While on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2006, singer Beyonce Knowles famously admitted to using the Master Cleanse diet to lose 20 lbs. for her role in "Dreamgirls." Since then, Master Cleanse experienced a surge in popularity, with mere mortals hoping to achieve a Beyonce-like figure. Unfortunately, the diet is unhealthy and can be dangerous. Before you commit to drinking only a lemon-water concoction for 10 days, consider the disadvantages and possible alternatives for weight loss.
Diet Details
The Master Cleanse diet uses a concoction of lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup as its foundation. You are allowed three days to ease into the diet. On the first day, you'll eat only live foods, like fruits and vegetables. The second day, you're restricted to juices, blended foods and soup broth. On the third day, you'll drink only orange juice. You'll start the cleanse on the fourth day, consuming only the lemon juice concoction for 10 days, according the Master Cleanse website.
Recipe
The lemon drink is a precise recipe developed by health practitioner Stanley Burroughs. It should be noted that Borroughs was not a doctor or nutrition professional at any time, yet he claimed his recipe and cleanse could be used in treating a myriad of conditions as well as help with weight loss, according to the Calorie Lab website. The recipe begins with 2 tbsp. of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 2 tbsp. of real maple syrup, 1/10 of a tsp. of cayenne pepper, all mixed with 8 oz. of pure water. The concoction is consumed any time, four to seven times per day.
Safety and Effectiveness
The Master Cleanse restricts your caloric intake to dangerously low levels. While it will likely cause you to lose weight, that weight loss will be short-lived. As soon as you begin eating normally, you'll likely regain all of your weight. What's more, you would have slowed your metabolism. When you starve your body, your metabolism stops burning calories as effectively in order to store them as energy in the body. When you begin eating normally again, you might actually gain weight. It's neither safe nor effective to starve your body in the name of weight loss.
Alternatives
While the Master Cleanse is often talked about in celebrity magazines and books, it's not a practical way to achieve weight loss. When you choose a weight loss program, look for one that focuses on healthy, long-term changes in your lifestyle, suggests the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Eating nutritionally dense, lower-calorie foods and exercising regularly is the real way to lose weight. Be safe and choose a healthier alternative for positive long-lasting changes to your body.
References
- "The Real Skinny on Losing It: True Confessions and Divine Revelations of a Former Yo-Yo Dieter": Michelle McKinney Hammond; 2011
- Calorie Lab: Stanley Burroughs' Master Cleanse Diet
- The Master Cleanse: What is The Master Cleanse?
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