Tax” which aimed to tax all non-diet sodas. In 2010, a desperate NY state went as far as asking The United States Department of Agriculture to implement a study in NYC, which aimed to prevent the users of Food Stamps from purchasing “beverages that contain more sugar than substance” a.k.a. Soda, in an effort to curb obesity.
In a city where an estimated 57% of adults and 40% of children are overweight, and 1 in 8 adults is believed to be suffering from diabetes, these measures appear to be in the public’s best interest. However, the reality is that NYC’s obesity problem is not due to it’s inhabitants’ inability to make healthy food choices but due to a lack of healthy, affordable foods. In other words, in the eyes of this Californian, all of NYC is a vast food desert overrun by dingy bodegas selling nothing but processed foods with shelf lives longer than that of most city residents.
Cost of My Initial Attempt To Start A Juicing Diet
I live in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, one of NYC’s best neighborhoods. Park Slope is a primarily White and Hispanic neighborhood that was ranked #1 in New York, in 2010, by New York Magazine because of its quality public schools, quality housing, safety, access to green space, access to public transportation and nightlife.
Like most New Yorkers, I do not own a car and thus rely on public transportation or walk to my destination. The closest grocery store to my home is a Met Food Market, which in all reality is nothing more than an over-glorified and pricey bodega. So, for the start of this experiment, I chose to shop at Golden Farm Grocery located at 329 Church Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11218 (In case any of you New Yorkers want to replicate this experiment). I chose this grocery store because they have a great selection of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. However, to get to this store I had to take a 30 minute Subway ride (both ways) and pay a total of $4.50 in Subway fees. I’ve included this in the total of my purchase because to most low income New Yorkers the cost of Subway fee’s is a real financial burden. I have also included the two hours it took me to complete this shopping trip because in a city like New York free time is a luxury most do not have.
When I had bought all that I could carry, I headed home and completed the rest of my shopping Online. I purchased the majority of my vegetables from FreshDirect.com. I mostly shop off of this website during the winter months when it is often physically impossible to go to the grocery store. But, I am always happy with the quality of their produce and even though they charge a delivery fee of about $6 I am often able to find Online promo codes that give me free home delivery. So, this is the start of my juicing diet. Wish me luck!
| Item Purchased | Cost per LB | Total Weight/Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Nectarines | $0.99/LB | 2.17LB @ $2.15 |
| Peaches | $1.29/LB | 4.56LB @ $5.88 |
| Fiji Apples | $1.29/LB | 1.42LB @ $4.72 |
| Granny Smith Apples | $1.29/LB | 3.66LB @ $3.71 |
| Oranges | 5LB bag | $3.49 |
| Beets | $.99/LB | 2.0LB @ $1.98 |
| Banana | $1.29/LB | 3.24LB @ $3.20 |
| 7 Items Purchased | Total Duration of Shopping Trip = 2 hrs | Total Cost = $25.13 + $4.50 Subway fee = $29.63 |
| Item Purchased | Cost | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Grapefruit (Family-Pack 7-8 count) | N/A | $4.99 per bag |
| Lemons | $0.50 each | $3.00 |
| Organic Carrots 1LB bag | $1.50 each bag | $4.50 |
| Celery | $2.50 per head | $5.00 |
| Green Kale, Organic | $2.50 each bunch | $10.00 |
| Red Beets (4 per bunch) | $1.99 each bunch | $3.98 |
| 6 items purchased | Total Cost = $31.47 Home Delivery Fee = Free with Online promo code |
Subscribe via Email
October 7, 2011 at 4:30 AM
I watched the movie, FAT, SICK and NEARLY DEAD about 5 months ago. it was the very movie that motivated me to juicing. I’ve always had a juicer but just never used it. But after seeing that movie i decided now is the best time to get started. So i did it and lost 10lbs in the first month. I still juice today and have lost a total of 20lbs. I do eat regularly at nights for dinner or would have “cheat days” but every morning i go to the organic grocery store, get my fruits and vegetables and juice. I feel so much better, since ive been doing that. So Paulin if you’re doing it, AWESOME! i can share a lot of m juicing experience with you and tell you how it worked for me. This website is great by the way, you rule!
Kirk Abrigo
January 11, 2012 at 11:12 PM
I’ve just watched that same movie, and am interested in starting juicing.. however I don’t own a juicer and the cost of one in itself is an obstacle I’d expect for most people.. I set out to search for juicing clubs that might rent one or loan one for people to try out juicing, but haven’t found one yet (Newark NJ/NY area)…