So, this system has a few components, the most obvious being the shakes as replacements for two meals daily. This is the most visible part of the program, so it's what a lot of people think Isagenix is. The shakes ARE important-- they are packed with nutrients and undenatured whey protein and do an amazing job of giving your body the energy and nutrition it needs to get healthy and get lean-- and why doing only the shakes will probably get you results with weight loss and building lean muscle, the catalyst for weight loss overdrive is the cleanse.
Ideally, you have five shake days per week (where you replace two meals on those days with shakes, and then have a 400-600 calorie fork meal for your third meal), and two back-to-back cleanse days. A cleanse day consists of drinking Cleanse For Life and Ionix Supreme, eating 4-6 Snacks, and 2 IsaDelights, 1/4 apple, or similar snack. Your total caloric intake on a cleanse day is about 300-500.
A lot of research has been done on the benefits of intermittent fasting. A few years ago I dabbled in the 5:2 diet that is all the rage in England, which is the same basic idea: five days of healthy eating, and two days of 500 calories or less. The benefit of the Cleanse for Life is that is keeps your metabolism rate up and your energy level.
So what is it like to live through a cleanse day? The first few cleanses can be challenging. For me, the habit of eating was something I needed to overcome; it forced me to think "Am I actually hungry, or is it just 12:30 and I know I usually eat now?" The biggest surprise came after my third cleanse, when I found myself automatically reaching for water throughout the day and went to bed satisfied and woke up for cleanse day 2 without hunger pains. One side effect of cleansing is that you feel cold ALL THE TIME. Right now I am cleansing, and I've got on a sweatshirt and thick socks and I turned the heater up in my house, and I'm still a little cold.
But perhaps the biggest challenge of the cleanse days is dealing with other people. The term "cleansing" conjures images of Hollywood stars sucking down expensive juices and spending hours near a toilet. Cleanse for Life is not like that; it's a gentle cleanse, and the focus is more on keeping things moving in your system and on the reduced caloric intake than on an evacuation of every thing in your body. Gross.
One positive side-effect of the cleanse is an increase in energy and a sense of well-being. When I am cleansing, I feel AWESOME. Not sure if it's mental or if it's just having the steady and regular metabolism and energy levels. Regardless, I have amazing workouts on cleanse days and a generally great attitude.
Everyone treats the cleanses differently. Some people do only one cleanse day per week. Some just add in Cleanse for Life at the end of every day. What works for me is a modified cleanse, where I cleanse the entire day and then have a very small meal in the evening. Tonight, for example, I am having a salad with chicken, and I will repeat this for day two tomorrow.
I also find that I need to prep for cleanse day to get my head into the right zone AND so that I don't have an excuse to slip up. I make all the cleanses ahead of time and label them by the time they should be drunk. I'll attach zip-locks with the appropriate snacks to the cups, and shove it all in my fridge the night before.
For me, the cleanse serves two purposes: First, it helps me mentally reset. There's always a shake day or two when my fork meal or snacking is a bit out of control. For example, yesterday was my uncle's birthday party and there was MUCH catered food. I did a pretty good job of checking in with myself to see when I was full, but I overdid it. Today's cleanse lets me get back in touch with my body and my hunger so I can be aware of my needs. Secondly, the reduced caloric intake helps make up for those occasional slip-ups.
Ideally, you have five shake days per week (where you replace two meals on those days with shakes, and then have a 400-600 calorie fork meal for your third meal), and two back-to-back cleanse days. A cleanse day consists of drinking Cleanse For Life and Ionix Supreme, eating 4-6 Snacks, and 2 IsaDelights, 1/4 apple, or similar snack. Your total caloric intake on a cleanse day is about 300-500.
So what is it like to live through a cleanse day? The first few cleanses can be challenging. For me, the habit of eating was something I needed to overcome; it forced me to think "Am I actually hungry, or is it just 12:30 and I know I usually eat now?" The biggest surprise came after my third cleanse, when I found myself automatically reaching for water throughout the day and went to bed satisfied and woke up for cleanse day 2 without hunger pains. One side effect of cleansing is that you feel cold ALL THE TIME. Right now I am cleansing, and I've got on a sweatshirt and thick socks and I turned the heater up in my house, and I'm still a little cold.
But perhaps the biggest challenge of the cleanse days is dealing with other people. The term "cleansing" conjures images of Hollywood stars sucking down expensive juices and spending hours near a toilet. Cleanse for Life is not like that; it's a gentle cleanse, and the focus is more on keeping things moving in your system and on the reduced caloric intake than on an evacuation of every thing in your body. Gross.
One positive side-effect of the cleanse is an increase in energy and a sense of well-being. When I am cleansing, I feel AWESOME. Not sure if it's mental or if it's just having the steady and regular metabolism and energy levels. Regardless, I have amazing workouts on cleanse days and a generally great attitude.
Everyone treats the cleanses differently. Some people do only one cleanse day per week. Some just add in Cleanse for Life at the end of every day. What works for me is a modified cleanse, where I cleanse the entire day and then have a very small meal in the evening. Tonight, for example, I am having a salad with chicken, and I will repeat this for day two tomorrow.
I also find that I need to prep for cleanse day to get my head into the right zone AND so that I don't have an excuse to slip up. I make all the cleanses ahead of time and label them by the time they should be drunk. I'll attach zip-locks with the appropriate snacks to the cups, and shove it all in my fridge the night before.
For me, the cleanse serves two purposes: First, it helps me mentally reset. There's always a shake day or two when my fork meal or snacking is a bit out of control. For example, yesterday was my uncle's birthday party and there was MUCH catered food. I did a pretty good job of checking in with myself to see when I was full, but I overdid it. Today's cleanse lets me get back in touch with my body and my hunger so I can be aware of my needs. Secondly, the reduced caloric intake helps make up for those occasional slip-ups.
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