Joe Cross Loses 84 Pounds With Juice, Reveals Recipe

Juicing has become a popular diet trend, with proponents claiming that by extracting the juice from fruits and vegetables, they gain energy while losing weight. But in contrast to those who sip juice for snacks or add fresh juice to their meals, Joe Cross took the concept of juicing to the max: He created his own juicy detox diet by setting a goal of consuming nothing but juice for 60 days.

Why go to such extremes? Joe was desperate for help, describing himself as "fat, sick and nearly dead." And at 308 pounds, he says that he "looked like I'd swallowed a sheep." In addition, Joe was forced to take drugs to ease the anguish of a painful autoimmune disease. But the switch from his pizza, pies and doughnuts menu to freshly squeezed vegetables and juices seemed like an impossible challenge. What Joe proved: Nothing is impossible when you're determined to change. "I was sick and on medication that wasn't fixing me. I just wanted to get well and be healthy. I decided to see if I could change my life by completely by changing my diet and plying my system with nutrients," he told the Daily Mail.

Joe Explains His Juice Detox Diet

Joe resolved to drink only juice for 60 days. After that two month period, he planned to follow a plant-based diet for two years. On his menu: Seeds, beans, fruits, vegetables and nuts. Out of his life: Animal foods from meat to poultry to fish and all processed foods (bye bye pizza). Joe lost 84 pounds (six stones; one stone equals 14 pounds). Now, six years since his resolution to change, Joe takes no medication. He drinks a liter of juice daily, plant-based diets during the day and allows animal-based foods and processed foods into his diet only at his evening meal.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Seeking to share his success, Joe created an award-winning documentary: "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead." It has become an international hit, inspiring both celebrities such as Jessica Alba and other obese individuals to follow in his path. Among those benefiting: Juice extractor manufacturers, who have experienced dramatic rises in their sales.

Reboot Plan
Joe likes to call his plan a "reboot" rather than diet. "During a reboot, you'll commit to consuming only fruit and vegetable juices for a period of time. Three days, five days, or 30 days, it's your choice!" he emphasizes. And Joe does recommend consulting your doctor prior to trying the juice diet. "If you're overweight and have tried everything then I would recommend consulting your doctor and then following the juice diet for ten days. 'You'll find you'll fall in love with fruit and veg and the way it makes you feel", Cross shared in an interview with the Daily Mall, UK.

However, Joe doesn't want to preach an "all or nothing" approach. He suggests trying to add juice into your diet if a juice-only plan doesn't appeal. A liter of fruit and vegetable juice each morning "will make you feel better and lose pounds. It will also fill you up so you feel satisfied and won't want to eat as much during the day," he added. Try it yourself with Joe's recipe for his Mean Green Juice.

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber
• 4 celery stalks
• 2 apples
• 6-8 leaves kale (Australian tuscan cabbage)
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp ginger

Directions:

• Wash all produce well
• Peel the lemon, optional
• Juice
• Pour over ice
• Enjoy!

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