Continuing Weight Loss After The Cleanse

[Aussie_Yank]

Hi everyone,

I just want to say that you're all doing a fantastic job in making the effort to look after yourself!

I don't post very often, but I do read the board when I can. I've been fasting a couple of times a year for a few years and have only discovered this board a few months ago. I did a 3 week fast in January (a combination MC/Juice fast) and have been off it for about a month now. I've only gained back about 2 lbs. since coming off the fast and hope to maintain my current weight.

Just to give you a brief overview of myself....

Around my 30th birthday (12 years ago) I saw a video about the foods we eat and how much fat, etc. most people ate in their diets. This inspired me and I immediately went out and bought a blender and started changing my lifestyle (making smoothies for breakfast, no more fast food, plenty of healthy snacks at hand). At the time I was about 175 lbs. Within 6 mos. I had lost 50 lbs and dropped about 4 sizes.

I must admit I was a bit fanatical and wouldn't eat anything with more than 3 grams of fat per 100 grams. For exercise I walked for an hour (I was too embarassed to go to the gym). I read a lot of books (my most inspirational at the time was "Eat More, Weigh Less" by Dr. Dean Ornish) and cut out red meat.

When I moved to Australia 10 years ago it was hard to find "fat free" foods like I could in L.A. My weight did fluctuate quite a bit over the years, but not to my previous level. When I started fasting a few years ago I noticed several changes within my body and realized that it was something that I could benefit from by doing regularly.

About six months ago I went vegan (no more chicken, fish, dairy, etc) and have really noticed a change. I have gotten some great recipes from "fatfree.com" and have also gotten all of the MacDougall cookbooks as well as many others. I have been experimenting with new recipes (about 3 a week) for the last 6 months and am still going strong.

I can now fit into my old college levis (yes, I held on to them all these years...hoping that some day they would fit again ) and am very happy with my current weight.

To me, it's about education. The more I read about diet and nutrition the more I want to have a healthy diet. The hardest part is dealing with other people who are not on the same wavelength. Aussies always have butter or margarine on their sandwiches and the good old Aussie BBQ is mostly steak and sausages, with lots of oil.

People nod and say they should eat healthier as they stuff another potato chip in their mouth, but until something drastic happens nobody wants to do anything. A lot of people have been commenting lately on how skinny I am now and want to know my secret. But as soon as I tell them that it's a lowfat vegan diet I think they tune out.

I went to a baby shower last weekend and there were about 6 plates of "snacks" on the table. One of fruit (which I could eat), but the rest were all cakes, biscuits, chips, etc.

Most of the time if I'm going to a dinner or BBQ I bring a side dish (which is then my main dish). I also bring my own snacks (vegies, rice crackers, homemade dips) which everyone can share in.

To give you an idea of my daily meals....
I usually have a "Lemonade" as my cuppa in the morning, then have a green smoothie for breakfast (occasionally I'll have toast if I'm still hungry - with hummus, avocado, refried beans or jam). I then cut up my snacks for the day to bring to work. This is usually a couple of pieces of fruit, a carrot, celery, radish, cucumber (whatever I happen to have in the fridge). If I have leftovers from dinner I'll bring that with me as well. I graze all day on these foods and make sure I've got plenty of food so that I won't be tempted to buy "other things". For dinner I try out one of my many lowfat recipes and make extra to freeze. That way on the nights I don't feel like cooking I can just take one out of the freezer. I bought a bunch of those plastic takeaway containers to freeze meals in.

Although my husband does eat meat, it's not often and he has to cook it himself. More often than not though he'll just eat what I cook and only have meat when we go out.

Sorry for the long post, I think I just got carried away. It's nearly 3am and I should be in bed, so good luck to everyone on their journey....I'm proud of all of you.

Cheers,
Aussie_Yank

[pinealoppe]

Hello;
I just recently found this site and I love it! I am only on day 2 of my MC and I plan to go for 14-21 days. I'm more concerned with continuing to loose after I break it. I don't plan on staying vegetarian forever however I will until I reach my goal weight. I was somewhat concerned with calorie intake afterwards and exercise regiems. For those of you who have continued to loose I was wondering how many cals you consume?
at what rate have you been loosing?
What is your exercise regieme?
Did you get loose skin?

[jeffnj]

Hello everyone - thanks for checking back in after the lull. I was away for a couple of days with no access, but I'm back tonight. Anyway - how is everyoine doing? Pinealope - I got your message, and saw your post - I responded to your email. Anybody have any successes this week? Anyone stray from the path? I have been eating a bit more - albeit fruits and veggies - the last couiple of days - I have been excercising alot and I have been a bit hungrier. But I am still getting full quite quickly, and trying not to overdo it - even with good stuff. I have been using a corn/multigrain thin "rice cake" product by a company called "ReaL Foods". These are called CORN THINS, and have only 23 calories per slice. They have several flavors are make a great snack... By the way - I have no relationship to the company -so this is not an advertisement - just mentioning something i like.

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Jeff

[Res]

Cool Thread.

Offbase, NOW I know what you were talking about. C'mon back and let's chat. *Hug*
You're not the only one who's put a few pounds back on *cough*... : The thing is this, get back on the horse and come out Hacking and Slashing because you have to do something. This weight watching is lifelong for some of us. Sometimes we'll do well, sometimes we'll crash and burn. But then that's what your Lemonade Buddies are here for, to catch you when you fall. I know you're discouraged. You worked hard last cleanse and you know you can do it again. Identify what put the weight back on. It helps to either avoid it the next time or at least be aware of it. I'm with you.
Love you.

Thanks to everyone here for spreading the encouragement like manure...it helps things grow ya know.

G'night
~Res

[OffBase]

Res, BABY!
I'm back, catching up on posts.

[Res]

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D I knew you'd make it back!

I think I'm starting tomorrow! I'll catch up with you when you catch up on reading posts.

*Smooch,
~Res

[FastBoySlow]

I ended my first MC 2 weeks ago.

I lost ~ 20lbs, which I was quite pleased about.

I was expecting to re-gain some of this, but was hoping that it could be kept to a minimum.

Anyway, the scales revealed that I had put on 4lbs in the past 2 weeks. So not too bad.

I have tried to improve my eating habits - with more fruit and vegetables. This has been through soups, juices and smoothies. I have bought a Juicer and Smoothie Maker in the past few weeks.

Also, I have only eaten meat twice (on separate days) since stopping the MC - this means 1 steak and 2 sausages for the month of February.

Plus fish (salmon, tuna and mackerel) on 4 occasions.

I have been taking a P&B shake first thing every morning. What a vile concoction! I can just about make it palatible by adding juice. I can only find the powdered Bentonite here in the UK, and find it impossible to mix properly. I tried it in the blender, and it turned out like jelly (= jello for US transaltion).

I have ordered some liquid Bentonite from the US so, hopefully my P&Bs will improve.

Any pointers for mixing powdered Bentonite gratefully received!

[kelsea823]

Hi FastBoySlow,

This is my first MC and I am on day 5, doing pretty well, but I was curious what P&B shakes are??

Thanks!

[Guest]

P&B shakes are probably the most disgusting "shakes" you will ever consume. They aren't actually part of the master cleanse, but some people add them and call it an Ultimate Cleanse. They are an additional means of purging the system, made of psyllium husks (the fiber they make Metamucil with) and bentonite clay. If you thought the salt water flush was bad, wait till you try these....

[kx414]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, just know that I need some of you Masters to pass on some words of advice!

Today is the start of my day 3 OFF of the cleanse, and I have already gained back three of my pounds ! I came off BY THE BOOK so I'm not sure why this is happening. It's very discouraging. I haven't had a BM since Sunday so I think I'm going to drink some of the smooth move tea to see if that helps at all. This is what I've had:

Saturday night (last day on the cleanse), I took my Triphala.

Sunday (day 1 off the cleanse), I took my acidopholous in the morning with a glass of diluted organic grapefruit juice and sipped very slowly. Later on I had a glass of diluted organic orange juice, sipped slowly. I ate a small organic orange at about 1pm. Then about 3:00 had another diluted glass of organic orange juice. About 6pm, had another small organic orange. I also drank lots of water in between all of this.

Monday, at about 8:30am I had a diluted glass of organic orange juice. About 9:40 I ate a small organic orange. At noon, had another glass of diluted organic orange juice; 2:00 had another orange. Made the vegie soup for dinner (was quite surprised with how yummy it was as my man and I just winged it). I did eat the veggies (green beans, celery, peas, carrots, tomatoes, red cabbage, potatoes and red kidney beans). And had 2 rye wafers. I also had a TON of water today *approximately 80oz.

Does this sound correct?? Would eating this light really make me gain back 3 lbs??? Please help!

Tonight I feel so bloated and I don't know why! So frustrating...