Hello cleansers and happy new year!
I'm really excited to start this cleanse and love that there is a new forum for journals and blogs -- great idea!
I've done the MC before (40 days in my first try, and several shorter ones in the years since -- always trying to repeat the 40-day cleanse, and not quite making it) and I've dieted or been conscious (or willfully unconscious) of what I eat during much of my adult life. I hate to admit it, but I basically fit the profile of a yo-yo dieter.
I'm back up to my highest weight in many years, 199 lbs on my 5'8" frame, and I'm really tired of doing this dance.
The healthiest I felt was when I was doing the long cleanse and for several months thereafter. I kept the weight off for quite a while. Then life's challenges got between me and my health -- a bad breakup, relocating a few times, another breakup, and now I'm in grad school plus I work full-time, so I'm short on time and sleep and reaching for fast food or the deliciously convenient Trader Joe's frozen-food items has led to my ballooned weight.
Like a lot of people are doing at the new year, I've taken stock and I want to restore my health this year. A big part of it will be shedding the excess weight and all the toxins, etc., that go with it. I'm looking for balance in my life, rather than the frenetic pace that I allow myself to become enslaved by as I try to keep up at school and work. I want to take better care of myself this year, so nutrition, meditation, exercise and getting 8 hours of sleep will be among my goals, along with gratitude for things like just coming across the MC, having the ability to do this for myself, and having this great forum to turn to so I can stay on track and be reminded of my goals.
After the cleanse I plan to eat a mostly vegan and raw diet. I say mostly because I know I love things like ice cream and cheese and butter too much to say I'll never ever have them again, but they will be reserved for special occasions a few times a year -- I'm more of an everything in moderation kind of girl, and my goal this year is to be more about the moderation rather than the everything part! In principle, the vegan philosophy makes the most sense for me, so that's what I will aim for post-cleanse.
So, the big challenge: Stress has been high in my life in the past year, and I've tried to do the MC a few times this year too. The trouble has been that when my stress level rises, my body goes straight to stomach upset and acid-reflux symptoms. When that happens, the last thing my body wants is an MC drink (or maybe that's just my go-to excuse to stop cleansing) as it feels too acidic and that it will exacerbate my already upset tummy. At any rate, I'm going to try to stay on top of my tasks better so that I don't get overwhelmed and stressed out, and I'd like to stick with the MC until I reach my goal weight. That said, as someone more insighful than me pointed out this summer on one of the discussion boards, mini-goals might work best, so I'm going to give that a try.
My first mini-goal: 10 days of cleansing. Today is Day 1. I plan to post here every day, or maybe more than that if I need to. I'll record my stats and what I'm experiencing on the cleanse. Feedback is welcome and I'd love to offer support to any of you as well.
Health and happiness to all! New Beginnings
DAY 1: Starting Weight: 199 Goal Weight: 135
The boring stuff: Had the Smooth Move tea last night and this morning (will brave the morning salt water flush in a few days when my colon is more clear); drinking MC mixture throughout the day, I made a little over eight 8oz cups for the day (adding the cayenne just before drinking a serving); and I will also have a cup of detox tea as well.
Mood-wise, overall I'm excited to be doing this for myself, but when the hunger pains hit (typical for me on the first few days) my mind grumbles too and I wonder if I have it in me to do this again. When that happens, the strategy for now is to drink some more MC and write in this journal.
I think that's enough for now -- best wishes to everyone cleansing!
Last edited by newbeginnings on Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:18 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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