Okay, this time, I'm making a promise to everyone that reads this.

I can't keep the promises I make myself near as well as I do the promises I make to others.
So I am making a promise to each person that happens across this.

Sunday, I am going to start a safe, healthy cleansing fast.
It will not manifest itself and become another week-long, no food stupid thing.
It will be to cleanse myself, to feel well after having to major, painful binges this week.

Tomorrow is my brother's birthday, and I will eat healthily.  I will eat my amount of calories that I need, allowing some "fun" foods if we have to have a family day.

After the cleansing fast, I will eat my daily calorie allowance every day.
No feeling smug if I'm under- I will eat up.
I will not eat above, if I do, those calories will be burned with an extra run.

This is the only way to ensure I avoid binging and starving myself for the rest of the summer.

So, in a summary:
-enjoying myself in a non-indulgent manner tomorrow.
-SAFE, 3-day cleansing fast
-eating UP to, and only, my calorie allowance

Thank you.

Why don't you just skip the "cleansing" fast and eat your daily allowance of calories every day? And just drink some extra water and lots of fruits and veggies to cleanse? You don't need to starve yourself to cleanse.

Well, I usually do a cleansing fast once every three months for just a few days.
In the words of someone else on CC, it's like a "clean start."

I like to cleanse too. Once a season, as you said. It just seems like you are battling with some unhealthy disordered eating patterns and that if you are trying to overcome this pattern, a fast may not be the best place to start. Why not put off the fast for a month?

What exactly do you do for a cleansing fast, by the way?

It may not really be considered a fast by other people's standards, but it works for me.

3 days: vegetable juice, teas, coffee.  Making sure to take my vitamins as well.

I would try to nix the coffee. Add juices, especially citrus juices - the more citrusy the better - Add lemon juice, cayenne and apple cider vinegar. You should be consuming fluids constantly.

By only consuming vegetable juice, tea, and coffee, you really are starving yourself. Fruit juices will at least raise your caloric intake.

EDIT to add: make sure you get the low sodium vegetable juice, but keep even that to a minimum. regular vegetable juice has 20% of your sodium allowance in only 8 ounces. even the light sodium stuff is still high. too much sodium will hinder your cleanse.

 

Cleansing fasts have been brought up on this forum many times. They are a scam and there is no science behind it. Sorry. =( I hope you do well with your other goals.

I really think that you need to recognise that not eating for any period of time, outside of between meals, is an unhealthy disordered eating pattern. It leads to hunger and an unhealthy binge / starve relationship with food.  

This "fasting" thing seems to be a bit of a pattern for you judging from what you have said.  I really really think that you would be far better off to promise yourself that you will consume your goal in calories from healthy "clean" food, and do a sensible amount of exercise. If you start it all off with restricing food, it's sending your brain and your body all the wrong messages.  Food is good, food is healthy, and most of us here on CC need to focus on developing healthy food habits.  I wish you good luck in achieving your aims.

Original Post by naturallyd:

I would try to nix the coffee. Add juices, especially citrus juices - the more citrusy the better - Add lemon juice, cayenne and apple cider vinegar. You should be consuming fluids constantly.

By only consuming vegetable juice, tea, and coffee, you really are starving yourself. Fruit juices will at least raise your caloric intake.

EDIT to add: make sure you get the low sodium vegetable juice, but keep even that to a minimum. regular vegetable juice has 20% of your sodium allowance in only 8 ounces. even the light sodium stuff is still high. too much sodium will hinder your cleanse.

 

 There's seriously that much sodium in it?!  That's disgusting.  I'll definately work more on making my own.  I drink it every day.  Ew.

Thank you for the information.  That'll make it much healthier for me.

I suppose I'll have to ignore the constantly brewing coffee (my mum and dad are obsessive coffee guzzlers) this time around.

 

aoifek:  Thank you for the well wishes and the concern.  I've already decided that if I notice during my fast that I'm starting to feel that "Psh, I'm above food.  I don't need it.  It makes me weak." sort of feeling in me, I will immediately abandon the fast and make myself a big plate of steamed veggies and some grilled fish.  I'm extremely motivated now to keep my eating habits healthy- this fast may be the last one I do for a year, I just need to feel clean now, otherwise I doubt I'll be able to stick with my goals.

 

Original Post by feanor:

Cleansing fasts have been brought up on this forum many times. They are a scam and there is no science behind it. Sorry. =( I hope you do well with your other goals.

 I have to say, I don't know what other people use them for, but if you're only doing it to feel cleaner, healthier, and you don't do it for too long a time, they're perfectly alright.

I don't understand how you can cleanse your system if you are pumping it full of caffeine?

Cleanse means to clear out, so I would have thought that you would be having lots of fruits and vegatables, and natural un-processed foods, rather than inducing an unnatuaral high with caffeine?

I have read about alot of detox/cleanse routines and watched several documentaries on them where they have studied the actual health benefits, and they all definately ruled out caffeine.

Oh well good luck, I hope you manage to get some sleep!

Original Post by naturallyd:

I would try to nix the coffee. Add juices, especially citrus juices - the more citrusy the better - Add lemon juice, cayenne and apple cider vinegar. You should be consuming fluids constantly.

By only consuming vegetable juice, tea, and coffee, you really are starving yourself. Fruit juices will at least raise your caloric intake.

EDIT to add: make sure you get the low sodium vegetable juice, but keep even that to a minimum. regular vegetable juice has 20% of your sodium allowance in only 8 ounces. even the light sodium stuff is still high. too much sodium will hinder your cleanse.

don't do citrus. your stomach can't handle the acidity if you're not eating solid food. trust me, i tried it, and i got pretty sick.

 

I'm going to be blunt and honest. It sounds like a horrible idea. This is how you come across, "I ate like a porker all week so I am going to starve myself (fresh start) so I can pretend it never happened."

Sounds like you have deeper issues with food.

I hate to say it, but this will not be the last time you binge and fast (same as binging and purging in my opinion).  It will never be the last time until you understand it's not healthy and see it as a roller coaster ride with no seat belts.

If you just give your body what it needs on a daily basis you will better control your binges.  However you fast... so after the so called 'safe' coffee/juice/tea fest you're body starts screaming for nutrients.  Also the multi vitamins do NOTHING for you while you're fasting, it will go through you rapido.  Please take some advice and just eat your steamed veggies and fish (the meal you thought of if it gets out of control)- From the outside it sounds like you are.

If you didn't mean to sound that way I apologize now.  Living with an eating disorder is not attractive to anyone, it controls your life and relationships.

Eat clean, drink water, stick with 1200 calories, you'll feel much better.

Skye, I think I understand what you are doing. I think in part, you may be playing with fire.  I hope your resolve to not continue if you start feeling as though you are above food, holds for you.   But, I get to a certain extent the need to do this.   Subconsiously speaking, this could be a bit like my uncle, who smoked 3 packs a day and couldn't sleep without having a smoke, sleeping with an open pack next to his bed.  He slept with a closed pack for three weeks, as he weaned himself off of them.  He knew as long as he knew he had an open pack in the livingroom, he wouldn't open the pack by his bed.   But, at some point he had to test his resolve and put the open pack by the bed.

I think that may be what your doing.   I personally don't have a problem with fasting.  It is something that I have been motivated to do myself from time to time.  Not because of my weight, but because of some of my spiritual beliefs that require after an intense stressful period of time, that I fast for three days along with meditating in order to bring my body and mind back into alignment with each other.

If your doing the first, I applaud you and offer a cautious hope that you can both live up to your own expectations of yourself while still being able to recognize your addiction to food control, if it begins to get in the way. 

If it is for the second reason, then my blessings upon you.  Just be careful, spend your time and energy wisely.   You won't have enough to spare to be unwise about it.

 

Want to do a safe detox which is a lot better than a fast?

Eat from these foods listed below and you will feel much better and still be able to eat.

Detox Foods

Fruit
Fresh or frozen fruit.

Vegetables
All fresh vegetables. Vegetables thought to be particularly good detox foods include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts, onions, garlic, artichokes, beets, red and green vegetables.

Rice
All forms of rice, including rice cakes, rice crackers and rice pasta. Brown rice is typically preferred.

Other Grains
Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice. They can be purchased at a health food store or in some grocery stores.

Beans
Split yellow and green peas and lentils are easiest to digest and require the least soaking time. Other good options include kidney beans, pinto beans, mung beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and adzuki beans.

Nuts and Seeds
Unsalted nuts or seeds can be sprinkled over salads or eaten as a snack. Good options include flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and walnuts. Nut butters are permitted. Peanuts and peanut butter are usually not recommended.

Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is a preferred oil.

Condiments
Vegetable salt, sea salt, vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, all herbs or spices.

Tea
Herbal teas, green tea.

Other Beverages
Water, lemon water, pure unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk

Daily Detox Do's
Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day, warm or room temperature.

Take the time to chew food well, especially grains.