MC Updates and Other Things... plus day 1 fruit and juice fast

Well, I petered out at about day 22. 

I hate reading blogs that end abruptly, leaving you hanging... better a late update than never.

I am currently on day 1 of fruit and juices only (after over a week respite). 

In the meantime, I've been (mostly) vegan.  I've also been really, really busy getting ready for a big family party on June 2nd.  I have to cook for at least 200 people, so I am really exhausted right now.

My workouts have been non-existent.  I am starting over the first Monday in June.

My Master Cleanse Journey- Days 16 and 17

I am in some pain right now... just finished a workout.  I am not typing much, except to say that I am still hanging in there with plenty of energy.  Have been mostly working in the garden/working out.  I think I will likely do the entire month or longer.

My Master Cleanse Journey- Days 14 and 15- Garden Days and BBL Workouts

First Pinata rose bloom of the year

It's been rather difficult for me to keep up with blogging daily, since I've been busy in my garden with Spring plantings.  I am currently building a trellis system for my newest vegetable bed we just plowed up from former lawn. 

The best news is that the chia seeds in the swill seem to be giving me boundless energy, as promised.  I've been able to work long hours in the garden AND complete my BBL Beachbody workouts everyday. 

The only difficulty is fighting the hunger cravings as soon as I come in from working or working out.  If I drink immediately, I am golden and they go away.  The longer one is on the cleanse, the easier it gets.  However, psychologically it becomes more difficult.  Your mind always tries to bargain with itself at this point.

I noticed that old injuries now are resurfacing, like this article says would happen in longer fasts.  I have an old back injury from a fall two years ago that's giving me a bit of trouble.  Hopefully this healing crisis will pass soon.  It's not painful, per se, but is uncomfortable when I lay on it.

I've been feeling really happy this week :)

The Beachbody BBL workouts have been killer.  I am seeing minor changes in shape already, which encourages me to keep going.  All in all, I've been feeling fantastic!  I've been having some insomnia issues from the massive amount of energy lately.  Hard work is the best remedy for this, I've found.

Day 1 Brazil Butt Lift by Beachbody (BBL) OMG, I am so out of shape!!!

Today I completed my first BBL workout in 2 yrs(well, it *was* the 7th when I did the first workout, but I doubt I have the energy to finish the post on the same day).  Day one's workout, according to the 'high and tight' rotation, is called Bum Bum.  It's probably the most difficult workout in the series. 

Needless to say, I was SO out of shape from not working out, that I didn't finish the entire thing and melted into a puddle on the floor.  Luckily, I am stubborn as Hell, so I know I will eventually surmount my current lack of coordination/endurance.  For now, let's just say it was a killer.

I took before/after shots, which shocked and sobered me right up.  I have a long way to go before I am back to where I was 2 yrs ago.  I will not be posting pics right now, since I can barely muster enough courage to look at them more than once. 


I will be blogging more about Brazil Butt Lift and what it's about after I have a nice, long sleep.  It's from the same people who make p90x.

My Master Cleanse Journey- Days 12 and 13

me, day 12. 

I am still here, feeling fantastic.  I've been taking care of things around my home that I had to neglect the first 10 days due to being flat on my back/sick the entire time.

I tried on a size 6 skirt last night and was able to zip it up all the way (however, it's still too tight to wear out).  Last month, I had a good 2 inches gap in the zipper area, so I am getting close to what my goal is.  I am very happy as a size 5/6.  I am a naturally curvy person and love that.  I will never be 'fashionably slim' and that is ok, because my body type isn't of a slim hipped sort.

The chia seeds work better than SWF or any laxative tea for me.  My blood sugar is stabilized, I've been losing *more* weight, actually, since starting it.  I also don't feel as sick anymore.  I don't mind a 'slower' cleanse (though it doesn't seem to be slowing it at all), as long as I am not comatose.

I've been working on my gardens mostly and taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather.  It feels good to MOVE.

My Master Cleanse Journey- Day 11 Chia Seeds and Blood Sugar Issues

I should have this sign taped to my forehead

I removed the "30 Days" from my MC Journey title because I am not so sure if I can do it right now.  I just want to take each day as it comes at this point. 

I can honestly say that in my decade of doing numerous master cleanses, this has to be the toughest detox I've *ever* experienced.  I don't know if it's because I've gone three years between now and the last one or what.  I know I've eaten really poorly over the last few years (mostly).  All I can say is that I am feeling every nasty thing this time around.  I was completely unable to do anything but lay on my back for the entire 10 days.  I had been drinking more than enough swill and water, but felt constantly dehydrated.  I was dizzy, flu-ish, could barely move.  Days 9 and 10 were kind of scary, actually. 

Starting on day 10 I decided to add chia seeds to the detox after being inspired by this website.  I figured if I did it by the purist method for the first 10 days, I could do the modified MC for the remainder.  After adding the chia to the swill, I was immediately better.  I believe I was having blood sugar problems this time around, for whatever reason.  I've never had that problem in any other previous MC.

I have to add this:  If you're feeling dizzy when you stand and additional swill isn't helping-- if you're so mean, it's like a rabid grizzly bear with PMS-- you MAY (like me) be experiencing some blood sugar issues.


Why Chia seeds?

An explanation from this site says:

"Chia seed is an ancient superfood that is currently experiencing a glorious renaissance ;) It is a member of the sage family (Salvia Hispanica). The little black and white seeds were once a staple of the Incan, Mayan and Aztec cultures, along with the Native Americans of the southwest.
"Chia" is actually the Mayan word for strength. The seeds were used by these ancient cultures as mega-energy food, especially for their running messengers, who would carry a small pouch of it with them. Chia has been called 'Indian Running Food' and gives an incredibly 'sustaining' surge of energy."

Another site lists the 10 benefits of Chia seeds, here are some which I can attest to be true so far for me:

- lose weight without starving 

These little seeds, when added to the cleanse, become like the mexican drink "Chia Fresca" and expand.  They also expand in you tummy and keep it full for hours.
 
- balances blood sugar

According to this article, chia is known to be a godsend to hypoglycemics and diabetics.  My blood sugar was wacky this master cleanse.  The minute I drank these in my swill, I felt IMMEDIATE relief and was back to my old self.  Maybe I was pre-diabetic or something prior to the start of this cleanse?  I don't know, but it's something to talk to my doctor about.  (He's pro-MC, btw)

- Help Prevent Diverticulitis /Diverticulosis

My sister was just diagnosed with this condition.  I have IBS (which is one of the reasons why I started doing the MC a decade ago-- it's helped my condition if I do it a few times a year).  The chia seeds 'sweeps' your intestinal tract clean, without the cramping and problems caused by laxatives or the SWF.

- Add healthy omega-3 oil to your diet

This is the stuff in fish oil, without the nasty fishy burp aftertaste. 

Me on day 9 or 10, covered in gardening dirt

- Feel more energized all day long

Yesterday, after my first dose of chia swill, I was able to go outside and garden, shop, and be a normal human being after 10 days of nothing but deathbed-like symptoms.  I felt great, too!

In addition, these seed powerhouses also KEEP YOU FROM BECOMING DEHYDRATED

So, yeah, I am going to go as long as I can (with the addition of chia) from here on out.

I like the idea of being able to STAY on this cleanse and continuing to reap as many benefits as possible, with less discomfort to my body.

SPEAKING of my body- I am down about 11 lbs in 11 days.  I looked at my forearms this morning and they looked positively delicate (ha!)!  I am starting to look like my old self again and am losing that square bottomed look I acquired this year.  My collarbones are coming back and I am losing the "Elvis needs to die in the toilet" bloat.

Days 9 and 10 Master Cleanse UPDATE

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I am on day 10 today--

Day 9 was horrible.  No matter how much I drank, I would become dizzier and more dehydrated.  I could barely walk.  I've *never* experienced symptoms like this, for so long, with SUCH severity in the 10 yrs since I've been doing the MC.

I am feeling much better today, but will be adding chia to my cleanse after day 10.

My Master Cleanse Journey- Day 8

Today was a slightly craptastic day.  I had trouble (again) sleeping last night and woke 4 hours after I'd finally gone to bed. 

The cravings on day 7 were pretty intense.  At about midnight, I started having an intense desire for a triple cheeseburger with BACON, which is odd considering I am a vegetarian and don't usually eat that stuff.

I was actually pretty darn positive and happy for most of the morning and afternoon- so much so that I decided to go outside and do some gardening in the beautiful weather we're currently experiencing.  That hour of movement took all the wind out of my sails and I ended up back in bed for an hour nap.  I've been having lots of pains in my lower back, which is odd considering all the liquids I am drinking.  I am just exhausted, period.

This MC has (without a doubt) been the most intensely exhausting one to date-- and I've done MANY master cleanses over the last decade.  I honestly think that the 3 yrs. I've spent away from regular detoxing is mostly to blame.  Prior to this MC, I was on an Ayurvedic mung and rice cleanse (which I LOVE and will actually go back on after completing this MC) for 40 days.  My eating has been really clean for about 3 months.  However, I'd been really, really awful with my diet before that and now I am paying the piper.

My Master Cleanse Journey- Day 7

It's been ONE WEEK!  WOOHOO!  An *entire* SEVEN days!

I had SO much planned to do today, but I did nothing (well, nothing practical) instead.  All this great energy was completely wasted.

I started the day feeling better than I have all week... then the national news re: the Occupy protests and the Chicago NATO military buildup sidetracked me, which made me forget to drink swill... which made me feel oogey after I had a glass... and which leads me to now, where I am in typing in an exhausted heap from my bed.

I realized today that the act of thinking takes up a lot more energy on the Master Cleanse than it normally seems to when one is eating.

One of these days, my spring cleaning *will* happen, mark my words

My niece, who is 7 months pregnant, called today.  She was upset that her doctor told her they're putting her on bed rest.

Me:  What exactly is bed rest?  What can you do?  Lay around and have sex all day or what?

My niece (in a sad voice):  Noooo... I have to lay here and can only get up to eat or go to the bathroom.

Me:  Really?!  That's it?  Then I've been on bed rest my entire life and it's AWESOME.

I realized that the only difference between my niece's current circumstances and my own (at the moment) was that she GETS TO EAT SOLID FOOD...  we both find ourselves laying on our backs, feeling out of sorts.  At this point, I think I would gladly trade her.

you're welcome

IN Master Cleanse news today:

~The insides of my mouth taste like a sour sweat sock coated in dog's drool.  My tongue is coated so thickly that I am sure the bacteria there think it's a white Christmas.  No matter how much I use the tongue scraper, it never seems to all go away.  

~I am thinner, the kind of thinner that I can gauge with my own dysmorphic eyeballs.  I need to get my tuchas exercising soon.  Thin with lumps is not a good look for me.  When the legs look like you're hiding mice under your thigh skin, it's time to move that bootay. 

~I've finally given in to my first bit of food porn.  I caught myself drooling over some Italian cabage and garlic recipe this afternoon.  I went as far as posting a link to it on my facebook page.  I've tried SO hard not to go to food sites this time around, but my evil fingers didn't listen today.



~I am a foofy in the brain... no attention span yet and a bit forgetful. 

Will type more later, if things happen :)

11 pm 

This evening has been the most difficult day for me so far re cravings.  I've been battling the desire to break (but I won't.  I am more stubborn that that) all night.  Grrr...