nearing the finish line

what's been going on
my last post was on day 6, although that was not mentioned anywhere. day 7 was kind of rough. as has been the recent trend, i was up way too late the night before. while my morning was slow, the afternoon was when i really felt it. i could barely stay awake and at one point, clocked myself out from work for 45 mins. to take a nap! granted, i do get rather tired every afternoon around 3:30pm, but still, this was a bit worse than normal tired. i can't help but think i was weakened from the cleanse.

the evening improved and probably the shave and shower i had were helpful in bringing me back to life! but then what did i do? stayed out too late again! when will i learn? will i learn? probably not...

what have i learned?
well this has all brought up an important point for me. i've now been on the cleanse when i've had time to relax and take things at my own pace, and when i'm working all day and busy in the evenings. unsurprisingly, there is a huge difference in the way one's body handles these conditions. these things are even more noticeable on the cleanse. whether i can try to not be a night person (i totally am) and get to bed at a reasonable hour isn't the issue. it's whether i can plan my next cleanse at a time when i can actually stay at home and rest when i want to or need to.

last day of the cleanse, the positives
as far as day 8 goes, it could be day 8 of 20 and it wouldn't make much of a difference. everything has become habit: the salt water flush first thing in the morning, rinsing, cutting & juicing lemons, carting everything to work with me and drinking this fine combination all day. (did i ever mention it tastes pretty good, pre-cayenne?) i actually feel pretty great and my mood has been so positive for most of the cleanse. that's encouragement enough to do it, i have to say. i don't think one can put a price on a guaranteed good mood!

another big positive is the compliments i've received. many people i've seen in the past week have commented on my weight loss (will report back with numbers after tomorrow), my skin tone and my glow. one really does experience a glow around when on the master cleanse. yet meanwhile some people say it's unhealthy? yes, well, makes me suspect there's a little jealousy or envy involved.

the negatives
while i do feel like i could march on forward to 10 or more days, it doesn't make sense this time. it's time to go out and see friends without restricting myself to water. socializing has actually been the hardest part for me. going out to bars, and food and drink abound, is tough. here i am with my lemonade, tons of water, and trips to the bathroom every 10 mins! it wasn't bothering me to see others eat or drink, but it was bothering me that i couldn't do it. i'm not sure if that makes any sense!

i'm not going to lie - smelling food and remembering what it feels like to eat it can make you miss it terribly. not drinking in social situations is also not great. personally, i'm a little "loosened up" after a drink or two, and i like myself much more in that state. i feel less self conscious and can enjoy myself more. the cleanse has the reverse effect, making you feel like the center of attention, whether you want to be or not! at least that's my perception....

outside help: forums
keeping up with the master cleanse forum has been a huge help to me. to anyone considering the cleanse, i highly encourage you to research it thoroughly before you start it. the Burroughs book is nearly a must, yet that in itself is not enough. take advantage of those around you who have done it (my thanks go out to Michael, Theasha and Y). they're advice is invaluable. there are also thousands of people at all stages of the cleanse on the forums. in fact, there are 8500 registered members just on the forum i've been using! think of the combined years of knowledge. these members share in their experiences and give wonderfully encouraging responses to all of the posted questions. you'll learn about how to listen to your body, how to handle unexpected situations, what to do after the cleanse, how to be more healthy in general and several other topics. it's incredibly beneficial and positive!

cleanse horror stories
while reading the forums, you'll also be privy to some horror stories. in the past weeks, i read about extreme body odors, acne breakouts, very bad things happening in the bathroom, weight gain, and many more (ill-but-temporary) effects of the cleanse. there are also myriad stories of non-encouraging spouses at home. it's not all fun and games.

i am pleased with the results of the cleanse so far. after reading these things, though, i feel incredibly lucky that nothing eventful has happened to me throughout the cleanse!

to be continued
as i previously mentioned, i will provide a list of what i obtained for my cleanse with prices. i'm quite sure the entire budget will work out to less than $10 a day. the last time i restocked on lemons, i was either planning on going for 10 days, or miscalculated quantities. i think the former is the case.

also as promised, i'll post a breakdown of my weight throughout the cleanse. stay tuned!