Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Christine Soriaga [Click to enlarge]

You can lose 20 pounds in two weeks, just like Beyonce.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting a little tired of hearing that empty promise. Though this information is technically true, it's best to do some research before following blindly.

Formulated in 1976 by Stanley Burroughs, The Master Cleanse was designed as a cure for stomach ulcers, and according to Burroughs, all ailments of the body. He published the cure-all in his book, "The Master Cleanser." In 2004, Peter Glickman published the same diet in his book "Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days." This is their gem.

The Master Cleanse.

In 2006, for the filming of the movie "Dreamgirls," Beyonce lost 20 pounds to

portray the younger version of her character, Deena Jones, by following a "diet" known as the "master cleanse" or the "lemonade diet." What the tabloids didn't say is the results are short term. Beyonce said on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "As soon as it was over, I gained the weight back."

In high school, a few weeks before prom, I became a victim of the tabloids and decided I needed to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. I spent a large portion of my tiny paycheck on the $10 bottle of pure maple syrup, rationalizing that it was worth it because I wouldn't be paying for food for the next few weeks.

I started on a Monday. The first day wasn't so bad. The cayenne pepper gives the drink a real kick and masks hunger fairly well. Days two and three were more of the same. I'd stay out of the kitchen to avoid temptation.

Friday, I caved. Cafeteria food was easy to skip during the week, mainly because it tasted and smelled like death, but the weekend required more willpower than I had energy for. That's another side effect the tabloids left out. Don't expect to be very chipper while on the diet. I was lethargic, and sometimes downright mean. I did lose an astonishing amount of weight for just a week, but I probably gained all of it back in an even more shocking weekend.

With spring break coming up, The Master Cleanse might seem like a good option, but keep the side effects in mind. If you start now, and stay true until spring break, it could be possible to lose a significant amount of weight. If you're lucky, you could keep the weight off for the first half of spring break, but by the end, my guess is you'll be back where you started. I should also mention that frequent and rapid weight loss is not good for skin
elasticity, so you're really just choosing the lesser of two evils.

If you, like me, are still young and stupid and rarely listen to advice, go ahead and rid your system of all those toxins. To this day, I become nauseated at the smell of cayenne pepper.

Recipe for The Master Cleanse
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed, preferably
organic, lemon juice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup.
Grade B is best, but less available.
Grade A is a fine alternative.
1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
8 ounces water
Mix together and drink throughout the day. With the lack of solid foods, it is necessary to also drink a laxative tea before bed to keep things moving, so to speak.

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