Even if you’re not that great of a dancer (I’m not!) you can’t deny how good it feels to move your body to music. Don’t feel insecure if you don’t have rhythm or the moves like Jagger, just get out there and do it! It’s not only great exercise, but it’s good for your soul.
I got the moves like jaguar, I got the moves like jaguar, I got the moooo-ves…..
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
I was honored to be a returning guest on James Burns’ “Anti-Bullying 101” podcast.
Some of the topics included: How I used humor to get the bullies off my back; advice to parents who have children who are being bullied; and much more.
James Burns is so awesome with his anti-bullying mission. In addition to my podcast, I encourage you to check out others as well.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
This morning I came across this photo of my husband and myself. We were in Asbury Park having coffee prior to the movie premiere of “Echo Canyon.” After the movie we saw live performances by Jakob Dylan, Jade, Cat Power, and others at The Paramount. I even scored the set list.
Not a care in the world. Who knew what was to come less than a year later? Careers tanked. As a public speaker, one by one, I received calls of gigs being cancelled. But, even worse, many got sick. I was lucky to avoid getting Covid, but some friends did, and one even died from it, along with several friends who died from other ailments. All in all, it was a very bad two years. Though my husband and I are positive people and we were able to produce some good–like creating music videos together and embracing parks and outdoor dining. I also was able to salvage some of my public speaking gigs via Zoom.
I don’t watch the news much, but it looks like we’re nearing the end of a dark, two-year tunnel. In New Jersey, masks are only required at medical places like the chiropractor and dentist. And some hair salons still require masks.
My husband and I have been attending in-door concerts again for the last six months, and planning even more. We’ve also been going to movies, and even running into friends we haven’t seen for some time.
It seems like life is getting back to normal and it’s all been a bad dream. The truth is, we’ll never get back the friends who had passed, as well as some of the opportunities.
We just have to keep looking forward. Or even looking backward, at a more innocent time, like April 2019.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
My husband caught me making a dumb face here, but trust me, I was ecstatic.
While life has ups and downs, there are always those moments when everything is just perfect, in addition to some new hope on the horizon. Friday morning I received great news, that I’d be helping out editing and writing for a magazine that I worked for as editor/writer several years ago. I had recently reconnected with the publisher. We had lunch together a few weeks ago and talked about the possibilities of me coming on board again. That and some other potential great news!
Oftentimes when good things happen, it snowballs. So the best thing to do when you receive great news is to celebrate to keep the energy on a high. My husband asked me what I wanted to do for date night, and it hit me–it was a gorgeous day/night for heading to the beach!
We stopped at one of my favorite health food stores and got some raw vegan meals. Then–the beach.
We watched the waves for a long time and had great conversation, as always. Talking about happy memories, and future dreams always makes for a sweet high. Living euphorically is how we are meant to live. Too many people play “victim” in life; and being human, I can fall into that sad trap as well.
The point is, when good things happen to good people (not only myself, but to those reading), you have to roll with it. Do not feel guilty for any success or goodness you have in life. You deserve it! Talk about it, and keep manifesting it!
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
My grandmother, Mary Mustachio, was my favorite person in the world (prior to my husband). She raised me and when I was a little kid we were inseparable. I did everything with her. Some of my favorite things were: watching old movies with her. She turned me on to some cool ones like “Valley of The Dolls” and “I’ll Cry Tomorrow.” But Easter time was special because she loved “The 10 Commandments.” I remember her telling me about it. She was fascinated by Moses opening up the Red Sea. It was a long movie and we watched it together. We also watched Sonny & Cher, Dean Martin, and Johnny Carson.
Aside from television, Grandma took me to the comic book store every week. Back in the 1970s you could get about 10 comic books for $1. I’d sit on the porch, in the summer time, reading the comic books and eating barbecue potato chips while Grandma chatted with our Aunt Sophie.
Grandma also worked as a short order cook in a tavern. I’d “help” her by putting toothpicks in the sandwiches and filling up coleslaw cups. This is how I earned my comic book wages.
When I grew older, she was my “go-to” person for all my problems. But she was also my biggest fan. Prior to becoming a professional writer, I’d read poetry in coffee shops, art galleries, and even nightclubs. Grandma was always there, right in the front, in her wheelchair, cheering me on. I’ll never forget getting a write-up in the Star Ledger, about performing “dramatic monologues” and how the audience was so captivated “you could hear a pin drop.”
In my grandmother’s eyes, I was “making it.”
Two months after she died, in 1995, I had my first article published. It was in print all over the world.
I mentioned to a friend, “I wish Grandma was around to see this.”
My friend said, “Well who do you think made this happen?”
Grandma was the one person who supported my dreams. But it was beyond that. She loved me unconditionally.
Now, don’t get me wrong. We DID fight. But the beauty of it was, we always made up again and forgot about our fights. This is a rarity. People fight and they don’t talk to each other for months, years, or ever again.
If you’re reading this, please, in honor of my Grandmother, if you are holding a grudge against someone, reach out to them. This is what made my Grandmother a special lady. She was tough and hard and told it like it was; but she was also the kind of person who loved with all her heart.
We need more of Grandma in this world today.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
Though I’ve used cruelty free products since 1996, I haven’t officially become a vegan until last summer.
I think what took me so long was the fact that the certified bat shit crazy vegan troupe was stuck in my brain. I had to separate myself from them first in order to make that final leap.
No matter what I say in this post, some crazy vegan will see it and argue with me. But I dare just ONE vegan to come forward and say, “You’re right.” Because I am. Because non-vegans agree with me.
Vegans make loving animals seem like a cult. Trust me, I’ve been to the Peta House back in 1998, during one of the many times I’ve dabbled in veganism since 1986 when I first gave up meat.
They are downright NASTY to anyone who disagrees with them and use their vegan card as a badge of ego, being condescending to others and being overly proud of their vegan knowledge.
It’s discouraging to those who want to change to become vegan, because they don’t want to be like that. And meat eaters just laugh at us because of how insane we are.
Here are some of the over-the-top, ultra-ridiculous vegan “things” I — as a fellow vegan — disagree with:
Veganswho won’t date non-vegans. This is so ego-driven it’s sickening. You are alienating yourself from others and acting superior. It’s also a missed opportunity. If you date someone who isn’t vegan, you are exposing him/her to vegan foods and helping animals by getting a meat eater to give up meat meals a few times a week. It’s like how plant-based eaters go for their Meatless Mondays. It is NOT a bad thing and shame on you vegans for judging others. Date whoever you want! Do not listen to kooky vegans!
Vegans who don’t keep cats as pets because cats can’t be vegan. This is just wrong. Yes, farm animals deserve to live, but so do our pets. Cats can survive outside, but the odds are against them. If you live in a city, they can get hit by a car. If you live in the country, they could get attacked by coyotes. It’s a thin line here, but not everything is black and white. It’s gray. When I feed my cats, I say a prayer to the farm animals and hope that someday scientists can come up with a better solution. So shut the fuck up you vegan control-freak hypocrite! I have three cats and they will not be vegans because that is cruelty to animals! I took an old cat out of an animal shelter and adopted him. If you see something wrong with this, you are a cruel, weird individual.
Vegans who alienate themselves from non-vegans. This is weird too. They won’t go to non-vegan restaurants. Or they go and look sad the whole time because they’re not getting the full vegan experience. It’s not about YOU! We are on this planet to get along with other people. Just live and let live. I would like to believe that everyone will become vegan in due time. But why shun others who are not? For whatever reason, they don’t make the connection about why eating animals isn’t cool, but who the fuck are we to judge them? I sound angry because I am angry about how condescending vegans can be. There are MANY non-vegans who do great things for animals, whether it’s donating to shelters, adopting not shopping, volunteering for animal rescues, and so on. Yet, you continue to preach and judge them! Fellow vegans, I am ASHAMED of you, and cringe that I am in YOUR elitist club!
We need a NEW name for the vegans who aren’t this way. Those who are compassionate towards others who aren’t vegans but love animals. Those who admire others who aren’t vegan but who are doing their best. THAT is who I am as a vegan. If you’re not a vegan and you’re a great pet mommy or daddy, I ADMIRE YOU! If you’re not a vegan, but you make an effort eating plant-based meals, I ADMIRE YOU! If you’re not a vegan, but you sign petitions for justice for animals that have been abused, I ADMIRE YOU!
Do not let these OTHER vegans put you down. This is not my troupe! I honestly am disgusted by them. And believe me, while many ARE like that, not all of us are.
I would LOVE to hear from fellow vegans who agree with what I have to say. And for those vegans who don’t agree, I DO NOT want to hear from you, because I’ve heard ENOUGH from you for the past several decades and you are DEAD WRONG! I’m so glad I am not like you!
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
I waited a long time to wear this cool shirt. It has that 1980s new romantic look. The collar is higher than I usually wear, but I love going out of my comfort zone. It goes so well with distressed jeans and my Katy Perry open toe booties. And the sunglasses are really cool too.
To pull this look off, I had to up my game with my hair again. For several months I went for a more subdued hair color. Finally, I had enough of looking natural and had my hair bleached with thick magenta highlights.
So many people — young and older — are dying their hair fantasy colors, and it’s really fun. I absolutely love the ocean blue color Jack White is rocking these days. But it’s not just rock stars who have cool hair, it’s people from all walks of life.
As someone who was bullied as a kid for wearing heavy make-up and a leather jacket (can you imagine?!) I feel so blessed to live in a time when it’s accepted to express yourself visually, whether it’s with clothes or hair or tattoos or make-up or whatever. Days of being stared at by ignorant people are long gone. We can all do what we want, and it’s just awesome!
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
When I view the stats of my blog from the back-end (what the public can’t view), I see that many people are finding my blog by writing “How did Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta become an award-winning journalist?” Okay, I’ll tell you (again)….
Back in 2002, I was an editorial assistant for The Montclair Times. I wrote about five articles per week. While I was complaining about how fast people drive, my co-workers were complaining about getting so many parking tickets.
My co-worker, Angela King and I decided to write an article, asking the question, “Do Montclair policemen give out more tickets for traffic violations or moving violations?”
What do you think?
The Montclair police department were not too happy that we exposed them — the fact that they wrote out more tickets for PARKING violations, as opposed to moving violations. Honest to God, someone went through a red light, almost hit me while I was walking, and a nearby cop was sitting in his car eating a donut, what a cliche, right? I knocked on his window and asked if he saw the guy go through the red light. He insisted he didn’t. URGH!
Our story won 2nd place from the NJ Society of Journalism and I got my award in the Bloomberg building back in 2002. I still have it showcased in my home.
My point here, if you got this far, my idols are all women who speak up. You can’t be a quiet mouse and expect to make a difference in the world. If something is wrong, do not turn a blind eye to it. I look back and have no regrets in my life because I don’t let anything stop me from doing what is right. I will always fight for what I believe in. And never stop fighting.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
On this day in 2008, I began The Master Cleanse. It’s a 10-day cleanse fast to recharge your system.
It was quite an experience and I would not recommend it prior to reading “The Master Cleanse” by Stanley Burroughs, as there is a science to doing it the correct way, as opposed to jumping in blindly.
From my diaries, I am sharing my 10 days right here! (Note, I had just left a very stressful job in journalism at The Montclair Times, where I was employed for seven years. I wrote briefly about it during the cleanse, and I left out more personal things like what my husband (then, boyfriend) and I did. He went on the cleanse with me, which was awesome!
Master Cleanse – Day 1 (a.m.) So the preparation started last night, with a laxative tea that I’ll be drinking morning and evening to move the stuff along since I won’t be eating any food.
I’ll also be taking a parasite cleanse and enzymes.
I can still take B5 if I get caffinated tea withdrawal symptoms, but so far so good. Yesterday I got on just fine with a quarter cup of tea. I took the B5 and made it through the day with no headache.
I was very hyper last night and had some insomnia — which never bothers me, I always embrace it. I’m pretty wrapped up in a V.C. Andrews book, “Music in the Night.” That is my night reading.
In the day, before work, I’m reading the newest Marianne Williamson book, but I’m taking a break from that to read the back issues of Pure Inspiration.
My fortune in the laxative tea said, “YOU ARE UNLIMITED”
How appropriate for the first day of the cleanse.
I’ll finish my tea, check out some journals and start my day with some yoga and weights.
Then I’ll make my first Master Cleanse drink.
Disclamer: Do not try this at home without taking a Master Cleanse class. These notes are just my experiences. This is an intense cleanse and can be dangerous if not done properly. If my own body tells me to stop the cleanse, I will.
Master Cleanse Day 2 (a.m.)
So I can definitely feel this working … weird things going on in my stomach. Mind you I am doing a parasite cleanse along with the Master Cleanse (yes, I am a tuff one!)
At one point it felt like someone was writing on my stomach with a pencil. Strange sensations, but nothing painful. My stomach also bloated like a big balloon.
Until 2 p.m. when the headaches began. This is nothing new, as I’ve had a lot of migraines of late when I had all that stress at The Montclair Times. I also felt extremely tired.
I embraced the tiredness. It reminded me of — not a stressful tired, but a tired I felt in my younger years. The kind of tired I felt when I only slept an hour because I came home so late from seeing Johnny Thunders (shows started and ended a lot later back then) … so I’d go to work anyway because I was always the go-getter, and slept in my car. THAT is the kind of tired I like! A subtle tired, something I never really felt much after the age of 25. It was always like, I was pretty spent the next day when I partied or saw a band … not like being 18 and drinking all day and night and doing it again the next day.
ANYWAY … I napped, Dennis took care of me …. then before I was ready for bed, I felt a sweet euphoria come over me. I was painless and happy. It was a comforting feeling comparable to taking herion. But it was natural and real. This is something I’d feel from time to time when I was a 100 percent raw foodist. Again, I felt like a teenager. Just lying in bed, with Dennis sleeping at my side, looking at the shelves in our bedroom … so at peace.
This morning I was 4 pounds lighter. I had gained up to 120 pounds (three pounds in a month, due to all the delicious vegan food). This morning I was my favorite weight 116.
I hope I don’t lose 4 pounds every night … 10 days is a long time! I’m not going to be afraid because I will gain back healthier tissues.
You can drink between 6 to 12 of the Master Cleanse concoction … I only made it to 7. You feel soooo FULL. I wasn’t hungry until 8 p.m. when I started fantasizing about spinach pasta and tomato sauce. That is the only food I am thinking about. Everything looks, smells gross to me at this point.
I am so surprised with my fast metabolism that I didn’t drink more than 7. REALLY SURPRISED.
I have a feeling I’ll drink more today. I can feel that I’m getting hungry again, and I just had a drink a half hour ago.
*** Dennis is starting the Master Cleanse today. Last night he said, “Should I wait until you’re done, so I can take care of you?” I’m like, “No, let’s just do it together.” It will be easier for socializing. We have a few family obligations this weekend and it will be more supportive — to me — if we are both not eating.
Master Cleanse — Day 3 (a.m.) So yesterday I drank the maximum 12 drinks. I lost one extra pound, which is exactly what I wanted. Losing one pound per day will be perfect for me. I’m 115 now and 108 will be a nice summer weight.
I think I’m over the hump. No more caffeine withdrawl headaches — yay!
The eczema on my leg is drying up.
I have a lot more energy and even the stamina for a lot of things I did yesterday: shopping twice, a long ride with Dennis, not collapsing into bed, but going at my own pace.
I did have a bit of insomnia again, but that never bothers me, I just embrace it and read.
I did some light yoga this morning too. The first day I exercised since being on the cleanse.
Master Cleanse Day 3 (evening) For the first time in a long time, I look just as good as I did when I left the house in the morning — without reapplying make-up!
This can be you too! The Master Cleanse is a natural instant face-lift.
I’m all bright-eyed and soft skin (although my skin is what I get most compliments on) … but the biggest change is my hair!! It’s all soft and silky and shiny. Even the blonde highlights are brighter/blonder! I got a compliment on my hair for the first time in a long time.
I dropped five pounds and I’m down to 115.
A friend said, “You don’t look like you’re on a cleanse!” (Because most people look awful when they are detoxing).
Again I am drinking 12 “lemonades” today. The supposed maximum, but you can go over that if you are super active.
No more severe detox symptoms. I do feel a bit light-headed on occasion, but that always passes.
What I am feeling today is very similar to how I felt when I ate 100 percent raw foods … which I’d like to go back to, in a perfect world, but I just love pasta too much.
And what’s an Italian girl without pasta? I gave it up for five years, just started eating it again when I became vegan in September … wow, what I missed!!
Surprisingly that’s the only food I am thinking of. When I’m off this cleanse it’s either a macro dish of Hunan dumplings or a big bowel of spinach pasta with natural red sauce!
Master Cleanse Day 5 (a.m.) Well I reached the half-way point! Nothing out of the ordinary going on. My weight seems to have stabilized at 114.5. I am calm, peaceful, happy, energetic … Dennis and I went for a nice walk last night. New Jersey spring weather was glorious yesterday.
Master Cleanse Day 6 (a.m.) I dropped another pound, weighing in at 113.5, which is nice. I feel so good and slim. A friend noticed I lost weight and added, “Don’t lose too much more” with a smile 🙂
Master Cleanse Day 7 (a.m.) Just think, next week at this time I will be munching on some nice yoga bread with Earth Balance Soy Margarine and bilberry organic all natural jelly!
I’m on my 7th day of not eating and I’ve accomplished everything I’ve set out to:
1. I quit my caffeine (tea) addiction 2. I lost a few pounds. My weight seems to have stabilized at 113.5 3. No more headaches 4. I am more calm, peaceful, spiritual. 5. The eczema on my leg is really clearing up! And as an added bonus, my hands are soooo soft! Just two days ago they were so chapped from the winter cold (I always forget to put gloves on) — now they feel so silky, like the nose area of a horse (I always love petting that part of a horse!)
I feel like I’m two years younger. I feel more like 42 than 44. I have the energy and the body I did two years ago! THIS is the real me now … not being all stressed and tired. The Montclair Times did a number on me with all the stress and bullshit.
Master Cleanse — Day 8! If someone told me, even two months ago, that I’d be going over a week without food, I would have laughed in their face!
But here I am, on my 8th day without food. The Master Cleanse Lemon-Aide drink, which strongly resembles a Snapple, provides all the vitamins a person needs except B-12, which I started taking two days ago. I am not taking any other vitamins (or even probiotics). I am taking pills for a parasite cleanse.
Today I feel super amazing. My weight is down to 113, making it a grand total of 7.5 pounds lost!
Everyone is saying that I didn’t need to lose weight, but I feel much better thinner. Who doesn’t?
Thursday and Friday I can eat mangos, papaya, pineapples and oranges.
I can’t wait to taste the sweet fruit. I remember how delightful fruit tasted when I was 100 percent raw: juicier, sweeter … each segment of an orange tasted different from the last. I look forward to that, very much.
Saturday I can eat all other fruits. Saturday night a raw vegetable salad!
And Sunday back to normal eating.
I do not feel hunger pain on the Master Cleanse, but psychologically, I MISS FOOD.
Both of our families were extremely supportive during the cleanse. My mom even said that your body only needs about a third of the food you eat.
This is definitely a positive experience and I’m going to do it again next year (not every month like some do).
Once a year tune-up sounds good to me. This time is perfect too: shedding your old skin for spring/summer.
All weekend I did power yoga while on the cleanse.
This morning I’m going to do some weights.
Master Cleanse Day 9 (a.m.) My weight is still 113 and I’m still feeling “MARVELOUS DAHLING!”
I re-read portions of the Master Cleanse books and came to realize that if I can make it through the days coming off the Master Cleanse, eating just fruits and finally a raw vegetable salad, I may go back to eating raw all day and a cooked meal at night (with exceptions for holidays and shore trips). All vegan of course.
No one wants to hear it, but we truly are addicted to food. It’s so comforting, so social, so there for us.
But once you break out of it, you feel incredibly liberated.
No longer am I thinking about Hunan Dumplings, but how I want to treat my body the best I can.
Without really much exercise, my body is so clean that I can see cuts in my stomach again — fab abs, some would say. Yesterday my biceps felt incredibly hard and I haven’t worked biceps in over a week. Also, as I had one foot on the tub, picking up soap, I noticed how my calf was popping out!
When people compare the Master Cleanse to a spiritual journey, this is what comes to mind…
As a kid, I was one of the “lucky” ones who didn’t have religion forced on me. I was baptized as Catholic, but that’s as far as it went. I never had to go to church or practice anything.
Why I put the word lucky in quotes is because sometimes I think not having religion forced on you really isn’t all that lucky. I believe discipline is healthy to an extent.
Hearing about Lent as a pre-teen, I wanted to give it a shot and give up something I loved for Lent. Probably the first spiritual thing I ever did.
For three weeks prior to Easter, I gave up listening to my favorite rock band, Queen. But I was mad obsessed. I had to listen to all five albums that were out during that time — every day after school — IN ORDER! If Queen was on a late night show like “Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert” or “Midnight Special” I’d take extra vitamins, thinking this will help me stay up and watch the band. I painted the fingernails on my left hand black and cut my hair like Freddie Mercury and incorporated “dears” and “darlings” into my pre-teen speech.
When Easter came and I started listening to Queen again, my love was there there, but I wasn’t as obsessed over them.
If this is what can come out of my Master Cleanse journey — having food still there, but not being obsessed over it, that can be a major breakthrough in my life.
Although people see me as a healthy person, I don’t. I am nowhere near the caliber of Jack LaLanne, and all these folks who eat the freshest food, in simple portions.
For a small girl, I eat pasta with gusto. Even as a raw foodist, fruit, vegetables and nuts weren’t enough for me — I had to have GOURMET RAW FOODS.
And my stomach is like a rock too. I can eat a full meal at 5 a.m. — no problem-o.
So, let’s see if I can take it one step further. Let’s see if I can go the extra mile when it comes to health. To further detox my body. To live life in peace as it should be lived. To not let obsessions, such as food, rule the body.
To go back to being that child who was hesitant to run to the dinner table when Mom called.
Yes, that is the peace I know, while on the Master Cleanse!
So, when I break this cleanse and after a three-day fruit fest, and my body is ready for “real food” again … it’s not going to be, “Hoo-Rah, let’s have macrobiotic vegan dumplings!” Yeah, I’ll definitely eat them … at the proper time, and feeling blessed for the chance to eat nurturing food.
Master Cleanse Day 10 — LAST DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
So today is my last day on the cleanse and I hope it’s a good one. Out of the nine days so far, I only felt super high energy on four of them. The other five I was really tired, but peaceful and happy.
Whoa, I dropped more weight and I’m down to 111!!! That’s nine pounds gone! I’ll probably lose even more because I won’t be really eating again until Sunday, but if I stick to high raw, I’d like to stay between 111 – 113, even down to 109/110 is good for me.
Last night I fit into a pair of “wishing thinking” jeans that a girl gave me last fall. I wish I didn’t throw out a lot of stuff I had when I started packing on the pounds, but then again, your tastes change as you grow and change, so it’s all good. There was another pair of pants I always LOVED that I found in a thrift store in the East Village. I tried them on last night … they were still a bit snug, but I was like, “What was so great about these pants? Duh!”
Then there’s my Tripp fashion “Johnny Rotten” plaid pants, that are only good for winter, so maybe next winter … and I have the vertical b&w striped “Steven Tyler” pants … if they fit, wow, I love those pants. I had them since the 1990s. I’ll try them on this morning.
My stomach is flat, flat, flat as a board again!
I’m still detoxing like crazy … I get weird aches in my body. Today it’s my back, like the pre-menstral pains I got as a young adult (that stopped after I gave up eating meat).
Last night I tasted TOBACCO in my mouth — WTF?!?! I never smoked in my life!! I tried a few cigarettes here and there when drank, but never a steady smoker. Is this second hand smoke coming out of my body?
So, yeah, the Master Cleanse is cleaning things I’m not even realizing.
It was a fun trip, but I won’t be doing this again until same time next year … maybe I’ll coincide it with Lent.
Now the next three days are about coming off the Cleanse. I can’t just dive into a dish of pasta, I have to ease in with certain fruits, then later on a raw salad, then by Sunday I can eat again. But like I said, I want to go back to more juicing, more raw, eating lighter during the day and having a vegan/macro meal at night.
UPDATE – This was the first and ONLY time I did The Master Cleanse. It was rough going without food for 10 days, and the detox was certainly rough too. Maybe I’ll do it again in this lifetime, but I am in no hurry to do so. Note, if you do this, plan for not really eating for 15 days, as you have to ease back into food slowly. (The first day afterwards you can only eat oranges, then advance to soup, then salads, and finally regular food).
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
April 5,2005 — The day I received an obituary at The Montclair Times that listed family dogs as survivors. The editor didn’t want me to put that in. I argued with him until he was finally convinced.
He said: “Put the dogs in, but just refer to them as ‘dogs,’ don’t use made-up words like ‘gran-dogs.'”
Now it’s 2022. We’ve come a long way since 2005. Now it’s common knowledge that pets ARE FAMILY! I’ve seen quite a few obituaries since then that list pets as survivors.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta can be reached at: maryannechristiano@gmail.com.
She is the author of the following books:
“Be (Extra)Ordinary: 10 Ways to Become Your Own Hero” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback or Kindle version, visit:Be (Extra)Ordinary
“I Don’t Want to Be Like You” is available on Amazon. To get your paperback, Kindle or audio copy, go here: I Don’t Want To Be Like You
Her fiction book “Love Cats” second printing is now available, under the pen name Krystianna Mercury, from Pink Flamingo. You can purchase it here: https://eroticbooknetwork.com/product/love-cats/
Maryanne is also available for book editing and coaching. Rates are competitive.
Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta 