Tired? Clothes a little snug? Eating foods you shouldn’t be?  We can relate and want to invite you to join us (Jadah and Jen) on a 7-day detox beginning this Sunday (June 10)! It’s going to be a combination of a green smoothies + master cleanse to help rid our bodies of all the junk we have put in it and kickstart a healthy summer full of fresh produce and whole grains. Are you ready?

Detox Schedule
Sunday: Green smoothies all day
Monday-Friday: Master Cleanse
Saturday: Green smoothies all day + orange juice

Here’s some helpful links to get you started:

Green smoothies

Master cleanse

Feel free to post and share on Facebook (click here to easily share). It gives you accountability when people know you are doing it. It’s easier to buy two 16 oz grade b maple syrups (Trader Joes and Whole Foods) and about 3 to 4 lemons per day (15-20 for 5 days) Who has the lemon tree? Don’t forget Smooth Move tea (Target and Whole Foods carry it).

It’s very important that you drink 12 servings on day one. Try to drink as much on day two as well. This will help eliminate food hunger and headaches. (This is what I do.)  Then I usually only have 6 to 8 servings the remaining days or whatever my body tells me I need. This is the perfect time to tune into your body’s true needs.

So do your shopping this Saturday and mentally prepare yourself. Try to eliminate as much meat, dairy and processed foods as you can the rest of this week, so your body can prep.

Feel free to comment below if you are joining us on the 7-Day Detox Challenge or have any questions. 

Why would I want to do that to my body? That is what I thought when Jadah told me she was doing the Master Cleanse. But being the journalist I am, I investigated deeper: I bought the actual book (it is bound by two staples), read tons of blogs and reviews and asked friends about it. The whole experience opened my eyes to a world of alternative healthy eating that I didn’t know existed!

The Master Cleanse is not a diet or a quick fix— it is a cleanse to rid your body of toxins that have built up due to poor eating habits. According to Stanley Burroughs, the founder of the Master Cleanser, these toxins are caused by consuming meat, dairy, drugs, antibiotics, fungus-causing foods, pesticides and all the other gunk that we put into our bodies.

My husband and I decided that this was something that we wanted to be a part of. We moved across country seven months ago and our whole world was rocked. The stress, transitions with the kids and new restaurants have taken a toll on our eating habits. We drink waaaaaay too much coffee, eat waaaaaay too much processed foods and feel like crap every single day. It’s been a bad cycle and the Master Cleanse is our way of breaking it.

Jadah shared some great information about starting the actual cleanse this past week. I want to share with you questions and obstacles I have encountered along this new journey and how the actual book helped answer my questions and alleviate any problems I had.

How many days should you do it for?: 10 days is the suggested duration for the cleanse. Yet Burroughs says it is perfectly safe to go on it for up to 40 days. The hardest is the first four days, if you can get past that you are good to go!

This is a cleanse, not a diet: The goal of the Master Cleanse isn’t to lose weight— it is to cleanse your body of toxins. These toxins have accumulated in our body from the foods that we ingest (meat, pesticides, dairy, fast food). Yes, you will lose a couple pounds during the 10-day cleanse, but that isn’t the goal. The goal is to rid your body of these toxins that are weighing you down and start fresh. It should make you want to change your eating habits, crave vegetables, drink tons of water, stay away from fast food. It should take us to a happier place.

Aren’t you hungry?: There is no reason to be hungry while on this cleanse. It isn’t a diet, it is a cleanse. You consume between 700-1200 calories a day while on the cleanse, which is enough to fuel your body for the day. If you are seriously hungry, you need to add more maple syrup to your drink. This happened to me: On day 4 I was so hungry. I kept trying to tell myself it was psychological, but I was seriously hungry. Turns out my husband did less maple syrup in our drinks and I wasn’t getting enough calories. So for my next drink I added more maple syrup and I felt so much better. The goal isn’t to starve yourself thin, the goal is to flush out your body of toxins and get healthy.

Maple syrup debate: Online everyone says use Grade B maple syrup, but Burroughs actually says “all grades of maple syrup can be used in the diet but the darker grades are the most desirable.” The lighter the grade, the less mineral content and the milder taste. So if you can only afford or find Grade A maple syrup, it will work. Your drinks just won’t taste as sweet and your mineral intake will be slightly less.

Set a goal: For the first four days, I did struggle. I craved food— especially when I was cooking it for my kids. It was hard not to just have a bite of their leftovers. I dreamed of food I wanted to eat, like an avocado salad or Chic-fil-a chicken (and I am a vegetarian, mind you). What kept me from caving in? A goal. My husband and I decided from the beginning if we made it to Day 10, we would treat ourselves to a nice dinner at a restaurant (we rarely eat out) and catch a new movie. If one person gave up on the cleanse, the other person would get $100 to do whatever they wanted with. These goals kept me from nibbling on food when it got hard.

The importance of waste: The second day of the cleanse I felt the worst. I didn’t take the herbal laxative tea in the morning and half of the day I just felt weak and sick. According to Burroughs, “if your system feels upset, it is because you are not having sufficient elimination.” Which really means: drink that laxative tea day and night! An alternative to the laxative tea in the morning is a salt water flush— which is what I do now. It is much more effective in flushing out your body of the toxins loosened by the lemon juice cleanse. Yet you have to be able to tolerate chugging 32 ounces of warm salt water (I add lemon to mine), which is a little rough some mornings. Within an hour of the salt water flush, you are completely cleaned out and ready for the lemonade drink.

Change it up! I use warm water and serve it in a mug for breakfast.  For lunch, I add ice and have it cold. And for dinner I do luke warm. I know it sounds pathetic, but this subtle variety is what keeps me looking forward to the next drink.

Day 11: I have been dreaming about Day 11 and all the yummy food I would eat. Turns out you aren’t eating anything on Day 11— just drinking orange juice. Drink several glasses throughout the day and make sure to drink plenty of water. Day 12 is the exact same, sadly. Day 13 is a little better: orange juice, raw fruit and vegetables. Day 14 is when you can eat all the healthy wholesome meals you have been dreaming about for the last two weeks.

More Master Cleanse Posts

Video: How to make the Master Cleanse lemonade
Master cleanse recipe
10 tips to succeed on the Master Cleanse

Speak your mind!

What have you discovered while doing the cleanse? Any advice or tips you could share with others to help them along this cleansing journey?

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Here are a few tips that have made me more efficient and focused while on the Master Cleanse. If you prep your ingredients systematically at the start of your cleanse, you will have a much easier time making it to your goal. There will be temptations, but if you establish a routine and stay organized, you will find yourself giving yourself high-fives and doing the happy dance. Cheers to your detox success!

1. Drink a glass as soon as you wake up. Squeeze all of your lemon juice at the beginning of the day and store in a container. Squeeze an extra serving worth to drink for the following morning. Although it’s not fresh squeezed, it’s better to add day old lemon juice into your glass instead of scarfing down your child’s bowl of cereal. Trust me there is nothing worse than waking up hungry, tending to your child in the morning, and needing to cut and squeeze 10 lemons before you can have your first drink.

2. Pack a cooler and a large water bottle. If you will be out and about for the day, make sure to have your supplies on hand. I pack a mini lunch bag cooler with ice. Here’s what I pack inside:

• lemon juice in a small tupperware container
• maple syrup in a small tupperware container
• 1 tablespoon (to measure lemon juice and maple syrup)
• 1 measuring cup (to measure water)
• cayenne pepper (I just pack the whole seasoning jar since it’s small)
• a few paper towels to wipe tablespoon

You can pre-mix the maple syrup and lemon juice since the syrup acts as a preservative. But wait to mix it with the water and the cayenne pepper. Make sure to have your water bottle with you.

3. Drink two servings in one sitting. This reduces drinking 12 drinks to 6 drinks. It’s a lot easier to schedule out your drinking times in 6 intervals. And you stay full for much longer.

4. Make simple pre-made meals for your family. Or precook meals in advance and freeze. Oven cooked meals are best (lasagna, pizza, tv dinners). It’s not fun stirring a pot of pasta sauce with fragrant garlic sifting through the air. Your child will not mind having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a side of carrots for dinner (use a heart shape cookie cutter for the sandwich to make your child smile). Have your spouse to pick out a few easy dinner meals at the grocery store if they are not joining you in the cleanse.

5. Drink a glass before being surrounded by food. Before I go to a friend’s house, or before people start cooking, I make sure to guzzle down a glass, so I am already satisfied. Then when people start eating, I drink another glass to eliminate any hunger pains or tempting thoughts. I have been known to sniff other people’s food for my personal enjoyment while fasting.

6. Recruit a friend. Share this post with a friend and have them join you on this detox journey. When I first did it, I had two friends who were doing it at the same time. We were able to exchange tips and provide support. The best part was just having someone to text about temptations and poop. Everyone Poops, and you will be doing it every day.

7. Sprinkle cayenne pepper right before your drink. The cayenne pepper will steep and become super spicy if you pre-mix it in. If you decide to prepare all you need to drink at the beginning of the day, wait to add the cayenne pepper. Just pour your pre-mix into an individual cup or water bottle, and then stir in cayenne pepper.

8. Track when you drink. Record your drinking times in a notebook, on the fridge or on your phone. I use my weekly calendar on the fridge and iPhone notes to keep track, so I know how many drinks I had in the day. I notice if I am consistent with the times that I drink, I do not feel intense hunger pains, weakness or headaches.

9. Drink up. If you feel hungry, weak, shaky, or tired, drink your lemonade drink. Every two hours is recommended. Keep your body hydrated. Drink a lot of water. You are allowed to drink herbal tea too. I would actually add a mint tea bag to my nightly herbal laxative tea cup (cover and steep for 15 minutes). I did not enjoy the laxative tea taste, but the herbal mint makes it much better.

10. Do your best. “Do your best and forget the rest.” Committing to a fast is a big deal. I had never done a fast before. I originally was only going to do it for 5 days because that’s what my friend did. But then I felt so good, I just kept going. Maybe start small. Commit to a 3 day fast and check in with yourself. Your mind and body have to be with you on this journey.

More Master Cleanse Posts

Video: How to make the Master Cleanse lemonade
Master cleanse recipe
Master Cleanse: for first-timers

Share the love…

Feel free to spread the word about familysponge. Please share this on Facebook, tweet it on twitter, and email the link to friends. Our community thrives on you being a part of it. And make sure to check out our facebook page, click on the Like button to join the conversation and be inspired on being the best person and parent you can be!

For more details and to join the Family Sponge conversation, visit: The Master Cleanse + fasting tips.

If you’ve started the cleanse, and have not checked out the actual Master Cleanser Book, visit:
Master Cleanser + 12 Most Common Pitfalls

Speak your mind…

What do you do to cleanse your body? Share your detox secrets and tips with us. We’d love to hear them!

Who is ready to join me in a detox for the new year? I am getting ready to start my second Master Cleanse fast in January. This is the cleanse that I lost 16 pounds in 8 days this past September. The detox was the motivator that pushed me to lose an additional 10 pounds after the cleanse (a total of 26 pounds lost in 2 months). It also kickstarted my no meat-eating diet.

Stanley Burroughs’s book, The Master Cleanser, introduced the detox also known as the lemonade diet. Many people flock to this diet because of it’s quick weight loss results, but the main goal is to get rid of the toxins and pesticides we are feeding our bodies every day. So much of the food we eat is low in nutrients and minerals and high in refined sugar and processed food. Give your body a break to focus on healing and cleansing.

My Master Cleanse Story

I recently moved from Kauai back to California, and I had very little control over my environment. Moving in general can be stressful as you try to dig your roots in the ground. I felt like eating was the only thing I did have control of in my life. I was emotionally eating to escape. I needed something more than a healthy eating plan. I needed to detoxify. My body and my mind were just holding on to too much, and I needed to shake it. My friend had just finished the master cleanse, and she inspired me to try it.

Here is a peak at the before and after:

Before the master cleanse... 176lbs

After the master cleanse... 150lbs

I am going to share the simple Master Cleanse Recipe that will allow your body to release all of those toxins in your body and start the new year off with a body reset. And honestly, this little lemonade recipe actually tastes good.

The Master Cleanse Detox Recipe

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp organic grade B maple syrup
1 pinch of cayenne pepper powder
8 ounces of filtered water
+ herbal laxative tea

Cut lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a container. Pour water into a drinking glass. Add lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of syrup. Stir immmediately. Drink to your health. Pretty simple. Now do this 11 more times throughout the day. Drink laxative tea nightly.

Tip: To get more juice from your lemons, you can roll firmly on the counter before cutting and squeezing. It’s recommended to store your lemons on the counter instead of in the fridge. If you want to use an electric juicer like the one above, visit amazon.

Burrough’s book says that the ingredients provide all the essentials your body needs. The lemon acts as a purifier and provides potassium, the cayenne pepper adds B and C vitamins and aids in circulation (it also helps curb your appetite), and maple syrup provides energy, minerals and calories your body needs.

How much should I drink on The Master Cleanse?

It is recommended to drink 6-12 servings per day. For your first two days drink 12 servings to keep your body hydrated. Then you may adjust by what your body needs. I think this is key to avoiding the headaches. I didn’t experience any headaches (this is rare), but I am also not a caffeine drinker, so I have a feeling if you need coffee, you will have some headaches the first 2-3 days. You may drink as much water as you want in addition to the master cleanse recipe. Right before you go to bed, drink an herbal laxative tea. I use Smooth Move Tea (Whole Foods has it).

Read this post, 10 things to do on the Master Cleanse, for tips on what I learned along the way while balancing caring for my four year old daughter and making meals for the family.

Questions about my experience with the Master Cleanse

Did you gain the weight back and how did it go afterwards? No. But it’s very easy to gain weight after the cleanse. If you keep thinking about food deprivation, you will overcompensate when it’s time to eat again. You are resetting more than just your body, you have to reset your mind too. My thoughts were not consumed by food and what my next meal or snack was going to be.

When I stopped thinking about food, I had a lot more room in my head to ponder and reflect about other things. It was freeing to not think about what I was going to eat all of the time. This allowed me to think about my next steps after the cleanse. It’s great to start researching a healthy eating plan for when you stop the cleanse.

I wanted to adopt a healthier eating lifestyle, so I joined Weight Watchers which encourages you to eat smaller portions of your favorite foods. I tried Weight Watchers in the past, and it did not work because I had a hard time reducing my portions. But after the cleanse, my stomach had shrunk, and I was able to stay within the point system. I also emailed all of my vegetarian friends for recipes and tips. For some reason my body was telling me that I did not need meat. I listened to it, and I have maintained a pescatarian diet since.

How long did you fast for? I did the actual master cleanse recipe for 8 full days. The days leading up to the fast, I eliminated meat and any food that might be hard for my body to process. The day before I started the fast, I only drank my green smoothie recipe. I snuck in a few carrots too.

The day after ending the fast, I drank my green smoothie, orange juice (mixed with maple syrup) and broth based soups. The master cleanse website talks about the ease-in and ease-out part of the fast. You can read more about The Master Cleanse here. You can also learn more about the salt water flush on the website (which I did not do). They recommend doing the fast for at least 10 days, so that will be my goal for January.

I am no health expert, or a diet guru. I just know that I really felt elated and full of energy when I got in my groove with this cleanse. It definitely was a confidence booster to lose weight so quickly. This motivated me to really take care of my body inside and out. I was struggling to get back to my pre pregnancy weight, and the master cleanse got me there. This fast is not for everybody (not recommended for pregnant/nursing women or children), but if you are willing to give it a try, I would be happy to share and support you during your cleanse.

Check out the video I created: How to make the Master Cleanse lemonade

Speak your mind…

So will you join me in the master cleanse!? Feel free to post any questions, triumphs and challenges in the comments below. It will be helpful for us to support one another on this journey. Feel free to post your start date, how long you want to go for, and if you have anyone joining you on the cleanse.

Want to continue the conversation? Join our community on Facebook.

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