There are a few pitfalls to beware for newbie and master cleansers alike. The most common Master Cleanse mistakes, while understandable, are certainly very avoidable. Experience will help to identify and eliminate the problem areas that people often fall into when doing the Master Cleanse for the first time.
Many Master Cleanse mistakes revolve around the preparation of the ingredients, materials and equipment needed during the cleanse. All are avoidable, but don’t worry if you find yourself making them; every time we try something new, there is a learning curve. By the time you are done your first successful Master Cleanse experience, you will be able to post your comments and communicate your results to help new first-timers.
These mistakes are common, and seem to co-related to our the most frequently asked question, but not entirely, which is why we also made a “should” have asked questions list, make sure you check out both.
#1 – Fearing Misconceptions about the Master Cleanse
The misconceptions listed here are simply unfounded beliefs held by people, usually instilled by an ignorant population, parents, friends and rumors. Our lives are filled with these misconceptions, sometimes known as wives’ tales.
The Best Way to Overcome Your Fears is to Get Educated
[easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”1569756139″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51CUA1g3f7L._SL160_.jpg” width=”102″]
Master Cleanse is a great opportunity to uncover your belief system that is linked to food, eating and many other concepts. Some of those beliefs may be limiting and even based on old, outdated information or just not enough information. I see this cleanse as an excellent opportunity to learn about the way our bodies function and to get in tune with their natural rhythms. I have been moderating our Master Cleanse FaceBook Page for a couple of years now, and it is amazing to see how many people go on this Cleanse after they have spent a few minutes googling the recipe. It is very important that you understand all the Master Cleanse ingredients as well as the detoxing process that takes place once you start the Cleanse.
Download Our FREE Master Cleanse Road Map
We have put together this report so you could prevent many common mistakes and prepare mentally and emotionally for this amazing journey. It will greatly add to your successful completion of this cleanse and to creating as much of a pleasant, peaceful journey to healthier you as possible.
#2 – Understanding Cravings
It is important to understand the different kind of cravings we have. It is true that there is a physical desire to eat, an instinct as strong as flight from danger or procreation. What isn’t necessarily true, however, is that every sensation of hunger is related to that life-or-death instinct. Psychological cravings can be a part of our response. As we age, we begin to associate good or bad situations with eating. These associations — situations, smells, colors — are attached to emotions (good and bad), and then to eating.
When scenarios arise that carry these messages, we feel a craving to eat, in the manner of Pavlov’s Dog. In fact, almost all hunger pangs or cravings are psychological. You should not, however, ignore true hunger, which is difficult to describe other than to say: you’ll know it when you feel it. As you progress on the Cleanse, you will understand more clearly your limits and the messages your body is sending — which ones are real, and which ones make you eat with the fridge door open in your underwear at 11 pm because your girlfriend just hung up on you.
Recommended Resources to Learn about Your Cravings and How to Overcome them.
There are a few resources we recommend which may help you to understand your cravings better and allow you to explore your relationship with food. Master Cleanse is such a great opportunity to pay attention to your emotional attachment to some foods and also the psychological reason behind us reaching for certain foods in some specific moments. Here are two books we recommend :
[easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”1401935494″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DRaThHXHL._SL160_.jpg” width=”103″]
- Constant Craving by Doreen Virtue
- Women Food and God by Gennen Roth : After three decades of studying, teaching and writing about our compulsions with food, bestselling author Geneen Roth adds a powerful new dimension to her work in Women Food and God. She begins with her most basic concept: The way you eat is inseparable from your core beliefs about being alive. Your relationship with food is an exact mirror of your feelings about love, fear, anger, meaning, transformation and, yes, even God.
#3 – Buying Low Grade Maple Syrup
Don’t be cheap or lazy here. There is PURE, unrefined, maple syrup available somewhere nearby. The real stuff contains all the nutrients natural to the product, the “blood” of a tree. These nutrients are used directly by your body, and are combined and converted with the nutrients and vitamins from the cayenne and lemon juice to provide your essential requirements.
[easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”B003ENHSC8″ locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ltETFa1hL._SL160_.jpg” width=”85″]
The Darker the Maple Syrup the better. You can’t use table syrup flavoured with Maple. All natural forms of Maple Syrup are acceptable, but do your best to find the highest quality you can. The darker grades have more nutrients. The first harvest takes syrup out of the tree that was stored all winter. Later harvests are freshly produced from the nutrients in the soil. During the winter, the stored syrup will lose minerals over time.
To learn more about all the specific qualities of maple syrup and its approved substitutes, please read our article on this topic.
#4 – Running out of Organic Lemons or Maple Syrup
This happens easier than you would think, especially if you are being strict and only using organic lemons. Many organic stores are closed on Saturday or Sunday. And sometimes there is no store open at all. If you find yourself without lemons, just drink the maple syrup. If you are out of both, and are feeling low on energy, find a natural, sugar-based liquid. You want to treat your body like a living IV (intravenous). Just get some calories in there without disturbing your resting system.
Master Cleanse Mistake 5: Eating Other Foods and Cheating
You may think a little cheating doesn’t hurt. Well, it does, if it causes you to fail. Once you get your mind/body thinking more about other foods, your desires will increase. Nothing with make that happen more quickly than eating other foods. This cleanse is a difficult challenge, and I’ll admit to a few tricks. On days when it feels more [easyazon_image align=”right” asin=”B000GFYRLW” locale=”us” height=”160″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W05GZBXNL._SL160_.jpg” width=”160″]difficult, I drink a herbal tea in the evening with a little maple syrup in it. You are allowed to drink any herbal, decaf tea (organic if possible) to soothe your sweet tooth. A small glass of pure, freshly squeezed orange juice can do wonders for the psyche. Just remember to wash it down with a lot of water.
Master Cleanse Mistake 6: Not Inducing Movements, Laxative and the SWF
Everyone Poops.I love the name of that book. And everyone must poop. You eliminate toxins by having bowel movements. Make it happen everyday, or at least every 18 hours. I would do it every morning. I like the sea salt internal bath (see instructions). You can alternate evening one day, miss a day and go morning next, then miss a day and go evening next. Make a habit out of seeing how much cleaner your movements become every day. You must also do the herbal laxative each night to ensure you have a movement if the SWF doesn’t work for you or you simply don’t enjoy doing it.
Master Cleanse Mistake 7: Breaking too Fast or No Ease-Out
Most information out there ends at this sentence: Make sure you don’t break your fast too early. Hello? Not enough information. And others have the nerve to add: “Or serious injury can occur.” Thanks for that! It is probably common sense that on day 10 of your cleanse you don’t eat a Veggie sandwich from Burger King — although I witnessed a friend do just that. He was fine, however; maybe a little constipated for a few days. I also don’t have much more information on this, but please post comments with your experiences. This area of the Cleanse may be construed as medical advice. You should note, I KNOW nothing more than the understanding my experience provides. However, I can at least safely state this: just ease yourself back in. If you have to eat NOW, then choose something smart like an orange. Be careful about constipation. Moving back to solids will require a lot of water to keep you smooth.
Watch the Video on the Master Cleanse Common Mistakes
[video_player type=”youtube” width=”560″ height=”315″ align=”center” margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″]aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS5jb20vd2F0Y2g/dj1KcVAyOXlHcVBRdw==[/video_player]
Lemonade diet day 3:
I started my diet following stict amount of the lemonade and as a result on day 2 I lost 4pounds(I tend to shed weight fast when I get rid of solids from my diet) Since I really don’t like the maple syrup on day 2 for my 1st drink I added doubled the lemon juice recommended for one glass and for my 2nd drink I did the same only that I used 10ml of maple syrup. I only lost 0.4lbs. Could this be because I messed up the mixture?
Ow normally I’m too busy to eat so I tend to eat once a day so really the max nr. of lemonades I have drank so far per day is 2glasses! Is that bad?
PS: I didn’t do the SWF on day 1 but did it on day 2. Could that also be connected to the massive weight loss difference?
Anytime you mess with a recipe, any recipe, you will change the results. The recipe works if done exactly as written. Adding more lemons or eliminating the maple syrup will change the nutrient content and may make it unsafe. Good luck!
Day # 1
I’m 35 Years old and 193.6 Lbs {Not funny} super tired, not only of food but completely exhausted…. I actually lost lots a weigh back on 2010 from a 22 to a size 8 but let’s just say life happened last year, situations, excuses …. Went back to a size 14, and I refuse to go get bigger pants so … I started to eat “Healthy “but I have no energy to exercise, no energy, I feel I need to cleanse My Body so here I’m … so far so good, I haven’t had any crazy moment because of Missing coffee, I’m actually enjoying the tea, so will see .. I’m going for 10 Days, after that will see , I did it before 3 years ago and did 8 days only … this time I’m prepare , forgot to bring a sweater , I remember been cold the first 3 days … is ok… Well good luck to me.
Day 3, this afternoon was a tough day, I was getting lite headed and got really warm and had the shakes really bad, so went to subway and got a plain peice of chicken breast and within mins I felt good again. Is that the toxins coming out? Is that ok to do if it happens again? Or do I need to not drink as much? I drink about 3 liters of it through out the day. If it happens again what should I do??
End of day 2: I have been feeling light-headed and having head-aches for the past few hours.
But my biggest concern is that I may be constipated.
I had 2 BMs yesterday morning but nothing since (it’s now 9pm on day 2).
I’ve been using the psyllium husk option for the laxative. I’ve also been taking laxitive tea.
I’m drinking plenty of water as well as the lemonade.
Any advice on how to get things moving as I’m starting to feel quite bloated.
So you fast the entire time you do this?? I am so confused!
You only consume the lemonade mixture. Look for the book The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs, it’s available for pennies on Amazon, it answers all the questions. Reading the book is best; there are a lot of misconceptions online, people only go by what they read online and end up doing things like eating cookies the first day after their cleanse and having severe bowel distress.
Hey I just want to know, I’m a high school student so I won’t exactly be able to make the juice at school. If I prepare the juice in the morning before school, will it be less effective?
I had to prepare it ahead of time the last time I cleansed and still had great results. I would avoid adding the cayanne until you are ready to drink, otherwise it can get quite spicy. I’m about to enter day 6 of my second cleanse and I’ve been mixing only the lemon juice and syrup at home because I did read that the lemon juice should not be added to water until ready to consume.
The Whole foods store sells the freeze dried version and you add the powder to bottled water.
Unfortunately the freeze-dried version would be devoid of the enzymes necessary for the cleanse. If you work or have school during the day, make one day’s batch in the morning, and take some with you in a jug while keeping the rest in the refrigerator.
So, this is my 6th day but I am feeling quite wretched. Last night the rumbling in my tummy kept me up until the early hours-it was like a tumble dryer or something equally annoying!
I was meant to go to a hospital appointment but couldn’t face the journey. I just feel a bit out of it today but maybe its just the lack of sleep?I really want to get through this cleanse but I am craving all manner of stupid carb, sugar and fatty foods…
I started this cleanse because I am really out of shape and have been for many years now. I was really disappointed that I hadn’t lost any weight on it-but I know I have such an unhealthy attachment to rubbish foods and it is causing me to have severe health problems. I have to keep reminding myself to put my health before my insane cravings. If anyone has any tips, I’d be so grateful!
Good luck to everyone who is on it!
The cleanse is different for everyone, even from cleanse to cleanse. Most people say the cravings disappear after day 4, but mine have been strong until days 7 and 8 on this cleanse. Think of the cravings as a good thing, it is your body getting rid of the byproducts of those unhealthy foods.
This is day one on my second cleanse and I feel pretty good. I know the beginning is tough but it does get easier and I find that if I keep myself busy I rarely think about food. I am going to try to do 20 days this time and see how that turns out. Fingers crossed! Good luck everyone! This is most definitely a challenge we will never forget!
I am on my first day of MC and I feel very tired and dizzy. I don’t know if it is normal but I feel weak and light headed. I really want to finish this experience and at least prove it to myself that I CAN DO THIS. I am 27 years old , 5.4″ and I weight 146 pounds. I had a miscarriage because of hormonal imbalance and I’v suffered from adult acne forever. what I want to achieve with this cleanse is taking the first step in my health journey and jump start losing the weight I gained with all the emotional eating after my miscarriage. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
@Sara, I am just finishing my second day (first timer) and I have not had those symptoms at ALL. I would be pretty concerned if I did. Did you ease in at all? I think that was important for me, getting your body used to just liquids and shrinking the stomach size. Maybe go back to normal until you feel better, then ease-in and try again?
Drink more water if you are dizzy to flush out the toxins that are making you unwell. Also dont skip the laxative and salt flushes, these help with cravings, read the book if you can as its a big effort to waste if you get it wrong… Im not a professional, this is just my experience.
End of Day 5 of Master Cleanse. It’s getting easier each day for me, but I DO have cravings. I just remind myself that this is temporary and I will feel great when I finish. The salt water flushes can be intense, I did one at 9am this morning and wasn’t finished until noon! Who knew I was so full of crap! I’m glad I had the time to wait it out, maybe best to do those in the evenings. This is my first Master Cleanse so my big mistake was not drinking enough of the elixer and drinking a cup of miso soup on Day 2. Now I know to drink at least 6 or 7 drinks plus herbal tea. Good luck everyone!