I think she's nuts for sharing her ideas publically. god forbid some misguided teenager will stumble upon her notes and execute them. She's far from being a healthy role model.

i completely agree with you, Fit. this woman's crazy! her going to the hospital because of a master cleanse ow whatever shows that she shouldn't be giving detox advice to anyone!

"He actually thinks that the Master Cleanse can be dangerous because the liver is not supported by the nutrients it needs."

How is this surprising?? Does she honestly think living on "lemon water" is GOOD for you? She shouldn't be visiting a detox specialist, she should be visiting a nutritionist.

Anais, you are totally right.
Who knows who is going to read that and think that is her daily diet, not just a week long process.
She is not promoting being healthy. She could work out an extra five minutes a day, and her extra "pounds" would be gone in a month.. that is insanity.

What exactly does she eat??

that is waaaay too restrictive. i'm a vegetarian and i decided to eat semi-vegan and raw to sort of detox my body after the holidays, so i only eat dairy once a day, and relying on fruits, nuts, and legumes to get the adequate number of calories, but that is just way too restrictive. you shouldn't be suffering with what you eat, ever! i mean, on the plus side, i do want to give her props for being honest about the fact that the woman starves herself because so many celebrities talk about light pilates and cutting back on oil for their salad dressing, when you know they're starving themselves like this, but still - the fact that she's doing it at all is insane!

I feel sick just looking at the list of things she isn't eating for a week.

i always want to do either a master cleanse or a detox, but i'm always afraid of what the effects will be. i've read about how your bowels get to be off their routine, and that's not necessarily a pretty thing if you're at work in an office all day. i don't want to embarrass myself i like the idea of a new years cleanse or detox though - so hopefully i'll find something that works for me. i need to do the pre-wedding/post holiday weight loss!

I just like food too much. I eat healthy and mostly organic but I could never starve myself. Plus where does she find the energy to work out? The saddest part is that she's got 2 kids and there is no way she has the right energy to keep up with them while she's doing this.

Your body naturally detoxes itself.

yeah, I can't help but wonder, after looking at her list, does she only get to eat ice and gluten free unprocessed, no sugar, crackers?

I've always believed that food is here not only to sustain us but also for our pleasure, you have a better respect for food and pay more attention to what you eat if you eat for the pleasure of it and not just to eat (or to eat your emotions).

I'm vegetarian (almost vegan) and I cut out white sugar this year. I feel like my diet is somewhat restrictive, so I can't imagine what Gwynie eats? Her own hair?

Laura's right; your body de-toxes itself. All the time, and really well.
What does she think your liver, kidneys and lymphatic system are there for anyway? Not to mention lungs and your entire circulatory system. In fact, after providing your cells with energy, your body spends most of it's removing wastes. You exhale and excrete toxins all day long. . .

This is what happens when they let actresses talk without a script.
Loved her in Ironman, though.

I agree. Gwyneth is absurd.

This proves it - these starlets are a bunch of insecure idiots.

I am cool with detox diets if you are getting enough calories in your day and are not doing the diet for weight loss. These diets can help with digestive and other health issues periodically, but when Ms. Paltrow starts her piece talking about how it is time to lose a few pounds again... I am not thrilled.

Ridiculous. abosolutely, without a doubt, ridiculous.

your body does a v. fine job - if given proper fuel! - 'detoxing' itself.

she's cutting out a lot of healthy, full of nutrients foods... nuts, veggies, grains

what on earth does she eat?

I disagree. What is so horrible with that menu? Sure, it's probably less than you would normally eat, but it is rich in leafy greens and does permit you to eat lean protein and gluten-free grains. I have no problems eating soup, juices, nice salads, and barley for 7 days.

Wierd! The body "detoxes" itself! Why do you think we have a bloodstream and a liver and kidneys! Just what exactly is Gwyn eating that's SO toxic that she needs to starve herself and drink only lemon juice??? Eating balanced meals and regular exercise is all a normal functioning body needs. Why doesn't she call this so called detox nonsense what it really is; starving your body to lose weight. UGH!

Insane...

i think that one of the points of a cleanse like this is to kinda reset your body and your own cravings. I'm doing a cleanse now cutting out all animal products (meat, dairy, etc), sugar, wheat, caffeine and alcohol. its hard but it really makes you think how much processed crap a lot of people eat these days (and i do it too, not trying to be preachy!) like with sugar...that is something i have a really hard time with. but last year when i stopped eating it i discovered that after a few days eating a piece of fruit totally killed that craving for me, and that doesnt happen normally. i just think putting processed and artificial foods into your body a lot really messes with you, not just physically but mentally. but i think a lot of people are better at controlling cravings normally than i am.

My homeopath put me on the exact same diet, but it was because I had severe health problems at the time. There is no need for healthy, normal people to eat this way, not unless Candida and other parasites have attacked your system to such an extent that you require such a deep cleanse. I agree with everyone on this blog, it is INSANE!

she is the LAST person in hollywood that should be worried about weight loss. i personally find this to be a slap in the face to average sized women.

she needs a swift kick in her pristine bony ass for being so insecure. what a HORRIBLE role model.

I don't think this is necessarily a bad idea, if done right. She's still getting fruits and veggies, soups, and whole grains like quinoa, barley, and oatmeal (as long as it hasn't been cross-contaminated with gluten). A lot of times, the purpose of a cleanse is to eliminate "noisy" processed foods and sugar, as well as give the digestive organs a break. The molecules in dairy and gluten are hard for a lot of people to digest (even those who don't have specific allergies or intolerances to dairy and gluten) so it gives your body time to recharge and come back stronger and cleaner than ever.

nowhere was it mentioned that she was doing it to cleanse her system. she said "I need to lose a few pounds of holiday excess"

so yes... what she is doing is borderline crazy. im sure everyone here could agree that she is already thin enough.

Like others have said,

I'd be cool with all of this if she wasn't doing it specifically for weight loss. A detox can be cleansing in a spiritual way too.

I think its terrible from her to heard that she think that she have to lose FEW pounds when i just cant imagine herself eating like a pig all of the cookies and cakes. She is already a bag of bones, look at this pictures, where are the few pounds? her bones????
What its going to be if for her she is not thin enough, liposuccion of herself? She dont need to shed at all, she want to remove her hips or what, looks like a toothpick?

The mastercleanse only remove your 'body water' you are flushing all and think that you lose weight but this is only water and muscle. I think this is pretty dangerous.

I think her diet is too restrictive, and to know that she collapsed after her last strict diet like that, i think she is obsessed.
Is she going to the gym or what? It works for everybody to have right nutrition and training, she already THIN!!!!!!!

I'm actually on a similar, but less restrictive diet right now, and i'm fine. My diet is different in that I can eat meat (non-red) and fish, and the nightshade family is OK.

I get dairy 2x a week (but not milk) - however it has to be organic, whole fat, plain yogurt or cottage cheese, mixed w/fruits and honey. I only have carbs once a day - 1/2 cup of either brown rice or quinoa with dinner.

It's really not that bad, and I actually crave more natural foods (salads, grilled meats, steamed fish) as a result.

Oh, and i'm not overweight or have GI problems or anything...just doing it to cleanse my system and feel good.

Great post, Fit — I totally agree. First, Gwyneth talking about "extra pounds" makes me sad; she's already what, a size two or zero? I don't see how she has any pounds to lose. Secondly, I'm sorry, but this seems like starvation. Too many actresses in Hollywood (and I'm not sure if GP is one of them) are underweight because they don't eat enough food — and pushing this whole "barely eat" diet, no matter how temporary it is, is bound to create disordered eating among normal, healthy women.

I think her entire blog is kind of crazy, and this doesn't surprise me that much. Bella, I agree, it almost seems like she is using the idea of a holistic cleanse (which is probably rubbish anyway) in order to pretend she isn't just starving herself. And this kind of thinking already landed her in the hospital once...

rc- The differences you mention, eating non-red meat, fish and the nightshade vegetables mean you are on a dramatically different diet than Gwyneth. Just because you are both doing cleanses does not mean your diet is even nearly as restrictive as hers. I am a vegetarian who avoids most dairy, sugar, and processed products, but I can at least still eat peppers and nuts!

My detox diet: Avoid alcohol for 7 days. Amazing how much better I feel.

snowbunny - yeah, i get what you're saying...but the nightshade thing is actually already cut out (not by intent, i just dont get around to eating those things, esp with a carb restriction on potatoes), and i was going to ask my trainer (who put me on the diet) if there are any meat alternatives, bc i dont feel like eating meat 2x a day. fish i limit anyway because of mercury.

she doesn't say anything about eggs, though. i think the major change in this diet vs what i was eating anyway is the fact that breakfast is 2 eggs and veggies instead of my usual oatmeal or cottage cheese w/banana and berries.

but, i agree...the diff between my diet and hers is that mine is getting me into eating less of whole foods (entire egg, full cream yogurt, etc.) and hers is just about getting rid of stuff.

btw, i am also on a no gluten, no soy, no alcohol, no sugar diet.

maybe it's just easier in nyc bc salad places are EVERYWHERE.

I do a Master Cleanse once a year and feel awesome afterward. It feels like a great "reset" to get back to reasonable portion sizes and rid yourself of cravings. It's not for everyone, but I like it. It's not really very good for long term weight loss, obviously, but it's a good way to kickstart a reasonable diet when you've fallen off the wagon. It also opens your eyes to seeing how often you eat when you're not actually hungry and retraining you to know the difference. I have a lot of friends that do juice fasts, or other detoxes for the same reasons.

Funny you posted this.. I'm on the 2nd day of the master cleanse. I've done it before and never feel deprived because my blood sugar is always stable and in the end, i feel cleaner, i have more energy, and i even feel like my eye sight improves...

I detest her and this doesn't surprise me.

My head hurts from rolling my eyes so much. Someone needs to tell her "inner aspect" to get over herself.

I think detoxing your body once or twice a year is a good thing. I have tried master cleanse but it was a bit too intense for me, so my version is just more about cutting out alcohol, caffeine, sugar, red meat, etc, and drinking more water. also taking supplements and things like metamucil can help (its not just for old people!).

that said, I think gwyneth paltrow is absolutely delusional! like someone else said, it seems like she is using the 'holistic cleanse' idea to justify starving herself.

Thanks for this post, Fit. It's a sound bit of wisdom, and it helps me in the new year to focus on voices like yours. Thanks for helping to keep it all in perspective and encouraging us to do things in a more sane, healthy way.

I would really miss bell peppers and tofu! I prefer clean eating in general, and I don't think I'd attempt a cleanse. But some of her recipes sound delicious!

Where is the pleasure? Food is great! Why do we have to have such a negative binge-purge relationship with it? It's all about balance. A little cheese, a little wine, lots of fresh veggies, lean protien, desert once in a while. Everyone should ENJOY LIFE and stop worrying so much. That's how my grandma lived and she died last year at a healthy AND HAPPY 96 years old.

hear hear sky slang! what's life without enjoyment?

She's ridiculous.

halfbakedjake wrote "How is this surprising?? Does she honestly think living on "lemon water" is GOOD for you? She shouldn't be visiting a detox specialist, she should be visiting a nutritionist."

IMHO, a psychiatrist is what she needs most!

TOTALLY agree with skyslang!!!

And way to go for your grandma! Mine is 93 and going strong too even though she never made any "detox" diet of her entire life and instead always enjoyed life's pleasures in a sensitive and moderate way.

Why deprive yourself like this??? A human body NEEDS carbs and fats to survive! That lunatic Paltrow girl should take some basic classes of nutrition before posting that nonsense online!

Absolutely insane!

Ugh, Gwyneth. She actually did the Master Cleanse as recent as last year when it's been common knowledge that it's unhealthy and dangerous?

I agree with everyone. The fact she states she is doing this for weight loss is stupid.
-Can anyone tell me what's wrong with produce from the nightshade family??? Why no potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant??

I wholeheartedly agree with all the comments that have been posted in opposition to this so called "diet", particularly Anais18. Really you hit the nail on the head... Heaven forbid some impressionable teen get wind of yet another despicable hollywood weight loss plan. Besides the unhealthful means of this detox how exactly does she intend to keep the weight off once it's gone? Isn't she just losing water weight? Either way I don't buy into this means of weight loss.

This is insane.
Wouldn't she just gain the weight she lost back anyway once she started eating "normally"?

Gosh I'm scared to know what "normal" eating is for HER.

She's a great actress though!

i say to each their own. i am subscribed to her newsletter and i got the email with her plan last week and there were somethings in it that i found of value and others that i would not consider but i wont condemn her.

she has a right to do what works for her.