Common Question: How Do I Keep the Weight Off After a Cleanse?

I am surprised at how many times we get this question at the Yahoo group. Many members are frightened by internet urban legend that laments, "once you come off the cleanse, you pack on huge amounts of weight the moment you eat a morsel of food." These claims are often made by people who either didn't actually do the cleanse, or did the cleanse and went back to crappy eating afterwards.

In spite of the consistent evidence that weight is lost when you burn more calories than you consume - people still ask about what it takes to keep weight off. By confusing the basic answer, companies pocket kajillions of dollars while consumers bounce from solution-to-solution - believing that the answer lies in a remedy that can be purchased off the shelf.

So here's my official answer to the common question about managing weight after a cleanse:

1. Break the cleanse properly. Don't miss a single step in the process as described in the book.

2. Make a slow return to eating. Don't have a bacon cheeseburger right after you complete the "breaking" process. Remember, your metabolism slowed during the cleanse and requires some time to increase to normal levels. Naturally, if you pack in the calories now, you can't metabolize it all.

3. Reduce portions. Today's inhuman portion sizes produced lots of spare tires. Don't judge the proper portion by the tub of pasta served by your favorite Italian food restaurant. I had a small-dang-boat of pasta (Rigatoni Martino) at Carrabba's yesterday. I jumped in head-first and almost got lost in the bowl. It may have been delicious, but normal serving sizes say that my tub held enough food for probably 3 servings.

4. Exercise. Physical exercise helps the body burn calories. If you're gonna burn more than you eat, you must be physically active. Don't buy into the notion that you must have the latest exercise video to do this. Do what you enjoy. Garden. Walk. Ride your bike. There's no magic. Just get moving. If you choose to just control food without exercise, prepare yourself for tiny tiny portions. In my opinion, such a lack of balance isn't healthy.

5. When health is just as important as weight loss, improve the quality of your food. Some people just care about weight. While that may work for them, I'm also interested in long-term health results. In that case, choose whole complex carbs over simple and processed carbs (e.g. white bread, white pasta, etc.) Include lots of "living" foods. It's the living enzymes in food (such as uncooked vegetables) that aid our digestion. Don't fill your days with dead, overcooked, over processed food with no nutritional value.

6. Keep life interesting. Many "diets" require you to omit certain foods for life. That's a great way to lose interest in food and go back to gorging on your favorites. Make sure your eating includes small portions of things you love and some exploratory foods, like the purple whattsit-veggie that you've never seen before.

7. TRUST YOUR BODY'S CUES. You are your own best advocate. You know how certains foods and habits make you feel. Instead of hoping that somebody else's prescription will work for you, learn to manage your own health. You know when you're getting full. Push away from the table. You know which foods make you tired. Don't eat them and cause yourself to skip exercise. See my post on "Doctor Yourself" about your responsibility to learn about your personal health and stop letting propaganda rule your decisions.

Rock on.

The Day After: Attack of the Oranges

October 19, 2005

I would really like to thank all the oranges that gave their lives to sustain me today.

As most cleansers know, the day after a cleanse is all about the orange juice. It feels strange drinking something besides the lemonade. In fact, I have to dilute my juice. Too strong.

Mom treated to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's tonight. I went with the healthy onion soup (no cheese and no floating crouton). After a single shallow bowl, I was stuffed! I bit the tip off a french fry... and was unimpressed. I have no taste for it. If I ever return to a life of junky food... it will be about stress and habits... not taste.

I developed a pain in my left ankle today which got worse as the day progressed. I was limping by evening. I figure it's a cleanse symptom, but it's feeling like a real injury.

I had no problems with the soup, although it was likely made with a beef broth base. Didn't upset my stomach or anyting.

It amazes me that I can drink juice all day, eat a small serving of soup, and feel like I had a 4-course feast.

Screw 4 to 6 months... I'm doing this cleasne again in January!

More tomorrow.

Cleanse Day 10, Part I: To Be Or Not To Be Done(?)

October 18, 2005

Where did the time go? Here I am, on big DAY 10... the day I settled would be the last day of the cleanse.

I've had some healthy elimination today, and it makes me wonder if I should continue. My tongue is losing the coating, and the book says a normal tongue is a sign that the cleanse is over. My teeth are almost fuzz free, and I still feel great.

I have to take this opportunity to give big ups and a hearty thanks to Wolf Pacheco. my coworker who blessed me by sharing this cleanse. I'll never forget sitting in Wolf's office... when he was on DAY 18 of his second cleanse... and seeing how utterly healthy and "changed" he looked. Besides having one of the coolest names on the planet, Wolf is one cool dude. He was always willing to hang a shingle and become Dr. Wolf when I nagged him with questions about the cleanse. Wolf is going for round 3 in January or so. Check the blog, because I might too!

Speaking of blog... there's more to the cleanse than the 10 days of lemonade. There are days of coming off the cleanse, and years of adopting to a healthier life. I'll keep this blog alive until the server crashes - or the Lord returns - whichever comes first. I look forward to sharing life after this cleanse... and all future cleanses.

Tomorrow is a day of orange juice. I don't know about you, but that sounds scary to me after days of drinking a certain mix. Sometimes I imagine that I'm so clean inside, any solid food eaten over the next few days may burst straight thru to the other end like a deadly missle.

More later, as Day 10, Part II will be my last post for the cleanse.

Tomorrow is a new day. Look forward to Post-Cleanse Day 1: Attack of the Oranges!