*After The Cleanse*

[Res]

ilovelemon: this appears to be a universal dilemma: What to eat? How to eat? We're dealing with more than food here - and of course it's obvious that those of us who gain weight have returned to over-eating for a variety of reasons. A biggie is emotional eating or eating for comfort.

Pick a lifestyle and stick with it. You probably won't learn this overnight - none of us have. Fit for life offers a great plan. An all raw diet is fantastic if you can stick with it. There's so much more and since my mind is mush at the moment I'm hoping other's will chime in on what they're doing.

The big thing is dealing with emotions and handling stress without turning to food.

Love,
~Res

[sopheetsa]

Res, I couldn't say it better-- and I have to thank you-- for all the help you've given me -- but despite that-- I STILL feel like I CAN'T DO it, ie, "pick a lifestyle and stick with it". I HAVE done it (in the past)--and it WORKS when you pick a good one. I am fortunate to be affluent enough to be able to "pick", but unfortunately, at this time in my life-- I'm one of those who "returned to over-eating for a variety of reasons." and definitely for me: "A biggie is emotional eating or eating for comfort."

And like you ilovelemon (I love lemon too! ), I am an "extreme person"-- I have done well on the cleanse-- and I have gone out of control on other occasions and it feels like "it makes no sense!!"-- or like I'm not doing things intelligently-- or undermining my own progress by what I do. Right now I'm on the cleanse but my big issue is figuring out what that "lifestyle" should be when I go off. I didn't go completely out of control on the holidays-- or rather-- I went out of control in a "controlled" fashion. I was deliberate about it-- because I thought carefully about how out of control I was already in previous months and I made a plan. It was scary to realize how "out of control" I can be-- and that it takes less time being "out of control" to GAIN weight-- than it does to LOSE the same weight. I'm afraid to really look at it-- but I think the ratio is something like 1:3 or worse, meaning it takes only 1 "out of control day" to put on what I can lose in 3 on the cleanse. It ISN'T that I HAVEN'T been a "healthy" eater for LONG stretches of time and don't know how to do it. I've read a lot about nutrition and I know a lot, and I've already put it into practice for many years in my life. I was a vegetarian for over 20 years. I've kept my body in pretty good health. I've exercised daily, eaten mostly organic food...and not had food issues for LONG periods of time.

But right now-- my life is at a place-- where, I'm finding it very difficult not to make food the kind of "friend" it really isn't--and--I'm sorry to say that this is a very difficult thing to share with you all. But really my problem is how to learn to live with food, how to learn to take care of myself, my body, my health-- and I'm sorry that I've gone on so long to say this.

My love to you all-- and my hope that together we can do this and find a way.

soph

PS: To put this in perspective on the national level--here are some excerpts from "USA TODAY":

Weight gains as a health concern<--click for whole article



Epidemic among children and teens

•One-third of children and teens in the USA — about 25 million kids — are either overweight or on the brink of becoming so, the highest number ever recorded, the government said in April.

•Even babies in the USA are heavier than they used to be, a report found, adding to the growing concern that childhood obesity is spiraling out of control.

•One-third of the USA's adolescents are unfit, and overweight teens are more likely to fail a cardiovascular fitness test than those at a normal weight.

The problem is one of the 21st century's "most critical public health issues," says Jeffrey Koplan, chairman of the report committee. "There is no one segment of society that's going to solve this alone. It has to be a concerted, coordinated effort. That's one of the things that's missing now."

Time bomb for adults

The news is pretty grim for adult Americans, too. About two-thirds of adults, about 136 million people, are overweight or obese, the government said. Public health officials fear an explosion in obesity-related health problems.

Other research found that overweight Americans are sicker late in life than normal-weight people and die prematurely. One study concluded that obese women spend an average of three more years in ill health than normal-weight women. Heavy men, on average, are sicker one more year than their thinner counterparts.

[TeePee]

Day 10 is tomorrow and I think I will end after that. I have never gone longer than 12 days as my body always seems to say "enough" by then. AFter the first cleanse 2 years ago, I stopped eating all meat and dairy. I think the biggest influence for me was The China Study and Diet for a New America. I then began eating fish and cheese a few months later. I have not been eating well for several months now and I am cleansing as a way to get a fresh start. I have been reading so much about the raw lifestyle, and I am convinced it is the best choice. I bought several books and began reading them BEFORE i started the cleanse this time. I bought a juicer last week (New Year's Eve) and I am going to start that way. I think I will do the 2 days of OJ, then on the 3rd and 4th days post mc- I will begin juicing vegetables and other fruits. I have not had any problems ending the cleanse the prescribed way in the past. I am hoping this will be fine as well. I have been researching raw restaurants in my area, and hoping to check one out next weekend. That will be 6 days post cleanse. Closest one is about 1 hour away. I know how easy it is to fall back after the mc. I am hoping this doesn't happen.

Everything I'm reading supports how amazing people feel 100% raw. I would love to take that amazing mc feeling and have it last for good. It seems like the raw people have that feeling all the time! I am really struggling this time though, because in the past on the cleanse, when I would crave something, I knew I would be able to have it soon enough. Now, while detoxing, I'm thinking to myself "if I go raw, I won't even be able to have that when I'm off the cleanse!!" I know I have to take it one day and step at a time, but it is overwhelming to think about it while cleansing sometimes!! The biggies for me will be my homemade pasta w/ red sauce and locatelli cheese. and parmesean reggiano. Oh, any cheese for that matter. I try to imagine myself making nut and seed cheese. And dehydrated crackers and bread!!

The thing to consider also is that we are constantly changing beings and although change is difficult, it is necessary to thrive. A great book about that is Who Moved My Cheese?(NO PUN INTENDED) It is an easy read and can be applied to just about any situation in which change is needed, even when you don't want to admit it. I find people thinking I'm crazy when I talk about the raw food lifestyle, but it is so much easier for people to always do what they have always done. I am going to give it my best shot!! Here's to change for a new year!!

[lakefront]

Heya -- So I'm done! It's Day 11 & I've just been chugging some fresh apple juice and bits of OJ (which tends to be tougher on me.) So far so good: I'd say I feel a little bloated -- which means, I guess, that the juices are sitting in my belly longer than things have been this week? So that's a feeling I'd be happy not to have, but no pains or anything, so that's great! I _was_ worried about how this transition would go, but it seems to be going OK... Yeah for that!

Lakefront

[jenjasper]

Hi Christine: Welcome-- and CONGRATULATIONS! It sounds like you've figured out a lot--I think you're right about the "reset" button-- the cleanse is really great for doing that. I hope that you stay with us now that you're going to come off the cleanse and join us here *After the Cleanse*.

We're all here trying to figure it out-- and trying to remember to push that "reset" button everyday. Kim-- I HEAR YOU-- I haven't exactly done FOUR cleanses -- I'm between number 3 and number 4 (although since both of those were interrupted one could make a case for my having done five already...) but however you count 'em-- I am STILL struggling with what to do-- and how to EAT-- either BETWEEN them or AFTER them-- or whatever you want to call it-- and I could use "h-e-l-p" too!

I think we all know that great as it is to get outside help-- the best help-- is the help that comes from conviction from within, the determination we all can have-- to do what really is right for us-- and I know you really get it mtmouse in what you're say about "balancing" our energy!



Learning to love our own selves is part of this equation,-- not only our hips, butts, and thighs (in my case my enormous oversized waist), peannutterb, but all of who we are-- which includes what it took for us to get to this place and be who we are. This is part of finding balance. Because the place of judgement is not in balance, only the place of compassion is. And all too often-- as we run around taking care of others-- we forget--to take care of ourself-- and that self-- needs to hear something positive coming from within.

Like Res says-- it takes baby steps sometimes. One little baby step at a time-- to get past this "emotional/self image stuff which goes deep into the psyche"-- and if anything is clear-- from this bb-- it should be that none of us has to feel ALONE--because we're here TOGETHER.

This is one place, as HealthyBiz reminds us, where we can stay connected and get support. I know that I can come here and tell you guys what's going on, and if I'm having a bad day-- people will come through for me-- and this is the greatest blessing! It is truly amazing. But sometimes-- the most important thing-- is to find your own self.

Today I went to a retirement party for someone who is 80 years old, fit as a fiddle, retiring on his birthday. I had to remind myself every minute-- that everything I do is a choice. I didn't eat the muffins, cake, cheese danish, or the macadamia white chocolate fudge cookies, and there were plenty of them. Instead I had the melon, apples, grapes, blueberries and pineapple-- and, as I was fighting with someone for the blueberries, he teased me: "Where's your blender? Where's your blender now? You have to take all this stuff and BLEND IT!" and getting a good laugh at me-- and I was laughing too.

Believe me-- this is not easy-- and I hope, with every baby step, it gets better.


My love to you all.

soph

I just wanted to say thank you for your post and your opennes and your honesty...there are pyshcological changes that take place with the fast as well and after reading many of your posts i see that i am not alone...i can totaly relate to how you feel being out of control..for me, being on the fast is comforting to me because i don't have to think about what to eat and how to avoid the vegan chocolate chip cookies at whole foods...i totally feel that i have some sort of eating disorder, don't know what it might be called, but i feel like i have very little authentic control of my eating and i feel dissappointed in myself that that's the case because i pride myself (or so i thought i did) on being in control and able to handle anything-you know that whole mind over matter thing...i am on MC 3 and i had intended to go 21 days and talked myself out of that and then planned on 15 and have since talked myself out of that and basically i'm struggling to make it to day 10- which sadly is only 3 days away...this is just a crazy feeling but it's comforting to know that others are battling similar feelings as well...good luck and take care

[sopheetsa]

dear Jen

believe me I understand how hard it is & thank you too for your openness and honesty! please remember, that ultimately it isn't about how many days you do on the cleanse. please do remember, that the most important thing of all (to repeat what I said that you quoted) isn't so much to have "control" -- but to have compassion. notice that everytime you read my post, or someone else's, you are probably filled with compassion as you hear about our struggles. the hardest thing of all is to have compassion for yourself, the way you would for someone else. at the point when you can do that, then maybe you can begin to take care of yourself the way you would someone else, especially a dearly loved one.

learning to take care of ourselves is truly important.

-- wish you all the best!

love, soph

[Res]

Wow Soph; that photo.

I think you said it all here;

But right now-- my life is at a place-- where, I'm finding it very difficult not to make food the kind of "friend" it really isn't--and--I'm sorry to say that this is a very difficult thing to share with you all. But really my problem is how to learn to live with food, how to learn to take care of myself, my body, my health-- and I'm sorry that I've gone on so long to say this.

Never apologize. Your honesty benefits all of us. *hug* Yeah, it's not that the cleanse is earth shatteringly difficult, it's always how to deal with food afterwards.

Was is Jen who voiced the same thing we've all said or thought, (paraphrased) "the cleanse is safe because I don't have to think about what to eat or drink"? Yes, most of us go through that and a certain sadness develops when getting ready to end the cleanse because our "safe place" suddenly becomes wide open and we feel as if we're on shakey ground. The best way to deal with this ahead of time is to come up with a "plan" and stick to it no matter what. Even if you have to force yourself. You should plan on doing this for 2 weeks or a month. Just something to help with the transition.

More later, have to run.

Love and compassion to all of you!
~Res

[belle411]

OMG I don't have time to post too much but after 12 days of the cleanse (ended Sunday), I have NOT been doing well post cleanse! I've been eating in the evenings, and it's back to my old patterns but just not as much. And I do GREAT on the MC! I was SO depressed about it , but just coming here & seeing other people struggle w/ similar emotional eating issues made me feel like not such a failure (not that I want others to have the same problems but it's nice to see the support).

I don't have time right now at work to read it all and stuff but I do feel a little better. Today I think I'm just doing all day lemonade / juice again. I'm fine during the day, it's the evenings at home that have been killing me.

Anyway, thanks Res, peanutterbe & Soph for all the wise words.

[HealthyBiz]

I just have to share an article I just read tonight on Prevention's website. Some of you will have heard about this study, but this is the first I've read about it in any detail. The director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University has done a series of experiments proving we eat with our mind and our expectations, rather than with true hunger or letting our stomachs or bodies lead our choices. Fascinating. Some big learnings in here for me. Enjoy!

The article is called: Fridge Wide Open: Step inside one scientist's food lab to learn why we eat as much as we do--and 10 ways to stop ourselves
http://www.prevention.com/article/0,...%20Wide%20Open

[CitrusB]

well its definitely "after" for me- i sort of missed having the lemonade all day but i knew it was time so i made the fresh squeezed oj &added water to it- i feel a little odd but ok. what i am sooo wanting is something salty- i almost missed the SWF just for something different other then citrus! i was looking over the soup recipes to make myself feel hopeful but am a bit confused as to when i get the soup- since today is one day after do i start with the soup/broth on 3 days after or can i start this tomorrow at night...please can i?..haha. i am getting a little weird here and some of it is from the unbelievable temps here in califor. i know. we are wimps..but please it is 27 degrees out and there is no food in me to fuel that cold. ok. i am done. tomorrow is another day- veryvery grateful for this BB!