The Master Cleanse

Ok, so I went on the popular and infamous Master Cleanse two weeks back (the lemonade diet) and let me tell you it sure was an insightful and disciplined journey. (Remember this was the diet Beyonce did before she stared in the movie Dream Girls). The suggested minimum time period for the liquid cleanse is 10 days and you aren’t allowed to eat anything, drink anything or smoke anything other than this self-prepared harsh lemonade. In order to get the maximum result of giving an overworked digestive system a rest and cleansing, drop some unwanted holiday pounds IMMEDIATELY I had to focus, and PRAY! I must admit after coming off a holiday season filled with food GLORIOUS food, an overindulgence of alcohol and fine wine this was a real stretch for me because I am a CHEF for crying out loud! I’m constantly around food, I have to shop for food, I read and blog about food and am in conversations worldwide with friends on twitter, FB and email about FOOD! And not to mention I drink!

So the very idea of 10 whole days with no food or wine left me reluctant and insecure on if I could actually pull this off. I got through exactly 8 days suffering from headaches, stomach aches, muscle aches and sleep depervation. I read in the booklet “The Master Cleanse…by Stanley Burroughs” that these symptoms would occur because all the toxins and impurities would start to release from my body and it was part of the cleansing process.

The way I got through the self-punishable and grueling 8 days was to completely ignore my craft for that time period. That meant I had to ensure I had no work coming up, such as private dinner parties, cooking demonstrations, lectures and private chef gigs. I had to reject invitations for dinners with friends and when in lunch meetings I had to bring my 16oz. water bottled filled with this self-made, hot-lemonade concoction and look completely foolish as the only one not EATING!! WTF????

Food looked and smelled enticing and inviting…for the first three days that is. After the first three days and when the aches began to subside, I believe I crossed over. Day 4, wasn’t as difficult a task in accomplishing my goal and I was on my way.

I could’ve gone the entire 10 days and maybe a little further…14 days, 16 days, maybe even 20 days?? But I got a phone call from new client Harvey Mason Jr. to chef his wife’s birthday dinner at their private home. And all bets were off!

I lost 8 pounds in 8 days, but the best thing I can say I received from this was in reality it not only cleansed my system, purified my glands, helped drop the holiday weight, but it built self-confidence, deepened spirituality and gave me clarity that I had never seen or felt before with just plain ole’ dieting. By denying myself in this way, I was able to make choice decisions for my life. I will definitely cleanse again and quite often.