For you dieters out there you hafta keep in mind that there are no shortcuts or magic potions and that no form of fasting, water, juice, MC whatever were designed as weight loss diets,PERIOD!. Fasting is meant to take the burden from digestion and all the energy that goes toward it and let the body repair and heal itself. Stop looking at the numbers on the scale they are meaningless and you can easily become obsessed. Lose the scale!! You will know you are losing weight by the way your clothes fit and most of all by the way you feel.
No amount of wishful thinking or misinformation will make any form of fasting a weight loss diet, PERIOD! Fasting for weight loss is an inroad to eating disorders if you are not doing it with the full understanding that it is just a "tool" to clean out the system so the body will operate more efficiently and you can continue to lose weight safely and efficiently by the required lifestyle change. No if and or buts about it. If you go back to your old ways you >>WILL<< gain the weight back and possibly more because all forms of fasting will slow the metabolism. The catch and a prime reason that makes any form of fasting not a good weight loss diet is that most overweight folks metabolisms are already slow and if you don't incorporate regular exercise and lifestyle change after the fast the you will fail bringing you back to the beginning or worse, putting on more weight than you lost! and you'll be caught in a vicious cycle and the start of and eating disorder akin to binge and purge.
The primary focus of anysuccessfulweight loss program is and will always be quality, balanced nutrition and regular exercise. Rapid weight loss is neither healthy nor permanent. It takes the system 6 to 8 weeks to normalize the metabolism after any fast and prolonged fasting without resting and including exercise and sound nutritional program for the rebuilding process may cause permanent damage to the metabolism and cause all kinds of possible problems from nutritional deficiency. In addition it will make it extremely difficult to continue to loose weight in the future.
Because all forms of fasting are >>cleanses<< the body will do what it needs to do the most first. Often it will not be weight loss and there will be periods where you will not lose any weight. So do yourselves a favor and stop looking at the numbers and press on knowing that you are doing yourselves a world of good and that you are attacking the "root causes" of obesity. being overweight is not a thing in and of itself. It is a "health issue"
Weight loss requires a >LIFESTYLE< change. It will require >>REGULAR EXERCISE<<. No if ands or buts about it. Exercise is the most efficient way to bring the metabolism back on line.
Another thing folks need to keep in mind is that 10 days is just the >MINIMUM< for an MC so don't expect any miracles. The body doesn't even start to get into deeper cleansing till day 8 +/- and around 15 +/- days before getting into the deeper cleansing at the cellular lever. Don't expect that you will clean out a lifetimes worth of abuse even with a 40 day MC. It's just a very good start. Without the lifestyle and diet change and incorporating regular exercise you will go back where you started or worse. The MC does not CURE anything. There is no magic in the lemonade. It helps take out the trash to allow the system to heal itself which is what all these cleanses do. Slow and gradual is the only road to "permanent healing/weight loss" . There are no shortcuts or magic potions. Educate yourselves, focus, exercise regularly and most of all be patient
We know the MC formula already and it is just about a "given" that >everyone< will lose weight on the MC. We also know from experience that this weight loss can vary greatly from one person to the next and even for the same person from one MC to the next. It is also a fact that if folks go back to their old ways that this lost weight will come back. So I would encourage folks that post about their weightloss that for their own ultimate benefit and others to also discuss what their plans are to keep this weight off. That is the info that is missing and almost never gets discussed here and would really complete the cycle of using the MC "succesfully" for weight loss. Without a follow up plan the MC or any form of fasting is a >>surefire<< no two ways about it plan for failure and worst yet a plan were a person using fasting for weight loss can gain back even more than they lost in an alarming short period of time.
Remember that 4 or 5 lbs sometimes more depending of the persons starting weight, how full they were, how well hydrated they were etc when they started, that weight is from emptying the bowels and water weight loss. Posting about this miraculous weight loss at the begining of the fast can be very misleading and definetly false hope to the newbies that have yet to find out how the MC really works and that it is is only >part< of a succesful weight loss program.
A response to the above from someone who counsels folks with "eating disorders:
As someone who has done fasts, I agree with your points about the MC not to be used as a weight loss plan. Anyone doing their first fast, who has possibly been overweight for awhile, cannot understand this until they experience the whole fast.
Also, I know that for some, they can tend to get grouchy because of the calorie restriction too. I wouldn't be surprised at all, if, after some experience with the fast, many people will change their minds completely, as to the philosophies and strategies that they might have had in the beginning.
I find it very wise of you to warn of possibilities of obtaining eating disorders if not in the right frame of mind for a fast. I counsel people with eating disorders. They are usually a lifelong problem that can destroy families. So, forking from that path, if at all possible, is important. The sooner, the better
The Numbers Game
From Seunim's Blog
Quite often when purusing the master cleanse forum or various blogs, you come across many individuals who seem to be obsessed with the numbers game, that is to say, following their weight on a daily basis. Unfortunately, health is not a numerical concept and cannot be defined using statistics. Human beings, however, tend to want to quantify well-being into easily understandable figures. We feel compelled to ascribe numbers to every aspect of wellness, from the qualities of our food to our fitness levels to the physical space we occupy. As a consequence of social pressures, we turn our attention away from health and focus instead on the most contentious of these figures-weight-checking our scales to see how we measure up to our peers and role models. Yet each of us is equipped to gauge our relative healthfulness without any equipment whatsoever. When we have achieved a state of wellness, we feel buoyant and energetic. Some of us are naturally slim, while others will always be curvy. No matter what our weight, we can use the cues we receive from our physical and mental selves to judge how healthy we really are. When you throw away your scale, you commit to a lifestyle that honors the innate wisdom that comes from within your body and within your mind.
The numbers you see on the scale, while nominally informative, can prevent you from reaching your healthful cleansing and eating goals by giving you a false indicator of health. You will know when you have achieved true health because every fiber of your being will send you signals of wellness. When you choose to listen to these signals instead of relying on the scale, your definition of well-being will be uniquely adapted to the needs of your body and of your mind.
What I'm trying to point you to is to adapt a positive plan that is not based on the negative mindset of exclusion and avoindance but rather a positive direction about what you are going to include in your diet to make yourself healthy which by default includes losing weight. It's ultimately about BALANCED NUTRITION and REGULAR EXERCISE. Focusing on just weight and avoidance of certain foods, carbs etc and calorie counting is just a temporary solution cause you can't diet the rest of your life. That IS why dieting does NOT work and people keep repeating the same vicious cycle over and over. This is also why there is sucha HUGE dieting industry. It's not because of their success but because of the failure rate that keeps'em coming back. Focusing on getting healthy is a positive approach, a destination with positive outcomes both in your mindset and in your ultimate well being and being happy and a mindset that will give you long term results. This IS the whole point that I keep trying to make. Research balanced nutrition and regular exercise and find a plan that >resonates< for you and dive in head on. You hafta take personal responsibility. You hafta make the choices . This is what will cement your resolve and assure your success and bring about this "lifestyle change" and not some short answer/opinion and certainly not dieting. Look at all the different cleanses. Dive in. Do them all. Understand that there are no compartamentalized issues and that NOTHING happens in your system that is an independent isolated event. You hafta look at the bigger picture and not focus on weight loss but on being healthy. This is the ONLY point that I keep trying to make and in my book the only thing I know that will guarantee success. There are no short cuts. There will be no clear cut short answers. It will be a gradual and most likely slow process. It will take focus and determination. Look into/research juicing. healthy fats ( essential fatty acids,/EFA). Something that I've read that folks are having success with is the Blood type diet. Look into that. If that doesn't float your boat then keep looking till you find something that >resonates< for you and go at it with a vengeance.
Other than making sure that you get some good aerobic exercise after any form of fasting for weight loss because fasting slows the metabolism there is abosolutely NOTHING unique that you need to do after any fast to maintain the weight loss since it is NO DIFFERENT than anything else anyone needs to do to BE HEALTHY and maintain a healthy weight. To experience the quickest results get into some kind of weight/resistance training where you don't just loiter about after each exercise but go to the next routine in under 60 seconds. This will not only build/tone muscle but keep your heart rate up to assure an aerobic workout. MUSCLE BURNS FAT!! If you expect to succeed you must have a healthy eating and exercise plan scoped out and be well on your way into it before you even begin to think about using fasting for weight loss and not the other way around.
First of all fasting slows down the metabolism, this is a fact of life and the body was created to do this. This is one of the reasons that any kind of fast is not the best way to lose weight over a long period of time. However, fasting does cleanse the system allowing it to function better and assimilate more nutrients from less food. It just isn't a diet, its a tool to make a correct diet more efficient. Try to look at this as a cleanse, not a weight loss plan. When it is over you can enjoy the benefits of a healthier body while you lose weight safely and effectively.
You will lose weight on the MC. How much depends on many factors. When you fast it gives your digestive system a break and the body will try to repair itself and use the extra energy to do what it needs to do the most first. Don't count on losing a specific amount cause you will be disappointed if you don't. It works different for each individual.
Now all that being said I will tell you that the MC is NOT a weight loss diet primarily. It is a as the name implies a "Cleanse" and it's primary function is to heal. The MC or any other "fasts" are not a good way to lose weight >>>UNLESS<<< you are committed to long term maintenance afterwards because when you fast your metabolism slows down considerably and if you don't follow up with a good solid healthy diet and >>>REGULAR<<< exercise afterwards you'll very likely gain most if not all and possibly more than you lost on the fast. There a quite are few stories on this forum. Below is an excerpt from one
"I did 18 days of MC a few months back and did what you did, ate every thing in sight. I lost about 25lbs but put it all back on plus a lot more quicker than I would have thought possible. I remember that I gained 10 or 15 lbs. the a week after."
more:
There are no magic weight loss diets including the MC. That is why theres sucha huge diet industry. They have plans that help you lose the weight but what they don't tell you or emphasize the great importance that what you do after the diet is an integral part and just as important and that if you go back to your old eating habits that you will gain the weight back. This is even more relevant when you use any form of fasting to lose weight because all fasting will slow the metabolism and it could take 4 to 6 weeks to bring it back to normal. One of the major differences in using fasting over dieting to lose weight is that since your metabolism is slowed by fasting if you don't change your old habits you will gain the weight back quicker and even possibly put on more as has been documented in this forum many times
Succesful and permanent weightloss requires a "lifestyle change" which in the vast majority if not all cases also requires the addition of a >>regular<< exercise. This applies not only to the MC but to all weight reduction regimens.
Obesity is not a thing in and of itself. It is the manifestation of many possible causes thus the MC is a very good program to use as >>part<< of a weightloss program cause you are addressing the root causes of obesity but it is >NOT< a weight loss diet. It is as the name implies a cleanse. It is a way to make a correct diet more efficient so you can enjoy the benefits of a healthier body while you lose weight safely and effectively by the required follow up after the fast. You will lose weight on the MC but that can vary greatly from person to person and even for the same individual from one MC to the next depending on how toxic they are.
A succesfull follow up plan is not so much about portions and calorie counting. It is about >>>BALANCE<<<, >>>WHAT<<< you eat, the >>>QUALITY<<< of what you eat and getting >>REGULAR<< exercise.
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In essence >yes< you will lose weight on the MC and it is a >great< way to jump start your weight loss program since the MC is primarily as the name implies a "cleanse" which addresses the root "health" causes of obesity. Again the point being made is that the MC is not a magic weight loss bullet and what you do after the MC is an integral part and just as important if you expect to keep the weight off. >>>IF<<< you go back to your old eating habits you >>WILL<< gain the weight back, the end. This applies to any and all "diets". There simply is no magic bullet. It will take educating yourself, determination focus and time.
Obesity is not a compartmentalized issue in and of itself it is a "health issue" and just the manifestation of many possible causes. realizing this and addressing it from that point of view is the only surefire way I know to succeed in permanet weight loss. Take it from personal experience of someone who not only lost 50 lbs close to 3 years ago and has kept it off but also got rid of chronic shoulder and wrist pain after his first MC(40) and changed his life.
The MC is sooooooo much more than a weight loss diet.
You've put a lot of great stuff there. Very helpful.
Now let me tell you about my own particular psychosis. For some reason it drives me crazy that so many people misspell the word "lose." It is always misspelled as "loose."
Lose is a verb, with the letter "s" pronounced like the letter "z." Eg. Don't lose your glasses.
Loose is an adjective, with the letter "s" pronounced with the "s" sound. Eg. Drinking too much alcohol can give you a loose tongue. It can also be a verb, as in, to let loose. In every case loose has an "s" sound and not a "z" sound.
But one does not loose weight. One can lose weight.
Thanks for the lesson and I'm glad that I could facilitate the venting or your "psychosis" ;+D It should have been pretty obvious since it wasn't mispelled in every occurance that it was an unintentional typo. I'm a lousy 2 finger hunt a peck typistand I'm sure there are a number of other typos and all kindsa other crapthat I'm not gonna loose any sleep over.
Long time master cleanser-er here, and wanted to put it out there that for me, The Master Cleanse has been exactly what the creator, Stanley Buroughs, said it is: THE BEST REDUCING DIET OF ITS KIND. Granted, in order to keep and increase the benefits you need to adopt a healthy diet once you come off of it, but to tell anyone it is not a good reducing diet is hogwash and I am standing here at a gorgeous 118 lbs (from 200+ lbs) telling you so! And I've kept it off so there. Also, as a side note, I did one salt water flush in my life and promptly threw it up, so I am also here to tell you that you will be perfectly fine on the cleanse just drinking the tea in the morning and evening and skipping the salt water flush. If you can stand it - do it! But if you're like me and couldn't do it to save my life - don't worry about it. I've done 40+ day cleanses and can tell you it is the best thing I could have ever done for my body. Well, actually the cleanse is just a tool...the real life-saver-eye-opener for me was learning how this world really works via http://www.abraham-hicks.com
and putting my happiness first. But the Master Cleanse is a close second. :)
The only "hogwash" here is your misquoting Burroughs and your lack of comprehension of what is written in the FAQs which is a distilation of YEARS of discussions on this forum There is not a single line in the whole post that states that one will not loose weight on the MC. It is a comprehensive explanation of how it works and how to use it >>>>SUCCESSFULY<<<<<< as >>>>>PART<<<<< of a weightloss program.On it's own the MC is NOT a weight loss diet, period. THE END.
Without a follow up plan and lifestyle change post fast the MC or ANY weightloss diet is a plan that will not only fail but because ALL forms of fasting slow the metabolism it is a plan where someone can wind up gaining even more weight than they lost in a very short period of time. Further if the follow up post fast does not include exercising to bring the metabolism back up it can even make it more difficult to loose weight in the future.
I whole heartedly agree with this post. When I decided to embark on the MC about a week ago the weight loss aspect was definitely appealing. However I wasn't going to kid myself. The reason why I was overweight was because I ate unhealthy foods in large quantities and rarely exercised beyond walking. The actual reason why I decided to commit a whole month to the MC (especially during the holidays when there is ample delicious food around) was because I needed a LIFESTYLE change. I was lethargic, unhappy, mean, and all aroud displeased with the negative outlook I had towards my weight, and as a result toward my life. My first journal entry for this cleanse even says that after I'm done I need to change my eating and exercise habits. Drastically. I need to keep my caloric intake between 1400 and 1500 and I need to do aerobic exercise at least 5 times a week for 30 minutes to an hour. The purpose of doing an extended cleanse was to remove the negative buildup caused by years of eating abuse and remind myself that I don't need to eat unhealthy items like cheeseburgers or candy (they do say 30 days to make or break a habit...) in order to live and be satisfied. I won't post how much weight I've lost because this should be about how many toxins I've removed and how much happier I am now that I'm taking the first step toward a new and healthier life.
You are pretty much on point with your aim and attitude cept for the calorie counting part. Forget calorie counting and make your "lifestyle change" focus about quality nutrient dense foods and >balance< and not quantity/calorie counting.
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Using the MC for weightloss 
