Are Fasting and Cleanses Necessary?

I'm sure you've heard of someone who's done the Master Cleanse diet, where you consume nothing but a concoction of water with lemons, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for 7-14 days. 


Sound like fun? 


I've known a few people who have actually done the Master Cleanse. The first few days, they are miserable. If they can make it past day 5, then they begin to adjust. Those that complete the 10 or 14 day cleanse report more energy and a flatter stomach. 


But what happens when they stop the Master Cleanse and eventually go back to what they've been eating and other bad habits? The weight comes right back on.


And it's not the weight that's a problem in the first place. It's the body-fat percentage. You will lose weight on any calorie restricted diet. If you had nothing but 3 Snickers bars a day, you'd probably lose weight. 


Most people need to add muscle mass and melt away body fat. Going on a calorie-restricted diet will waste away your muscle tissue and probably won't burn any fat. 


Every religion has a fasting holiday. This is an exception to the rule. It's probably a good idea to fast once or twice a year for a 24-hour period, if for nothing more than a spiritual appreciation of the energy that foods provides for us. It's also nice to experience once in a blue moon what more than half of the world's population experiences on a daily basis: hunger.


But at no other time, in my opinion, are fasting and cleanses necessary, unless directed by a medical professional. 


Your liver is a very resilient organ. You actually cleanse every day. Your liver does it for you. 


The best way to cleanse is to just start eating healthy from this point forward. Eat healthy 90% of the time. That means figuring out what ratio of macronutrients (carbs, fats, proteins) best supplies you with rock-steady energy throughout the day (health coaches like myself will help you figure this out). 


This also means eating foods that don't spike your blood sugar. 


Allow yourself to fall off the bandwagon about 10% of the time, which means that if you're eating 21 meals per week (breakfast, lunch and dinner), then 2 of your meals can be a "cheat" meal like pizza or a burger. 


Most people actually don't eat often enough to speed up their metabolism. Anybody who skips breakfast is literally telling their brain to go into starvation mode and slow down metabolism. Fasting is not wise, even "healthy" juice fasting. 


We should be eating foods that encourage muscle building. Juice fasting, unless, again, you're ill and can only consume juices or it's been recommended by a dietitian, will not encourage fat burning and lean muscle tissue growth. 


So don't be like a trendy celebrity and go on a cleanse or fast. You'll only be hurting yourself. Exercise so that your lymphatic system helps flush out metabolic waste byproduct (helps get the gunk out). Do this and eat cleanly 18 or 19 meals out of your approximately 21 meals a week and you'll be functioning at optimum speed--no cleansing or fasting necessary.