10 Tips to Succeed On the Master Cleanse

1. Drink a glass as soon as you wake up. Squeeze all of your lemon juice at the beginning of the day and store in a container. Squeeze an extra serving worth to drink for the following morning. Although it’s not fresh squeezed, it’s better to add day old lemon juice into your glass instead of scarfing down your child’s bowl of cereal. Trust me there is nothing worse than waking up hungry, tending to your child in the morning, and needing to cut and squeeze 10 lemons before you can have your first drink.
2. Pack a cooler and a large water bottle. If you will be out and about for the day, make sure to have your supplies on hand. I pack a mini lunch bag cooler with ice. Here’s what I pack inside:

• lemon juice in a small tupperware container
• maple syrup in a small tupperware container
• 1 tablespoon (to measure lemon juice and maple syrup)
• 1 measuring cup (to measure water)
• cayenne pepper (I just pack the whole seasoning jar since it’s small)
• a few paper towels to wipe tablespoon

You can pre-mix the maple syrup and lemon juice since the syrup acts as a preservative. But wait to mix it with the water and the cayenne pepper. Make sure to have your water bottle with you.

3. Drink two servings in one sitting. This reduces drinking 12 drinks to 6 drinks. It’s a lot easier to schedule out your drinking times in 6 intervals. And you stay full for much longer.
4. Make simple pre-made meals for your family. Or precook meals in advance and freeze. Oven cooked meals are best (lasagna, pizza, TV dinners). It’s not fun stirring a pot of pasta sauce with fragrant garlic sifting through the air. Your child will not mind having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a side of carrots for dinner (use a heart shape cookie cutter for the sandwich to make your child smile). Have your spouse to pick out a few easy dinner meals at the grocery store if they are not joining you in the cleanse.
5. Drink a glass before being surrounded by food. Before I go to a friend’s house, or before people start cooking, I make sure to guzzle down a glass, so I am already satisfied. Then when people start eating, I drink another glass to eliminate any hunger pains or tempting thoughts. I have been known to sniff other people’s food for my personal enjoyment while fasting.
6. Recruit a friend. Share this post with a friend and have them join you on this detox journey. When I first did it, I had two friends who were doing it at the same time. We were able to exchange tips and provide support. The best part was just having someone to text about temptations and poop.
7. Sprinkle cayenne pepper right before your drink. The cayenne pepper will steep and become super spicy if you pre-mix it in. If you decide to prepare all you need to drink at the beginning of the day, wait to add the cayenne pepper. Just pour your pre-mix into an individual cup or water bottle, and then stir in cayenne pepper.
8. Track when you drink. Record your drinking times in a notebook, on the fridge or on your phone. I use my weekly calendar on the fridge and iPhone notes to keep track, so I know how many drinks I had in the day. I notice if I am consistent with the times that I drink, I do not feel intense hunger pains, weakness or headaches.
9. Drink up. If you feel hungry, weak, shaky, or tired, drink your lemonade drink. Every two hours is recommended. Keep your body hydrated. Drink a lot of water. You are allowed to drink herbal tea too. I would actually add a mint tea bag to my nightly herbal laxative tea cup (cover and steep for 15 minutes). I did not enjoy the laxative tea taste, but the herbal mint makes it much better.
10. Do your best. “Do your best and forget the rest.” Committing to a fast is a big deal. I had never done a fast before. I originally was only going to do it for 5 days because that’s what my friend did. But then I felt so good, I just kept going. Maybe start small. Commit to a 3 day fast and check in with yourself. Your mind and body have to be with you on this journey.