Welcome to Confessions of a Conscious Cleanser!
The idea for this new blog series came from a conversation we were having with our team recently about the mind-blowing stories we constantly hear about people’s LIVES changing as a result of doing the -week Conscious Cleanse.
Notice we wrote LIVES, right?
Do you find it hard to believe that if you cleanse your body, you’ll transform your life?
It’s such an amazing process we feel privileged to witness on a regular basis. People come to the cleanse wanting to lose 10 pounds, but they wind up gaining a completely new perspective on life.
Today’s “Confession” comes from Max Lenderman, CEO and principal at School here in Boulder, CO. We’ve also recently become Max’s new officemates, which we’re over the moon about.
Max is a Russian immigrant who moved to the US when he was 7 years old. He told us that he remembers being a little boy waiting in line for hours for just one banana–a banana that he would have to share with his sister and make last for the entire day.
I’m guessing that most of you reading this didn’t grow up in Post-Communist Russia or have to think about where your next meal was going to come from. But nonetheless, we all have our own personal and emotional reasons for why we over-consume and stuff our faces mindlessly with food.
Everyone has a Conscious Cleanse story. And every story matters. Our hope is that by sharing these stories you’ll discover something that touches your own life and inspires you to take your vibrancy into your own hands.
With love and juicy confessions,
P.S. – A big thanks to Max for sharing his story with all of us!
Q&A with Max
What inspired you to try the Conscious Cleanse for the first time?
- I “heart” green smoothies. It was a natural fit.
- I’ve been plagued by stomach pains and/or blotchy skin for far too long.
- I heard I would lose weight and look amazing.
- My Vitamix was collecting dust.
- I wanted to find my Vibrancy!
- My significant other made me do it.
- Fill in the blank. ___________________
PS: I heard about the amazing results my peers have had with the CC. I was also getting nowhere with sporadic exercise and piece-meal diets (i.e. cutting out meat once in a while, trying more organic fares, etc.) Along with my wife, we decided that we needed a different perspective on how we viewed food and what it did to our bodies. I found this approach was more thoughtful about how to lose some weight and feel healthier.
What were you most looking forward to and/or dreading about embarking on the 14-day program?
I was really looking forward to feeling lighter and more vibrant. I wanted more energy during the day and I needed a change of habit. What I dreaded was cutting out the morning coffee, and perhaps also the monotony of having limited choices on the menu (which were surprisingly non-issues).
What surprised you most about the Conscious Cleanse?
I was surprised at how quickly my body was adapting to the cleanse. I was also surprised that the things I dreaded were nothing to dread.
Did you have an a-ha moment that you want to share?
I’ve been awaking to sore knees every morning for the past 10 years. By day 8 or 9, I walked down the staircase pain-free! It was mind-blowing. That morning felt like an entirely new day for me–literally and figuratively.
Be honest, on Day 11 did you stand in front of your mirror naked per Jo and Jules’ instructions? Do you remember how you felt on that day?
I didn’t stand naked in front of the mirror. But I did see my face in the mirror. It was more taut. My eyes were more vibrant. And my smile told me that I was on the right path.
Do you have a favorite piece of advice from Jo and Jules?
The word “conscious” is important. One must be aware of the changes and the effects as you progress through the cleanse.
What does it mean to you to live the 80/20?
I have an entirely new and insightful relationship with food. When I choose to live 80, it is wholly intentional. And when I choose to go for the 20, that choice is intentional as well. There’s no more instinctive and habitual grab at something to shove into my mouth. Unless it’s ribs!
What advice would you give to a first-time Conscious Cleanser?
Open-mindedness is key. Roll with it. Don’t fight it. Kind of like surfing, it’s hard to get up on the board but once you do, the feeling is more extraordinary than you ever thought possible.
About Max Lendereman
A pioneer in the field of experiential marketing, Max Lenderman encourages businesses to look beyond traditional communication to get customers interacting with and living their brands.
He currently serves as CEO and principal at School, an agency that helps brands, businesses and organizations do better by doing good.
Lenderman’s breakthrough publication, Experience the Message: How Experiential Marketing is Changing the Brand World, was a Business Book of the Year Finalist in 2006 and has been cited as “the best book on experiential marketing.”
His second book, Brand New World: How Paupers, Pirates, and Oligarchs Are Changing Business, was published by HarperCollins in April 2009. It has been translated into five languages.
