Master Cleanse, honest questions

ana137131

Hey everyone! So before the hating starts and people begin insisting the master cleanse is the stupidest thing to do, give me a second to explain myself:

I've been eating terribly for the last few weeks. I do, however, work out around 4-5 days a week with high cardio, and my weight (thanks to the food) has remained pretty stagnant. My number one reason for starting the cleanse was to just do a little detox and feel better about myself. Now I've been on it for 4 days, the third day was hard but today I feel perfectly fine (i've been doing light exercise- biking and then some lifting), I'm honestly not very hungry at all, the lemonade really does fill you up, but even though 9/10ths of the reviews I've read online are positive, it's the 1/10th that worries me.

I am 5'5, weighing 143 when I started, and I'm down to about 138. I realize that this is partially water weight but some fat, and also some muscle. Now I was wondering if someone could explain to me what muscle loss is and how I can retain it while doing the MC or gain it back at the end? Is it really detrimental for my body? I'm doing this for 10 days, and intend on eating much better when I get off it.

Also has anyone here done it and did they keep the majority of the weight off? It seems like everyone's reviews online say they do, so I just wanted some of you MFPs to tell me your experiences. Please no negative remarks, especially if you haven't done the cleanse yourself or don't know someone who has.

Thank you .

jbella99

I just started it today... I did it a few years ago and I did gain back the weight but I also started eating crap again. I am doing it to cleanse my palette. I have been doing so crappy on sugar craving for a couple weeks I just want a reset. The key I think is to cleanse and then introduce only healthy foods back in. You can't just go back to your old habits or both the weight and the toxins will come back.

mcarter99

I read Lyle McDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Handbook last night. You can probably google it. He has you eat at 400-800 calories (you don't count calories, you just eat a certain number of grams of protein based on your weight/LBM plus unlimited low-starch veggies) and he says the protein component protects muscle. That might be a healthier fast than the one you're on.

I tried Master Cleanse once. I caved late on day 2. You are strong!

shyrina25

i have done it 3-4 times and each time loved the results!

GermanicKnight

I have done it for 5 days, and for 10 days. Lost 7lbs the first time, 14lbs the 2nd. I kept the weight off UNTIL I fell back into my old habits. It did, however, give me more energy, more focus, and a flatter stomach.


Good luck! I plan on doing it again in the Fall.

clobercow

It's not necessary. Just do a water fast, or get on an intermittent fasting schedule. "Master Cleanse" is a gimmick for a natural human response to fasting.

Jules2Be

I just started it today... I did it a few years ago and I did gain back the weight but I also started eating crap again. I am doing it to cleanse my palette. I have been doing so crappy on sugar craving for a couple weeks I just want a reset. The key I think is to cleanse and then introduce only healthy foods back in. You can't just go back to your old habits or both the weight and the toxins will come back.

Cleanse your palate? Try sorbet.

BrianSharpe

Not hating, just educating.

There is no good reason on the face of this planet to go on the "Master Cleanse", it offers zero health benefits and is grossly misleading in that people believe their body needs to be "detoxed".

At 5'5" and 138 you're in the healthy BMI range. A diet like this, whereby you're taking in no protein and an incredibly low number of calories will result in both fat and lean muscle mass loss. Eat a wholesome, balanced diet - lots of fruit & vegetables - and your body will do an admirable job of "detoxing" itself.

I realize that you don't want negative remarks so I've kept this as gentle as I could. I don't need to try heroin to know it's bad for me.

Pspetal

I did it and all the weight came back and then some. I will never ever do it again and will never advise anyone to do it either.

_Bob_

I do it about once a year. as a cleanse not a diet

BrianSharpe

I do it about once a year. as a cleanse not a diet

Why?

DonniesGirl69

Not hating, just educating.

There is no good reason on the face of this planet to go on the "Master Cleanse", it offers zero health benefits and is grossly misleading in that people believe their body needs to be "detoxed".

At 5'5" and 138 you're in the healthy BMI range. A diet like this, whereby you're taking in no protein and an incredibly low number of calories will result in both fat and lean muscle mass loss. Eat a wholesome, balanced diet - lots of fruit & vegetables - and your body will do an admirable job of "detoxing" itself.

I realize that you don't want negative remarks so I've kept this as gentle as I could. I don't need to try heroin to know it's bad for me.

Yes......

clobercow

Not hating, just educating.

There is no good reason on the face of this planet to go on the "Master Cleanse", it offers zero health benefits and is grossly misleading in that people believe their body needs to be "detoxed".

At 5'5" and 138 you're in the healthy BMI range. A diet like this, whereby you're taking in no protein and an incredibly low number of calories will result in both fat and lean muscle mass loss. Eat a wholesome, balanced diet - lots of fruit & vegetables - and your body will do an admirable job of "detoxing" itself.

I realize that you don't want negative remarks so I've kept this as gentle as I could. I don't need to try heroin to know it's bad for me.

Not hating, just educating.

Some of what you said is true. Intermittent fasting has only benefits and lean muscle loss is very little when fasting beyond an intermittent cycle. It would take months to lose any noticeable muscle mass. There are numerous studies done that prove this. Nutrition can be an issue though.

Wan't to be more healthy and in a deficit, intermittent fast. Don't blow money or follow a diet uneducated on what it does.

caraiselite

you might have to taper the food you go back to eating, i wouldn't go back to eating 1200 cals (or whatever you're at) the next try.

try just salad/veggies, then salad and protein for a few day and slowly ease into it.

i had the flu, lost 4 pounds due to not being able to swallow much.. and kept it off, so it can be done.

Pspetal

I did it for 10 days and lost 9 pounds and gained it all back in the next week. Also, I was obsessing about solid food ALL THE TIME. I was even dreaming about food at night! Also, it cost me 2 weeks grocery money to keep buying the grade B maple syrup. Soooo not worth the pain. All the relentless lemon squeezing made my hands hurt all day too. Of all the crappy, stupid crash diets I've tried, the master cleanse is the only one I would never ever be tempted to do again. I calculated the calories I was drinking in during the master cleanse. It was about 800 calories. If I'd eaten 800 calories per day, I'd have achieved the exact same results I think...

auroranflash

Alert! Alert!

Weight loss and fitness is not magic. You do not have to go on a 'cleanse' to get rid of toxins. That's something some clever people made up to make a lot of money.

Go here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

Run your numbers. Eat above your BMR and below your TDEE. My BMR is 1500. My TDEE is between 2000-2200. I eat at 1700. I usually eat back most of my exercise calories, but since 1700 is substantial, it's OK if I don't eat all of them all the time.

I lose weight. I'm not hungry. It doesn't cost me anything extra. I make a point to plan my food ahead of time so I can build a plan that works. I fit in my exercise. I see results. They're not immediate, they are gradual, but it is sustainable and I know I can do it, no guilt or stress involved.

I've heard of people going on juice fasts, etc for a week or so. You know what, that's fine. Some people say it makes them feel much better. And honestly, nothing like that is going to hurt you in a short amount of time, so you may as well try it if you're interested. I am just tired of the 'diet industry' trying to make weight loss into this fantastical thing someone has to pull out of a hat or buy a DVD or a month's worth of shakes to achieve.

It just simply isn't that difficult, once you break it all down.

Be honest with your logging. Weigh your food if you have to. Find new foods that will fill you up, fit your macros, and fit your calories. And for goodness sakes, enjoy life. It's short. You never know when your ticket's up, so stop stressing the small stuff and make a plan you can feel good about, now, and for years to come. Your body will be a reflection of the care and work you put in.

BrianSharpe

Not hating, just educating.

There is no good reason on the face of this planet to go on the "Master Cleanse", it offers zero health benefits and is grossly misleading in that people believe their body needs to be "detoxed".

At 5'5" and 138 you're in the healthy BMI range. A diet like this, whereby you're taking in no protein and an incredibly low number of calories will result in both fat and lean muscle mass loss. Eat a wholesome, balanced diet - lots of fruit & vegetables - and your body will do an admirable job of "detoxing" itself.

I realize that you don't want negative remarks so I've kept this as gentle as I could. I don't need to try heroin to know it's bad for me.

Not hating, just educating.

Some of what you said is true. Intermittent fasting has only benefits and lean muscle loss is very little when fasting beyond an intermittent cycle. It would take months to lose any noticeable muscle mass. There are numerous studies done that prove this. Nutrition can be an issue though.

Wan't to be more healthy and in a deficit, intermittent fast. Don't blow money or follow a diet uneducated on what it does.

A little OT but if I understand the concept of intermittent fasting properly you go some period of hours (say 16) without eating and then eat wholesome foods during the non-fasting window?

Personally I don't see anything wrong with that but it's very different from the Master Cleanse whereby you consume nothing but water/lemon juice, cayenne pepper & maple syrup for about 7 days.

LabRat529

I am 5'5, weighing 143 when I started, and I'm down to about 138. I realize that this is partially water weight but some fat, and also some muscle. Now I was wondering if someone could explain to me what muscle loss is and how I can retain it while doing the MC or gain it back at the end? Is it really detrimental for my body? I'm doing this for 10 days, and intend on eating much better when I get off it.

Muscle loss is exactly that... muscle loss. Your body needs amino acids to function. Amino acids form protein. Muscle contains large amounts of protein, but you also use proteins for so much more than muscle. Proteins are the enzymes and receptors and so on and so forth that keep you alive. If you're not eating enough, your body WILL catabolize muscle because it's less important to survival than, say, a transcription factor made from amino acids. Sooo... on an extreme calorie deficit (and a cleanse IS an extreme deficit), your body is destroying your skeletal muscles to provide building blocks for more important things.

You ask how you can minimize the muscle loss? The answer is to stop doing the cleanse. To reduce muscle loss, you need to consume adequate amounts of protein. You also need to lift weights. You can't do that on your cleanse.

Now, is a 10 day extreme calorie deficit dangerous? Honestly? Probably not. You'll recover. Once you start eating protein, your body will put some of that back into muscle. But you ARE going to gain back some of your weight, and more importantly, this cleanse is just not necessary. It's really not. You can be healthy and happy by changing your eating habits more gradually. You don't need a drastic change like this. You just don't.

jlarsen5

the Master Cleanse is a perfect start to a new fitness routine!

Be sure not to fast for more than 2-3 days, it can do more harm then good.

Good luck

clobercow

Not hating, just educating.

There is no good reason on the face of this planet to go on the "Master Cleanse", it offers zero health benefits and is grossly misleading in that people believe their body needs to be "detoxed".

At 5'5" and 138 you're in the healthy BMI range. A diet like this, whereby you're taking in no protein and an incredibly low number of calories will result in both fat and lean muscle mass loss. Eat a wholesome, balanced diet - lots of fruit & vegetables - and your body will do an admirable job of "detoxing" itself.

I realize that you don't want negative remarks so I've kept this as gentle as I could. I don't need to try heroin to know it's bad for me.

Not hating, just educating.

Some of what you said is true. Intermittent fasting has only benefits and lean muscle loss is very little when fasting beyond an intermittent cycle. It would take months to lose any noticeable muscle mass. There are numerous studies done that prove this. Nutrition can be an issue though.

Wan't to be more healthy and in a deficit, intermittent fast. Don't blow money or follow a diet uneducated on what it does.

A little OT but if I understand the concept of intermittent fasting properly you go some period of hours (say 16) without eating and then eat wholesome foods during the non-fasting window?

Personally I don't see anything wrong with that but it's very different from the Master Cleanse whereby you consume nothing but water/lemon juice, cayenne pepper & maple syrup for about 7 days.

Intermittent fasting is just a period of abstaining from food. 16hours can be considered a fast, and so can 48 hours. 7 days at a time is unnecessary. A 48 hour fast once or twice a week will have very good results. I fast 23hours daily and eat one large meal. Along with that, carb control is important to maintain ketosis, however not necessary. IF is not a diet, however it is just an eating schedule used to optimize hormones for fat-loss. 48 hours is the long end of the sweet spot. Lots of people do 36 hours every other day, I like doing 23 hours daily, many people looking to put on muscle do 16-18 hours per day.

There is a lot of information out there on fasting. Its good for the body and I'm having great success with it. I've never felt better in my life. Losing weight is effortless. Literally.

LabRat529

the Master Cleanse is a perfect start to a new fitness routine!

Be sure not to fast for more than 2-3 days, it can do more harm then good.

Good luck

Just curious... but did you actually read the original post? Or just the title?