Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I have two friends who tried it, and gave up, not because they couldn't hack it but because they weren't losing much weight, after the initial water weight drop of having less food in their system to digest. They were slender and already ate quite clean before the cleanse.

Some people say it really worked wonders to kick-start them into healthier eating, but they tend to be people who eat a lot of processed food/alcohol so probably just giving up that stuff and eating less is helpful not necessarily the cleanse.

You can find radical statements on either side, but I would say it's a bit over-hyped--it's about 1,000 calories a day with the maple syrup component, so any low calorie diet, particularly a liquid one, will cause you to lose some weight. Although I'm sure someone will post how dangerous it is, I doubt that you'll experience anything dangerous (although I hear the 2nd day is a bitch) other than feeling a bit weak but you might get less out of it than you think...

I've fasted and tried low-calorie diets to lose weight, and always lost more and had more energy when I was eating something--seems to keep the metabolism more revved up. But sometimes we all get obsessed with trying something new, so if it is that attractive, please report back if you experience Nirvana and weight loss all at once ;)

They are called "fad" diets for a reason. ;-)

It's funny you bring this up - I have tried a number of fad diets (albeit half-heartedly) and have found that even if the numbers drop a little, they jump right back up as soon as I decide to return to normal eating again.

Yesterday, after not going to the gym for a week and not paying attention to what I've been eating, I weighed myself and found I'd actually LOST weight. It was a pleasant surprise, and I think I went down a whole dress size because this skirt is very loose, but also kind of frustrating because you can try SO HARD to lose a few "bikini pounds" or lose them without thinking about it.

I really think the best thing for overall weight loss and health is to just listen to your body - eat until comfortably sated, eat foods you enjoy, de-stress as much as possible, and eat healthily but not neurotically so.

If you want to lose some water weight that will realistically jump right back on after two weeks, go for it! But don't be surprised if you find it painful, probably nauseating, frustrating, and possibly fruitless in the long run. Still, the beach is calling....

I made this concoction one morning- figured I'd give it a whirl. It was truly horrible. Worse than the sum of its parts.

You might want to read this article regarding the concept of "cleansing" and "detoxification."

http://quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/detox.html

@beth1 - VERY good point!

I heard this on the radio. Someone called in and told the announcers about it and they were so intrigued that they tried it out for...a day. They couldn't last. It sounds completely unhealthy if you ask me! Try exercise and eating healthy (I know, easier said than done...but definitely better than THIS method).

Hillary
Chew on That

Oh, and I lost 15 lbs the last time- I gained around 7 lbs back within the first couple days, but since then my weight has stabilized and all of my clothes are much looser.

I did the cleanse for 19 days. I felt great by about the 3rd day, amazing energy, good sleep, clearer mentally and really good workouts. I did speak with a doctor after I had done it and the general feeling is that it isn't healthy. It can affect your metabolism and cause something called fatty liver.

It's recommended that you also drink a laxative tea at night and a saline flush in the am with the lemon drink during the day. You do lose weight, but it is water weight. As soon as you eat, you go back to your normal weight. I am a healthy eater, so I didn't have any ill affects from lack of caffeine, nicotine or sugar. In the end, all it really proved to be was a test of willpower and discipline. As other posters have mentioned, a balanced diet with exercise will achieve better results in the long term.

All things in moderation.

Other than 3 hours of Atkins about five years ago

@blackolive - I lasted four days! And to corroborate the above statement about it not being fun for those around me - Bingo.

I'd love to say Atkins is the worst of the worst of fad diets. But there was another one - Fit For Life. OMG. How lame. This diet touted "food combining" as nirvana and tried to explain to people that consuming a lean turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with mustard, lettuce and tomato was bad for you - because you ate bread with your meat; oftentimes referred to as "flesh." Way to trick people into vegetarianism! Under cover of "food combining."

When you embark on a mission to lose weight, cutting down on fat and bad carbs, watching portion control and increasing water intake, you usually experience a "first week weight loss" that will register on the scale and in your mood. (It's a real shot in the arm when you want to see results.) Sure, a quick, all liquid jolt to jump start a diet plan makes sense in theory but as long as you lose weight by doing something you can't maintain or adopt as your "normal way of life," the results will quickly reverse themselves. This is the dictionary definition of a "fad diet," the magic bullet, a quick fix to a problem that can be remedied by replacing a lethargic lifestyle with moderate exercise and eating better food in sensible quantities.

I tried everything. Alli (does the term "anal leakage" mean anything to you?); Weight Watchers (points? When I want to do math, I'll balance my checkbook); Jenny Craig (OMG. This stuff is food "colored" but WTF is it??); Hydroxycut (jittery? WHO ME?) - short of the cabbage soup diet. When I made a conscious effort to watch portion control and upped my exercise, I started to like what I saw on the scale and in the mirror a lot better. This doesn't even take into account that I felt much better and performed lots of strength-based tasks whenever opportunities to do so presented themselves.

When you do things to honor your body, it's a whole new 'tude.

I've had a few friends who have done the Master Cleanse, and every single one of them swears by it. A lot of them don't do it for the weight loss, but more for the fact that it makes them feel great afterwards. They feel "purified."

I'm no medical expert, but I have the sneaking suspicion that the reason they feel so great is because after literally starving yourself for 7-21 days, your body gets its first taste of sweet, sweet food, and it feels euphoric. Well, folks, that has nothing to do with "detoxing" your body. There have been studies that show that during periods of semi-starvation, your body becomes preoccupied with food -- a natural survival instinct.

But I'm not going to completely knock the idea of Master Cleanse. The act of fasting has been around for centuries, and it holds a lot of symbolism in the idea of the power of mind over body.

Just don't do it to lose weight. It won't work in the long run. For a healthy body, moderation and exercise are best. And if you want to "detox" your colon, eat LOTS of fibrous foods: whole grains, fruits with skins, leafy greens and lots of nuts and legumes. Your poo will thank you.

@ original poster: Maybe it'd be better to just eat "clean foods". Lots of raw vegetables and fruits. Rice, clear soups, organic salmon (simply cooked).

I

@chiff: AMEN! Having been zaftig my entire life, I have tried literally every diet on the market. The gods saved me by my getting pregnant with my daughter, I swear. Not only did I only gain 15 lbs. during pregnancy (understand, those of you who are inclined to disbelieve, I started at 185 lbs.), but I felt amazing (once the morning sickness dissipated). Reason being, I was eating fresh, organic-mostly, local and healthful meals...3 regular and two small per day. I contined said diet while nursing and just haven't stopped. Daughter is now three. I credit pregnancy for awakening my latent desire to nuture through good food. And, although I may never be thin--I like cheese and dislike vigorous exercise far too much for that--my weight is balanced, my skin is clear, my hair is shiny and I have the energy of a size six woman at a size sixteen.
Really, it works, folks...just cultivate a healthy and respectful relationship with what you put in your body and all will be well.

I tried the master cleanse about 3 years back, but only for 4 days (due to some life circumstances) Those 4 days were actually quite helpful, and kickstarted my weightloss and physical activity.
I was fairly sedentary (though I walked to and from work every day, about 1 mile each way) and had some poor eating habits.
After the cleanse, I had more energy, and began going to the gym, and eventually went from (6'2") 230 pounds, to 198... I've slacked off on the gym slightly since then, but maintained most of the eating habits, and currently I'm 210... It's probably not for everyone, but I did find that it helped, even for such a short duration. The energy increase was the biggest benefit I found.