Adele Rosi tries the Clean 9, the detox and weight-loss plan du jour.
Dieting trends come and go (cabbage soup diet, anyone?). The programme du jour is Clean 9, a detox and weight-management regime. Over nine days, it aims to rid your body of harmful chemicals, develop new dietary habits and shed weight by drawing on fat reserves.
Clean 9 is delivered to your door as a complete nine-day package: supplements such as bee pollen for energy enhancement, Garcinia Plus (a natural appetite suppressant), aloe vera gel, protein powder for total nutritional support, and instructions on what to take when. Sign up with either the British package or the more expensive Hong Kong version, which includes three extra detox supplements (Omega-3, Field of Greens and probiotics).
Day one
Having drunk too much, eaten too much and slept too little yesterday, I need detoxing. I embrace the supplements and water as the start of a journey to a newer, cleaner me. Come lunchtime, however, I have ferocious munchies, which are only slightly allayed by a chocolate protein shake made with skimmed milk. As powdered shakes go, it’s very palatable and I feel full. I get through the afternoon on gallons of hot water and herbal tea, but with only aloe vera gel and supplements for dinner, I go to bed early.
Day two
I wake up with a banging headache, craving food. I feel light-headed, dazed and confused, forgetting some things (keys, phone, people’s names) and losing others (my son’s rugby kit). After having only a shake and water during a barbecue lunch with friends, I am bad-tempered, snarly and starving. There is nothing good about day two except that it is the end of the most brutal part of the Clean 9.
The hardest parts are refusing wine… and being in a room with biscuits
Day three
Starting the day with a shake for breakfast makes life instantly better. My energy levels are boosted by a second shake for lunch. The light-headedness goes. I attempt some exercise, but with dragging feet and zero energy, I cut my usual route in half. On the upside, I eat my first proper meal in three days: white-bean chilli with brown rice and a simple salad. Every mouthful is heaven. I am so full that I can’t eat my total allowance of 600 calories.
Day four
I have lost 1.5kg. Most of that is probably water, but I’m encouraged. Today’s challenge is a school trip with 60 seven-year-olds, travelling on every conceivable form of public transport in Hong Kong. I swap my lunchtime shake for a chicken salad from my evening’s allowance, but it takes all my willpower to resist stealing snacks from the children. My head aches, I’m exhausted.
Days five to nine
My energy returns on day five as my body gets used to the shakes and healthy eating. By delaying the lunchtime shake until 1.30pm, I can last the afternoon with just a few raw carrots, almonds and rice crackers. I think about food more, but I have few cravings. What food I do eat tastes better and, amazingly, I don’t miss carbs or sugar. As my goal was to detox rather than lose weight, I’m not as strict as I could be about weighing food and counting calories. The hardest parts are refusing wine while out with friends and being in a room with freshly baked biscuits. On the upside, my skin and eyes are clearer and I have lost 4kg. I feel pretty good.
A week later
As I still have some supplements, aloe gel and shake powder, I continue taking them, choosing a shake for breakfast and even lunch on busy days. I can eat whatever I want, but I don’t go on a feeding frenzy. Sugar, coffee and pasta creep back into my diet, but far less regularly than before and I keep drinking more water.
A fortnight later
I have regained 2kg and my love affair with the protein shakes has abated, but I am still eating more healthily than I did before the Clean 9.
Verdict
Clean 9 is a good way to kickstart weight loss and get eating habits on a healthier track. Those who don’t need to lose weight might be better off with a less severe regime.
Clean 9 Tips
- Do the Clean 9 when you have a relatively free work and social calendar, and bags of willpower.
- The aloe vera gel tastes better straight from the fridge. Holding your nose when you drink it also helps.
For details and Clean 9 detox packs (British version $1,400, Hong Kong version $2,060), email Monica Wong or Emma Linnitt.