I have personally done the Master Cleanse a few times. I am on a day 5 of the 4th Cleanse right now and there are definitely few things I have learned about that can greatly contribute to my and maybe also your success as a cleanser.
Challenging your mind and tuning into your body’s needs and rhythms
The Master Cleanse is specifically challenging – no solid food for 10 days (or more depending on how long you decide to go for) makes up for quite a challenge for your mind not just your body.
In last couple of years I learned a lot about the the different kind of people that go on the Master Cleanse for various reasons while moderating the Master Cleanse Facebook page that has now over 16 000 fans. I see common mistakes and assumption that many Master Cleansers make along the way that are often the reason why they don’t receive the benefits they are looking for. The most common reason for many people to do the Master Cleanse is goal to loose weight and to use the Master Cleanse as re-set button to start a new, healthier diet. Of course there are many people that take on the Master Cleanse purely for detoxing purposes.
Your personal Master Cleanse journey
I personally have done the Cleanse each time purely to Cleanse my body. I am 5’2 and about 110 pounds or less which is a weight that I have been maintaing for the last 15 years. I was mainly interested in taking some time to allow my body to heal, repair and get back to basics. I love how much energy I have on the Cleanse and the clarity of mind that is present all day as I cleanse. During my last cleanse I had no headaches at all and felt great. It think it was a result of what I have learned about the cleansing process in the past, respecting it and knowing what to expect and avoid as well.
# 1: Know what you are getting your self into
I cannot stress enough how important this is. I personally think that it is the most important thing to be educated about this Cleanse and I was very surprising to see how many people seam to just google the recipe and GO (based on moderating the Master Cleanse Facebook page). I have to say, that is not enough. Not only it is important to know how the Cleanse works but also how it fits with the way our bodies work. The mind is at the center of how our bodies function. How we think about cleansing and how we understan the whole process is hugely going to contribute into the overall experience a person can have while on the Master Cleanse journey. It can either expand the benefits of the detox or it can be an obstacle blocking all the wonderful benefits. So it is worth it to spend the time to prepare for the cleanse and here are some ideas:
Read the books, please.
There are a few books to read that are going to prepare you very well for the whole Master Cleanse journey. You can buy most of them on our website, just head over to our store and pick what you prefer. The original book from Stanley Burroughs – The Master Cleanser has only 50 pages. Make it a bed time read or take it with you on the bus on the way to work. You’ll finish it in no time. My favorites are The Complete Master Cleanse from Tom Woloshyn and Zero to Maser Cleanser E-book by Michael Olaski – the owner of this website. To know what to expect is so powerful. It can calm your mind and being educated about the the details of the Master Cleanse will allow you to be able to explain to people in your community what it is that you are really doing and why it is safe, beneficial and your choice of cleansing. It can take a lot of energy to try to defend your self and your choice so being able to clearly explain and even educate other people is very empowering and people respect that much better.
Zero to Master Cleanser video
You can also learn a lot about the Master Cleanse on our site. We have published many articles with useful tips that will asure that you do this right and prevent the simple mistakes possibly causing you to brake the cleanse to early. Here are some articles you can check out right now:
The Master Cleanse ingredients
5 Tips to Make the master Cleanse Lemonade Right
The Lemonade Diet Concentrate: Pre-Mix Your Lemonade for People on the Go
# 2: Don’t rush into it, Ease-in.
Taking your time to ease into the Master Cleanse is especially important for 1st time Cleansers. Just jumping in can put a lot od stress on your body and it may eventually make the cleanse more challenging – mentally and emotionally. Think about it, if you were to run a marathon that requires a lot of strength and will, wouldn’t you train for it? Of course you would. There are also many other benefits. Just today we had a comment on our site from a girl that lost 10 pounds on Ease- in ( yaaaayyyy). She did gain 5 pounds when she started the actual cleanse because she was not drinking enough lemonade during the day ( 4-5 lemonades is not enough at all ) but her body responded to the light and healthy Ease-in diet so wonderfully. I hope this will motivate a lot of people to “grow” into the full cleanse and gently ease into the 10 days journey of detoxing, healing and creating new, healthy habits.
# 3: Timing is everything
This is the extension of the previous tip. Look at your life and think about it. According to your schedule, social events you may need to commit to and how you feel about your health – When would it make sense to go on the Cleanse? It’s important that you don’t do this on someone else’s schedule. This can be challenging 10 days and it’s al about you. Do what you can to make sure you reach your goals and enjoy the journey as much as you can.
# 4: Choose your attitude
Sometimes I see comments on the Facebook page indicating that people push them selves so much and go into the cleanse with the attitude: I don’t like the lemonade and this damn cleanse but I can push my self enough to get through it. It takes much more energy to fight your choice than to fully align with it and choose to be at peace with it and at best even be excited about it. There are many detoxes out there to try. If Master Cleanse doesn’t excite you maybe you need to try something else. I also see the difference in the results that people with different attitudes experience and it really helps to be ease and positive. It puts less stress on the body and happy body is healthy body, that si a known fact. Take this opportunity to detox your attitude about life, your body and you will see a big shift in how much you could enjoy each day on the cleanse. Make a positive choice and stick to it no matter what others say. It’s your health – the most important thing of all.
Choosing your words and thoughts while you are on the Master Cleanse is very important. We can either nourish or abuse our bodies with the kind of food, thoughts and words we choose to digest all day. What is it going to be?
Here are some great affirmations to practice that can build your attitude each day :
- It is easy for me to maintain my ideal weight.
- I enjoy developing new habits to keep me healthy and feeling great every day.
- I know my body well and I trust it’s ability to eliminate what is not useful and to retain all the is benefiting me and my health.
- I sleep soundly and peacefully.
- I enjoy eating healthy and making choices that allow me to maintain my ideal weight easily.
- I am in control of my health and wellness.
# 5: Choose your company while you are on the Master Cleanse
It si a good idea to adjust your social life to this Cleanse. It is much better to just stay away from people that may give you a hard time or even frustrate you a lot. I like to take it really easy while I am on the cleanse and even enjoy the time to slow down, rest, concentrate on my self, my health and my life. Often we live a life on the run in the go-go-go mode and Master Cleanse is such a great excuse to be able to say no to obligations. This is a great opportunity to see how much respect the people in your life have for your choices. You can also ask a good friend to support you – someone you can call any time that will keep you on track and committed to your goal, your personal cheerleader. I call these people believing eyes.
# 6: Take it easy
Take it one day at the time. That s the best approach. Also be kind and compassionate towards your self as you are dealing with the challenges along the way and remember: there is no failure, there is only feedback. Be proud of your self even making this choice. So often I hear people telling me: I could never do that. Just deciding to do the Master Cleanse alone is a sign of amazing strength and willpower. Acknowledge your self for that each day you get closer to the finish line.
I love you Erika