Cleansing

[Ragdoll]

I'm new here, so forgive me if you have ever discussed this and I'm not aware. (You can always direct me to your previous discussions.)

I was wondering if any of you are familiar with various cleanses for the body. I tried one a few months ago and it was good for me. I am thinking of doing it again, but I want to permanently change the way I eat following the cleanse, and my willpower is just a little lacking! I know changing the way I eat NOW will help... and it will prepare me for the clease as well. (The cleanse I used was the "Lemonade Cleanse" and lasted 10 days. Here's a link: http://www.supernatural.com/Wavelengths/Eb...sterCleanse.pdf )

 

Does anyone have any tips on changing to a healthier diet and keeping that WILLPOWER stong??? My goals are to eliminate processed sugar as much as possible, and eat many more raw foods as well as more whole grains. What do you do to motivate yourself to keep your fingers out of the cookie jar and the freezer where the ice cream keeps calling??? I know I can just never buy them again, but they call me when I'm in the grocery store too!!! Maybe I should have someone else do my shopping???

[Guest Guest]

they sell ice cream at grocery stores? oh, guess I just never go down those isles.

 

I don't go down, chips, crackers, soda, ice cream isles. I avoid it like the plague. I also eat before shopping, make a list and STICK TO IT!

[springledge]

Check out the Master Cleanse for the easiest (in my opinion). http://curezone.com/cleanse/bowel/master_cleanse.asp

For the rest, just don't have it available. Replace it with fruit/veggies. It's really that easy.

[Ragdoll]

westbrook ~ Where do you get the willpower??? I guess breaking myself of the sugar will help. The last time I did the cleanse I didn't really want sugar, but over the last couple of months I have been eating whatever I want. I'm sad... I need to grow up!

 

RaineLovesJ ~ That's the same cleanse! Have you used it? I was pretty successful the first time with some good results. I just have to break this cycle! I need the food police to sit on my shoulder!

[Guest Guest]

Westie conned me into doing this *miracle diet* and today is day 3 for me. While is it not a purported *cleanse*, I believe that it is in some ways accomplishing that also...

 

I think part of it is getting to that point where we get *sick and tired of being sick and tired*. I know that what put me over the edge was when I went shopping last week and tried on some clothes and they were so tight. Memories of the days when I could walk in and walk out without trying things on are still fresh in my memory, but more than that, I DON'T LIKE WHERE I'M PRESENTLY AT.

 

For me, sometimes I hafta go through my *waa waa waa* process and get that outta my system. Eventually, I'll get to the point where I can buck up and do what needs to be done to effectively gain a solution. Already, when I look in the mirror, I'm feeling better, so that continues to motivate me to keep going. It's that first starting that is so difficult, but once we start, we can get on a roll.

 

The other day, I picked up my oldest daughter from school...I've made this *diet* fun...I'm whining to anyone that will listen to me and joking about it and all. She got in the car and opened up a bag of snacks and was teasing me by making me listen to her crunching and going on and on about how salty they were and all that stuff lol. I just told her and myself that it wouldn't be like this forever. Those snacks will be there in a week (when I'm done with this goofy thing) if I want them. Sometimes we gotta stop acting like we HAFTA HAVE *BLAHBLAHBLAH* OR WE'LL NEVER HAVE IT AGAIN...at least that's true for me. So I go without a chocolate chip cookie TODAY? Well maybe I'll decide to have one next week. It's not that I can never have a chocolate chip cookie again...it's more that I CHOOSE to forego having one right now...

 

I dunno, that's just how I work with my thought processes. I'm sure we're all different but I think if we're reasonable with ourselves and avoid setting up traps that feel like we're being caged, the results are far more reaching in the long run.

[Mother]

Okay Mom, I know that everyone that seemingly has willpower thinks that EVERYONE should have will power but lets get serious here. First, the real problem here is NOT willpower. I bet you have enough will power for doing other things in your life, right? Just not the food thing. There is a reason for that and it has nothing to do with your mind. It has to do with physiology. Your body believes it's starving. Plain and simple, your body,,,,,,not your mind.

 

Without going into specifics here which would take half a book, the main reason most people have these cravings is because they are not feeding their body to encourage it to function properly. Each body has a set of systems that function together to retain homeostasis, which simply means to keep things running smoothly. There is a whole series of feedback loops within these systems that help the body to maintain homestasis. In your case, It's more than likely that your metabolism has probably become mixed up and your body THINKS it's starving even when it's not. Some of the reasons can stem from past dieting where you've gone on diets and fasts and managed to reset you metabolism to act more slowly so that you DON'T lose weight, so that your BODY doesn't starve. Some can come from genetics. Most of it comes from incorrect eating for an extended time until the body has had to constantly correct itself until it automatically runs that particular way.

 

I'm not saying it's easy to change your body back to it's more normal processes. Even knowing what I know I have not been able to do it in a year but I AM better and the cravings HAVE subsided. The ice cream no longer screams "eat me, eat me" like it used to. Thankfully, as others know on here, Peeps are my one downfall. Pure unadulterated SUGAR laden Peeps. I limit myself to only holidays now though and it doesn't bother me.

 

What should you do about it......It will depend on your body type and what you have done in the past to put the homeostasis into a tail spin. I know you will groan when I tell you this but the best thing you can do is EAT and EAT often. VERY often. OH not cake and candy and icecream for sure, but good solid food. Five times a day times a day at the least, six is better. By all means start with a cleanse if you want, however, be aware that your body will believe it's starving worse and perhaps go into a tail spin but at least a cleanse seems to give you that release from sugars and carbs that it is used to getting and helps you focus better. It clears some of the mucus and the toxins that are putting up road blocks to getting well. BUT..

 

When you are done with the cleanse and with the slow induction back into the world of foods by using fruits and veggies, make a plan that you can stick to. While you are cleansing, start making lists. Clean out your kitchen and pantry of all the "screaming" foods. Not because you will never have them again but because you will have a better chance at sticking to your guns without all that "noise"!

 

Not only make your list but also start cooking. Yup, cooking. You will want to be eating some form of protein, preferrably a lower fat version of your favorites but I know that chicken, turkey and fish are some of the best. You will want to have lots of that cooked up, packaged in two or three ounce portions and put in the freezer so when it comes time for a snack or a meal you can grab the right foods instead of feeling frustrated. You will want to have plenty of high fiber carbohydrates on hand, even the lowly white potatoe. You will want oatmeal and other whole grains on hand. Not bread or flour products though as they are not high enough in fiber even if whole grain. Sweet potatoes, normally thought too high in sugars are well worth using. You will want to eat lots of veggies, small amounts of grains and starchy veggies, small amounts of fruit and small amounts of protein at EVERY meal, snack and etc. EVERY time. You will especially want to eat a protein and perhaps a grain FIRST thing in the morning. That is important. Then you will want to eat protein EVERY time you eat something else. Two ounces is plenty which isn't all that much, about half the size of your palm actually. If you fail one time and find yourself eating that dish of icecream, MAKE yourself have some meat with it. Chicken, etc.

 

The reason for this is that you need to FEED your body. Every two or three hours, feed your body. Believe me, this is NOT easy. You will get so tired of eating and you will get SO tired of having a piece of meat or some protein each time that you will want to scream. But it DOES work. Drink plenty of water while you are doing this as that helps flush out toxins that will slowly start to release.

 

Do not be discouraged if you do not see results at first. Do not be discouraged if you slide back, just pick yourself up, say "well, that wasn't good" and move back to feeding your body properly. Do not forget veggies. They are your vitamin and mineral sources. But most of all, do not forget that breakfast thing. None of the meals have to be big. In fact, the small meals are actually easier to handle over the long run but they should each contain a small amount of protein, a small amount of starchy complex veggies or fruit (potatoes, grains or legumes or beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, apples, plums, peach, pear, melon, etc), and low calorie veggies (celery, tomatoes, green or yellow beans and a ton more.

 

I can almost garauntee that the cravings will subside within a couple of weeks and even within a few days sometimes. The hard part is staying on it long enough to re-adjust the body's homeostasis point. To reset the metabolism to a higher point. The problem I find is I get tired of EATING. When I can make myself stay on it, I have NO cravings at all. I lose weight steadily and I feel better. But when I go off it, like I do often, I gain weight back and start craving again.

 

No matter how healthy you eat, if you don't feed your body correctly,,,,,for YOUR body, not for the normal person, it will not function correctly and it will show it by causing you to crave. Cravings are most often the sign that the body is in need of something. Feed it correctly, feed it often and see if that doesn't help....

 

Sure hope this helps some.

 

[Ragdoll]

Wow... good advice Mother! You are right when you say that my body is begging to be fed properly. I have never dieted. I have only done the one cleanse. And after years of being pretty inactive, I have started taking karate and feeling the benefits of building some muscle tone and strength. Now I have to just change the way I eat. I know it needs to be veggies and fruit and a good source of protein. I always buy the best quality and leanest meats. I want to learn more about combining grains and legumes and nuts to get good sources of proteins. My aim is to eat more whole foods and get rid of the processed foods in my diet. I want to cut the sugar!!!! Funny that I don't worry about how much I weigh because I am building muscle from all my karate workouts. I just want the fatty bulky stuff gone!!!!!

 

I really like the idea of eating smaller portions more often. And thank you for the thoughts on making a plan. I wish I could just come up with a plan for a whole year... menus, grocery lists and all and not have to think about it anymore.

 

Any ideas on specifically strengthening the heart muscle??

 

[dogmom4]

Older post with some interesting thoughts.