The Lemonade Diet: Day 3
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Part of an ongoing series where two staff reporters, who wish to remain anonymous for obvious reasons, navigate 10 days (or maybe not) of purging toxins — and everything else — from their bodies.
(Photos by Ellen & Kacie)
1. We miss chewing.
2. We can't wait to have hard poos again.
ELLEN
The laxatives I took yesterday night woke me up multiples times, and I was so drained (ha!) in the morning that I too skipped the saltwater flush. Plus, I wasn't sure I could choke it down.
I gagged again on the lemonade this morning. I keep thinking, "Maple syrup is meant for PANCAKES!" The lemonade sure can't hold a candle to my fantasies about chocolate chip pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse...the concoction tastes so disgusting, even without the cayenne pepper, that I've been basically fasting for the last two days.
That probably explains why I got so tired while biking today that I just physically didn't have the energy to push the pedals anymore. I had to get off and walk for 30 seconds. Every step was difficult. Scary.
An hour later, I was home again, so exhausted that I napped for three hours in the middle of the day. That was scary too.
The cleanse is supposed to make you feel refreshed and energetic, but so far, neither of us has felt anything other than utter exhaustion, hunger and grouchiness. I've been rude to my friends and short with my co-workers because I can't get up the energy to be nice. This is malnourished, dehydrated exhaustion. I've lost almost 4 pounds, but I'm sure it's all water weight.
People are smack-talking the cleanse, and I'm starting to agree. Nothing healthy should ever make you feel so exhausted that you can't bike half a mile.
After my exhaustion this morning, I had no qualms about cheating. After I got Kacie's text about Jamba, I went and got my own — and I didn't choose the fruit-only option. Nothing like a regular Mango Mantra with a soy protein boost to get you back on your feet...mmm.
The rest of the day went much more smoothly after that. But this morning was scary.
I was way too exhausted to be healthy. I'm not sure if I can keep this up. I'm starting to wonder what this is doing to my body.
KACIE
I apologize to the readers, but I cheated.
I woke up this morning feeling like I was going to pass out. On account of this I skipped the salt flush, but lucky for me I still had laxatives in my body, which kept me rushing to the bathroom every few hours last night.
After chugging lemonade to ease my weary stance, I decided that no harm could come from a small, all fruit, no fat jamba juice (only 150 calories!). And while some may consider this quitting, I merely consider it an adaptation.
For those of you brave souls preparing to embark on this endeavor, a word of caution: If you have low blood sugar, faint easily, or are anemic (like me), do not try to push your body through 10 days on only the lemonade. You will do more damage than good. There are ways to achieve the results you desire while not depriving yourself of essential nutrients to keep you functioning. So if you need to throw in a jamba juice or chicken broth every few days, do it! Your body will thank you in the long run.
But, once you get a jamba and the sweet taste of relief from the lemonade, it’s VERY hard to not want to eat more untouchables and quit altogether. I’m grappling with this very dilemma as I type. I hope that by tomorrow my hunger subsides and I begin to see results. I’ve lost 3 pounds of water weight, but as any good dietician will tell you, that means bupkiss.
Also, I’ve never been more exhausted than on this cleanse. I thought by day three I’d feel rejuvenated and awake and ready to take on the world! Instead I feel empty, hungry to a point of no return and more tired than during finals week.
I applaud any who have survived this cleanse, but I honestly think I’m dying; okay, that’s being a little dramatic, but the world seems to be laughing in my face about this cleanse. I want to eat everything and anything but I feel so sick from the laxative, salt flush, lemonade combo that is now churning in my intestines. This self-induced nausea, diarrhea and all around uneasiness is no bueno.
Right now there’s general hatred for anyone who can eat. If this persists, I’m eating tomorrow. I mean, how much difference is there between four days and ten days on this cleanse? My body says none.
Read Ellen & Kacie's first post, Day 1 and Day 2.
