Charlie Griefer

• Post-Master Cleanse Update (Updated with Photos) (April 19, 2009)

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1. 

   # Posted Paul Hastings on 3/31/09 12:25 AM

   while i know you don't have any peer-reviewed evidence for any of this, might as well ask anyway, what exactly are you detoxing? most people's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is cleared within 3 days (otherwise you'd be well on your way to being dead, period). i suppose if your GI was a kind of septic tank this would make some sense but it's not by any stretch of the imagination.
   
   as far as weight loss goes, this is a perfectly awful way to do that. you're long term damaging your internal organs & losing muscle mass for a short-lived gain. you *will* regain all of the weight you lost pretty much no matter what you do, the less frequent bathroom breaks will see to that (what weight you dropped off was actually quite a bit of water). and what you gain back will be mostly fat (your body's response to what is essentially a famine). yo-yo dieting has been shown (in one study done on rats) to actually make your body more efficient at gaining weight.
   
   what you're doing is a complete load of woo. get some exercise instead.

2. 

   # Posted Charlie Griefer on 3/31/09 12:59 AM

   Hey Paul:
   
   You're correct that I can't talk in detail about the actual detox. I've done some reading on the cleanse itself, and I've read people who state that the body detoxes itself (for example, that's what the kidneys are for). I understand that. But what I don't know is whether or not "residuals" are left behind. I eat like your stereotypical programmer and wouldn't be terribly surprised to find that my system isn't as clean as it could be. However, I did do this primarily for the weight loss, so I wasn't really as concerned with the detox aspect.
   
   Regarding the weight loss... I recognize that a healthy weight loss regimen would be roughly 1.5 lbs per week. For me, being roughly 30 lbs overweight, it would have taken me 4 months to see the progress that I've made in 30 days. But the fact of the matter is... I wouldn't have seen it, because I wouldn't have stuck with it.
   
   Here's a good example of how my twisted little mind works. My wife and I recently attacked our credit card debt. We had, due to various circumstances (some our fault, some not) amassed an embarrassing amount of debt. The "good" way to pay that off would be to attack the debt with the highest interest first, and then work your way down. We followed the Dave Ramsey method (http://www.daveramsey.com/), which states pay off the lowest balance card first. I fully understand why it's "better" to pay off the highest interest rate card first. In the long run, you'll save more. But by following the Dave Ramsey approach, we paid off the lowest balance card first... and reached a milestone. By following this method, we hit the milestones faster, which gave us the motivation to continue. Had we gone the traditional route and paid off the highest interest card, I'm not sure we'd have had the resolution to stick with it.
   
   For me, this is the same principle. What I've done in 30 days... the visible difference alone, motivates me to now maintain this. Yes, I'll be doing exercise (and hopefully more of it than the 20 minutes/day I've been averaging over the past 30 days). I'll be eating better. I'm anxious to put forth the effort to maintain the weight I'm at now.
   
   You state that I *will* regain all of the weight I lost. I'll take that as a challenge :) I'm sure that some of what I lost was water weight... but I don't think it was 30 lbs worth. I'm sure that next week I'll gain a few pounds back, just by virtue of the fact that I'm eating solid food again. But will I allow myself to regain 30 lbs? I certainly hope not.
   
   Did I take a shortcut? Sure. Absolutely. To the people who have the willpower and motivation to lose 2 lbs per week and stay motivated, more power to you (I mean that with nothing but respect and sincerity). Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. But the shortcut wasn't easy. It was still an effort and I'm still proud of myself for sticking with it.
   
   I appreciate your comments and your concern. I can't say that any of it is incorrect. I've seen similar arguments made, but I've also read of people who do this annually (maybe not for 30 days, but I have read of people who've done it for up to 40). Those who have gone back to their old habits have gained the weight back. They make no secret of that. But there have been many who have altered their eating habits and they've kept it off.
   
   I'm aiming to be one of the latter, and hope to prove you wrong :) I'll issue another challenge to myself. I'll post a comment here every 2 weeks with my updated weight. That little bit of extra motivation (or fear of embarrassment) certainly won't hurt.

3. 

   # Posted Aaron Longnion on 3/31/09 3:19 AM

   Hey Charlie,
   
   Glad to know a fellow CF programmer has done the master cleanse. I've done it 4 times, but never made it past 8 days. Congrats to you! And you're right that it makes you feel really good (lighter and a bit happier without your body expending so much energy digesting heavy foods).
   
   Don't worry about the naysayers. I did tons of online research, and saw the fanatics and naysayers battle it out, all based on nothing particularly scientific. Generally, western-minded medicine people hate the idea, and eastern-minded, "alternative" medicine people, including my accupuncturist and massage therapist, like it and do it themselves.
   
   You're smart enough to follow the directions correctly (not doing the flushes made me feel horrible the first time I tried the master cleanse), and you'd know if something wasn't "right". Listening to yourself, and knowing that probably thousands of other people out there have been doing the master cleanse (and in the east for hundreds/thousands of years, they've been doing similar fasts for cleansing) for decades. Anyways, congrats man!

4. 

   # Posted Paul Hastings on 3/31/09 3:58 AM

   wtf are "residuals"? if there are any toxins that are fat soluble (what else could they be & still be in your body) they'd pour out of your system when you dropped all that weight & you'd be dead or in a hospital now. since you're neither dead nor in a hospital this is simply more woo.
   
   as far as other people doing this annually, exactly how many are documented & for how long a period of time? i'm going to bet "none". i know of lots of people who jump off the golden gate bridge but the fact that others do it doesn't make it any more sensible to me especially as i already know how they all ended.
   
   because of the way i exercise (marathon bike rides) i spend a lot of time researching this sort of stuff using evidence based medicine journals/websites & asking doctors dumb questions (my sister-in-law's a nurse here so i get to do that a lot), nothing based on anecdotal woo or outright quackery.
   
   you *will* regain that weight (as soon as you take a long drink of water) & more than likely as fat (as soon as you start eating again, unless you're a martian, you *are* genetically programmed to recover from famine as fast as you can & prep for the next one). so what exactly did your shortcut get you? damage to your organs (from your yo-yoing weight, maybe from the process itself) and no real long term weight loss (unless you actually change your lifestyle, which you say you can't, so basically you're screwed).
   
   unless you develop a regular exercise regime & eat sensibly this sort of behavior will very likely shorten your life or make a serious dent in it's quality & worse give a really bad example to your kids.
   
   i used to be pretty overweight but about 7 years ago i started riding a bike. i could only do 1-2km at the start but it was fun, a nice break from work & something i could tinker with (ie spend money on & talk to others about). so it became a habit, 3-4 times a week for a 1-2 hours. over the years i slowly built up from that--these days i'm doing 10-12 hour marathon rides every week & my weight is pretty stable (around 25kg less than when i started). nowadays, if i don't do my weekly training rides or that one long ride a week i feel bad. of course there's a not insignificant probability that my bike riding will get me killed by some idiot bangkok driver (since that seems to be the norm here) but at the least i'll leave a nice corpse ;-)
   
   in any case, if i can do it, anybody can do it. what did the prez say? it's time to "Lace’m Up".
   
   btw if you want real pain & suffering in an effort to lose some weight, try riding 140-150 miles in 95-100F heat ;-)

5. 

   # Posted John Farrar on 3/31/09 5:44 AM

   I have also read research on how controlled fasting can also cleanse the body. :) That type of cleanse doesn't take 30 days. It all depends what you are tying to get out. Perhaps there is a place for each of them.

6. 

   # Posted Paul Hastings on 3/31/09 7:17 AM

   and here's a few relevant sites i like to keep up with:
   
   http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=88
   http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=343
   http://www.epigee.org/fitness/crash_diets.html
   http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health-a...
   
   and one i like to keep up with:
   http://www.drmirkin.com/ (million year old cyclist MD)

7. 

   # Posted John Gag on 3/31/09 7:55 AM

   30 days!! Beer and wine taste way too good for me to do that.. Very impressive to say the least.

8. 

   # Posted Sami Hoda on 3/31/09 9:25 AM

   Simple fasting will get similar results from what I've read. But interesting to read this nonetheless.

9. 

   # Posted Charlie Griefer on 3/31/09 9:29 AM

   @Paul - "unless you actually change your lifestyle, which you say you can't, so basically you're screwed"
   
   Actually, that's not what I said. Being 213 lbs, and wanting to be closer to 185 lbs... I wouldn't have had the motivation to put forth the necessary efforts (e.g. eating better and exercising more) if I saw a 1.5 lb change in a week. Bear in mind I'm not saying that's a "good thing". I wish I had more patience (I'm working on that as well). But I know me, and right now, I don't.
   
   But now that I'm actually at a weight I want to maintain... now that I can actually look in a mirror and be happy... that will motivate me to maintain where I'm at.
   
   I get that you think it's woo, and I'm not even saying it isn't (altho I probably don't think it's as woo-ey as you do). What I'm saying is that I needed this to jump-start me.
   
   But I 100% get that change will need to be forthcoming. I'll be eating better. I'll be exercising more. I was not in any way trying to suggest that one could fast/cleanse for 30 days, drop 30 lbs, and then go back to their old habits and keep the 30 lbs off. I've yet to see *anybody* who advocates the cleanse suggest that.
   
   @John - 30 days is on the extreme side. Most people who do this particular cleanse do it for 10-14 days. I have read about people who have done it for 40, but that's not the norm.

10. 

    # Posted Paul Hastings on 3/31/09 9:37 AM

    @aaron pardon the pun but holy crap, what a load of woo you're spouting. most of my points are based on sound science based medicine & not "tons of online research" which i'll assume to mean no evidence whatsoever.
    
    btw in case you didn't know, i live in the "east" & i don't know anybody who does this sort of thing (except in quackery spas & clinics, usually for farang tourists). this diet is a messed up western idea. so you should just blindly accept that i'm absolutely right as you know its anecdotal "evidence" & so that should be more or less gospel in your world ;-)
    
    i suppose you guys have every right to make a mess of your bodies but i'd just ask that you stop & think about the examples you're setting. you all got to be adults because of science based medicine & now that you got big you want to turn your backs on it. what's that tell kids, especially about science?
    
    @john i suppose if there were something to cleanse that might be the case but this whole idea is based on the "colon is a septic tank" nonsense to begin with.

11. 

    # Posted Ron Gowen on 3/31/09 9:46 AM

    How many days till Fogo De Chao?

12. 

    # Posted Charlie Griefer on 3/31/09 9:48 AM

    @Ron - 27! :)

13. 

    # Posted Paul Hastings on 3/31/09 9:54 AM

    @charlie well the fact that you think needed to do something this drastic made me "understand" that you couldn't do the lifestyle change. i hope you can.
    
    one final point about what you say you "lost". you dropped 30 pounds. some of that was water which you will gain all back. some of that was muscle which for your sake i hope you get all back. i'd be curious to know how much fat you actually flushed away. have you had your body fat content checked? simply going by weight isn't the best way to manage this sort of thing, especially given the risky way you went about it.

14. 

    # Posted Charlie Griefer on 3/31/09 10:07 AM

    @Paul - I needed the "jumpstart" for the motivation. To say I -can- make the lifestyle change may be premature. I guess I should say that I'm going to try :) But at no point was I ever under the impression that it (the lifestyle change) wouldn't have to happen. I just feel that I'm more motivated to make it happen now than I'd have been had I not done the cleanse.
    
    For measurements, I'd been using the Wii Fit. It shows BMI and weight. How accurate it is... can't say. Don't recall the BMI results offhand. I'll check tonite and reply back.

15. 

    # Posted Aaron Longnion on 3/31/09 12:55 PM

    @Paul - no need to get nasty. You have provided no more scientifically valid proof than I have. Everyone has a right to his or her opinion here. Charlie, I, and kids will all be okay.
    
    @Charlie - no need to explain. Many people will understand, and many will not. All that matters is that you did it safely (which you did) and you feel better now.
    
    peace and understanding.

16. 

    # Posted Charlie Griefer on 3/31/09 1:14 PM

    @Aaron - I don't mind explaining. When you put something like this out there, there are bound to be naysayers. I expected it when I posted, and I'm OK answering the questions. FWIW, I don't think Paul's trying to be nasty. I just think he's being... well, let's say, blunt :)

17. 

    # Posted Paul Hastings on 3/31/09 6:23 PM

    @aaron "no more scientifically valid proof"? now who's getting nasty. can i ask what "scientifically valid proof" you've offered?
    
    you're a woo peddler, plain & simple. and woo peddling is just the flip side of the bush/GOP anti-science crusade of the last decade, maybe even a result of it. they're both trying to do a "take down" on science and that's simply not cool.

18. 

    # Posted Megan on 4/8/09 8:05 AM

    Way to go Charlie! I have done a lot of reading on the Master Cleanse and have
    done 10 days myself. I know what you mean about needing results quickly to be inspired
    to continue. You are very patient with Mr. Hastings. I have no patience for
    people that feel the need to challenge what someone else is doing without having even tried it
    themselves. It's one thing to have questions because you wish to learn about something, it's another to
    ask questions just so you can challenge everything they say. I especially love someone that feels the
    need to claim what they're doing is scientifically proven - like science is some fact. My father is
    a scientist and the one thing I know is that science is always expanding what it "knows" and most often
    disproving or changing what it "knew" before. Keep up the excellent work. I know plenty of people that
    have done long master cleanses like you and have kept the weight off. Mr. Hastings needs to give it a
    try and then come back and argue.

19. 

    # Posted Karen on 4/12/09 8:26 PM

    Hello. I was just reading your posts. I don't know what's right or wrong but all I know is that I did the Master Cleanse for 40 days about a year ago and I felt great. My allergies didn't bother me for a while and my mood improved. I'm cyclothymic (a milder form of bipolar disorder) so it was nice to feel somewhat normal and not be on medication. Anyway, Charlie I only gained back 2 lbs when I started eating again.
    I've maintained my weight for a year. I just eat healthy and workout (cardio, pilates,yoga) You just really have to change your eating habits and exercise. I lost 41 lbs during the Master Cleanse. I'll never do it again but it did give me the ass kicking I needed to start my life change. :-)

20. 

    # Posted Justin S on 4/14/09 11:59 AM

    Nice site. I sort of resonate with your perspective of needing to hit that first milestone. I am on day 1 of the MC and we'll see how it goes. I'm not a fan of the pepper taste at all and feel like I'm trying to drink it just because... I have to. Not a good motivation!
    
    As for my background: I am a scientist (not medical) and I think like one. In fact, I'm a chemist (in chemistry, not drugs as I know the word is used elsewhere). I don't think my colon is dirty. I don't actually think I'm cleaning it using the cleanse. Sure - I guess I could knock out a little plaque here or there that may have been hiding somewhere - but I'm not expecting it.
    
    What I do know about is concentration gradients and what it means to have a balanced in/out ratio. I just feel that it may help my digestive system to give it a chance to put out more than I'm putting in. There are 4 or 5 days a year I know I put in way faster than I am taking out (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving... you name the holiday!) After all... fasting is a long-standing tradition in many cultures. I have cysts in my hand that are caused by accumulation of completely normal compounds. I have hardening in my joints which is completely normal, and I know that this diet is not a colon cleanse, nor is it a fast. It has a balanced liquid form of a decent amount of various nutrients, so the arguments against Yo-Yo dieting I don't consider valid. I'm not starving myself and I'm getting nearly all of my needed nutrients (truth be told, probably better than many days of my life!)
    
    We'll see how it goes! Good to see someone with similar mentality pushed through to the end!

21. 

    # Posted Rose on 4/16/09 11:15 AM

    @Charlie - I've done the Master Cleans for 30 days 4 times over the past 5 years, with the goal of cleansing, as well as the bonus of weight loss. Good for you, and true it doesn't work for everyone, but free choice is what makes life great! I've never gained more than 5 lbs. back, which is the water weight. My muscles have never been compromised, and I always feel so much better, focused, skin complexion improved, sleep great, and I'm able to keep up my exercise routine the whole 30 days ("body-pump" weight lifting, spinning and elyptical). In 1922 Professor Arlold Ehret first published his researched work on fasting (a lot of which the M.C. is based on), and he was ahead of his time. YOu can pick up his books at Whole Foods and other stores. If you're interested, there is a website dedicated to his work, http://www.arnoldehret.org/healthclub/trilogy_1.ht...

22. 

    # Posted Rose on 4/16/09 11:32 AM

    @Charlie – Good for you, and I can relate to your motivation. It doesn’t work for everyone, and everyone has their opinions, but that’s the beauty of living in a free society! I’ve got some family members that think I’m crazy – so I just keep it to myself, and laugh inside when they tell me how great my skin looks. I’ve done the Master Cleans about 6-8 times over the past 5-6 years, sometimes for 10 days, and 4 times for 30 days. I’ve never gained back more than 5 lbs. (that’s the water weight), and I’m always amazed at how much cleansing my Colin needs (not to get to graphic here, but when I’ m only drinking juice for 30 days and there is still stuff coming out of my Colin, that shows you why Colin Cancer is a serious problem today). I’ve never lost muscle mass, I’m able to maintain my workout regimen (body-pump/weight lifting, spinning & elliptical), I feel focused, sleep better, wake up refreshed, have a better complexion, and overall feel full of energy. I can really tell my body is given a break from toxins and feels “lighter” – not sure how to explain. Professor Arnold Eheret did research on fasting and developed the “Mucusless Diet Healing System,” and did extensive research on fasting – much of which the M.C. is based on. He was ahead of his time, is still respected and has a health foundation. I first picked up one of his books (published in 1922) at Whole Foods Market. If you’re interested, here are some links to more information.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Ehret
    http://www.arnoldehret.org/healthclub/trilogy_1.ht...

23. 

    # Posted Charlie Griefer on 4/19/09 11:53 AM

    @rose, @justin, @karen, @megan:
    
    Sorry it's taken so long to approve your comments. I didn't get an email notification that there were comments awaiting moderation (might have gotten routed into my spam folder).
    
    For anyone that's interested, I've posted a followup on my (almost) 3 weeks since breaking the fast:
    
    http://charlie.griefer.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/4/1...

24. 

    # Posted Paul Hastings on 4/19/09 6:01 PM

    @megan well i haven't shot myself in the head either but i know the consequences of that in any case. and as for why i bother, if i see a house on fire i was raised to try & do something about it.
    
    so "yes" i believe in science based medicine, not tooth fairy science as you seem to be claiming (if i understand the idea behind "like science is some fact" which i often see repeated in some form or other by woo peddlers, especially the anti-vaccine crazies).
    
    yes indeed science advances but the whole idea behind this woo flies in the face of basic physiology--your colon is not a septic tank (@rose might pay attention, your Colin isn't a septic tank either). period. no amount of "scientific advance" will ever change that fact. this is just woo, plain & simple.
    
    @justin s i think the idea that this is yo-yo dieting is valid. you've lost a drastic amount of weight in a very short period of time, which you can't possibly keep off (quick somebody offer me anecdotal evidence, i just might believe you). i suppose if you never do this again you would be right but the folks who have commented here are doing it based on some woo that it's cleansing you somehow & have "gleefully" repeated it ;-)
    
    and yes fasting is a long standing tradition in some cultures but usually for religious reasons--nobody around here (thailand) i know is doing this based on any idea that it's good for your health (except, you know, farang tourists at super expensive woo spas).
    
    and for those of you who just love anecdotal evidence, an ozzy reporter for one of our local rags tried this woo, here's his report (its well written & funny in any case):
    
    http://www.bangkokpost.com/life/family/15283/bring...
    
    so really, is exercise & proper eating so bad?

25. 

    # Posted Charlie Griefer on 4/19/09 6:59 PM

    @paul: "so really, is exercise & proper eating so bad?"
    
    Did anybody say it was? I certainly did not.
    
    That being said, as I've stated before, I needed something to motivate me. I needed a jump start. I never said that the cleanse (or whatever term you'd prefer) was a one-shot deal that I could do and then live happily ever after.
    
    I weighed 213.6 lbs. Not what I'd consider grossly obese, but certainly overweight. And also, as I've stated before, I'm an instant gratification person. If I'd put forth the effort for 2 weeks and dropped 3 or 4 lbs, I don't think I'd have stuck with it.
    
    So I did something drastic. I saw change almost on a daily basis. And that motivated me to keep going. As mentioned in my follow-up post (and I've not yet read your comment there, but I'm sure I'll be responding), since breaking the cleanse, I've stuck to an average of 1800 calories per day. I'm exercising daily (not a lot, but daily, and more than I did before (which was zero)).
    
    It's not "bad" to eat healthy and exercise. But changing habits is difficult. I did something radical for 31 days that helped me break my caffeine habit. It helped me break my habit of snacking. It helped me break my habit of overindulging in general.
    
    I've yet to see a bad side effect as a result of my actions. So far, it's all been very, very good. My wife says it's like I'm born again. I agree with her. I try not to use terms like that here, because I don't want to come across as an overzealous nutjob, but my outlook on eating and exercising has changed drastically over the past 1.5 months.
    
    Can people change without the cleanse? Sure. Could I have? Probably not. I'd have tried and failed (I speak from experience). This worked for me. I'm not saying it'll work for everybody. I don't get kickbacks from the Lemon Growers Association of America for signing people up.
    
    I just found something that worked for me, and I was (and am) excited about it. I wanted to share.
    
    I don't feel that your analogy re: shooting oneself in the head is fair (or accurate). If you took 100 people that have shot themselves in the head, and 100 people that have done this cleanse, I feel confident in saying there will be more dead people in the first batch.
    
    I've suffered no ill effects, so while I'm not saying everybody should go out and do this... I don't feel any concern over saying that if it sounds like something that might work for you... go for it :)

26. 

    # Posted Charlie Griefer on 4/19/09 7:04 PM

    Incidentally... I should probably point out to some people who might not know...
    
    Paul and I sort of "know" each other. While I don't believe we've ever met, we're both ColdFusion developers who frequent the same forums and mailing lists (This blog is aggregated on a couple of ColdFusion related aggregators).
    
    So while some of the non-ColdFusion people who've found their way here may be put off by Paul's "bluntness", it might change the perception to know that the "bluntness" may be a byproduct of familiarity. When you know somebody (or even know of somebody), I think you're more inclined to speak your mind directly.
    
    In either case, I was prepared for dissenting opinions when I made the post. I'm ok with that. Everyone's entitled to their opinion and I respect that. As long as the discussions don't degrade into personal attacks, I welcome thoughts and opinions from either side.

27. 

    # Posted Steve Duys on 4/27/09 4:07 AM

    Hello Charlie, been reading your blog.. Just wanted to introduce myself and also say, I'm NOT eating my dunkin doughnut this morning! lol (baby steps for me).

28. 

    # Posted brianco on 4/28/09 8:10 PM

    @Paul: I've read through this entire thread and you are really coming off as a jerk. It's not what you're saying but the t-o-n-e of your message that's off-putting. You repeatedly speak of scientific evidence but never reference any peer-reviewed journals. (I'll get to this in a moment) What's especially disappointing is that you have failed to acknowledge a very important detail here--Charlie knows himself better than you do.
    
    You are not the only person who "exercises." I've run three marathons and participated in several triathlons. Unfortunately, after an excrutiatingly painful bout with ITB, I had to have surgery and take nearly six months off. During this time, I lifted weights but continued to eat the way I did when I was running marathons. I gained muscle but I also gained some fat which would not be conducive to performing well in a marathon. I used the master cleanse just like Charlie to "bring focus" to my exercise regimen. It was a great way to jump start my routine and despite what you might think, I felt wonderful. It was a good choice for ME.
    
    Now, about your "scientific evidence" please provide a reference from a peer-reviewed journal specific to fasting. Otherwise, put a sock in it.

29. 

    # Posted Lisa M on 5/15/09 5:45 PM

    Congratulations..!! The Master Cleanse was recommended to me 2 days ago, for some health issues. I am looking forward to doing it, but don't see the Salt Water Flush being done and will have 2 cups of Smooth Move instead.

30. 

    # Posted Odessa on 5/27/09 1:07 PM

    I'm preparing for the MC...
    I did it in 2007 for Christian reasons, and it also took away my horrible cravings, lost about 40lbs, and also ovulating again and I got pregnant finally a few months later. It's not for someone frantic about losing weight, but if that's why you want to do it and if you can commit to a new lifestyle I don't see anything wrong with that. With all things, you need to be educated and prepared. I need help with the motivation this time around out of laziness I believe more than anything but my body has been damaged due to PPD among other things.

31. 

    # Posted Jill on 5/28/09 11:11 PM

    Charlie, congrats on you accomplishment! My ears are deaf to people that who take such a negative possition on the MC. I am on day 19 of the cleanse, and I couldn't feel better. I play tennis 2 hours a day 3 times a week plus golf(walking)and have the energy to do it. I have dropped 20lbs so farand plan to go 30 days. I'm 100% with you on the "jump start" phylosophy. I am 45 going through menopause and taking medication which made it nearly impossible to lose a pound. So frustrating! So with my doctors blessing, I coincided the MC with getting off my RX. After 2 years of hardly heating half of what everybody else eats, and staying fat, I"M FINALLY GETTING SKINNY AGAIN!!! I feel like myself again. But after all I've tried, I knew that unless I saw instant results,I would not be able to stay motivated to stick with something that "might work". This is sure fire. You can't not lose weight. So for me this is incredible. I am so glad I did this! And love reading about other who have had such great success. I keeps me motivated to complete my goal. So thank for sharing your experience!

32. 

    # Posted Daniel H on 6/4/09 11:08 PM

    My girlfriend told me she was going to do the "Master Cleanse. It sounded a bit on the unhealthy side so I decided to do my research. It seemed everyone who I found on the internet who tried the "Cleanse" said it had a positive effect on a variety of health aspects. The only people who spoke out against it where people who hadn't tried it, but "knew" it was cheating or unhealthy or whatever.
    
    I decided to try it. I did it to challenge myself and my unhealthy relationship with food AND to help motivate my gal who didn't know if she could go the distance. It was indeed a challenge, but a hell of a lot easier than quitting smoking. I did the ten days and I have to say that I was DELIGHTED at what happened to my overall appearance and attitude. EVERYONE who has seen me after the 10 days commented on how healthy I looked. Everyone - and I told no one what I was doing. I would say I look at least 10 years younger today than when I started on the 9th of May (25 days ago). I was a bit on the "weathered" side as I had continued bad eating and sleeping habits. I lost 13 pounds overall. The weight loss prompted a gym membership, which I started 3 days into the cleanse. I had TONS of energy and my workouts were amazing. My skin has never been softer, my eyes are brighter, my attitude toward food has shifted to an awareness that will likely stick around for a while.
    
    I am so amazed at the healthy attitude that the Master Cleanse jump started in me that I felt a need to speak up. I know people might stop here and decide to give it a go or believe the "Pauls" of the world who are so sure in their logic that real and honest success stories are drowned out by the sound of his pounding fist; a sad prelude to his own limited experiences.
    
    By the way, my gal did the 10 days (she started on my day 10) and in the end only lost 5 pounds. She felt great but looks pretty much the same - didn't have nearly the same impact as it did for me. For her, just making it through the ten days was something to be proud of. You really get a powerful look at the power food can have - even when you are not hungry, the comfort foods sing their siren songs. I wore earplugs:)

33. 

    # Posted Jordan on 7/10/09 11:29 AM

    Wow. Leave it to a liberal to blow one man's decision about his OWN body into a full blown debate. For what? Just go get laid, or pick up another hobby. No need to reply, I won't be back on to check if someone has "answered" me, LOL I actually have a life. Way to go on your accomplishment! I will be giving it a try as well, (not because of this story, but more because of other people that I know have similar results.) and I loved reading about your personal journey.

34. 

    # Posted Annalyn J. on 1/10/10 2:56 PM

    I do think people who haven't tried it are the ones who are against it. Let me start by saying I use to weigh 319 lbs. 3 years ago. I started the master cleanse in Jan 2007 for 14 days. I lost 26 lbs. I gradually started to omit white flour, fried foods, and sugar from my diet and added more fruits and veggies. By Jan 2008 I lost a total of 113 lbs. In Mar 2008 I did the Master cleanse for 30 days and lost 38 lbs. I became a raw foodist (approx. 90% raw) in 2009 and have lost a total of 195 lbs. in less than a year and a half. I had diabetes, arthritis, circulation problems, vision problems, menstrual/PCOS problems and a host of other ailments. I am free of everything thanks to the master cleanse and my healthy lifestyle change. My husband and I were trying to have a baby for 9 years and gave up. I just gave birth to twins naturally (they run in the family) on November 12, 2009.

35. 

    # Posted rose on 1/22/10 9:31 AM

    Annalyn J how wonderful to hear your positive attitude and all round success. What a joy congratulations.
    Paul you seem to be very aggressive. Sorry that you have to bring such a negative attitude to this site that seems to be helping so many people. It may well not be for you, that's fine then, and if you are happy with what you are doing great. But dont breath toxic fire at others just because they are doing what they believe is good for them.

36. 

    # Posted mahal morat on 6/11/10 6:11 AM

    Hi Charlie im not sure how often you check posts on here or if u even check this still. it doesn't even matter if u read this or not. But if you do id just like to let you know that I've read everything on his page including every post and reply and I just have to say that your story is nothing short of inspirational. I think the EXACT same way as you do. I did the fast many time in the past 4 years and maintained a healthy weight up until my mother passed. My weight sky rocketed up to 30lbs of depressed weight. Which brought me to where I am now 8 days into the MC. I plan oN doing this for 30 days as well. It will be my first time but i too have the "polaroid complex" where instant gratification is what keeps me going but its also reading blogs like this where normal everyday people get through this cleanse. I was windering if your weight hit a plateau? Anyway thank you for sharing your journey I hope you prooved whats his face wrong :)
    p

37. 

    # Posted mahal morat on 6/11/10 6:11 AM

    Hi Charlie im not sure how often you check posts on here or if u even check this still. it doesn't even matter if u read this or not. But if you do id just like to let you know that I've read everything on his page including every post and reply and I just have to say that your story is nothing short of inspirational. I think the EXACT same way as you do. I did the fast many time in the past 4 years and maintained a healthy weight up until my mother passed. My weight sky rocketed up to 30lbs of depressed weight. Which brought me to where I am now 8 days into the MC. I plan oN doing this for 30 days as well. It will be my first time but i too have the "polaroid complex" where instant gratification is what keeps me going but its also reading blogs like this where normal everyday people get through this cleanse. I was windering if your weight hit a plateau? Anyway thank you for sharing your journey I hope you prooved whats his face wrong :)
    p