weight loss

[Guest]

I realize this cleanse isn't about necessarily losing weight, although it would be nice. I am on day 8 and have only maybe lost a pound or two. I feel fine, have lots of energy, haven't noticed too much going on at all with my body. I only put 1 tbs of maple syrup in my lemonade and have been following the diet. Any suggestions to what I might be doing wrong? Has anyone else experienced no weight loss?

[EssDub]

Are you doing the SWF or drinking the senna tea to help with elimination?

How many glasses of lemon drink are you drinking daily? Burroughs a minimum of 6 (10 ounce) glasses and a maximum of 12 glasses.

You can vary the maple syrup by one tablespoon less or more, but be sure that you are always using two tablespoons per 10 ounce glass.

Are you doing any sort of daily exercise? Are you drinking additional water when you aren't drinking the lemon drink?

Are you eating/imbibing anything other than the lemon drink, water, or an occasional unsweetened mint tea?

The answer may be in your response to one of the above questions.

[lynley]

Thanks for responding. I drink the tea at night and the SWM in the am. I do have eliminations although they aren't that exciting. I am on my feet all day and get exercise regularly. The only thing I may not be doing is drinking enough water. I seem to be constantly bloated. I almost feel like this cleanse has been for nothing, although it has felt like I'm doing something beneficial even if I can't see it!!

[EssDub]

The bloated feeling may be from the SWF, not everyone responds well to it. You might want to switch to senna tea morning and night and if you have access to a sauna, spend some time sweating out the toxins each day.

As far as being on your feet all day, you may find that your body needs some additional exercise--maybe a bit of cardio if possible--to get things moving. Can you add a short run or a brisk walk to your schedule 3 or 4 days a week? Can you get to the gym to take a class or do some yoga at home?

Definitely drink more water in between elimination fluids and lemon drinks--this will also help get toxins moving.

I wish I had the magic answer for you! Stay strong and stick with it, but try a few different things as well (add more water and try tea instead of the SWF).

Good luck, Lynley!

[coverley54]

I hear you, about not losing weight.
I am drinking only 6 portions a day and using about 1.2 tbs of maple syrup in each serving.

Doing salt flush and eliminating real well.

Laxative t in evening.

my 3rd day showed 2 lbs weight gain actually, very frustrating.

I am not able to exercise much because of a painful back problem, caused by a compressed disc.

Perhaps that's why I am not losing.

Staying hopeful,
C

[Klassy]

I have stopped loosing weight. I am on day 9 and hav not lost an ounce in 2 days. I have not cheated, I am drinking 6 glasses of lemonade per day with a little less MS b/ c using the full 2 tbls per glass makes me nauseous, and doing the SW in the AM and working out every other day. I have not been doing the tea every night b/c it causes cramping so I've only drank it every other night. Could this be why I am not loosing anything?

[Rose88]

I have an underactive thyroid and take synthroid for it. I did a mini cleanse to try it out a few months ago and lost weight, but I put it back in a few weeks. I'm starting my first 10-day cleanse today. I'm concerned that the lower calorie intake will lower my metabolism even more. Is this a valid concern for after the cleanse? What can I do to boost my metabolism when I get back to regular food?

[Res]

See the following;

Metabolism and your weight

It may seem logical to think that significant weight gain or being overweight is related to a low metabolism or possibly even a condition such as underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). In reality, it's very uncommon for excess weight to be related to a low metabolism. And most people who are overweight don't have an underlying condition, such as hypothyroidism. However, a medical evaluation can determine whether a medical condition could be influencing your weight.

Weight gain is more likely due to an energy imbalance — consuming more calories than your body burns. To lose weight, then, you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories, increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity, or preferably both.

Full Article: Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/metabolism/WT00006/METHOD=print)

[Res]

This is another interesting excerpt from the above article.

Burning more calories

Your ability to change your basal metabolism is limited. However, you can increase daily exercise and activity to build muscle tissue and burn more calories.

Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking daily for 30 minutes or more, is an excellent way to burn calories. Strength training exercises, such as weight training, also are important because they help counteract muscle loss associated with aging. And since muscle tissue burns more calories, muscle mass is a key factor in weight loss.

Even though regularly scheduled aerobic exercise is best for weight loss, any extra movement helps burn calories. Look for ways to walk and move around a few minutes more each day. Lifestyle activities, such as gardening, washing your car and even housework, burn calories and contribute to weight loss. Taking the stairs more often and parking farther away at the store also are simple ways to burn more calories.

Don't look to dietary supplements for help in burning calories. Products that claim to speed up your metabolism are likely to offer minimal benefit and may produce undesirable or even dangerous side effects. Dietary supplement manufactures aren't required by the Food and Drug Administration to prove their products are safe or effective, so view these products with caution and skepticism.

"Your metabolism influences your energy needs, but it's your food intake and physical activity that ultimately determine your weight."

[PureJezebel]

I am starting tomorrow and a little nervous about the laxative aspect of the diet. Having heard so many things about the negative effects of laxatives - some images of imaciated ballerinas dying of anorexia come to mind.

I know I won't be using exlax, but still even something like Smooth Move tea or any kind of laxative makes me a little nervous.

Just posting because this is the "...you're worried" area.

Best,
Jeze

[FoxyKaT]

Hi All....

This is my 5th cleanse...

Everytime I have done it, coming off it, I never really followed directions. I allowed peer pressure to get the best of me... and have regreted it every time.

Ofcourse one of the beauties of the MC is being more conscious of what we are putting in our mouth. I have been eating much cleaner ( which I have always been a healthy eater, but I am guilty of having a huge love for chocolate and deserts ).

The last time coming off it I went directly to eating all raw... which I ended up gaining weight due to the fact of eating way too much avacado... Bad girl! Moderation...HellO! :(

Anyway, here I am again... I am on day 8... finally down 7.8 pounds. I have to say that this MC has been the easiest for thus far... I have been dong colonics about 2-3 times every week for the past 2-3 months. I have the most energy I have ever had... right off the bat!

Have not yet had any detox symptom days. :)

Strange thing is that I didn't lose as fast this time... up to day 4 or 5 I had only dropped maybe 2 pounds... and I could feel and see the weight still on me! I was like... what is going on???

I stopped doing the salt water flush... Which I am doing daily enemas along with the tea... I had a colonic yesterday and from yesterday, lost 2 more pounds... Finally I feel much lighter.

I truly believe sleep is a huge factor as well.... In the past I had always gotten adequate sleep and then some.

This time around was different... I wasn't sleeping... and think that was a huge reason the weight wasn't budging also. Think about it...even when you are eating and you don't sleep, it's a proven fact that you will gain weight.

Rest is repair! Sleep is so incredibly important. Well, the last 2 days, I finally slept well... not my usual sleeping at 5:30 or 6 am... yikes!

Hang in there everyone... don't dispair. The weight will come off! I am going for 14 maybe more days... When I am finished with this, I am going to switch to juicing strictly to spinach, kale, celery and cucumber juicing... after juicing for about a week... I am going to incorporate juicing into my everyday life... probably up to about mid afternoon... then a small salad with little protein and veggies a couple hours later, then soup in the evening.

I am 35 years old... I am 5'6"... I have always been athletic and in shape. But the last 3 years I have been a yo-yo! I carry my weight proportionally... however, I am much more comfortable being SLIM not as voluptuous as I have been.

Bottom line... I am realizing with AGING... we simply can NOT eat the way we have all our lives. We need to cut the portions down drastically... we need to check our selves before we wreck ourselves!

Also if you are a woman... come on Ladies... we don't need to pack it in like men do. You know it's harder for US to lose it!

As we get older, it's WAY easier to put the weight on... but 10 times harder to get it off!

I plan on geting my six pack back... and along with that my SEXY will automatically will return! I love this cleanse... I love the strength and mental clarity is blesses me with... WE are doing something that most people think we are crazy for doing! That's awesome!

More than that... I find the BEST feeling ever is when we surprise ourselves... I have never been addicted to anything.... except for food... I have had eating disorders in the past and am now finally taking charge and control of my life back!

Honestly... One bite of any DELICIOUS desert is all you need... ok, maybe two.. But that's it! It has been said that the after the first two bites, the flavors lose their potentcy.

I don't know about you all... but the best feeling is the feeling of being thin.. and IN CONTROL! Being healthy...Mind, Body, And Spirit!!!

Bless you all...

Sincerely... don't give up! We are ABOVE any food substance...lol... I have learned to treat my body as a temple now... A machine... !

LOVE YOURSELF!!! Because we are all beautiful children of GOD! ;) [/B][/COLOR] [/B]

[stenciljunkie]

Hello, my name is JP, and I am currently on my fourth day of the cleanse. I haven't seen any significant weight loss yet. Before I started the cleanse, I weighed 119.4, and after 4 days of wrestling workouts, and being loyal to the cleanse, my weight is 118.4.. Is any real weight loss going to occur? If so, how can I attain this.

[sopheetsa]

I am starting tomorrow and a little nervous about the laxative aspect of the diet. Having heard so many things about the negative effects of laxatives - some images of imaciated ballerinas dying of anorexia come to mind.

I know I won't be using exlax, but still even something like Smooth Move tea or any kind of laxative makes me a little nervous.

Just posting because this is the "...you're worried" area.

Best,
Jeze

Hey Jeze!

It is always a bit unnerving to start anything new- and you are right- that "laxatives" in general can be a bad idea, and even herbal laxatives can be abused. But remember that we live in a society where almost all of us are stopped up and not keeping up with the eliminations! The cleanse accelerates the process, but the important thing is to get back into line with nature, and that means to be eliminating 3 or so times a day, when you are eating the way you were meant to be eating.

During the cleanse, or any fast, it is all the more important to keep up with the elimination process because so many toxins are being released, at such a rapid rate, that you could overload your system. The cleanse is cleverly designed to keep that from happening- so not to worry, correct use of the laxative tea is part of the process! That first night when you start(ed) with your tea, you are preparing your system by eliminating the first "load" from an overburdened system. From then on, as you go on to do the SWF in the morning, (rinse cycle) the lemonade by day (like roto-router, it continues cleaning out the pipes) and the tea at night ("agitator" cycle) you have an effective triple combination that works together to cleanse your whole system.

But you are right to be nervous, and caution is advised, as some people who do the cleanse, like that "cleaned out feeling" so much that they continue to use the laxative tea, even when the cleanse is over, and that is NOT a good idea, because it is important, after you're done, to go back to the way nature meant you to be!

Wishing you all the best on your cleanse!
---
stenciljunkie:

The idea behind doing the cleanse, is not necessarilty to lose weight, but to cleanse, and to get your body into an overall greater state of health! You mention your weight, JP, but not your height and your overall build or frame. What would be your "best weight", and are you at a weight now which is more than that? Are you trying to achieve weight loss as part of meeting a weight goal for some kind of competition? If so, please know that although weight loss does occur for most people on the cleanse, this only happens because so many of us are over our "best" body weight-- but some people can even GAIN WEIGHT on the cleanse. From the sound of it, you are already quite fit, and so your weight may already be close to optimal. One way to find out where you are in terms of whether you need to gain or lose is to calculate your "BMI" or body mass index. Although the values vary (between men & women, depending on age, stage, body type and state of fitness), roughly

BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

To find out more and calculate your BMI you can click on: Calculate your BMI (http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm)

On the other hand, as FoxyKaT reminds us, Hi All....

everyone... don't despair. The weight will come off! LOVE YOURSELF!!! .... Because we are all beautiful children of GOD! ;)

and finally-- it all depends on your particular circumstances... and so trust your own judgement, and don't be swayed by the wrong criteria! (These include fashion and other false measures which can sometimes undermine our true sense of where we are and where we should be.)

Good luck and wishing you all the best on your healing journey!

[KC77]

I am on day 9 of my first MC and have been following the rules closely - smooth-move tea at night, saltwater flush every morning, 12 cups of the lemon, cayenne and maple sryup drink per day & extra water & peppermint leaf tea each day. Up until yesterday morning I have also been taking the smooth-move tea in the morning directly after the saltwater flush. My energy levels are good, the headaches subsided the morning of day 3, my skin cleared up until this morning and I now have a rash on one side of my face which I hope clears up soon! However, my biggest concern is that I have not lost any weight! Isn't this a little weird?? I am 5'7" and 138lbs. I am still more than happy with the cleanse and feel so good about myself for being able to stick with this without too much temptation to stray. I now know my will power is strong and I am grateful for the clear head to re-evaluate my diet choices. For the past fourteen years I have not consumed any meat, just fish and vegetables. I have decided when I come off the cleanse to go strictly vegetarian. I also have not experienced any burning BMs despite loading my drinks with cayenne and cannot say that I have really experienced a great deal of elimination - mostly water with flaky bits consistently over the past 9 days. The one problem I have been experiencing the last couple of days is terrible heartburn in the evenings when drinking the lemonade. I found some organic sweet limes at my grocery store and varying these up with the lemons and regular limes seems to help as well as drinking some mint tea, but I wondered if anyone else had reported this problem? One last question, can I use hot water with the lemonade drinks? The weather has got decidedly colder here and I think a warm cup would go down a treat!

[Neville]

Hi KC77,
I also wanted to lose weight while doing the cleanse and followed the instructions for "decrease" of weight in the Stanley Burroughs book. (sp?) He suggests sticking to six glasses a day for those who want to lose. My first cleanse I lost 30 pounds and stayed happily on the cleanse for 30 days. Today I am on day 20 of my second cleanse four months later. Some people stay on for forty days. You may want to try drinking fewer lemonades for your time left on the cleanse.
Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving,
Neville

[fate]

I did this before in aug and lost 8 lbs in 7days. Im starting to and want to go for 21 days. I'll paly that by ear see how i feel. All and all i am very healthy, can do pushups and jog for miles but have been unable to lose this 30lbs through diet and excersise. It must be the toxins.

[Mollie]

In Glickmans book he mentions that if you aren't losing weight, you might be losing inches and just not realizing it. Did you take any measurements before you started the MC to compare with? If not, have you noticed any of your clothes fitting differen't? T

[buttercup]

Today is my nineth day on this, my first, mc. So it was going pretty well, too well, at first, none of the detox symptoms I read about in Peter's book. I even resisted temptation at the company Christmas party four days ago. I've been doing about 30 minutes of cardio on the eliptical machine at the gym during my lunch hour. I've been drinking about ten glasses of lemonade which has a total of 15 tblsp of syrup.

I started this cleanse with the idea of losing weight. However, at day two it became so much more than that. Each day I do this it is dedicated more to God and less to my asthetics. Each day shows me my strength, fortitude and capabilities, and becomes less about what the scale reflects.

BUT for the past four days the scale hasn't moved. I'm so proud that I'm not cheating (despite the incredible temptation of eating the crusts of my son's pb&j). My morning BM (more like rectal-sediment) comes before my salt flush and has actually been smelly the past couple mornings. Is this normal to plateau around this stage or should I be concerned? I don't want the toxins being loosened and then sticking to different fat cells. I'm not doing this to shift the bad stuff from one spot to another, and I would indeed like to lose a little more before my 15 day commitment is up.

(and yes, my clothes are indeed a little looser- but I lost 7 pounds in those first five days).

Thanks for your feedback!

[nainai]

Hi , I am also hypothyroid, well actually I have no thyroid (it was removed 1year 1/2 ago), so I take synthroid to stay alive. I am on Day 9 of my first MC and I've lost around 7 pounds so far. I drink lots of water and do 1 hour of slow cardio most days. Yesterday I was a bit tired and did 30 minutes and I sat out days 1 and 4 due to headaches.

It is possible to lose weight -- even with no thyroid!

[klpmomof3]

Hi Jeze,

I'm on Day 2 now, and I was nervous too about the laxative aspect of it, but it really isn't that bad. I'm using smooth move and i don't get the cramping like you would get with Over the counter laxative pills and products.

[ItalianBird]

I think that eating veges and all is great.I love them..
But dont we need some protien after w bit.Im talking after we get back to healthy eating.I cant just do veges, I need a little cheese(not big on milk)
and I do love beef(we raise it here on our ranch)I only would like to get healthier and loose about 10 lbs, what I had gained thru the holidays.(did I mention I like pie?? haha)

I hate weighting things, and haven gained any weight in 7 years, til now, but hey I just turned 49 am 5' 8" and wight 150... I ride hroses for a living, and chase cows...BUT I do have a mondo appetite... I usually do not eat sweets as they are my enemy but I let go and here I am..I usually can eat all the other foods I want, even butter... it was the sweets that put me over the top.I have weighed 135 for 7 years , til now.. only took 3 months of grazing to get there... what a drag...
I know my colon is dirty,,, hopefully clean soon and a few LBS gone as well.

IB

[AliTay]

I hear you, about not losing weight.
I am drinking only 6 portions a day and using about 1.2 tbs of maple syrup in each serving.

Doing salt flush and eliminating real well.

Laxative t in evening.

my 3rd day showed 2 lbs weight gain actually, very frustrating.

I am not able to exercise much because of a painful back problem, caused by a compressed disc.

Perhaps that's why I am not losing.

Staying hopeful,
C

Well, I hate to say this but I am so glad someone else has the same NEGATIVE weight gain/BLOAT effects as I! I just cannot figure this out- I am on day 5 and Ive actually gained 5lbs of "giggle" that wasnt there before around my stomach and thighs!! It feels very strange as I have NEVER gained weight in my legs and am a comfortable SIZE ZERO before I started the cleanse!!! My size 2 pants that are usually BAGGY are now tight! I am beyond upset at the amount of weight gain this is causing & dont understand how its even possible when I barely consume 1000 calories a day. I drink 6 drinks a day with LESS MSyrup than requested!! I have no clue if I am retaining an obscene amount of water or what?!?! I have NEVER experienced this discomfort.

Sometimes I drink 4 glasses of the lemonade at lunch period because I have to be workingthe rest of the day but then when I get home around 7 I drink 2 measly glasses then go for the tea and am done. Should I stop the SWF I dont know- I do eliminate after but maybe not as much as I should- I am trying everything and seem to be getting more and more weight around my midsection and thighs. I am going to go throught the cleanse because I dont know how else to handle this. Can one really become THAT bloated to go up a size after 5 days of NO FOOD!?!?!? YIKES ....
I am not at all over weight- Im 25yrsold & about 5'7 120 and usually very lean so this is horrible to me! I am so confused. I had a really bad diet before- lots of coffee-candy and BAD sweet tooth habits but Ive always worked out so I didnt gain from it. I dont know whether alll the bloat is from the candy, gummi bears, sour patch kids & crap in my system but this sucks! I am eliminating and everything but just liquid mostly and I cant figure HOW I could Gain weight after not eating for 4 days! Keep in touch with your symptoms- we can complain together!!!! Hope you feel less bloat tommorrow!

[sandia]

I am also on day eight and have lost very little weight. I am doing the tea at night and the salt water flush in the morning as well as exsecisng. My eliminations are not very impressive either. I have been having eliminations in the middle of the night from the tea which disrupts my sleep and I wake up very tired. Then in the morning after the flush there is no elimination. I have tried adding more salt and still nothing. Today I added the tea with the SWF and had a bit of an elimination.

My question is can I stop drinking the tea at night so I don't wake up so often and have it in the morning instead with my SWF? Or have a second cup of tea in the afternoon?

Also I have done a cleanse before which involved getting weekly conlonics which I found very successful. Could I get colonics instead of doing the flushes, and drinking tea?

[Res]

Sandia: Colonics aren't allowed on the cleanse. You should plan one for afterwards.

Everyone is different and depending on much "extra weight" you're carrying and your diet it could take time to get through the colon and cause eliminations to be more frequent.

You do need the LAX tea at night. It prepares (softens) the junk on the colon walls for the swf.

Keep in mind that even if you're all not losing a lot of weight - you're giving your body a break from eating and for most of us it's a much needed break. The body is healing while you're cleansing.

Are you clothes fitting looser? Some people lose inches over pounds. How are you "feeling"?

Hang in there. :)

Love,
~Res

[KC77]

Day 9 today of my 2nd MC and so far I've only lost two pounds! I had the same problem on my 1st MC & cut down to just 6 lemonades for this 2nd time around with just one spoon of maple syrup per drink. I did buy an electronic scale which also measures water percentage and fat percentage because I wanted to see what was going on with my body. Well, having monitored myself every morning on the scale I can report that although my weight has barely changed, my water percentage is up to a whopping 55% and my fat percentage has dropped 6%. It seems I am retaining ALOT of water but seeing my fat percentage drop helps me feel better about this MC. Last day tomorrow and I'm already planning ahead for a 3rd MC at the end of March! I feel great and I'm very happy with the lifestyle changes doing this has encouraged me to take on board. Since my last cleanse I have been on a strict vegetarian diet which I will be continuing and I drastically cut back on the chardonnay too which has got to be beneficial! I feel so good starting off the New Year with a focus on my health and well being. Even considering investing in a juicer next!

[NicoleG]

I hate to say this because so many people are gonna are liable to disagree with at me, but if you're not losing weight (and you actually have weight to lose) than up your lemonade count and add enough ms to it.
You're body could be really unhappy with how many calories it's getting and thus is holding on to weight.

[AliTay]

Day 9 today of my 2nd MC and so far I've only lost two pounds! I had the same problem on my 1st MC & cut down to just 6 lemonades for this 2nd time around with just one spoon of maple syrup per drink. I did buy an electronic scale which also measures water percentage and fat percentage because I wanted to see what was going on with my body. Well, having monitored myself every morning on the scale I can report that although my weight has barely changed, my water percentage is up to a whopping 55% and my fat percentage has dropped 6%. It seems I am retaining ALOT of water but seeing my fat percentage drop helps me feel better about this MC. Last day tomorrow and I'm already planning ahead for a 3rd MC at the end of March! I feel great and I'm very happy with the lifestyle changes doing this has encouraged me to take on board. Since my last cleanse I have been on a strict vegetarian diet which I will be continuing and I drastically cut back on the chardonnay too which has got to be beneficial! I feel so good starting off the New Year with a focus on my health and well being. Even considering investing in a juicer next! Hey there,
I have been retaining a LARGE amount of water as well- I am a bit worried because Im on day7 and my water retention seems to be moving down to my thighs calves and ankles- first my stomach area was the worst - now that has subsided a bit but my thighs down are very bloated- almost like edema, but not that drastic. Im a thin girl and had a high salt intake diet before the cleanse but I dont know what the explanation for this excessive water retention and bloat in my legs is? I spoke with my doctor and he thinks my body is flushing 'too many electrlytes out' and my body is responding by retaining water and storing it in the cells. Are you experiencing edema-like symptoms in your legs & ankle area? I am very scared as too whether to continue.Please Help!:confused:

[peanutterb]

hmmm I'd probably recommend some smart water, since it has electrolytes in it. also, stop doing the swf and see how that is going for you if you haven't tried that already.

how much water are you drinking besides for lemonade and what kind of MS are you using?

This might all balance it self out at the end of your ten days and your body will let it all go. I get a little bloated myself sometimes and as the cleanse goes by it goes away.

keep us updated

[healthyeric]

You mentioned the protein question and don't we need it...of course, but if you eat enough fruits and veggies you will get the protein you need (Dr Douglas Graham either did or reveiwed a study on this) and Frederic Patenaude (not sure if you've heard of him) talks extensively about the protein issue.

Ifyour colon is in trouble then so may be your efforts to shed pounds. Personally what i've seen work for some is this: nothing but GREEN SMOOTHIES for 3-7 days (water too). Many people find they drop as much as 5-10 lbs in some cases, and when they incorporate the green smoothies into their daily nutrition regime, they experience numerous benefits. I wish you the best of luck! :)

[brookieb]

I was so glad to see that someone else has had this problem - although I was hoping for the happy ending of "the weight fell off in the last few days..."
I am on day 6 of the cleanse and have gained a pound in the last two days! I have only lost 2 lbs total and am frustrated. I am drinking 6-10 glasses of lemonade a day (now with half the maple syrup), tons of water, exercising every day for an hour, doing the lax tea at night and SWF in am. I haven't cheated once. I can't figure it out. Plus I have only had liquid BM's each day -nothing solid has come out since I started. I'm afraid I am not getting the benefits of the cleanse. I had been pretty sick for the last 6 months+ and am doing the cleanse to clean out my body of all the medicines and to lose the weight I gained (20lbs). But I don't seem to be doing either. I don't want to be impatient but after waking this morning and gaining another half pound I was pretty concerned.
Please Help - I dont know what I am doing wrong.
Thank you!
PS. I have thought about accupuncture and massage to help with toxin elimination. Any other suggestions?

[mayablue]

I was so glad to see that someone else has had this problem - although I was hoping for the happy ending of "the weight fell off in the last few days..."
I am on day 6 of the cleanse and have gained a pound in the last two days! I have only lost 2 lbs total and am frustrated. I am drinking 6-10 glasses of lemonade a day (now with half the maple syrup), tons of water, exercising every day for an hour, doing the lax tea at night and SWF in am. I haven't cheated once. I can't figure it out. Plus I have only had liquid BM's each day -nothing solid has come out since I started. I'm afraid I am not getting the benefits of the cleanse. I had been pretty sick for the last 6 months+ and am doing the cleanse to clean out my body of all the medicines and to lose the weight I gained (20lbs). But I don't seem to be doing either. I don't want to be impatient but after waking this morning and gaining another half pound I was pretty concerned.
Please Help - I dont know what I am doing wrong.
Thank you!
PS. I have thought about accupuncture and massage to help with toxin elimination. Any other suggestions?


This could be from a couple of different factors. Depending on how much weight you have to lose, for one. If you are pretty close to your ideal weight then you will lose or gain depending on how your body chooses to heal itself. If you want to lose weight, it is recommended that you stick to the minimum of 6 - 10oz. servings of lemonade per day, with plenty of water in between. Personally, if I am also working out, I will add another serving of lemonade if I feel that I need the extra nutrition, otherwise I will just stick to the minimum of 6 servings of lemonade per day. I take slightly less maple with mine, but not 1/2 the amount per serving. If I make up 3 servings of lemonade to take to work in the morning, I will use 6 tbsp of lemon with 5 tbsp of maple. I have found this to work for me because I am still getting the minerals and calories that I need from the maple.

Another thing you can do is to add extra cayenne to each drink right before you drink them. The cayenne will help loosen things up... Also, a hot bath with epsom salts or aromatherapy can help draw toxins out of your skin, so that may also help. Depending on how your eating habits were before your cleanse, it could also be that stuff is built up in your colon and just needs a little extra help getting loose - that is where the cayenne helps out a bit, along with the lax tea at night and swf in the morning. I just came off of an extended cleanse and I noticed towards the end that I seemed to be retaining water from the swf. I love the swf, but I wanted to see the weight come off a bit quicker, so for the last three days of my 21 day mc I did the lax tea in the morning as well as at night and I started averaging about 2 lbs a day less after that. Now I am about 80% raw and my digestion is great (about 3 BMs per day8))!

[brookieb]

Thank you for your good suggestions. I was wondering today if I was taking too little maple syrup as I am pretty active. Thanks for thinking of that. And I did take on epsom salt bath but that was the night before I began the weight gain. I'll try again. I might also try the lax tea in the morning and the evening (am I only supposed to have one glass?).
My diet before this was pretty bad (for me) but not horrible in general. Do you think I just need to stay at this longer than the 10 days? I was thinking of trying for 14 adn would really like to wait until my tongue is pink but who knows how long that will take at this pace! How was your 21 day fast? :eek:

[jules68]

In Glickmans book he mentions that if you aren't losing weight, you might be losing inches and just not realizing it. Did you take any measurements before you started the MC to compare with? If not, have you noticed any of your clothes fitting differen't? T

I'm confused about this. How can you lose inches but not lose weight? It's not like you gain muscle on the cleanse. Can anyone add to this?

I am on day 6 and have probably 10-15 lbs to lose and I've only lost maybe 2 - and that is a maybe.

I have done everything according to the book, drinking approx 64 oz of lemonade with less MS. I do a shot of ceyenne before I drink my lemonade as I don't like it much.

Faithfully doing lax tea and swf.

I try to drink my tea a couple hours before bed to avoid being woken up.

I admit I was horrible at drinking enough water daily before the cleanse, maybe I am retaining alot of it? I do urinate often and the SWF is definitely affective.

I also have had very little detox symptoms and although I try to eat somewhat healthy, I definitely could have done better and think I must have accumulated some toxins in my 39 yrs to get rid of!

My tongue has a barely noticeable whitish tinge but it's normal for me. I haven't noticed a change during the cleanse. No funky coating.

not sure this is doing anything for me.

[nunu]

Jules68, I am in the same boat, day 7 for me and as of this morning I am up 4/10 of a pound. Can't figure this out. I've been doing everything correctly, yesterday I increased my water intake to about 32oz. I've been drinking 64oz of the lemonade. Using well beyone the cayenne amount as I love the taste. Teas going well and the SWF is doing it's trick. We have well water although we have a filter on our refridgerator and I'm drinking strickly from that. Other than day 3 of really being hungry, this has been very easy so far and I have not experience any detox symptoms that I'm aware of. I am having increased pain in my leg, but that is from that fact that I have stopped taking medications for a chronic back problem. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. My goal is to go 20 days. Thanks, Sheri

[brookieb]

I thought I would share a quick update for those of you in my situation. I had been gaining weight for the last two days as I had reduced my maple syrup. I increased it to the normal dose and lost 1.6 lbs yesterday! What a relief. I also did the tea plus the SWF this morning and am getting a massage to push the toxins along so we'll see what happens. Thank you for the great suggestion.

[juniperdmb]

I find that if I do the SWF every other day and the lax tea in the mornings on the other days, I show a significant greater weight loss. I mean, it's a lot of salt to ingest and it sure makes me retain water, so I imagine it happens for others as well.

[Necia]

I thought I would share a quick update for those of you in my situation. I had been gaining weight for the last two days as I had reduced my maple syrup. I increased it to the normal dose and lost 1.6 lbs yesterday! What a relief. I also did the tea plus the SWF this morning and am getting a massage to push the toxins along so we'll see what happens. Thank you for the great suggestion.

DAY 29 OF 40

Hi,
How much maple syrup were you using iniatially? You should have been using 2tbsp. If you wan't to loose more you can use one. You are definitely NOT supposed to do tea and the SWF in the AM. Better the SWF. That massge sounds great by the way:)

[sadsak39]

Hello Lemonheads- For all of you concerned about not losing weight or possibly gaining weight, you are concerned over nothing. You CANNOT gain weight doing this cleanse correctly. That is an impossibility. All you are seeing is a shift in your fluid levels which will return to normal shortly. The same for any stopped loss. It's simply a rebalancing, and what you thought you weren't losing will show up all at once in 2 or 3 days. If you want to hurry the process along, start walking (if you aren't), or do some other non-strenuos aerobic exercise. I've learned -from previous cleanses- not to even bother with the scale more than once a week. I've only been on once in the past 16 days. I'd rather judge my progress looking at my naked body each morning. That way, I don't get myself discouraged when there's no need to be. Please know that you are doing something wonderful for your body, and it WILL show. Happy Cleansing:):):):)

[iheartpeace]

In response to Jules68, I think its more likely that someone can lose a very minimal amount of weight and still lose substantial size. I've done it before, lost only 2-3 lbs but somehow also lost a couple inches in my waist, a couple on my bust and hips, and *miraculously* an inch off each thigh. This was years ago, and I so wish I could do that again, but at the time I didn't notice my size change because I was too focused on the number on the scale :(

[brookieb]

Neccia,
I've been putting between 1-2 TBS of the maple syrup in each cup. I've also been exercising every day etc. the only thing i can think of is that I have been making hot water and putting it into the mix each time. Could this be effecting it? Other than that, I have done everything. But it doesnt say you should have cold water so i did it hot (like I would to make the tea) as it is freezing out here!
Ps. so far I have lost 4.5 lbs and I am on day 8. Of course, today I am getting antsy, discouraged and bored. Perhaps this is what I was supposed to feel yesterday on day 7! I'm going to push through to day 10. I have to say I am dissappointed in the lack of weight loss as that was certainly an important factor in this cleanse - although not the most important. But I'm not even seeing much of substance in my BM's either. Is that normal?

[JerichotheRed]

:DNeccia,
I've been putting between 1-2 TBS of the maple syrup in each cup. I've also been exercising every day etc. the only thing i can think of is that I have been making hot water and putting it into the mix each time. Could this be effecting it? Other than that, I have done everything. But it doesnt say you should have cold water so i did it hot (like I would to make the tea) as it is freezing out here!
Ps. so far I have lost 4.5 lbs and I am on day 8. Of course, today I am getting antsy, discouraged and bored. Perhaps this is what I was supposed to feel yesterday on day 7! I'm going to push through to day 10. I have to say I am dissappointed in the lack of weight loss as that was certainly an important factor in this cleanse - although not the most important. But I'm not even seeing much of substance in my BM's either. Is that normal?

warm water is fine, as long as you heat it before you add the lemon/lime juice
DO NOT use "HOT" water, it kills the enzymes in the juice, it cooks the beneficial aspects of the juice right out

good luck and good cleansing

[Necia]

DAY 35 OF 54

Brook, you can have the LA at room temp, warm, or cold even, however, you are not supposed have it so hot that you drink it like tea. When you do that you do something not good I am told to the enzymes:eek: After the first morning of my SWF, I did not have any solid BM's either, They got brown and ribbin like, then a lot of butt pee;)

Somone wrote they had tea and a SWF in the a.m. I am told that is a
BIG NO NO.

I have followed this thing to the letter, not counting those first two days of guzzling Perrier, let's not loose sight over the issue:D Some people are saying they are retaining water with this SWF and that concerns me. I only feel bloated immediately after downing it. After I go a few times and the butt pee tapers off, I am fine. I also drink 22oz. of water between the LA. Except after I exercise in the a.m. I have 44oz. and the same for the p.m.
I am constantly peeing during the day so I know the water is coming out. I have begun to enjoy my jaccuzzi with the Epson salt:D:D I weigh in once a week on my starting day, which is Thursday. Sunday I was 163. If I am in the 150's I am immediately going to go the this swank Day Spa and have a one hour and a half massage. I am 5'6" and My goal is 145:) As of Sunday I have lost 22lbs:p Everyone notices the change but me sometimes:confused:

To all of you that are not getting the results you want quick enough, it will happen trust me, especially if you are doing this exactly as prescibed. 10 days did not do it for me, I still had a lot of toxins coming out. But, if 10 days is all you have to work with then you have accomplished your goal:):)

I sure hope I am in the 150's tomorrow because my back is killing me and the pain came from nowhere. So did the heartburn.

Please, let's keep supporting each other and answering questions where we are knowledgeable. This board rocks!!!!

[sadsak39]

Necia- Day 35You are totally Awesome!! This is my final day on the cleanse, 21- and I honestly don't think I could continue any longer. The last 3 days I felt as though I had overshot my goal, and I should have stopped at 18. I felt finished with my cleansing then and was only continuing because 21 days was the goal I set at the beginning. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the juice tomorrow. Good Luck! I'll be rooting for you. I'm going into the raw food challenge after a 1 week Swiss Detox which is a food cleanse. I thought it would be a nice transition to the raw, and you lose a pound a day on it, and I want to lose more weight.
Sherry:):):):)

[Necia]

Sherry, how is the
ORANGE JUICE fasting? Amazing I am sure. Are you juicing them and have you made your soup yet?

GOOD LUCK:D:D:D:D

[karebearninja]

HI all! I'm a newbie and this is my first cleanse. Day one is almost over and boy did it hit me hard.:eek: I was on a diet before Christmas that was really going well, not the raw, but I was watching my portions and managed to lose about 20 lbs, then Christmas came along and all that work went spiraling downhill. Eversince, I have been eating fast food and junk. I am doing the MC to get me back on track and to get rid of the toxins of a lifetime. :)

I was reading on this thread and you all seem very encouraging, so I'm sending my good will vibes out to you.

Day 1 is the pits, but it will be totally worth it to be toxinless.

Thanks guys,
Kerry:D

[Res]

Kerry Welcome Aboard! :D Things will get better - you'll see. :)

Visit us in the "2008 What day are you on and how are you doing?" thread. It's one of the busier threads and you'll find a lot of answers and encouragement along the way. :)

Love,
~Res

[fxyMNgrl]

Hi everyone! I'm on Day 8. I just wanted to let you all know that I switched from Grade A Dark Amber maple syrup to Grade B yesterday and overnight I lost 2 lbs! Do you think its a coincidence? Or did I just loose a bunch of toxins or something? Hope you are all having a good day :)

[sadsak39]

Sherry, how is the
ORANGE JUICE fasting? Amazing I am sure. Are you juicing them and have you made your soup yet?

GOOD LUCK:D:D:D:D

Necia- Yes, the OJ and oranges do taste amazing, and you'll be enjoying them soon! I wonder if you hold the longest cleanse record. I haven't ever seen anyone post over 50 days!! You must look Amazing!!!
Sherry:):):):)

[singer312]

Today is my first day, and so far I am doing ok. My mom talked me and my husband into this and I am not to sure what I have gotten myself into. I am a little worried about working out while doing this. I typically work out four days a week- treadmill and weights. But after I work out I am very hungry. Does working out during the MC increase your hunger? I really want to be able to stick with it, but if I am too hungry it will be that much harder. Especially when you are surrounded by co-workers that are constantly eating.

[cleansweep]

Hi Everyone!!!

This is my first time doing the MC and I'm so excited! I'm on Day 1 and I have to say it hasn't been fabulous. I've been fighting off the hunger today. When does the hunger go away?

Unfortunately, my job requires me to cater lunches. I have 4 this week, so this is definately a test of my willpower.

I have also been worried that working out will only make me more hungry. Any comments? Normally, I go to spin class first thing in the morning. I think it might be too strenuous at this point.:confused:

Thanks to all the posters. Reading the threads has gotten me motivated to start this!

[everevolving]

Cleansweep, I'm sure it's different for everybody, but that hunger feeling WILL go away. For me it took about 2 full days. The 3rd day I felt really great in all ways (okay, more like the end of the 3rd day, but who's counting?)
I did some yoga yesterday and felt really hungry afterward. Yoga always strikes up a huge hunger in me, and for a moment, after class, I thought "I'm not going to make it!", but I made sure to bring some lemonade with me to class for just this reason. After taking it, those hungry feelings instantly went away. I was definitely a bit more sluggish the rest of the evening, but not unbearable. I was still able to do what I had to do, just had to lay low earlier in the evening.

Play around with your exercise regimine. Honor yourself. In the end, you'll be pleased that you did this, but the first couple of days you may have much self doubt!

Happy cleansing to you!!
Warmly,
Em-Dawg

[JasmyneLuv]

Day 2 of the cleanse. This is my fourth time attempting to complete the minimum10 days. It is always very hard for me. I don't know why. I intend to lean on a lot of you guys for support. I am truly inspired by so many of the lemonheads on this board.

1st MC 5 days
2nd MC 3 days
3rd MC 9 days (I know. Crazy)

[cleansweep]

Thank you so much everevolving! I woke up today feeling surprizingly well! I've been a little hungry today, but it's mainly just resisting the urge to eat out of habit. I decided to hold off the the exercising again today. I will try to get started back tomorrow.

My husband thinks I'm crazy for doing this, but I am determined to make it!

JasmyneLuv--I'm on day 2 as well. This is my first try, but stick with me and we will make it--I promise! I would love to hear how you are doing since we will be at the same point.

[JasmyneLuv]

Good morning Cleansweep - Awesome! I've had family members do the cleanse with me in the past and they quit the first or second day. Today is the beginning of Day 3 for me. I am feeling pretty good. I really do believe I'm going to make it this time. I'm going to take it one day at a time. How are you?

[yomama]

Jasmyneluv it is so funny my numbers are almost like yours..except this is my 3rd attempt..
MC 1= 5 days
MC 2= 3 days
MC 3=? (currently on day 4)

Hopefully I will make the 10 days:-).

[JasmyneLuv]

Jasmyneluv it is so funny my numbers are almost like yours..except this is my 3rd attempt..
MC 1= 5 days
MC 2= 3 days
MC 3=? (currently on day 4)

Hopefully I will make the 10 days:-).

That's encouraging. I am not alone. I believe that we can both make it to 10 days this time. Remain positive and focus on the benefits of the cleanse. So far, this is working for me.

[Shaun_adams]

Well here I am... starting day one and this SSF is going to be the death of me. *laughs* But with every swallow, I keep reminding myself this has to be done.

[fmapainter]

I am very interested to see how much I will lose after 10 days. I have not decided how long I will do this, I'm just going to go with what my body tells me. I am just finishing day 4 & I feel wonderful. I've lost 13 pounds the first 3 days & I was really shocked by that, but happy.

This is a great board, thanks for all your help!

[Russell]

I am on day five and have 11 pounds:D
Of course I was overweight when i started.

[teddy64]

so this is day 1 for me. I started with the tea last night and salt water this morning... this is my first time so I don't really know what to expect... i know i need to change things in my life, from health and spiritual level...

anyone have any suggestions on how to stay focused???:confused:

[msmiarose]

I am on Day 2, and I haven't lost any weight.
Is there something wrong?!?!!

Or actually I might have. I'm not sure. I don't have a scale in my house and last time I went to the doctors I was around 136 and then I went on a cruise and well everyone knows how that goes.. and
ya.. I'm thinking I might have lost 1-2 pounds but.. who knows.

I really need to get a scale.

I'm going to go buy one right now.

[darjeelingirl]

I'm on day 6 of my 3rd cleanse and I am thinking of joining Curves tomorrow - but I wonder if that will be a good idea or not... I KNOW I need to build more muscle - and I need some sort of structure/accountability to get me going again. I have been sooooooooo inactive since last fall and am about 50lbs overweight - will Curves be too difficult for my body while I'm on the cleanse? What if I wanted to keep cleansing for say... 30 days or so - does my body have anything to build muscle with while on the cleanse? What would happen? How would I know?

I have been reading all over this site and know that my motivation for doing this cleanse is lopsided - mainly to lose weight - I figure why struggle with the same 10 pounds up and down (when I'm already 50 over) when I could lose the 50 and struggle with the 10 at the lower end of the scale...? But the trouble is, I think I'm woefully low on muscle mass. I did a cleanse in Jan and lost about 8 lbs but gained it all back and then some even though I was eating way less than I used to (for real, that much has changed, I know). I am way out of wack though - as much mentally about cleansing/exercising as physically - but I'm sick of it and have finally reached a turning point in my mental outlook lately - I'm ready for a real life style change and want to make the move/commitments for the long haul to make it happen. So that's my motivation for joining Curves at this time as well, but I don't want to cause any damage or something...

any thoughts?

[droselle1]

I started today, adn was very nervous after reading the entire book - it sounded like the SWF woudl be unbearable - it was not. I am only mid day, but all the testimonials in teh book almost kept me from doing this! I am following everything to the letter and weened myself off caffeine before starting. It may very well be mental, but my energy level is high and my outlook good. Best of luck to both of us. this is my first time. droselle1

[Bogi]

I'm on day 6 of my 3rd cleanse and I am thinking of joining Curves tomorrow - but I wonder if that will be a good idea or not... I KNOW I need to build more muscle - and I need some sort of structure/accountability to get me going again. I have been sooooooooo inactive since last fall and am about 50lbs overweight - will Curves be too difficult for my body while I'm on the cleanse? What if I wanted to keep cleansing for say... 30 days or so - does my body have anything to build muscle with while on the cleanse? What would happen? How would I know?

I have been reading all over this site and know that my motivation for doing this cleanse is lopsided - mainly to lose weight - I figure why struggle with the same 10 pounds up and down (when I'm already 50 over) when I could lose the 50 and struggle with the 10 at the lower end of the scale...? But the trouble is, I think I'm woefully low on muscle mass. I did a cleanse in Jan and lost about 8 lbs but gained it all back and then some even though I was eating way less than I used to (for real, that much has changed, I know). I am way out of wack though - as much mentally about cleansing/exercising as physically - but I'm sick of it and have finally reached a turning point in my mental outlook lately - I'm ready for a real life style change and want to make the move/commitments for the long haul to make it happen. So that's my motivation for joining Curves at this time as well, but I don't want to cause any damage or something...

any thoughts?



I think you would be surprised how much energy you have to work out! I went back to the gym during my cleanse after more than a year of "couch potatoe-ing" and started to work out again. Within a few days I was jogging an hour and never mind not having solid food for a month!
Curves is a great place, I used to be a member in a very similar gym. It's very comforting that there are only women there, a very friendly, fun environment, you will feel at home (no intimidating 20 yo. perfectly tight bodied girls, more likely everyday women) The 30 minutes work out is absolutely doable and it's perfect to get back to the habit!
It's a fantastic idea to join, you're going to benefit a lot! You can't do damage, just respect your body. Although most of the days you're gonna feel energetic, it's possible that sometimes you'll have detox symptoms and can't work out, but no worries, most of the people can stay very active during the fast!
I'm really happy for you that you start exercising. Don't forget, that the first 2 weeks is the hardest. After that you're body adjust to it and you can't even imagine not to work out anymore! You'll be a changed woman soon! YAAAY FOR YOU!!!

[amanisgran]

I am new to this site and very nervous as well. Especially about the salt flush. I have high blood pressure and am on meds. Can I substitute something for the salt. If anyone can help me out with this that would be good.
Thanks
Amanisgran

[darjeelingirl]

Thanks Bogi,
You're absolutely right! The Curves near me was closing down, so my son and I actually ended up joining Anytime Fitness instead. We've been having a great time and I am so surprised how good I feel. I am learning a simple routine and taking it easy. The exercise really helps with not feeling so cold, too.

I'm on Day 8 and going strong!

thanks for the encouragement! :)

[HIUDOIN]

I started the cleanse on Monday and by Wedneday I lost 6 pounds. However, since then the scale hasn't moved. I've followed all of the directions and even gone to the gym each day to either do cardio or circuit training with weights. I've also started drinking the tea in morning and adding more salt for the SWF. I'm shooting for 10 days but if things don't change I may stop on Sunday. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
HIUDOIN

[crashdrlne]

Hi, I have been Hypothyroid for 14 years and I take 100MCG of Levoxyl and 5MCG of Cytomel. I want to start the cleanse and I was wondering if I should (obviously) stop taking my meds while doing the cleanse. This is very frightening to me as my hypothyroidism has taken a turn for the worse and I have put on 50lbs. in the last eight months. I am so tired that I have no energy to work out and my body hurts all over. My doctor tells me that I don't need to "detox" and that I just need to deal with the weight gain, etc. Any thoughts? I'm also looking for a new endo in the Seattle area.

[mtmouse]

You should never stop prescription meds on the cleanse, and certainly you should not do so without consulting with your doctor.

Just be sure to take the meds after the SWF, and far enough away from it that they don't get flushed out. I usually take my thyroid pill after my last SWF elimination (about 1-1/2 hours after starting the SWF).

[amelie35]

Day four, massively bloated.:(

I am drinking 6 cups of lemonade, doing the tea at night, SWF in the morning, exercising a little.

I'm wondering if the SW is making me retain water? How could I go for four days with no "real" food and not lose weight? I'm worried...

[scoots75]

I am a compact muscular man who needs a certain amount of musculature kept in tact for the business I'm in. I am contemplating doing the cleanse, I'm only afraid the fast will eat away the muscle I've built up. Will there be a serious deterioration in muscle tissue on a 10 day cleanse? Any advice or experiences shared would be heplful....
Thanks...