here's hoping you cleanse doesn't land some worms in your edamame.

Your aim achieved!

No doubt you had every idea of the reactions you'd get from yesterday's post.

Excellent proof for your advertisers that your readers are engaged.

Cheers to that.

Good for you. I wish you much luck in completing this cleanse. I know I couldnt do it.

remember, and this goes for all of us dooce fans....what you eat is none of my business.

I stopped eating meat for a few years in the 90s. The reactions I got were amazingly callous, rude, weird, insulting and yes, I did eventually enjoy pissing people off by not eating meat.

The coffee headache will take about 10 days to stop messing with you and then it is smooth sailing!

Good luck with your big adventure!

I am neither vegan nor veggie but I'd love to know where you got that T-shirt as it will just make me cackle endlessly to wear it. If you could let me know, I'd appreciate it.

Good for you! I've heard that cleansing diets do wonders for the body AND mind - its all about how you go into it, so it sounds like you'll have good results.

I don't eat meat, and I only miss it sometimes. Good luck!

People are being way uptight. I love meat one of my best friends is vegitarian and we coexist quite well. There is nothing wrong with trying to improve your health.

Everybody should read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan -- should give every eater pause...and tell you Heather, you're on the right track (even if your reasons for cleansing are totally other)! Plus, a good friend told me that sugar is actually responsible for the slave trade! Yep. That's what she told me. That's probably worth a Google search.

My decision to "be all abstinent and shite" for an entire year inspired the same sort of reaction in several folks near and dear to me. I supposed they were concerned that I would turn into some sort of asexual zombie or something. As if. (Of course, I failed miserably at that goal. So who knows?) My point being, I don't think this cleanse is going to make you any "less Heather." So folks should relax and enjoy the opportunity to experience vicariously something they wouldn't try at home.

I hear ya on not feeling well and finally doing something about it! It feels good to take a break from "processed"-"fast food-ized"-America for a change. I used to rely on caffeine to wake up, get going, etc. But I stopped and imagine that - I'M AWAKE! It's amazing the things we become dependent upon without ever realizing it...

Kudos to you and your stand!

Ok...first..... I LOVED the shirt!!! second... I don't see how it can be anyone's business what you eat or don't eat. But then life wouldn't be much fun without such people.

Frappuccino with rum...DAMN.... I have to try that!! All the best with the diet.

I've been reading your blog for a long time- but first-time comment, right here!

Good luck on your cleanse! You've inspired me to do the same, starting Monday. As always, I'll be reading (but maybe just looking for support for the next couple of weeks). I've tried something similar in the past (not as strict) and I felt great! Way more energy, more rested, lighter, clearer thoughts...just thinking about it is making me excited to try again!

It's amazing, the things that people choose to get all riled up about. I was a vegetarian for a long time, and people often took it as a personal affront.

Eat what you want! I hope to hear more about the cleanse, because I've been thinking about it; and frankly, I trust you more than Oprah.

I've been a vegetarian for awhile now, and your meat is murder shirt always makes me laugh. If it wasn't pink I would've bought one myself. If you send it to me for a weekend, I would totally wear it to a vegan restaurant just to see the looks it would get. There is very little in this world as insufferable as a crusader with no sense of humor.

I love the taste of meat.

But I feel best when I'm not eating it, and my diet consists mainly of vegetables, a few whole grains and a bit of fruit.

Anything white is shit. Meat makes you feel like the animal you're eating. Ya, it tastes good, but at what cost? I'm back to veggies in huge amounts and my innards are just so much happier.

True about the toxin release making you feel shitty, and I'm sorry to tell you that it might also make your breath stink. I'm jealous of how you'll feel after that, though. Good luck with the caffeine detox - can you have green tea? The little bit of caffeine that's in it might get you over the headache hump, but I don't know if that's allowed - the cleanse police might come after you. Hang in there!

Regarding wheat: One thing you might want to try after the 21 days is sprouted whole grain bread, if it's available. I'm allergic to wheat gluten and most refined flour but sprouted grain bread is different. It looks and tastes (and toasts) just like other breads without all the side effects. It's very tasty. Silverhills Bakery produces it where I live (Vancouver).

Good for you!

I hope that you find the humour in the 'bad' comments that crop up sometimes. They should mind their own damn business.

Down with gluten - up with veggies!

Meat is overrated :)

I hope you feel better soon. Looking forward to reading about the results of the cleanse.

I'm trying to give up coffee and you're right. The headaches suck big time.

Hi Heather,

I am really interested in seeing how you do, or how this diet makes you feel. I would LOVE to do something like that, but I have a teenie problem...I hate most vegetables...hmmmm.

Good luck girl and keep us posted!

I'll be so curious to read more about how it's going. Sounds intriguing. There are a lot of great reasons to try it (which you have noted), but I would also add to the list the personal challenge of it. Call me weird, but I'm always thinking of habits that I could tinker with in my life and wondering if I could do it (e.g., on the diet front, what if I tried to eat the (modified) diet of my 10-month old?... oatmeal for breakfast, sweet potatoes and prunes, only milk and water as beverages, etc., etc.) Haven't tried that one yet (and let's be honest - never really will), but it would probably be a lot healthier. Good luck!

The headaches are probably caffeine withdrawal. I gave up caffeine for Lent a couple years, and the first week was pure hell - I was headachey and bitchy and generally a foul person to be around. After that, I felt great!

And it's really remarkable how much people think they have the right to moralize other people's dietary choices. Why can't we all just keep our thoughts on our own plates?

Hooray for you. Making steps in positive directions, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is huge and should be celebrated.

Hooray!

Babe, do what you want. It's your bod and life. I'm just glad you are trying it before me so I know what to expect! Heh. Feel better - headache is prob. caffeine withdrawal. I had that when I gave up drinking coffee and colas.

More power to ya ... I was had to eliminate whey, eggs and milk in college to determine an allergy or intolernace, and after the initial shock, it was fine. Not easy, and let me tell you, as a starving college kid who existed on coffee, beer and mac and cheese with hot dogs in it, it could get rough. But you learn there is plenty to eat, and it's more deliberate and thought out. And it is what you want it to be - no one is holding a gun to your head to say you must take out these things and never EVER have a sip of alcohol or taste sugar again in your life.

My family has a saying I love - especially when I think of hearing it from my dear old great aunt who is credited with coining it: "Don't let the bastards get you down."
Words to live by.

Heather, I admire you for what you are trying. I am intrigued...I may try it myself. After I see how it affects you of course. ;)

I am a vegetarian who could care less whether other people eat meat or not. Yet it seems like everyone who does eat meat feels the need to make comments. I say screw 'em.

Best of luck with that cleanse... More luck aligning your actions with your beliefs!

Not sure if you'll post a link here, but here's a good article someone wrote about being a vegan. He debunks all the myths and speaks to judgments people have about vegetarianism... He is very non-threatening, though I like when he ponders people that dress their dogs in berets but are unfazed by the fact that an equally intelligent pig became their McMuffin. - Funny

http://www.slate.com/id/2190872/

Three cheers. I wish I could get it together to do the same program. The one area I'm good on is caffeine. I've never been a regular coffee or diet coke drinker, and I rarely get headaches. I've always been convinced caffeine causes most people's headaches, even for those not trying to quit. I don't know about migraines, but it can't help.

Sheesh, it must be difficult to be criticized for every little thing you ever do. I seriously can't imagine.

I say - good luck!! I can't wait to hear how it goes and how you feel. You might just be the motivation I need to eat healthier and smarter!! So... thanks!!

Hooray for Heather! I don't know how insufferable I am, but I am definitely vegan, and if this works for you, great! If not, at least you tried. At least you are not the kind of person that at the first sign of tofu is reduced to there 4 year-old self, wailing "APPLESAUCE TOUCHED MY OTHER APPLESAUCE LEAVING ME INCAPABLE OF FINISHING MY DINNER AND MAINTAINING BLADDER CONTROL!!!!" It's amazing the number of adults who will dig their heels in to avoid being labeled as a certain kind of eater. Maybe I am a little insufferable. I'm super excited for you though. In 48 hours, you're going to feel awesome.

You are a stronger person than I am. I am a total wimp in every way imaginable.

I did the South Beach Diet right after it came out and it is a kind of cleansing diet as well. I had to give up sugar, caffeine, carbs, fruit and just about anything you'd like to eat for 2 weeks. By the end of the first day I had a headache that felt like someone was driving a steel pole through my forehead. That lasted a couple of days, but by the 4th day I started to feel much better. However, once the two weeks was up I was all "Okay...where's the wine? Mama needs a drink".

I kicked the coffee habit a few months ago.

Damn. It is one heck of a headache. Like having 10 rabid hedghogs chewing on the inside of your scull...But a couple of days from now... fine and dandy.

I have only been able to stick to a 2 day cleanse so far, being weak in the knees for edibles, but I must say it does make a difference and resets your system.

Don't want to eat meat? Don't do it! (I don't)

Don't want to eat any animal products? Don't do it! (I need me some cheese)

Good luck!
I am interested to hear about how you feel during this long cleanse, as I always have wanted to do a longer one...

Thanks!

I'm three steps and a picnic basket full of tofu ahead of you, and, I must say, it feels great. I feel lighter, healthier, and my skin looks better, my bathroom visits are, ahem, well, let's just say no worries, and life is rosy.

But, then, given the name of my blog, this should come as little surprise. Nor should the fact that I have a bunch more steps (and picnic baskets) to go come as a surprise, either.

Baby steps, baby steps is my mantra. (Well, that and "Charge it!") And it seems to be working out just fine.

Cheers!

You should consider posting what you're eating! I'm very curious to try this diet, but I have no clue what I'd eat and I think that's the main thing holding me back.

Though I've never met you, I am proud of you. Bravo for standing up to the morons who have nothing better to do with their lives than criticize strangers.

I did a similar diet a few years ago. I refer to it as the "rocks and sticks diet" because everyone was so convinced that there was nothing to eat without wheat, milk and meat. Anyway, my only (unsolicited) advice is gauging your own body against the 21 days idea. Your body will tell you if 21 days is right or not. You probably feel in with drawl of everything right now, but eventually you will probably feel strangely normal and clean. It won't be a craving that tells you to have toast, if that becomes something your body needs, you will just know. Good luck. I'm proud of you and excited that you are putting this idea out there.

When I mentioned yesterday that there is a store on the "West Side" (it's not scary over here, I swear), I failed to mention that I know you are SLC area. Really close access to 215. Anyway, Against the Grain...and while you are there, you could stop over for a margarita (I'll take your tequila). Just let me know you are coming and I will stop and get you some limes that I will squeeze by hand into a shrek glass (or do you prefer a cup?).

Hey at least you aren't tattooing your body with the label VEGAN. I knew a girl my freshman year in college who decided to go vegan and went out and tattoo-ed her body with the word. By the end of the school year she was back on meat. Cracks me up just thinking about it.

I think we can all use a cleanse every now and again. I've given up coffee and diet coke before - it's hard. Way harder than it should be. But in just a couple more days you'll be feeling much better.

We've been looking at ways to reduce our meat intake as well. But living with two boys (the hubster and the kiddo) who can eat an entire package of salami in one sitting, I think I'll have to go that one alone.

Did you see 30 Days last night? After watching that, I'm pretty sure I'm off of meat. I like that I only have to watch an hour of tv to make changes to my life, not endure a month.

My diet only flirts with meat...I don't consider myself a vegetarian but only becuase I don't like vegetables.

Dooce-

I recently gave up caffeine and alcohol, and after a brief settling in period, it's AWESOME! Especially the caffeine. Who knew it could be such a mood destabilizer. Good luck, I look forward to seeing how it goes!

Caption over Chucks head in today's photo:

"Oh Mah Gawd!"

Very very wicked southern accent.

I've heard of people doing a cleanse diet (something about cabbage soup comes to mind...), and the concept that they feel like hell because of release of "all the toxins" but it's a total head-scratcher for me. It seems more like you would feel shitty because your body's not used to processing those foods for the nutrients it needs. As if you were a runner your whole life and in excellent shape, then you started playing soccer instead and your body was all, "hey this hurts like hell and why am I completely out of breath?"

I have been thinking about doing the cleanse for awhile now so I hope you keep us posted on your progress and how you're feeling! I go through phases where I avoid caffeine or alcohol for a couple weeks at a time, but nothing really consistent. I always feel like my body is at its best during those times and can only imagine how much better I'd feel if I completely followed this diet. Anyway, I hope the people that were attacking don't keep you from updating those of us that are interested in it! Good luck :)

Best wishes to you on this...I just got to the point of giving up cigarettes last year...I might make it to giving up meat pretty soon. Espcially if the economy keeps going the way it is...no wait...the ear of corn might cost more than a steak.

Really...I do wish you well. I got plenty of grief when I gave up the smokes from co-workers who still did and wanted me back out on the back porch for gossip and a fog of nicotine smoke.

I think it's great that you are trying the cleanse. I thought I might try it, but then I wanted cookie dough, so I did that instead. Made cookie dough and ate it.

I had success healing my headaches following the plan in "Heal your Headache" by David Buchholz. I think the cleanse will pretty much force you to follow the guidelines in his book (no caffeine, no dark alcohol, no MSG, limit soy products.) I eased back into using caffeine carefully and remained headache free for a couple of years, but it is time for another go at it.

I also just pulled out an old cookbook "Cooking the Whole Foods Way" by Christina Pirello. I admit, I haven't cooked from it since when I got it the ingredients seemed so exotic. Now I realize I have been using a lot of them. I mostly pulled it out cuz she uses some magic seaweed (Kombu) that takes the farts out of beans. Awesome. I told hubby we were having vegetarian night once a week to reduce costs and be green(ish). I can't remark on whether the recipes are good. (Anyone else?)

Good luck with the cleanse. I hope it does what you are looking for.

I'm not a meat eater, mostly because I like furry animals, but I don't begrudge others who like meat. On the other hand, many a meat eater (including my hubby) gets seriously annoyed by my non-meating habits.

I have never understood why the meat eaters get so riled up by the veggie eaters.

What? What? Where does it say 'no peeing'?
Oh wait, that's related to something else.
What is with these people?
Well, the rest of us understand where you're coming from and respect it.
Four words, for when you reintroduce some dietary items:
Spicy Asian Green Beans.
Could eat them forever.

It's been over 17 years since I've eaten meat, even longer since I've eaten eggs or fish, and I can't even imagine eating any of it ever again. I don't know if I could give up caffeine though. I tried once several years ago and ended up getting headaches so bad that I drank coke to take the edge off. And then I got my first cavity.

Oddly enough I married a meatatarian, who is afraid of vegetables, especially peas. For a chance to wear that shirt, I would so trick him into joining me at a trendy Toronto vegan restaurant.

okay ... i have to share that i bought my husband, the 'meat is murder, tasty tasty murder' shirt for his bday a couple of years ago and um yeah ... he is a vegan who regularly wears it to vegan and vegeatarian restaurants alike ... we get a kick out of it but we're weirdly wired that way.

I can't believe people have something to say about everything! I for one, read what you had to say, did some looking around and am considering it. After I see if you die, of course. No sense in both of us dying. ;-)

Good luck. I told a few close friends I was considering cutting out meat for a variety reasons, mostly health reasons and I suffered intense harassment. From friends! I think that people who are at all slightly educated about the health benefits alone to vegetarianism or being macrobiotic (nevermind the moral factors, which do produce some definite self-righteous hipsters, hippies and yuppies) are the people who react so negatively to the mere suggestion.

It's sort of like the people who make a big deal about others who opt not to drink alcohol while they are drinking alcohol and try to force it on them and harass them to no end like 2nd year keg standing college students.

Thank you for writing about The Cleanse because turns out it's something *I* am desperate to try! If people knew how wretched I (we?) feel on a daily basis they would give us all a break for cutting out this kind of stuff. Seriously, going gluten free is really not all that comprehensive, neither is going animal products free. Besides, it's only for 3 weeks!! And ... and! There are so many phenomenal fresh vegetables and fruits available now to make the cleanse especially fun. Throw in some quinoa and soba noodles and other yummy stuff and I'm happy. Especially if I get my energy back and my poor little system healthy again.

But you know all this already, so ... good luck and have fun with it!

Heather, I've never ever commented on your posts or emailed you, but I was compelled to write you just this once, with a simple, oh so very simple request:

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS.

I gave up meat earlier in the year and became anemic without realizing it. I did nothing but drag myself to work in the morning, work with little productivity, then go home and sleep until the next morning. And oh, the HEADACHE. Then one day, I took a multivitamin, and my ENTIRE WORLD improved. So, if don't already: vitamins! Yes!

Okay. Back to the ranting.

It's true, there's nothing more annoying than a Vegan mother, only second to that is one who sells slings. But best, are those ones with 7 children (sorta like Notes, but not so exactly)...and the ones who pawn stationery like it's going out of style. Ew. Who needs free stamps with your picture on it anyway. Oozing green milkshakes.

Change is bad, no matter how you Feng Shui it.

first of all i am glad that you will not/are not the type to criticize those that do eat meat b/c i have a "friend" who recently jumped on a no meat band wagon due to a love in her life and now i get nothing but lectures about the pigs we raised and how horid the pork is for us so with that i say good luck and make sure you let us know how you feel in the end.

I didn't read the 100+ comments before mine so you probably already have a taker for the shirt, but I'll put in a word anyway: I'm vegan and I'd totally wear that shirt to a vegan restaurant.

Also... your poop will stink less when you stop eating meat. TMI? Meh. :)

I thought meat, dairy, sugar and caffeine were the four food groups. Seriously what are you eating that feels like cheating? Can you cook tofu so it's palatable? Otherwise, I guess you're limited to *shudder* fruit and veggies. Post menus please, I'm really curious.

I tried to comment on the last post but 460 comments later I figured why bother. One hour after posting this one you've already got more comments than I get in a week! I think the cleanse is a great idea. Intense. Challenging. But great. I'm waiting to see if you get through it to decide whether it's something for me. I've tried to take out white flour, white sugar and anything processed. That's been hard enough. It would be great if you shared some of the vegetarian/vegan meals you love so the rest of us lazies can benefit from your hard work.

It's amazing that knowing someone else wants to live a healthier life evicts so much anger in other people. There is nothing extreme about eating natural foods.

I am a (fish/sushi eating but otherwise) vegan and I'd be happy to wear your meat shirt to my favorite vegan restaurant. People need to lighten up and do what they feel is best for them whether it be vegan, vegetarian, ominivore, etc. If it doesn't work for you, don't do it!

Regarding caffeine, I also have a history of anxiety and depression and I used to drink about 4-5 cups of coffee before lunch with the occaissional diet coke here & there. I gave up all caffeine a few months ago and I am now able to recognize how much it contributed to my anxiety. I am so sensitive to caffeine now that a large cup of decaf gives me anxiety. It's a bummer because I love coffee but it's nice to know that I was able to eliminate the problem.

Good luck to you

Love your blog. I'm a stay-at-home dad who had his first set of crippling panic attacks last year (Surprise! It happens to men, too). I read in your archives that you have had issues with anxiety as well, which really helped me to connect with you and your site. Anyway, the first thing I did for my anxiety was to cut out caffeine. And it helped. A lot. Because I used to drink a lot of it. I also cut back a great deal on the sugar, which also helped. Once you get past that headache, you won't regret it for an instant.
Oh... and the lack of meat thing? No biggie. Enjoy the veggies. There are some fantastic recipes out there.

when I read your post yesterday about the 21-Day Cleanse, I actually linked thru to it thinking, I NEED TO DO THAT! I'm currently fighting the ugly post-pregnancy weight that just won't go, and to top it off, I threw out my back about a month ago - a couple dried up herniated discs. Yay. Talk about the kick in the ass that you need to really get out, exercise and take care of your body!

I didn't pay attention to any of the comments from others, so I had no idea your post created such an uproar. I shouldn't be surprised tho.

I was born and raised a vegetarian. And, for the most part, have stuck to it. I say most, because there have been some occasional slips when I just can't resist the tempting sashimi sitting on my husband's plate (hard-core Texan that loves his meat, how we co-exist is still a mystery). Being a veggie for so long, I've developed a thick skin for all the ridiculously rude and stupid comments that people tend to make the minute they hear you're a veggie -- "WHAT DO YOU EAT?!?!?" uhhh, everything you do, except the stuff with faces on it? :) Still, every now and again, a stinging comment from a close friend will be a little too much to handle (You wouldn't have milk supply issues if you just ate some meat. You need to get some protein in him (my son); maybe then he wouldn't have weight gain issues...etc.)

I say go on with your bad self! I applaud your efforts and only wish I were as bold as you to publicly announce trying out a new diet online. I really hope it works out well for you!!

btw. L-O-V-E the shirt. You won't catch me in a Vegan restaurant tho. I can't live without my cheese. :-P

Heather,
Good luck on your cleansing diet. IF you do decide to add some sugar back in afterwards, may I strongly suggest the cookbook "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" by Terry Hope Romero and Isa Moscowitz--so amazing, including a margarita cupcake with real tequila in the frosting!

After being sick for a long time (babyhood to 24), I went off of gluten about 15 years ago and my whole world changed for the much better. I was officially tested for celiac's disease last year and guess who was positive, me. When the doctor said, "You will have to eat a gluten-free diet." It was no problem as I was already there.

During last year's round of doctor's appointments, I was also tested for food allergies. The main results that came back were no diary and no eggs for Ms. Jen.

The great news of one year as a gluten-free vegan carnivore (my description of my diet) is that I am now migraine and ulcer free. What a huge relief. I went back to my regular primary care doctor and asked her why she did not test me for allergies and she was surprised that eggs and dairy could be causing so much stomach pain & havoc.

The upswing is food does make a difference. A cleanse is a good thing and when you reintroduce foods back at the end of 21 days pay attention to the reactions you get as it may help you suss out and refine your diet.

Good luck with the next 20 days and do well.

I've often thought of becoming a vegetarian myself. Although I am not really an animal lover, sometimes the thought of what meat actually is disturbs me. There are only two things holding me back: laziness and bacon.

I definitely couldn't do the vegan thing though. I love cheese too much. Oh, and butter. Oh and cream. Oh and milk. Okay. Dairy.

When you get crap from people you may want to refer them to this article:

http://www.slate.com/id/2190872/

People, people, people, people.

Take a step back. Deep cleansing breath. Exhale.

You're not looking at the underlying bonus here.

Who care's who goes on what vegetable only diet?

As a fervent supporter of all things bacon, that just leaves more pork greasidy goodness for the rest of us. I personally vowe to eat all the fried pig Heather refuses herself. You know, keep the dietary universe in balance. I know, I'm a giver.

Congratulations. My boyfriend and I recently tried vegetarianism for a week. He's always been a meat-lover, and has always told all of our vegetarian friends that he would never ever stop eating meat.

But at the end of 7 days, he decided he would remain a vegetarian. He had always felt ill and very tired after every meal, and it didn't happen anymore. Now he's much more fun.

It wasn't the whole vegan thing that left a bad taste in my mouth... it was the mention of Oprah.

I used to be the biggest meat eater in the world. I love nothing more than a big juicy steak. But I've been following a similar diet since March. I'm a "cluck" away from being a vegan. (I do eat chicken) No red meat, no pork, no fish, no dairy and I have a wheat allergy so no bread either. And I haven't felt this good in years! My family gives me crap about about my food choices, but they can all stay fat and miserable. And I don't really miss steak all that much. (Okay, maybe a little.)

You should totally become one of those "Vegans of the Fifth Order".

You know the kind that WOULDN'T EVEN EAT FRUIT THAT CASTS A SHADOW?

I posted something similar to your change of diet post about a year ago... and I could NOT believe people that came out of the woodwork telling me how nuts I was and that reading books like Eating For Your Blood Type is second only to listening to NPR and it's liberal propaganda. And that it was just another fad and if I even THOUGHT about giving up meat (as supposedly my Type A does not mix well with meat) and becoming a vegetarian, they would lose all respect for me and if given a chance, spit in my eye when we met.

You have to wonder about people who are so concerned about what YOU eat. Makes me want to ask them why they think it's their business? Meat eaters, vegetarians, gluten-free-ers ... same. sex. marriage? WHY DO WE CARE? Is my eating veggies somehow hurting you? Or the family ideal? Really, tell me... why is this your business?

I tend to think these are the same people who light their own farts and brag about it. They also sometimes end up as the most powerful man in the free world.

Anyway, more power to you. I ended up not going the vegetarian way because I, personally, don't mind feeling like crap and getting the beef sweats. And, I couldn't wait out the headaches.

Best of luck!

I see that there are others, but lest you worry that there is a dearth of vegetarians out there with a sense of humor, you should know that a coworker bought me that t-shirt specifically because I do not eat meat, and I've worn it to many vegan restaurants. Not surprisingly, I get some nasty looks. But it's totally worth it.

I do a 14 day cleanse every 3 months...it has made a wonderful difference in my life.

It took years to accept that I had the wrong attitude about food...

Some people LIVE TO EAT and others EAT to LIVE!
I now fuel my body instead of destroy it!

Good luck on the cleanse!

Heather, you inspire me! I've been thinking about doing a cleanse, but I'm holding off until I can read how it's working out for you.

I know, Oprah did it first, but I don't watch her show, nor do I read her magazines or peruse her website. But I do read dooce every single day. I appreciate your honesty, and I want to learn how a real person living in the real world does this fast, sans trainer and chef and personal assistant. Please do write about your experience - which I hope will be a good one for you!

Hope the cleanse goes great.

I personally don't care for the cult of Oprah and maybe some people were reacting to that. I know I am!

Oprah comes across as though she believes she has invented or is the first person to discover whatever she happens to be touting at the moment, whether it's "The Secret" (puh-leeze), Optifast (ah, the infamous wagon of fat) or Obama. It's annoying. It's Oprah's world, we just live in it.

That said, I hope the cleanse is a worthwhile experience that leads to good things for you.

My mom said I would die when I became a vegetarian. She also told me all my female organs would fall out if I ran long distances. hmmm. still here, still female (but the boobs did fall with age and 3 kids). I don't preach, I just keep on being me. It's all about choices. I made mine.

I also don't understand the bacon thing-I never liked it and the vegetarian stuff is like fried smoked cardboard.
I don't miss meat or animal flesh after 30+ years so the fake stuff serves no purpose for me.

Back to the carrot sticks and hummus with a side of vicodin.

The diet sounds really interesting but there's something I don't get... what DO you eat? I'm having a hard time thinking of meals that would fit into your plan. It must take a lot of time and creativity. Could you make a post about this?

I'm from India where the majority of the Hindu population is vegetarian. Since vegetarianism is related to our religion and culture, Indian food over the centuries has evolved to automatically incorporate proteins, fat etc through vegetarian options such as lentils, beans, nuts, fruits, dairy products etc. As long as you make sure you are compensating for the nutrients that you were getting through meat you should be fine. If turning vegetarian is supposed to 'harm' you in some way then India's population would never have crossed over a billion people.

I think it's great and I support you Heather! Most people who criticize 'extreme' diets have never even tried them. You should feel anything but 'deprived' if you're eating beautiful fresh vegetables and fruits instead of processed, synthetic crap. I think everyone has a very specific diet that allows her body to thrive, and it takes some experimenting to find yours. My ideal diet is 90% vegan, with fish and occasional goat cheese. I get criticized ALL THE TIME for not fitting into the definition of any one term, for not being a 'real' vegan, etc. But once you find YOUR perfect balance, you won't go back.

By the way, you could make yourself a giannnttt pitcher of icy lemonade from just fresh lemons and water, with lots of pulp (I sometimes add agave nectar to sweeten it, and mint or lavender to make it interesting) but fresh lemon juice is incredibly cleansing and refreshing to your body.

I'm excited for you! Good luck!

I have been (mostly) vegan for many years, and my two favorite resources for delicious, awesome food (a lot of it which is also gluten and sugar free!) is the vegan cooking community on Livejournal: http://community.livejournal.com/vegancooking and also http://www.vegweb.com . THEY ARE AWESOME FOREVER!

Caffeine is a bitch, and sugar is just as bad. I'm going through withdrawal [AGAIN] myself. I hope we both feel better soon!