Master Cleanse Forum - Master Cleanser Lemonade Diet

Hey there,

The boards seem to be sparsely populated these days, but I started the MC yesterday and I thought I'd post here to help me stay on track. If you're out there and want to chime in to offer or receive support, please do!

Although fasts and cleanses are still controversial, I believe in their healing power. I recently watched a few new documentaries and read scientific journal articles about fasting, and they all reinforce my experience of how helpful fasting or cleansing can be. I've done the MC before, my first time being the most successful at 40 days, with shorter cleanses in the years since. This time I'd like to do another longer cleanse. Over the past two years I've experienced some health issues and I tried doing the MC during that time but couldn't do more than 7 to 10 days. I don't think I was ready for it then, but I feel ready now. I know the anti-inflammatory benefits of the MC would have a positive impact on my health. My medical issues caused me to put on excess weight, via prescription medication and a period of time where I was immobile, and I've reached the point where I'm fed up with not recognizing myself in the mirror and not feeling like myself. You wouldn't know it to look at me now, but I used to be fit and athletic and I want to reclaim that for myself. I want to feel good, I want to sleep better, I want to exercise with ease and be able to push myself harder. I want the toxins gone. I want to be strong and healthy!

I'd like to do the MC until I get to my goal weight/size. It might take more than one round to get there, but I'm committed to the process.

So here I go.

Yesterday was Day 1 and it was hard. I was so so so hungry -- and bloated. I have such a hard time when watching TV and ads for restaurants or food come on or the people in the program I'm watching are eating. I give such kudos to anyone out there who lives with others and has to watch them eat or who has to prepare food for others. I couldn't do it! There were so many moments yesterday when I thought to myself, just give in to the hunger and start the cleanse on another day. But I just drank more MC mix, tons of water -- about 120 oz. -- and tried to focus on how I'm hungry for something else -- I'm hungry for how good it will feel once this weight and the toxins in my body are out of my system. And I meditated, a lot. Somehow I made it through and so far today I'm feeling so much better. The bloating is gone and I'm down 4 lbs. Whatever that was which is now out my system, good riddance!

While it feels a bit superficial and I hate to admit it, when I see that number on the scale go down it motivates me to keep going. I also have deeper reasons for doing the cleanse, like taking time to re-evaluate my relationship with food and treating myself with more self-love, and creating space for the spiritual benefits that can come with the MC -- but what can I say, I'm pretty overweight so seeing the number on the scale go down motivates me. I think about all the toxins hiding in my excess fat and how they are being expelled with each pound I lose.

Getting down to details:
Height: 5'8.75"
Starting weight: 205
Today's weight: 201
Goal weight: 135* with the asterisk that I'm not set on that specific number on the scale but rather how my body looks and feels. I don't want to be flabby skinny but rather I want a tight, fit body, so I plan to exercise while doing the MC, and as I gain muscle I'm not sure what that will mean on the scale for my goal weight. And while exercising when doing the MC is not for everyone, the documentaries I recently watched all endorsed the safety of exercising while fasting. And in my experience with the MC, I felt even better when exercising on the MC and I lost weight more quickly. I'm going to take it day by day and do what feels best but my plan is to do plyometrics and low-impact cardio. I'm not sure what the muscle gain will mean to my goal weight, which is why I'm more focused on having a healthy, strong, fit body -- and I think that weight will be somewhere around 135, but maybe not.

I welcome any feedback so let me know if you're out there!

After a couple of days of respite, here's an update: Day 3 was a bad one for me. I had a terrible headache --and while it was likely a side effect of the cleanse, I'm prone to migraines as well. After suffering for a few hours with the pain getting worse instead of better, I decided I needed to take my prescription medication for migraines. It was a tough decision because I also need to take food with the medication but I couldn't endure the pain. So I took it and had some toast. I figured I wasn't so far into the cleanse that it would do too much harm or derail a really hard-fought long string of days on the MC. I woke up the next day feeling much better so I got right back on track with the cleanse. Yesterday I felt well enough to exercise so I did 30 minutes of plyometrics followed by stretching and a 40 minute walk.

I weighed myself this morning and I'm so happy to report that I'm finally in "one"-derland: 198! This has been an obstacle I've tried to overcome for a few years and I just seemed to hit this wall and couldn't get into the one-hundreds. At my height, 196 lbs. is also a key goal: According to BMI charts, that's when people my height go from the "obesity" range to simply "overweight." That's a big one for me. I've known that my weight was bad since I had a severe foot fracture a few years ago with almost a year-long recovery and way too much time where I was quite immobile. But it wasn't until a "health day" at work that a medical professional who evaluated us told me that my weight put me in the obese category. I was stunned, likely because I was in denial about how bad things had become. Since then I've been trying to lose the weight but I was never able to be consistent and I typically blamed it on my hectic work schedule. And yes, that was a challenge -- my hours were erratic, causing my sleep schedule not to be consistent, which threw off a regular daily schedule, which made it hard to find the time and energy to exercise. But at the end of the day, it could have been done. I'm committed now to finding a job with a consistent schedule and ideally, lower stress. But either way, this has to be a lifestyle change where eating well and exercise are a critical part of my day. I'm a happier person when I'm taking better care of myself with eating and exercise, and I sleep better so my quality of life is just all-around more enjoyable. So beyond the desire to look better I really want to feel better -- and that's got to be a priority that's just as high as any job I might have and its demands.

I'm pushing forward with the next goal of getting under 196! If you're out there, please feel free to post here -- I'd love to chat with you!

---
Height: 5'8.75"
Starting weight: 205
Current weight: 198
Goat weight: 135* (see first entry)

Hey Hey Hey New Beginnings!

It looks like you and me Kiddo! I am on Day 12. I haven't been writing about it. And I didn't weigh myself, and won't ...

I appreciate the kudos, as I currently cook 2-3 meals and shop for the Hubs. You *could* do it for sure. Absolutely you could. Just have to want it that bad I think.

I started this time cause I felt complete rubbish as the English say. My feet were actually going numb. And I was swollen up like a balloon. So already that is much much better.

It is hard. But it also is worth it and then some. MC is one of the only modalities I know of that pays you back so so much more than you put into it.

I'm glad you are here! Now I feel less lonely

Thanks so much for responding, Abbey Lee -- I'm so glad you're out there!

I hope the MC is still going well for you. I'm definitely struggling with this cleanse, but I'm doing my best to stick with it. Do you have any tips for hanging in there 12+ days?

I really want it -- I want to be successful this time -- but I find that I struggle with fixating on my weight if I haven't seen as much progress as I'd like (I've decided not to weigh myself daily), or battling thoughts about fixating on certain foods -- which I blame mostly on foods I see on TV ads or programs. I'm not usually hungry on the cleanse as long as I take in the recommended amount. It's remarkable how much more I notice the ads for awful food products on TV now. Normally I tune ads out, but right now if food is on the screen my eyes involuntarily zoom in on it. Ugh. I should probably watch less TV... (and seriously, I don't know how you cook for your husband -- I would be a lost cause with that -- I'm so impressed with you!)

I've been thinking about whether I need to set an end date for this cleanse -- that perhaps the open-ended nature of my goal is making it harder to focus and have an end goal. The first time I did it, I committed to 40 days and got there -- somehow -- but I wonder if doing it that way is better for me since it worked then.

Anyway, if you have any tips I'd welcome hearing from you. I know the early days can be quite hard, and the ones that follow can still be hard and I'd appreciate any advice you could offer. Thanks so much, and I hope you're doing well!

The other thing that helps so much is to just singularly focus on making it to 10 days. Then if you feel like it get to 14. Then maybe you wanna try to get to 20 or 21. I have done all my 40 day cleanses that way. I start out hoping and praying that I can get to 40, but I really sort of ... keep it a secret even from myself. And then I am on the "Make it to 10 days!" bandwagon and she is off!

Watching youtube helps, the girls who were successful obviously. Not the ones who quit. And they do get astonishing results. This is the most visible results of ANY thing I know. (and I know alot ... done alotta weird stuff in the last 5 years) .....

Master Cleanse is ridiculously hard but gives ridiculous improvements so so fast .... I swear that I wish they would have taught this stuff to me in school. Utilized it in Doctor's offices. Instead of it becoming so ... underground and having to listen to another idiot say "Your liver detoxes you, you don't need a master cleanse or a juice fast, or to stop eating donuts with your coffeeeeeeee" omg the sheer quantity of dum dums .... uuugggg

I mean there is nothing that can take down all over body swelling faster. Nothing. Not even steroids.

AND I will say this, if you do eat try to eat something crazy light of the fruit or veggie variety and then go right back on the lemonade. And you should know that I have "failed" on many an attempt ... But is it failure when I refuse to give up? I am relentless. I am comin' for you Lemonade! I'm right here! Just refuse to quit. Lay face down in the dirt and rest a bit, then get up and try again.

But you can do it Hon!

I swear to you, The Juice is Worth the Squeeze.

Abbey Lee -- you are a life saver -- thank you so much! I really appreciate your insights and generosity with how you've been so successful -- I'm doing my best to follow in your footsteps!

I laughed and couldn't agree more when you called this the Pain & Suffering Cleanse -- and that while it is ridiculously hard, it gives ridiculous improvements so quickly. You're right! After I had several days of suffering from fixating on food, those thoughts seems to have ebbed -- for now at least. Reflecting on that, I wonder if like the toxins and fat in our bodies that are being purged, I might also be purging unhealthy thoughts about food -- and perhaps they need to come up in order to get them out. As I continue with the cleanse, I'm sure difficult days will follow but I'll try to remember that it will pass.

I'm so glad for you that your physical symptoms have been helped on the cleanse as well -- they sound challenging and I'm glad the MC has helped you find relief, and I'm inspired that while you also experience difficult moments, you power through them.

I really appreciate all your advice, including to take it hour by hour. Relatedly, you read my mind in terms of going back to my previous MC journals. I haven't read them all, but I did look at a few entries where I noted that when I took in more servings of the lemon mixture as well as more water, I lost more weight. I remember I used to drink an 8 to 10-ounce serving on the hour and drink a pint of water in between -- so going with the idea to take it hour by hour is a good one for me. I tend to think ahead -- or project what I want in the future -- and if I get disappointed, it can derail me. So thank you for the reminder/reinforcement!

I decided to also do the MC in 10-day intervals -- and guess what? Today is Day 10 for me! I wasn't aware of that until just now. I've had a few slips but I've still been working the MC every day so I say it counts. It's good for me to recognize what I've accomplished instead of focusing on how much more I need to do. Since the start of this year, I'm down 42 lbs., most of it following a "clean" vegan diet, and that's a big accomplishment for me. I still have a way to go to get to my goal weight, but I need to do better at acknowledging what I have already done.

I love that you're being more physical on this cleanse -- I'm very impressed with what you've done! Are you in England? (My guess after you mentioned feeling like "rubbish" regarding why you're doing the MC.) I used to live in Europe and I'm envious of the walking culture there. Where I live now, Northeast U.S., there are no shops or businesses within walking distance from me. But I am trying to be more physical as well. In an effort to add some variety -- and fun -- to my low-impact cardio days, yesterday I bought a new pair of retro-looking roller skates! Just looking at them makes me smile, and when I took them for a spin yesterday, it was so fun. I think when you're doing something as hard as the MC, it's good to find ways to treat or enjoy yourself. Like you, I'm not telling anyone I'm doing the MC, mostly because people tend to have a knee-jerk reaction that I'm doing something terribly unhealthy -- but it does mean that I cut down on social engagements, so I want to make it a priority in the meantime to find other things to do that are fun! (Maybe like what your Valvo silk ball skirt did for you?)

Thanks also for providing info on how you're doing the cleanse. I've done the salt water flush in the past, but I have a hard time keeping it down or other times it doesn't come out of me the way it's supposed to and I feel uncomfortably bloated. I do Smooth Move (lax) tea morning and night, and I find that I have the same results as when I did the SWF. I might try the SWF again this time, but it's not something that I would force myself to do. I did an enema once as well but I found it very complicated -- maybe I'll try that again, too. If you don't mind me asking, how do you use the castor oil pack? I've thought of doing that but I don't know much about it.

Your suggestion to look at YouTube videos is brilliant. I did that for a cleanse several years ago, but it didn't occur to me this time. Those really show the remarkable transformations of women, many of whom seem to have similar starting points as me. It's interesting to see other people's journeys, and while everyone is different, I find I can learn something from each of them. I'm a visual person, so seeing these transformations really resonates with me. Thank you for the reminder!

And like you, I also wish that the Master Cleanse was taught to us or studied in traditional medical schools. There are some studies here in the U.S. with doctors looking at how cancer patients on chemotherapy have better results when they fast while on the treatment. Since you said you have Netflix, there are a few documentaries there and on Amazon Prime video as well. I seek out information like this to help me understand the science of fasting and to reinforce the reasons why I fast and the benefits one can get from it.

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to write about your experiences. It's made a major difference to me and has been such a support during a difficult time. If I can help you, please don't hesitate to ask, and I welcome you to chime in here whenever you'd like. I'm sending you good thoughts as you continue on your cleanse and health journey!

Hi there New Beginnings! Hopefully you are out roller skating in your snazzy new pair. I love that you did that. Once I decided I would teach myself to skateboard while doing a Master Cleanse. Cause I felt so good.

It's the end of Day 19 for me. The past few days are a blur. I remember being starving, of course. That whole thing of eventually you stop getting hungry seems only partially true to me. But lets focus on the good, instead of the bad and the ugly.

I feel nice and sleeked down. The feet no longer hurt. At all. I am finally getting that deep restful master cleanse sleep that I crave. Huge reason for me to do this is that healing swwp warm lucid dream state.

The enemas. I think Marcus R. covers them best. They are easy once you get the hang.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZEqQlOYXSo

Castor oil packs are just taking the castor oil, smearing it liberally over your belly, covering with a rag (I have a couple pairs of sweat pants I use for these, as the oil stains.) And then you cover it with a heating pad. Leave on as long as you can. Clears up so much detox for me. Bye bye discomfort. And yes, of course never ever do anything that your instincts tell you not to do. Many people have trouble with the salt water flush. For me, it just works so so well and crazy fast. Two lax teas doesn't work for me, but to each her own! Castor oil packs are in Gerson's therapy ... and Edgar Cayce was all about em.

On Friday, we got ... A PUPPY!!! A eight week old standard poodle. Hubs was raised with these dogs and so he is in love! So am I. Pup is named Henry and is all black and so so gentle and sweet. Lots of work to be done! The cats stare at him like the infernos in Hell. hahahah they'll get used to him. So far they seem to think he's an overgrown cat with some kind of severe learning disability. They stare and stare and I call it "watching Dog TV"


Also I started to clean out the garage. This is a project that is at least 10 years old. It was bad in there. Like. Rats. Centipedes. Spiders. Spider egg sacks. Black mold. Pink mold. Boxes falling apart. One box composted itself. Bad. Just so bad! Now, three long sessions later, powered by Lemonade, it is getting there. I have been like Hercules. Crazy how much energy I have. And then, I get exhausted. Maybe 2-3 more sessions, but it is getting there.

You have done so so well! How are you now? I hope you are trucking along!

Hi Abbey Lee! Congratulations on making it to Day 19 -- and counting -- that's amazing! I'm sure you're so proud of yourself and grateful for all the health improvements! The MC really is incredible. And how fun that you got a puppy -- I love that!

I'm hanging in there, I'm on Day 15, and likewise, I'm feeling great. That's not to say that it isn't hard -- it still is -- but I think I'm more used to it now. I've noticed that I tend to do well in the mornings and afternoon, but during the evening and before I go to bed, I usually start to think about food. I've reflected on why that is, aside from the obvious desire to eat something when you've only had liquids for 15 days: While I recently started working from home, I realized that when I was in the office it wouldn't have been unusual for me to skip lunch and we typically worked late in a demanding, stressful environment. So when I wasn't getting home until 8 or 9pm, I didn't want to take the time to cook and then eat, I wanted to eat ASAP because I was so hungry. So I would typically stop at a healthy grocery store on my way home and while most of the time I made good choices with what I was eating, I definitely over ate with portions because I was so hungry -- and the food was probably comforting after a hard day. So I have this habit of overeating in the evenings, and on this cleanse I've really had to push through those habits, behaviors and desires.

And now I know that I need to make better choices -- not just with what I'm eating and how much, but also with my job. I realized how much I've given to my workplace over the past several years and in the meantime I've sacrificed my own health by not taking care of myself with eating well, making time to eat lunch, having boundaries about how late I will work and making sure I also have time to exercise -- and to have a life! I'm also convinced that the late hours, demanding environment and erratic hours contributed to two of the health issues I had recently, for which I needed surgery. And while some of the pressure was my boss' demands and the demands of our industry, I could have had better boundaries and asserted (even if only to myself) my own needs and made sure I kept a schedule that allowed me time to exercise, eat at normal times, and that I only worked a typical 8-hour day. So I'm on the lookout for a new job that will be less stressful and allow for a better work/life balance.

I also just want to thank you again, Abbey Lee, for getting me through some challenging days -- your advice really helped me stick it out through those difficult early days when my body and mind were adjusting to the cleanse. I feel I've come to a place of "ease" with the MC -- at least for the time being -- and that's not to be confused with the MC being easy, but rather I'm better at going with the flow, and realizing that moments when I can only think about food will pass.

And the health benefits and weight loss are great motivators as well. I tried to stay away from the scale, but I need the reinforcement that this is working. I tried measuring my body instead, but maybe again it's my lack of coordination but I find it hard to measure regularly because I'm not always sure I'm in the exact same place or holding the tape level on my body or that the tension with which I'm holding the measuring tape is the same. So I bought a digital scale to replace my old analog one, which I seemed to be able to manipulate into showing a lower weight. The new scale seems quite accurate, and is the typical 10 lbs. heavier that my doctor's scale always seems to be. So far I tend to lose a pound a day, and occasionally 1.5 pounds. I'm still exercising -- and when the rain lets up in a few days, I'll hopefully get a chance to roller skate outside!

I did try on some clothes I haven't worn in a while -- like a pair of summer pants from last year that I somehow didn't wear this year, and my winter coat -- both of which I was squeezing into last time I had them on. And voila, they are both really big on me. I can slide the pants off without unbuttoning them, and my winter coat, which I would often wear open because it was uncomfortably tight when buttoned, now is at least 4 inches too big for me. The MC is a revelation.

And beyond that I just feel good. Because of my past of eating late dinners, I would often go to bed feeling bloated and over-full. It was awful, and contributed to my not sleeping well. I'm not yet in that sweet spot you speak of, Abbey Lee, but I'm sleeping better, and I love going to bed with that hollow, empty feeling in my stomach. I'm definitely off of eating late in the future. Also, my skin and eyes are brighter, and I feel like my body can move better -- I can do more when I exercise because I am literally lighter on my feet. I haven't been the weight I am now in several years and I can't wait to see how I feel as I continue to lose this excess fat on my body.

Thanks also, Abbey Lee, for the information and resources on the castor oil pack and enemas -- I'll check those out! And I love that you're cleaning out your garage -- it's a lot of out with the old and in with the new when you're on the MC, no? I'm doing something similar in that I'm going through boxes of stuff I've had in storage for a while and it's great to either recycle, donate or otherwise get rid of what we don't need anymore. And I'm with you, focusing on the positive that the MC brings.

One more thing before I end this very long post: A few days ago I read on a fitness website that I use to track my exercise, food, and weight an article on weight loss motivation that suggested articulating what you're not willing to experience anymore. The example the author used was a parent who doesn't want to not keep up with their kids on the playground. For me it's that I'm not willing to experience feeling bad when I look in the mirror and see someone I don't recognize anymore. Or that I don't want to experience feeling bad about the clothes I wear because they are mostly shapeless and dark colors because I'm trying to hide how overweight I am. That piece of advice resonated with me, so I wanted to share it in case it might help someone else.

Until next time, happy cleansing!

Hi friends,

I just had a day -- a close call where I almost threw in the towel -- and I thought I might write about it here in case it helps someone else.

Within a couple of hours of my waking up this morning, I felt a bit lightheaded -- kind of reminded me of what it feels like when my blood sugar is low. So over the next two hours or so I had about 3 servings of the MC mix and still wasn't feeling better. I realized that I hadn't consumed enough MC mix yesterday, and I didn't consume it as soon after I woke up as I usually do -- but when I didn't feel better after having three servings of it, I got a little concerned. I had some fresh veggies in my fridge so I decided to roast them to bring the sugars out, thinking that would help. It did, and I felt much better. But as soon as I faltered a little, I just thought well, I broke it for the day, I might as well eat something I really want to eat and go back on the cleanse tomorrow.

I had some work to do first but I told myself that when I finished work for the day I would give myself permission go to a nearby cafe and get dinner. It was all I needed to quell those thoughts that I must eat immediately... Then by the time I was done with work, the urge was a little less intense but not exactly gone. I had an internal argument about how since I broke the fast with the veggies I might as well break it for something more indulgent, and that since I probably wouldn't lose any weight today I might as well eat something that felt worth it.

I was on the verge of calling in a take-out order but as I was trying to figure out what I wanted to eat, I just kept thinking about how it wouldn't feel good to eat. I wouldn't be able to enjoy it because I would feel bad about breaking the cleanse even further. And that the food wouldn't make me feel better -- staying on the cleanse is what makes me feel good -- even though it can be so hard at times. So I went for reinforcement with YouTube videos of people who did the cleanse, thought about the reasons why I'm doing this, and what my goals are for my health. I looked in the mirror and felt good about how my jawline is slowly starting to emerge and I couldn't order the food. I didn't want to wake up with puffy eyes and whatever other side-effects eating solid food would bring.

It was an intense inner battle that required all of my artillery, but now that I'm about to get ready for bed I'm really glad that that I didn't do it. The food will be there when I decide to end the cleanse -- and it's just a short amount of time going without solid food even if sometimes the days, hours or minutes seem to last forever. Getting to the other side of the battle feels good so here's to everyone out there fighting the good fight!

Oh Geebus, Oh Oprah, Oh Buddha, oh NASCAR Gods, Hep Me! Hep me!!!

So farkin hungry. Day 25. Not willing to give up just yet as I can visually see the weight and fat melting off me on a daily basis. And I have occasional levels of energy that are positively nuclear. Seriously, I could power three mile island when it is good.

Trouble is, it is NOT always good. There's periods of no energy, metal mouth, overwhelm, panic, depression. Emotional roller coaster.

But that is what Master Cleanse is. In a nutshell. In a bloody big nutshell. Mmmm nuts!

Gotta suck it up over here Buttercup.

Luckily I have so much to do that I can stay pretty distracted.

Let's talk about the Good.

I'm much smaller. I have lost my Big Arms. They are always the first to go. They say the last weight you put on is the first weight you lose. I find that to be true. My lower legs do not really slim down til the end. In the lower 130's and 120's, I finally get slim calves.

I'm cooking all day long. I'm one of the Raw Fruity Vegans who cooks food for my Hubs, who is basically being "Paleo" right now and drinking bulletproof coffee with OIL in it. HEP MEeeeeee hahah Oh God you have to laugh to keep from crying. He's become quite the Meat Head lately. He's taking supplements too, with names like HARD and BOOST. He told me to tell him if he gets insane. Ummmmmm ......... I have no clue if he suspects I am on some cleanse. I doubt it.

And as if this is not enough, we have cats. Five cats. We had a kitten a few years back who was killed by bad cat food. The corn sold to pet food companies is extremely prone to being tainted. Lots of pets die this way. It led me to be one of the people who home cooks cat food. AND now, DOG food.

So I am cooking for everyone and their dog. *insert more maniacal laughing* I make rice, beans, carrots, peas anc chicken for the new puppy. Who is not even close to being house broken.

And I try to get at least ten drinks down me. Right now, predictably, I am behind. And I am starving. Doesn't really take a Rocket Scientist does it? My Brother is a Rocket Scientist. He definately is not going to do a Master Cleanse.

I bought 132 limes for $11 total a few days ago. Switching it up and lured by the 12 for $1 sale. A guy in line asked me in a very shy way why I had so many limes. So I told him the truth. Bey-ounce it up! I have read that Jarod Leto uses Master Cleanse often when he is doing a body transformation. People can't handle the Truth!

NewBeginnings your post about avoiding the food was so helpful! Thank you! I am sure that will help so many people. And I know how that feels to feel ... faint and weird like your blood sugar is all Whonkified. I wish again, that we had ore hard data, more studies to support something like Master Cleanse cause to be honest half the time I just feel crazy for attempting something this radical. Truth is though, it works. And it works faster than anything I know. Faster than a speeding bullet proof coffee!

Much love, and yes we will fight the good fight! We've already won. Just getting to the point where you understand that something this extreme is actually so healing is the opposite of being brainwashed and getting sicker, fatter and more unhealthy.

A few highlights.

A girl I have known for ... 15 years told me a couple days ago ... :"You. Never. Age!" And she meant it. You know when people are just ... astonished and they blurt out an unlikely truth? Was like that.

The MC creates such a glow. I think it is only 3 days on the cleanse before the skin and eyes light up. And my hair looks like the sun. How does it do that? No idea. Would bet on the Cayenne Pepper though.

The pants I thrifted last week, on Monday ... so ... um seriously 5 days ago, a size 8, they fit at the time. Now they are too loose. Luckily they were $1!

I keep almost wiping out, and I am hungry. But I refuse to quit, til I quit! hahah and my tongue is looking reddish. Which is so so so encouraging.

I feel very very tall. My posture is 100 times better. I feel optimistic. It's such serious Magic this cleanse. Nothing is better or faster. I feel a bit more emotionally resilient this cleanse. Which is huge! Part of this has been my .... discovery that my tendency to ruminate isn't really a good plan during a MC. I mean. I feel like this is a medical procedure. I saw a show recently about a retreat in Palm Springs CA that charges 5K for 5 days to ... well .... do a master cleanse basically. I mean sure they have a pool and they massage you with hot stones and probably have you sit in mud ... but the MC is doing the Heavy Lifting. SO I have saved 25K already! hahaha Where's my cash!? Show me the Money!

Hope you are doing well. Lettuce know. Mmm lettuce. Man. I need to drink more lemonade .....

Hello friends -- especially Abbey Lee! I'm still on the cleanse but apologies for going a little quiet. This past week was my time of the month so I was laying low as my energy and mood dipped a little. But I'm happy to say that I'm still hanging in there!

Abbey Lee, you are a rockstar for making it 25 days and counting!!! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you that you're seeing such good results. The MC is a rollercoaster, but one I would venture to say that once we're off the ride, we're very glad we went on it! Your wherewithall to continue on the cleanse while cooking for your husband and your pets (how great you do that!) is amazing to me. I would have fallen down a long time ago if I had food in my hands during this cleanse. I couldn't do it, I don't know how you're doing it, but I will think of your strength when I need inspiration!

One thing you said at the end of your last post really resonated with me: Ruminating. I have that tendency as well, and between working from home and being on the MC, my mind tends to ruminate in downtime moments. This past week, like any week, was a struggle with a different set of challenges that also brought some lessons. When it's my time of the month, I usually try to pamper myself -- but I realized that in recent years I don't do that with something like a massage or DIY facial, I do it with food. I bought into this idea that when you have your period you need chocolate. And I took it to the extreme. I don't take a bite of dark chocolate, I need a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream -- which to be fair I wouldn't consume in one night, but it probably wouldn't last more than two or three nights max. So this past week I was battling those thoughts and habits of just wanting to comfort myself with food. And while it was hard, I persevered. Yes, thanks to the MC the weight continues to come off and for that I'm so, so grateful, but I'm also grateful for the time to just evaluate how I've used food in the past. I thought it was OK to comfort myself with food -- and while in those moments I did feel comforted, in the long run, those habits were detrimental to my health. What I'm thinking about now is how I can bring these lessons and this discipline with me once I end the cleanse?

My health is certainly a big motivator. One of my diagnoses is benefitted by an anti-inflammatory diet, which I was mostly following in the few months prior to starting the cleanse. I followed a particular plan and chose to do its vegan version and I loved the food I prepared. But I have to recognize that I do comfort myself with food. After strictly following this plan for about a month -- and losing weight on it -- I took a detour and indulged with whatever I might have wanted -- pasta, other carbs, cheese...the list goes on. I got back on track but then I would go off it again. In the past few years I've tended to eat well most of the time but when I go off of eating healthy, I really go off -- so it's like two steps forward and one step back. And I'm tired of living like that for sure, but I don't know how much self-control I will have -- or how to get some -- once I end the cleanse! I don't want to paint myself out like I'm some kind of maniac with food, but clearly my habits are bad enough that they got me to a place that on the BMI scale I was technically obese. (Though I am happy to report that my weight is now in the "overweight" category, which was a goal I was specifically striving to meet on this journey!) It's all well and good* while I'm in the MC bubble (*good meaning an incredibly hard daily fight) but how will I respond once I'm back to eating regular food? While I don't label myself, I eat a mainly vegetarian or vegan diet but sometimes I want mac & cheese, or ice cream, clearly! I need to figure out some kind of plan for when I come out of the cleanse. I think I would like to go back to the anti-inflammatory vegan plan I was following but I think I need a little room as well -- boundaries where I can say I don't need to be super strict all the time because that's what makes me run in the other direction but rather something that allows for some wiggle room in moderation, and also with some boundaries so I don't take it too far. I know some people allow themselves "cheat meals" once a week -- and if I'm honest, maybe I sought out comfort food more than once a week, which is why I got so overweight. So maybe I could let myself have a cheat meal every other week or once a month?

I'm not sure yet what I will do, but I know I need to continue working on my relationship with food, and I'm grateful to the MC for bringing up these challenges and giving me the time and space to figure it out. I don't know if this will be helpful for others, but I recently started reading Marianne Williamson's book, "A Course in Weight Loss." It takes a spiritual approach to looking at weight issues, framed in a 21-day lesson plan. I'm a few days in and I'm getting a lot out of it, so I thought I would mention it here in case it would be helpful for anyone else.

I wish good health for everyone out there, and Abbey Lee, I'm sending you all good energy!

Really quick: I just glanced through the other journals and blogs here and came across this quote that birdy1 included in a post last year:

"Losing weight is hard. Being fat is hard. Pick your hard."

This is now going on a little sign I post on my refrigerator along with my next weight-loss goal!

I LOVE that quote, New Beginnings!

Please sum up how you ended and accentuate the positives. I know you made some progress, can you post about how you're doing now?

Thanks so much for your posts,

Bali Lemon (on Day-freakin'-One)

Hello friends!

Thanks Bali Lemon for posting! I hope what follows answers your questions but please feel free to follow up with me.

After taking some time off the MC, I'm back! Over the past month or so, I had a few family and social obligations that would have made it difficult to stay on the MC, so without a lot of forethought, I took some time off and now I'm hoping to will myself back on it.

I've been trying to get back into the MC for about a week or more, but it's been hard for me not to nibble on various foodstuffs that I have in my house. That plus some challenging personal stuff had me leaning into the bad habit of emotional eating. But I'm hopeful I can get back on the MC because it really did help me feel physically better. I think I shared previously that I've had some health issues over the past couple of years that my doctors have said could be helped with an anti-inflammatory diet -- and quite frankly from lowering my body fat percentage. And when I was on the MC I was feeling so much better in that area -- but over the past week or so, after a month of being off the MC, some of my symptoms were coming back. So I'm digging deep to find the motivation to get back on the MC.

During my time off, I indulged in some less than healthy food choices, again, due to some personal challenges I'm facing at the moment. Last night I decided that I would get on the scale this morning to give myself a reality check-- something I haven't done since I was strictly following the MC and losing about a pound a day. I was a little terrified that I'd eaten my way to a 20 lb. gain, after losing about 50 lbs. this year, most of that while I was on the MC. But I was shocked to see that my gain after about a month was only around 5 lbs. SHOCKED! Did I say I indulged? I did. For days in a row before attempting to reverse course, I would eat cheese, carbs, ice cream, chips -- so many chips -- to try to mend my broken heart. Which of course it didn't do. I felt worse and not better, emotionally and physically. But I think it's a testament to the MC that it isn't a fad and that we don't all gain back the weight we lose on the MC or even more, as so many so-called experts claim will happen when you do the MC or other types of cleanses or fasts. I even got back on my digital scale a few times to make sure there wasn't some kind of error, that I hadn't gained more than just 5 lbs., but it showed the same weight.

So that's giving me a shot in the arm to get back on the MC. I really want to get to my goal weight -- or more accurately my goal body. I want to be fit, strong and lean -- and when I was that last, I was around 135 lbs. (For reference, at the beginning of this year, I was just under 250, and I've lost about 50 lbs. since then, first from following a vegan clean eating program and then on the MC when I wanted to accelerate the results. Today when I weighed in I was 204.8.) But more than the number on the scale, I want to like my body and the clothes I wear and not feel like I do now, which is to try to blend into the background wearing as much black as possible and trying to be as invisible as possible. I'm trying to find reasons to get to my goal body that don't involve men or my dating life. I am experiencing a bit of a broken heart over a relationship that feels like it's ending -- and the promise of it was a very strong motivator keeping me on the MC. So I'm looking for more internal reasons -- and I wish those were easier for me to come by. I wish my health issues were enough! I think I need to set some goals and/or make plans that will motivate me to get to where I want to be physically. Like I want to do some hiking at the more prominent national parks here in the U.S. and that would involve a commitment of time, money and plane tickets to get there. Or there's a yoga festival I'm thinking of going to in the spring, which would also involve a plane ticket, etc., and if I go, I don't want to feel like I'm waddling around my yoga mat while I'm surrounded by what I imagine most people there would look like: lean yogis. And most of all, I just want to feel good. Like that quote I used in my last post, being fat is hard and losing weight is hard. I'm so tired of not feeling good about my body -- and I think the pain of that is finally outweighing my desire to indulge my broken heart with whatever food I think will make me feel better in the moment.

So friends, as I struggle to find my motivation and get on track with the MC and stay there, I invite you to post here anything that motivates you to do the MC and stay on it. And as I look for more reasons for myself, I'll post that here as well.

I wish everyone the best and I welcome your feedback!