C9 - The Results

So I finished my c9 cleanse on Sunday, and did my final weigh in and measurements on Monday. Today is Wednesday, so this may prepare you a little for my final thoughts on the plan.

Firstly, let's go through the numbers. 

My start weight was 73.9kg. After the 9 days, my finish weight was 72.4kg. To say that I'm disappointed in this would be an understatement. I followed the plan to the letter, but for some reason, I seemed to peak half way through and then started to slowly put weight back on. 

Worse than the less than drastic weight loss is the almost total absence of inch loss. My waist, thigh, arm and hip measurements stayed exactly the same. I lost a lowly 1/2 inch from my bust. 

I did this plan expecting drastic results. Yes, I got a positive result, I lost weight, but was it worth it? That's something I don't think I can answer positively. I am disappointed. I did not achieve even close to my goals. In fact, all the plan has done for me is to make me feel that my goals are that much more unachievable.

I have not noticed an improvement in my energy levels. Despite people telling me my skin looks very clear, I can't say I have noticed a change. My hair feels more greasy than normal, and looking at a photo taken when my hair was freshly washed, I can't help but think it looks lank and lifeless. 

Also, and stop reading now if you don't want to know bowel stuff, but I didn't poo for a full week between incident on day 2 and the morning of day 9, as well as rather smelly wind after the cleanse had finished. 

This doesn't change the sucess stories associated with the c9, especially from people who I have seen doing their own plan. However, there is a huge expectation that if everyone else is seemingly loosing stones and inches over the course of the plan, and that hurts deeply when you don't achieve the same results. 

I feel a failure even though I tried my absolute best.

I feel angry at myself for having fallen for a product that promises such drastic results. 

I feel upset that I have been through such an emotional roller coaster and have nothing to show for it. 

I feel like not getting the results I expected from this plan has the very real potential to put me on a very slippery slope in regards to my view of myself. 

C9 - Days 4-6

Sorry I've not posted in a few days. There are a few reasons why. Firstly, things will get kind of repetitive now that the plan is the same for the rest of the cleanse, secondly, that nothing of note has happened, and thirdly, and most thruthfully, I just plain forgot. 

Ok, so what's been going on in the world of doing the clean 9? 

Well, I still think there is a huge mental element to this that I'm not sure I have the strength for. There is still a degree of food guilt, even though my total calories for an average day is below 900 cals.

I don't feel any different in terms of my energy, something that the plan and previous users have all claimed increases dramatically on the plan. I also haven't noticed any improvement to my hair, skin or nails, although I was told today by two completely unrelated people that my skin looked very healthy. To be honest, I've never been great at noticing things like this anyway, but if my mum and my boss notice a difference, then I'll take it. 

I'm very much enjoying drinking less aloe. However, I do find myself more hungry  than I did when I ate practically nothing on the first two days. I think the aloe must fill you up due to it being a gel. On the other hand, the fact that I find it hard to keep on top of my water consumption and to take the pills at regular intervals while at school might also have a part to play. I'm quite often coming home at half 3 having not drunk or eaten anything since about 8.30. 

Having said that, the 600 cals of an evening meal is plenty. I wouldn't say I'm stuffed after every meal, but it's certainly a decent amount. I have had two veg fajitas with cheese, sour cream and salsa for 3 of my 4 meals on the cleanse so far, and it's probably as much as I would want normally to be honest. I might shake it up and have enchiladas tomorrow. 

This morning was weigh in and measure up day. I have steadily lost weight during the cleanse up to now, having lost just shy of 1.5kg over the past 6 days. I did not loose any inches though, and I didn't realise how important this was to me until it didn't happen. The number on the scales going down is all well and good, but it does kind of feel a bit pointless when you can't see the change on the outside. 

I'm still hopeful for the end of the plan, but right now, I'm not to happy with all my progress pics not showing any progress. Without a noticeable change, it's just a load of photos of me in my bra and pants for no reason. 

I'll probably not post again until day 9, and then I'll do a results post the next day. I'm nervous I won't meet my 'under 70kg' goal, so really going to try to step it up over the last few days. Gymming every day even if it's on my own, trying harder with my water .... I will do this. 

C9 - Day 2

I warn you now. I said that I would give a no hole barred account of this journey. And I hold true to that. If you don't want to hear about my bowel movements, then stop reading now. 

Day two was much the same as day one, tablets, water and constant weeing. Today I drank the aloe straight from the fridge, and this was a HUGE improvement. I didn't retch at all today, sure, it still wasn't exactly pleasant, but it wasn't as bad as at room temperature either. I also ate less, swapping yesterday's bowl of fruit for lettuce and a few grapes and strawberries. It was supposed to be a salad but the cucumber had gone off. I still didn't feel unbearably hungry, although I could easily have eaten, and didn't get faint until literally just now, when I was brushing my teeth, and started to feel a bit tingly from low blood sugar. 

What did happen today though I feel is something that does need talking about. At the end of the day, this a cleanse, and all of the stuff you're flushing out with aloe and water has to go somewhere. This evening, I was happily watching 2012 when I felt the urge to fart. I was alone so I just let it happen. 

It was not a fart. 

Luckily I made it to the loo, but still, I wasn't prepared for that sort of reaction. Worse still, I'm now terrified that I'm going to shit myself every time I need to fart, or that it'll happen at school and it'll be horrific. 

I'm tempted to wear a night time sanitary pad just to make sure. 

Tomorrow marks a decrease in aloe, an increase in shakes and the introduction of 600 cals. I think it'll be trickier at school to drink enough and do the tablets on time, but we'll see. It's also weigh in day tomorrow so I'll be interested in the progress so far. 

Fingers crossed tomorrow doesn't start with me waking up covered from head to toe in diarrhoea. 

C9 - Day One

So it's nearing midnight and I'm all tucked up in bed after my first day on the c9 cleanse by Forever Living. 

First thing is first, the aloe. My first impressions were that it was nowhere near as bad as I had expected from what I have read. It's an odd flavour and texture and smell, unlike anything else. It does have bits in it, so think orange juice with pulp and that's kind of what to expect texture wise. It did not get better over the course of the 4 lots of 120ml servings, and by the end of the day it was tricky to get the whole lot down without retching. 

The tablets are FREAKING HUGE. I've never been good at taking tablets, I just physically can't do it. I only manage antibiotics by eating a banana at the same time as taking them, but bananas are a no go on this cleanse, and I don't think even that would have helped. The therm tablets were just coated pressed powder, so I could easily break those down to more manageable chunks, but the garcinia I really struggled with. So in the end, I bit into them and sucked out the inside. It worked for me, it tastes a bit like peanut butter and is the same consistency. I don't know if that's ok to do it like that, but it was my only option, and I figure it's best to have them like that than not at all. 

I had read someone's post that suggested that the aloe was fine but she couldn't stomach the fibre. I have no idea what she was talking about, dissolved in a glass of water I could barely tell it was in there. So nothing to worry about there in my opinion.

I ordered the chocolate shake. People say it's too sweet, but I can't say I found it ridiculously so. I had it with almond milk, and that's what I could taste for the most part. I much prefer slimfast, but it was by no means bad.

I'm not doing to go into the details of what you do and when, because there is plenty of information out there to tell you. For me, day one seemed to consist of constantly taking pills, drinking water, and going to the loo. It takes a lot of time and I'm glad I chose to start on a day off from work. 

Did I feel hungry? 

Yes.

Did I feel hungry enough to make it difficult? 

No. I didn't eat anything but the pills until about 7pm, where I had a small bowl of fruit from the free foods list. Apple, blueberries, strawberries and grapes. They didn't particularily make me feel less hungry, but was probably useful for my blood sugar. Plus, it's amazing how the aloe nearly making you throw up kills your appetite! Joke. But really. I also had three cups of echinacea and raspberry tea, which is lovely, by the way. Total calories consumed including the pills and gel was 447, with nearly 200 of that being the tea and fruit. Very low calorie.

Did I feel energised? 

Hard to say. I woke up excited, both about the prospect of starting the cleanse as well as going to my induction to the gym. So I felt very bouncy this morning, but as to whether that's due to the effects of the aloe, I have no idea. I'd say too early to tell at this point. 

Did I feel faint or need a nap? 

Nope, and nope. When I did the 5:2, I would often feel my energy just disappear, my blood sugar drop and would need a nap to reset my body. I didn't feel that need at all today. Sure I wasn't super active, but for the most part I felt pretty good throughout. 

One other thing to note is that I'm additionally taking three Forever Bee Pollen tablets with this cleanse. I had a pack come with the trail basket I got so figured why not. The old version of clean 9 used bee pollen instead of the therm, so hopefully they don't counteract each other in any way. I've found it really useful so far in taking away the aloe aftertaste. 

So in summary, Day 1 has gone well. Wasn't too hard, but also wasn't easy. I'm not looking forward to more aloe gel, but after tomorrow the dosage drops to just one serving, so that shouldn't be too bad. 

Let's see what day 2 brings.