It’s been a couple of months since I have been living an unhealthy lifestyle. Zero exercise coupled with binging on lots of comfort food has played havoc with my weight. Along with it came lethargy and a certain low that I cannot really describe in words. It didn’t feel right. I had to do something about it. I am not a big fan of drastic diet changes but sometimes I experiment to see how they work for me especially if they promise not to starve me. The last time I followed a rigorous diet was when I read Rujuta Diwekar’s book ‘Don’t lose your mind, lose your weight.’ I followed it to the T and lost eight kilos in the duration of one year. Read about it here. Encouraged with that weight loss I made a lot of lifestyle changes after that. That was seven years ago and somewhere along the line, I went lax on the discipline cultivated back then. I normally eat moderately balanced meals and try to keep myself active. But that did not help in keeping the unhealthy pounds away since I did cheat a lot off late. A couple of days ago I learned about this detox program from my brother. He had followed it for a week and lost close to four kilos in one week. Curious about how it worked I did a bit of research online and ended up trying it myself.
The Mung Bean Detox Program
The Mung Bean Detox Program involves eating Mung Beans for eight days.
The day starts with two glasses of warm water. You’re supposed to sit down and drink the water slowly. It is important to sit and have it one sip at a time since it helps flush out the toxins well, makes your knees strong and the body remains hydrated throughout the day. At least eight to ten glasses of water (more if its summers) are to be had all through the day for the toxins to be flushed out.
After that, thirty to forty-five minutes of brisk walk or yoga is recommended around sunrise when the sun rays are still soft. The early morning sun is supposed to be beneficial in preventing you from various diseases like Diabetes, Cancer and also great for stronger bones. You are advised to wake up early and sleep at a decent time on these days.
The diet for the first three days is strictly only Mung Beans which are to be had in the form of a soup. Five to six bowls of the size of a standard soup bowl are recommended for a day. Anything lesser could result in weakness. The Mung soup is made with Mung beans that were soaked overnight. The Mung Beans need to be the whole green Mung Beans and not the split or yellow ones. The correct proportion for the soup should be six cups of water to be added for every one cup of beans. The soup needs to be really watery. I pressure cooked and seasoned it with salt, red chili powder, garam masala, a pinch of turmeric with a dollop of ginger-garlic paste and a few slivers of green chilies and mashed the cooked beans a bit. There’s no tempering to be done. Replacing refined salt with rock salt is recommended.
For the period of eight days, there is a restriction of adding any kind of fat, sweetener, lime juice, tomatoes, curds, tamarind or any other sour item to your food. However, you can season your food with dry spices, ginger, garlic, and salt. I was a little liberal with the spices. I had a bowl each for breakfast, lunch, after tea in the evening and dinner.
Mung beans are high in nutrients and antioxidants, which may provide health benefits. They are high in fiber and protein, which can help curb hunger by lowering levels of hunger hormones, such as ghrelin, and raising fullness hormones, such as peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin. In fact, they may protect against heat stroke, aid digestive health, promote weight loss and lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
You’re allowed to have two cups of tea with milk per day with less sugar or alternatively, you could have green tea. However, the tea is not to be had on an empty stomach.
The fourth day onwards you could add veggies like carrots, beetroot, cucumber, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, all kinds of gourds to your meals along with the Mung beans soup, raw, boiled or steamed. You could also alternate your meals between salads and soup every two hours. Ensure that you do not remain hungry.
This program is not meant for pregnant ladies, lactating mothers, people with diabetes or any other serious health issues. It is always advisable to consult your doctor before trying the program.
The benefits of this program are that it helps you flush out toxins, lose weight, brings down any swelling that you have in your body and works on aches related to the same. It helps balance your hormones, control the symptoms of menopause, helps control bad cholesterol, increases your stamina and gives you glowing skin.
Here are my observations during my detox program day wise.
Day 1: I got up early in the morning to get my dose of exercise in the morning sun. I prefer brisk walking with my favorite music plugged into my ears. Gives a different high altogether! The Mung soup did not taste bad at all. It was rather filling. In fact, halfway through the day, I felt heavy after consuming it. I observed that my mouth felt dry after the first two bowls of soup. By evening I was craving for some other taste but a little bit of distraction helped me get over the craving. The afternoon tea was a welcome change. I ditched my regular mug of morning coffee. I had my tea without sugar. Even on regular days, I do not take sugar in my beverages so that I get to indulge my sweet tooth with my favorite desserts.
Day 2: I checked my weight on empty stomach first thing in the morning and I had lost a good 700 gms already! That was motivating enough, otherwise, the Mung soup wasn’t something I was looking forward to having. I continued having it for all four meals although I went easy on the portions now. My appetite seemed to have gone down. The mouth still feels dry and I seem to be drinking much more water than I usually do.
Day 3: Unlike the first two days, the third day was quite challenging. I did not notice any change in my weight loss since the time I checked last. I had trouble getting up early in the morning for my walk but I barely made it in time to catch the early morning rays. It was particularly a trying day coz my tastebuds were missing other flavors and more importantly different textures of food. The Mung Soup was getting too monotonous. Surprisingly I did not crave for my daily dose of something sweet but I longed for tangy and sour things. It could probably be because we normally prepare Andhra food at home which has a lot of tanginess and heat. I also sensed some random mood swings owing to my cravings but well I was determined that I’d get through it.
Day 4: My weighing scale says I lost one kilo already! Today I am allowed to have a few veggies along with the Mung Soup. After all that liquid, I longed for something crunchy and this was a welcome change. I munched on carrots and cucumber throughout the day. However, the soup was to continue as per schedule. I realized why I was feeling heavy all these days. The soup I was having was much thicker than prescribed. The ratio was six cups of water for every cup of Mung Beans. And each serving was supposed to be the size of a standard soup bowl. I started having a thinner version of the soup and this was much lighter on the stomach.
Day 5: I was slightly skeptical on how I’d get through today coz its a Friday and I fast on Fridays. That would mean having salt and grains only once in the day. In that case, I could have the Mung Bean Soup only once in the day. I worked around it by having veggies for my other meals and having a little more of Bean Soup for lunch. I managed well despite the restrictions.
Day 6: I expected a major shift in my weight after yesterday’s fasting but that didn’t happen. There was some amount of weight loss but it wasn’t a significant number much to my disappointment. Actually, it’s pretty difficult to gauge your exact weight during this program because it keeps fluctuating throughout the day due to the large number of fluids that you’re consuming and the frequent number of times you’re eating. I was assured by my brother that the positive results of this program show towards the end of the program. Well, that’s enough assurance to keep me going!
Day 7: I did not notice any major change in my weight today. I continued having different kinds of veggies, namely carrots, beetroot, and cucumber. Just another day to go before this program ends and I am wondering how much of a difference has this diet really made to me. I’ll wait for another day before I come to a conclusion.
Day 8: I was elated when I checked my weight this morning. I was a little less than five kilos lighter! Today was an exceptionally stressful and eventful day on personal front but I managed to pull through the diet, nevertheless. Since the last two-three days, I’ve started having the Mung Beans soup with chopped onions on the side seasoned with rock salt and red chili powder. It helped me balance the monotony (after eight days of eating the same thing over and over again!) of the bland and boring taste of the soup. I now look forward to having my regular meals from tomorrow!
In conclusion, let me share the results of my program. Today I notice that I have in total lost five kilos and had about two to three inches of inch loss over a period of eight days. I haven’t achieved my goal weight as yet but I do intend to get there by maintaining this weight and trying to reduce further with balanced meals and daily exercising. Before I started this program my face had a few zits which magically disappeared during the course of the program. I notice a clearer skin with a healthy glow. My energy levels have soared. I sleep better. I feel lighter and rejuvenated at the end of these eight days.
If you are someone who is fit enough to undertake this program, the other requirements to do this program is that you’re okay with eating the same kind of food for eight days for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which is quite challenging but can be tackled with a bit of creativity. And of course, you need to have a willpower of steel to tide you through the eight days minus the temptations! The sense of accomplishment that follows is overwhelming. So, what do you think? Do you have it in you? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Aha!! Now I know the big secret! It was well worth the wait! I have heard of the GM diet but first timr hearing of this Moong routine. Seems like magic. I am really having tons of probs because of wt gain. Maybe I’ll try this one V! Thanks for sharing your journey through this miracle diet in detail. Inspiring indeed! May I suggest, an easily downloadable/printable of day 1- day 7 regimen to be followed.
Hehe…I did not wish to share it before I saw the actual results at the same time creating a stir publicly ensured that I was committed on completing it properly! I’ve now included the printable and downloadable schedule chart as per your suggestion, Kala.
OMG will try this diet.M badly in need to reduce my weight
thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome, Mayuri. I do hope you try it out.
This is inspirational Ma’am. I liked the way how you’ve put up your day by day experience. I am sharing this post with a few friends of mine.. Hopefully this’ll help them too 🙂
Thanks, Aniket. Yes, feel free to share it with your friends. I hope it helps them.
I don’t like programs like these because they are not sustainable in keeping weight off. The only way to keep weight off is by reducing portion sizes, eating relatively healthy meals and exercising. Back in 2012 I weighed 60 kgs and started a 12-week body transformation program by Michelle Bridges which was about eating smaller portions but 5 to 6 meals a day and exercising 6 times a week. I lost 6 kilos through that and then continued to follow a similar regime off the program and by mid-2013 I was down to 48 kilos. I gained 5 kilos in 2015-2016 because I was depressed and stopped exercising and ate unhealthily. But this past year, I have lost those kilos purely by focussing on strength-training, yoga and eating relatively healthy but not really restricting foods. I haven’t weighed myself in a while but I am fitter, stronger and more toned than ever and that for me is the biggest factor.
Fad diets last only a short time – I did one when I was 16 which was similar to this diet you mention and lost 3 kilos in a week but gained it in two weeks as I went back to a normal eating routine.
I do think weight-loss and healthy lifestyles need to be something incorporated in one’s life and not just short-term fads.
Sanch @ Sanch Writes recently posted…September 2018 Reflections
I agree with you on this, Sanch. Fad diets don’t last for long and thankfully this isn’t one. This is a detox program that is aimed at cleansing your system. The actual work starts now after the program is over wherein the weight needs to be maintained with balanced and healthy meals, portion control, timely eating and of course daily exercises. I’ve mentioned in the post about Rujuta Divekar’s diet that I followed a few years back and lost eight kilos in a year. It was slow but sustainable. I intend to stick to that because it’s all about a lifestyle change and not some crash diet which one goes through and ends up gaining back on all the weight again.
Great going!!! Your determination hs paid off really well. Looking great!
Cheers,
CRD
Thanks, CRD! 🙂
Sounds strenuous, although my diet is predominantly salads and sprouts. I can see why it is suitable only for healthy people and not someone with a preexisting condition. Kudos to you for sticking with it and shedding those extra pounds, Vinodini.
Me, I prefer a long term habit forming type of regimen that gets rid of the weight and keeps it off!
Vidya Sury recently posted…A trip to Chail, Himachal Pradesh
Thanks, Vidya. It was a little challenging of course but thankfully it isn’t a long-term proposition. This was aimed at detox and cleansing. The actual sustainable part begins now after the program when this weight needs to be maintained and further cut down with healthy eating and exercise.
I’m glad it worked for you, V. I’m a little averse to trying out diets of this nature at my age, though.
I’m totally with you on this, Corinne. This program is not meant for everyone. I tried it on a whim and it turned out well in the end.
Great dedication and nice after effects. way to go girl
Thank you! 🙂
I am so proud of you Vinodini. Inspiring
this is really amazing, I’m gone try this.
Thanks, Sonam. Wish you all the best!
This sounds quite strenuous and hats off to you for sticking to it; I cant imagine having this without lemon! I would have missed the sour flavour in this the most – but good on you to continue and gain the desired results.
All the best with future trials with this diet!!
Thanks, Shalini. I’d say it was challenging rather than strenuous. After a point it just gets mechanical. Oh yes, the sour flavor is something you keep craving for throughout! I am done with this program for now. I’m hoping to maintain the results of this program and continue a healthier routine going forward.
Kudos to your will power, Vinodini! You look fresh, and awesome!
Hey, thanks Mayuri! I actually feel quite fresh and invigorated after this program.
You look amazing. And yes, I definitely need to try something like this… 5 kgs is something I havent lost in a decade… that is how bad I am
Roshan Radhakrishnan recently posted…How Anaesthesia Defeated Religious Beliefs to Change the World for Women
Thanks, Doc! Well, I wish you luck if you’re planning to do this. Although knowing the kind of foodie you are, I wonder if you will be able to survive on only the Mung Bean Soup for so many days! But yes, the results definitely are worth the efforts. So brace yourself and do it if you must. 🙂
Weight loss is beneficial for a few conditions. it’s of real advantage in polygenic disease, cardiovascular disease, shortness of breath, joint problems and raised steroid alcohol. More details: https://nazmulsarker786.blogspot.com/2018/10/weight-loss.html
Yes, weight loss is actually quite beneficial for overall health in general.
Congrats on the persistence and the end result…you have penned your journey beautifully…Bobby
Your brothers friend and one of the partners in original crime…
Thanks, Bobby! I’ve heard about you from my brother and also about how you guys follow this diet. I’m glad you all committed the original crime and eventually passed it on to me. 🙂
hello, food method and good results just keep doing what you r doing
Wow! Loved the diet plan you’ve outlined and the results seem great too. I consulted Foye MD & Spa in Houston, TX for a body contouring treatment to get myself in share. Haven’t decided on it yet but that seems tempting to me – I am pretty bad at following a diet plan though.
Robert Henry recently posted…Dermal Fillers: Recovery Tips + What to Expect
These are the amazing tips to weight loss. with these tips, you can also implement Law of attraction technique for lose weight which will definitely help you. Thank you!
Jakes Pietro recently posted…Law of Attraction and Relationships: From A to Z
Thanks for posting such a wonderful health post. Its highly informative.
Daayur recently posted…Vitamins and their Nutritional Values/Benefits
Wow……
Awesome information
Thanks this information……
Hi Vinodini,
Thanks for your excellent diet post. I need to cut some weight immediately, and I can’t wait to try this.
Thanks, Farzana. Do let me know how your diet goes.
[…] whether you need to lose weight or you just want to make healthier eating choices. A strict short-term diet regimen can get you started on the path to better eating habits. However, healthy weight loss programs are […]
Congratulations Vinodini and hats off to your will power. Of course weight loss is a long term thing but a programme like this can kick start your journey and put you on the path to it. I would love to try it though I wonder if I would have the willpower.
Thanks, Tulika. This sure requires a lot of willpower. However, it was the first step towards my weight loss goals and to further pursue my fitness goals. Try it for 3 days if you wish to and if you feel you can continue it go for the entire 8 days.
Hey Vinodini! Well done. Any weight loss program requires will power and a lot of discipline. This is inspiring!
Doctear recently posted…Eargasm vs Etymotic High Fidelity Earplugs
I have achieved some good result by implementing these weight loss tips. it,s really working and helpful. thank,s for sharing us useful information..
OMG you’ve got some determination! I don’t even think I could eat pizza for 8 days straight for all of my meals, and I love pizza! You are a stronger person than I. Congrats on the weight loss.
Ben recently posted…The Best Shower Chair for Seniors
With the helpful this blog, Finally I started losing weight within 7 days Only.
Really Thanks
See my full story here
Your weight loss journey is really inspirational. Here is the weight loss guide which i have followed and reduced 5 kgs in 2 months.
Great attempt, loved your weight loss program. This information is very useful. Thank you for sharing.
Aaron Miller recently posted…Be Consistent in Our Actions
Seems to me this meal plan strategy spikes your insulin too many times a day to get the maximum benefit in any so called fasting plan. I think this is a good start if you need to get motivated into following some sort of regimen but you will eventually plateau and hit a wall and stop losing weight. You want to try to reduce your insulin spikes and stay away from SUGAR or foods that convert to sugar to get longer lasting benefits
OMG!!! you look fantastic after your transformation. Well done dear.
nice tips
I love to try your Mung Bean Detox Program, I hope this will help me lose and detox my body, your article help me to know what I missing to do and it will do me a big favor, Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Very creative and informative writing. I have learned a lot from the post. I have bookmarked your blog and I become a regular reader of your blog. Please keep up the wonderful work. Special thanks to the blog owner as well as the writer for creating a valuable and informative article. Recently I have been researching this topic. This article will help to complete my research. I include a little bit more information in my article on this topic.
Great transformation in a short amount of time, amazing information. You have explained the days well, this is really helpful. Thanks for sharing.