Master Cleanse Mid-Point Perspective

As some of you may be aware, I am currently on Stanley Burroughs’ Master Cleanse. This is a minimum 10-day commitment to eating no food and drinking a lemonade-like beverage six to twelve times a day for the duration. As I just finished day five, I wanted to share my thoughts on what I’ve been thinking these past five days and my thoughts on the upcoming five as well as the “weaning-off” period for the five after that.

Depending on who you talk to, I’m either crazy or admirable for deciding to put myself through this. The cleanse has been touted by many as a sort of “cure-all” for whatever ails you. Since I have many ailments (as well as a few extra pounds that I could stand to shed while fasting), I figured I’d give it a shot.

I started on Friday, July 11 and didn’t realize at the time I’d be suffering through two weekends on this. The first few days had me feeling pretty good, surprisingly, as the maple syrup/lemon juice/cayenne pepper combo didn’t appear to giving any adverse effects. I also didn’t realize exactly how long 10 days could feel. The amazing weight-loss results each morning were enough to propel me forward without another thought. The loss stopped for days four and five and thus have been slightly more difficult as I am now sick of the lemon beverage and desire pretty much anything I can chew (gum is a no-no). Right now, Sunday the 20th feels so far away…

Earlier this year, my parents and youngest sister did the master cleanse and seemed to breeze right through it, salt water flush and all. I find myself calling my Mom for advice almost daily as the encouragement is necessary for me to keep plugging away at it. That, and the fact that if I did cheat now, I would get horrendously ill and probably throw up anything that dares to enter my stomach. Cheers to everyone at work for listening to me babble on incessantly about this cleanse (sorry Sara…I’m trying, I swear!)

Hours and hours of not eating makes one realize exactly how much of my life is centered on eating – hanging out with friends being the primary source. To reward myself for completing homework, to celebrate after a tough week at work with a nice dinner, to eat simply because I’m home from work or feeling happy, I realized abruptly that I can’t do anymore. The sense called smell has been an indispensible coping mechanism that is allowing me to go through this cleanse with an ounce of sanity. I will take food and just smell it for five minutes because I know what it tastes like and with some good deep breaths, it is almost the same.

For all this pain, I have lost 7.5 lbs thus far. Has it been worth it? If it stays off after I’m finished, yes. Do I expect it to? Probably not, but I’m not going to go overboard either and eat everything in sight; I haven’t been tortured that much by this. It’s more mental than anything else. The part that bums me out the most is that even after I make it to Sunday food-free, on Monday my reward is…orange juice? I suppose the taste will be most welcome as it is something different, but I kind of want to just dive into a bag of chips or jello or something. It’s two days of OJ followed by a day of vegetable soup and then the next day I can finally indulge in a salad or nuts. Next week Friday (25th) I can attempt to eat normally if my stomach allows. Until then, I will jam myself into the smallest clothes I can find in my closet and enjoy my flat (if not concave) tummy while it lasts.