Aimzster
Dianna GMy Lemon Detox Experiment
August 23rd 2007 02:48
Since hearing that Beyonce Knowles publicly attributing her svelte figure in Dreamgirls to a Lemon Detox program, a friend of mine recently joined the cheerleading team for what is also called the Lemonade Diet.
After ten days, she said she lost ten kilos and was practically bouncing off the walls as she gushed how much more energised and happy she was because of her lemons. I thought ‘lemons’ was another word for some kind of recreational drug and I was about to walk out of her apartment then and there. Then she dragged me over to her fridge and showed me a drawerful of innocent-looking fresh lemons.
She proceeded to tell me about the benefits of the Lemon Detox program – how it effectively cleanses your body, strengthens your immune system, makes you feel energised, gives you a positive, happier outlook on life while also clearing your skin, making your hair shinier and, most importantly to a lot of people, helps you lose weight. All these benefits just by replacing all solid foods with up to 10 glasses of the lemon mix a day (mix of lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper) between 5 to 14 days. As I rolled my eyes, thinking of other failed fad diets, she assured me that the drink provided enough nutrients to satisfy one’s hunger cravings.
I sat there, glowering as she continued to gush. Then I realised I had been doing that a lot lately over the course of winter. Glowering. Glowering at my hubby for taking up the pathway everytime we walk and practically pushing me onto the grass with a litter of shit; glowering because I can’t seem to ‘seal a steak’ properly; glowering at Billy Blanks everytime he tells me through the TV to stop bouncing. I had lost my motivation to exercise regularly and eat properly and while I imagined with horror the grease oozing out of my pores as I devour another KFC 2 piece feed, I couldn’t seem to stop.
Hearing my friend humming to herself as she prepared another lemon drink and seeing the glow on her face, the sparkle in her eyes, I finally decided to try this detox program – not to lose weight (I am a firm believer that to lose weight and keep it off, you need to get off your ass and exercise, exercise, exercise) but to cleanse my digestive system so I could be regular again instead of feeling bloated and constipated which had sent me to many sessions of glowering, slumped over the toilet and my hubby threatening to lock me in there until I came out of my ‘black’ mood.
Planning to only do it four days or however long it took to get me regular, I began the program the next day. In addition to the lemon drink, I also had to drink a cup of laxative tea at night and a cup of salt water first thing in the morning, all to help with the bowel movements.
The taste of the lemon mix was surprisingly…nice. It doesn’t beat my cappuccino or Coke Zero but I wasn’t gagging on it like I was with the Poo Tea. The first six hours of the program was pretty good – no protests from my stomach at 10am when it realised it had skipped breakfast. I felt full and didn’t feel weak or lethargic from lack of solid food, although a little envious as the smell of lasagne heating in the microwave wafted into my office. Then 3pm rolled around and my stomach let out a long, loud, rumbling sound like my bellybutton was farting. And it refused to stop. For the next three days. In meetings, I had to conceal the rumbling sounds with a series of coughs that my throat was getting sore. During the quiet periods, I found myself snarling at the image of my friend cheerfully telling me I would not get hungry while also fighting the feeling of weakness creeping in.
Home was no better. I had to lock myself in the bedroom while hubby prepared his dinner and slept early to prevent myself from raiding the fridge. I had no energy to exercise and my mood only got worse. On top of glowering at everything, I started talking aloud to myself just to I could drown out the protests of my stomach. Despite drinking the laxative tea and the salt water, there were no bowel movements for the first two days. After it finally came on the afternoon of the third day, I thought I was going to pass out.
While I had lost half a kilo during the course of three days, my skin remained sallow, my eyes dull, my hair as brittle as always, I felt faint and very irritable. While my friend reminded me that I had to stick to the program for at least another three days to get the full benefits, I was sick of hearing my hubby now threatening to drive me into the middle of Blue Mountains and leave me there and told her, as nicely as I could, that the Lemon Detox program had done its job for me and that I would probably not look at lemons the same way again.
Have you tried the Lemonade Diet? Or any other fad diets?
After ten days, she said she lost ten kilos and was practically bouncing off the walls as she gushed how much more energised and happy she was because of her lemons. I thought ‘lemons’ was another word for some kind of recreational drug and I was about to walk out of her apartment then and there. Then she dragged me over to her fridge and showed me a drawerful of innocent-looking fresh lemons.
She proceeded to tell me about the benefits of the Lemon Detox program – how it effectively cleanses your body, strengthens your immune system, makes you feel energised, gives you a positive, happier outlook on life while also clearing your skin, making your hair shinier and, most importantly to a lot of people, helps you lose weight. All these benefits just by replacing all solid foods with up to 10 glasses of the lemon mix a day (mix of lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper) between 5 to 14 days. As I rolled my eyes, thinking of other failed fad diets, she assured me that the drink provided enough nutrients to satisfy one’s hunger cravings.
I sat there, glowering as she continued to gush. Then I realised I had been doing that a lot lately over the course of winter. Glowering. Glowering at my hubby for taking up the pathway everytime we walk and practically pushing me onto the grass with a litter of shit; glowering because I can’t seem to ‘seal a steak’ properly; glowering at Billy Blanks everytime he tells me through the TV to stop bouncing. I had lost my motivation to exercise regularly and eat properly and while I imagined with horror the grease oozing out of my pores as I devour another KFC 2 piece feed, I couldn’t seem to stop.
Hearing my friend humming to herself as she prepared another lemon drink and seeing the glow on her face, the sparkle in her eyes, I finally decided to try this detox program – not to lose weight (I am a firm believer that to lose weight and keep it off, you need to get off your ass and exercise, exercise, exercise) but to cleanse my digestive system so I could be regular again instead of feeling bloated and constipated which had sent me to many sessions of glowering, slumped over the toilet and my hubby threatening to lock me in there until I came out of my ‘black’ mood.
Planning to only do it four days or however long it took to get me regular, I began the program the next day. In addition to the lemon drink, I also had to drink a cup of laxative tea at night and a cup of salt water first thing in the morning, all to help with the bowel movements.
The taste of the lemon mix was surprisingly…nice. It doesn’t beat my cappuccino or Coke Zero but I wasn’t gagging on it like I was with the Poo Tea. The first six hours of the program was pretty good – no protests from my stomach at 10am when it realised it had skipped breakfast. I felt full and didn’t feel weak or lethargic from lack of solid food, although a little envious as the smell of lasagne heating in the microwave wafted into my office. Then 3pm rolled around and my stomach let out a long, loud, rumbling sound like my bellybutton was farting. And it refused to stop. For the next three days. In meetings, I had to conceal the rumbling sounds with a series of coughs that my throat was getting sore. During the quiet periods, I found myself snarling at the image of my friend cheerfully telling me I would not get hungry while also fighting the feeling of weakness creeping in.
Home was no better. I had to lock myself in the bedroom while hubby prepared his dinner and slept early to prevent myself from raiding the fridge. I had no energy to exercise and my mood only got worse. On top of glowering at everything, I started talking aloud to myself just to I could drown out the protests of my stomach. Despite drinking the laxative tea and the salt water, there were no bowel movements for the first two days. After it finally came on the afternoon of the third day, I thought I was going to pass out.
While I had lost half a kilo during the course of three days, my skin remained sallow, my eyes dull, my hair as brittle as always, I felt faint and very irritable. While my friend reminded me that I had to stick to the program for at least another three days to get the full benefits, I was sick of hearing my hubby now threatening to drive me into the middle of Blue Mountains and leave me there and told her, as nicely as I could, that the Lemon Detox program had done its job for me and that I would probably not look at lemons the same way again.
Have you tried the Lemonade Diet? Or any other fad diets?
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Comment by Chic Critique
You're right, good diet and regular exercise are the only way!
Not that I can talk - mmm...that KFC feed sounds like a good idea for lunch....
Help! Stop me!
Cheers
CC
Comment by Aimzster
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Comment by katyzzz
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Your lemons look great, another meaning for a lemon is something that doesn't work.
Plenty of fibre and fruit for going to the toilet.
Aimz, ever think of going to the doctor, there could be some hormonal imbalance.
Love and kisses and hugs and stuff and starry starry nights.
katyzzz
Comment by KylieW
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I think you're absolutely spot on. To lose weight you need to eat crap food and exercise your butt off.
Comment by Tracy
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Comment by Aimzster
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Hi Kylie, I know, eh? I actually spoke to another girl who had tried out the lemon detox as well and actually fainted!
Hi Tracy, exactly. But a lot of women would try anything.
Comment by Lara M
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Comment by JayBee
I too am on the Lemon Detox Diet (Day 2 - not that I'm counting) And feel like absolute sh*t. I have a severe headache and I feel like I can't concentrate at all. I totally light headed.
The only thing that is keeping me sane is the fact that it will be over and done with in 5 days time.
Oh to start a morning with a coffee - what a dream! But the whole point is to do this so it changes the way you look at food and changes your eating patterns. It isn't a long - term thing nor a cure for weight loss.
It's a way to change your lifestyle - not change your dress size.
Jen
Comment by AmyHuang
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Although I have heard some very whacky diets over the years as my mum and my cousins are big on them.
Firstly there was the chilli Lemon diet - quite similar to the Lemon Detox but you basically mix chili powder and lemon juice together and drink it for a full three days without eating.
Then there is the ham diet, where you just eat ham, and nothing else.
My personal experience with these is not really diet but for the general wellbeing - slice up some lemon, put them in a mug with a bit of honey, pour hot water over them and stir. I have a cup in the morning with breakfast and a cup at night after dinner just before sleep. These have been keeping me happy and improving my skin!
Comment by D. Armenta
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When you deprive your body of fat, carbohydrates or anything else it needs, your body goes into emergency mode.
That means it *stores* any and all fats, carbs or whatever else it can find instead of burning them for fuel.
Chronic dieting puts your body into a state of constant vigilance--even exercising won't get rid of unwanted fat as quickly because your body has been fooled into thinking it is being deprived, thus storing instead of burning.
Don't take my word for it--this is basic physiological science here, that can be verified on any legitimate medical or nutritional site.
Science doesn't lie. The media does.
Comment by --[[Kayla]]--
I follow Hollywood pretty closely [[sorry...]] so of course I hear alot of what fad dieters have to say.
I am also a firm beleiver in workouts. I take dance, various martial arts, and I occasionally do some Tai Bo.
Back to the talking thing, though.
I realised that alot of people eat when they're bored. I do it. I heard one dieter say "Alot of times I ask myself...'Why am I eating this?'"
So I started asking myself that while I waited in line at school. I looked at myself piling on the bread, the hamburger, the french fries, and yadda yadda and I asked myself...Why am I eating this?
I did the same at home and I realised that I was a random eater. If there was a commercial on E! I would get up and look in the cabinet out of habit. That often led to needless snacks.
I also take a tough love approach. I heard a quote from that new book "Skinny Bitch" and it said 'Everytime you put crap in your body, you ARE crap'
Well, I DO like my ego..
So I started going to the salad/potato/soup/sandwich line at school instead of our daily special of chinese and three-cheese lasagna. Our high school has MANY food choices...
I think it's working quite well!
--[[Kayla]]--
Comment by Anonymous
6 weeks post detox and I have kept the weight off with my healthier eating lifestyle.
Cheers Guys Jackie
Comment by Anonymous
I am currently on the Lemon Detox Diet - day 2. I have never followed a detox program before and my diet was pretty poor. I did a whole heap of research before starting this and I have heard of absolute nightmare scenarios where people have said the salt water drink in the morning is worse than childbirth, that they felt continously hungry, that others felt they'd black out etc.. but I decided to give it a go and see for myself. The verdict? Well, it's too early for a complete verdict, but I can honestly say.. so far so good. I must say I do feel a little more tired than usual, but I attribute that also to the fact that I'm not having my usual 2 or 3 cups of coffee. I don't feel hungry at all - and I'm a fairly good eater usually - it's just the psychological thing of not eating solid foods that is challenging for me. Still early days for me on this detox, as I'm aiming for 10 days but if side effects continue at this minimal level as has been so far, I'll be very pleased. I haven't yet started to see any real tangible benefits, but I'm only half way through day 2.. so we'll see how I go...
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
Just buy any 100% maple syrup from coles or woolies, make sure it's only 100% tho, it will coles about $7-$10 and if you like substitute some of it with organic black strap molasses, it's full of B vitamins.
i want to try it.. i have bought so much maple syrup it's not funny... now I’m just waiting for the right time to start.
This diet if a copy of the original ‘master cleanse’ ß google it and see what you can find… you don’t need that very expensive tree syrup stuff.
Comment by Lemon Detox Diet
Not everyone should go for this diet, if you don't like the idea of luquid diet or feel pain or something like this, please, try another diet. However, for many people lemon diet detox is very effective and easy to be involved in.
Comment by Anonymous
lots of love _______.
Comment by Danni
Comment by AmyHuang
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It's called the Cowen diet or something it is more of a change of lifestyle and what you eat, and make you weight and measure everything you eat each meat and discipline yourself not to eat 'unheathly' things like drink coke, coffee, eat chocolates etc.
It's a much healthier diet to be on!
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
It is totally true. I have never been as beautiful as I am now because I don't concentrate on my faults anymore. I just keep seeing myself as fit and beautiful. Eat healthy, work out, be happy, keep seeing a fit you and .... it will happen. It also helps to look at pictures of yourself from when you were happy with your weight. This is why the hollywood stars are so gorgeous and age so well. They keep thinking about the good stuff.
About the lemon diet:
I drink lemon and ginger tea when I'm feeling a bit off/bloated. Boil ginger for about ten minutes, just a bit will do. Add some lemon juice. Skip dinner and just drink this tea. There is no need to do it for 10 days though. That is just silly.
And if you are having trouble with your bowel movements some yogurt will always work.
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
well, I too decided to try this crazy diet, after reading some positive and some negative coments... I am on day 4! and I am counting! This is hard, eventhough I am eating a bowl of cabbage soup every night and slip in a few fruits every now and then. I feel terrible today, I have absolutely no energy and feel very light headed. the moody thing...I m alright, no nick names yet...lol But today I feel sooooo weak and very irritable...I m conforting myself with green tea, but it is hard when my boyfriend (who is a great cook and eats 24/7 without gaining one kilo) makes himself homemade hamburgers and fries...and all i get is a bowl of cabbage soup.. tomoarow, i will start the not eating at all for hopefully 7-10 days. I have to say, that when since I started I already lost 2 kilos and a half which is good news, but the hard part will be to keep off the weight... I whish all of you who are in this diet good luck, and stay strong, you are not alone in this!
ps: can anyone tell me what that salt water mixture does and how to prepare it???
Thanx, Sarah
Comment by Anonymous
Wish me luck...
Tara
Comment by Anonymous
Love, Kylie
Comment by Anonymous
The last couple of days has been hard, but not as hard as I thought!! Yes I have felt tired, a sore head and am dying for FOOD, but only after a day or so I have already lost a couple of Kg's and my skin looks great! And yes Kylie, dinner is the hardest... I've actually allowed myself a small bowl of home made vegie soup for dinner to stop me from throwing in the towel, but I'm still getting results. I feel this is as much of a mental detox as well of a physical. Kylie, I would love to keep in touch with you as I'm doing this alone and it's not easy at all, but I do think the results are worth it!!
Keep strong, Tara!!!
Comment by Anonymous
Started well. Developed a bad headache at about 1pm. Lots of work to do so I have small egg sandwich and a couple of sips of black coffee. Felt immediately better and good all afternnon. Not at all hungry now. Going to try to stick with it all day tomorrow...stay tuned!
Comment by teeney79
9 and a half days to go....
Comment by teeney79
Day 2 for me- Doing ok, although I was awoken this morning by stomach cramps which resulted in me being stuck to the loo for about 15 minutes - I guess that cleanout tea is doing it's job! The cramps were pretty intense though, not sure if that's one of the side effects of this detox or not but feel ok after going to the loo. Also got a pretty yucky taste in my mouth which is normal apparently, I've been brushing my teeth 3 times a day for that reason as well as I'm scared all the acid from the lemons will damage my teeth. I didn't do this for the purpose of weight loss but I have lost about a kilo so far.
Apart from that, I'm a little more tired and cranky than usual and I can't say that I'm not hungry because I'd be lying! I'd kill to sink my teeth into a sandwich, burger, bowl of pasta - even a bowl of steamed vegies! But I'm not feeling sick so that's a good thing. Every time I'm really hungry I just have another cup of the lemon drink. Hopefully after today the hunger will subside a little, here's hoping!
My fiancee only wants me to do it for 7 days instead of 10 as we have our engagement party the weekend after I finish this detox and he doesn't want me to risk being too sick or weak for it (perish the thought!). And the party would fall within the 3 days after the detox when you're not suppsed to eat certain foods or drink any alcohol so maybe it would be safer to stick with the 7 days, especially since it's the first time I've ever done a diet of any descripiton let alone a detox.
So now it's 5 days to go! Yay!
How is everyone else going?
Teeney79
Comment by Anonymous
There is no point feasting on the regular dietary intake of pizzas, meat, caffeine etc then to suddenly start the lemon detox drink. You automatically send your body into shock.
You should start of by slowly decreasing your food intake. Drinking more water, slowly cutting out the caffeine and then when you feel ready, then start the lemon detox program.
I tried the lemon detox for only 2 days and it did work.
I know 2 days is nothing in comparison to 10days. But you can use the detox program, once a week, or do it hard core and do 10days. Or you can even replace meals like lunch and dinner with the drink.
Just think about it. Detoxing is about eliminating wastes from your system. So don't send your body into shock and trauma by one day just deciding to do the lemon detox.
Take it easy, do it when you have less stress in your life, less deadlines, and 'listen' to your body...
Comment by Anonymous
I"d definitely only do the 7 days ahead of your engagement party. Too risky otherwise, particularly given you're not doing the 'relaxed' version like me.
With the weekend coming up I've said no to a few invitations and I think I'll try not eating lunch - just having the lemon thang purely. Didn't want to risk that with a big week of work.
I'll keepp you updated...!
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Anonymous
Im on the lemon detox diet...day 3. I have not stuck to it 100% tho and have lost over 3lb. Day one i felt soooo sh*t!! Felt sooo week and throbbing headakes. I ended up having a slice of toast and then a pork chop as had to cook them for hubby's tea and needed that bit of energy to hoover up! Yesterday i had a very small yoghurt and picked at my little ones dinner while feeding him oh and a coffee. And today i have had half a lemon curd sandwich, a coffee and yogurt, oohps not doin too well but suppose its better than what i was eating before. BLURKKK, the laxative tea is GROSS...managed one yesterday and will have another today! Only had one glass of the diet drink today, so id better get off my ar*e and start squeezing lemons. I have not been going to the tiolet very well, infact not at all? Whens that going to kick in, i feel like i need to but cant!! I can see myself giving up soon but want to loose weight and quick...cant be doing with the healthy eating and taking forever to actually loose some. HEEELLLPPP!!!! xxxx
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Sherry
I bought my maple syrup and the sea sult along with the pepper few months ago on ebay... tired it for one day but i gave up! I couldn't concentrate in class and was feeling so without energy...
Now being on holidays and as I have gained 4kg during the exams, im thinking about starting it again tomorrow.
I actually liked the taste of the drink... specially because of the fact that i love lemons and the pepper makes the drink taste so unique.
Im off to safeway tomorrow morning to buy some lemons and to start my 7 day program.
I'll keep posting how I feel on here.
Lots of love to everyone,
Sherry