Reading “Made to Crave” is helping me keep my focus a little. Convenience can still be an issue. It is easier to fix something quick than to take the time to prepare something healthy (and clean up afterwards).

Developing a Habit of Healthy Eating

• Weekends are made for my boys to go with dad and play at the neighbors. They grill out, fish and just do guy stuff. So I need to be prepared for my weekends alone. These are the perfect moments for me to stock up at the grocery store for smoothies, salads and other raw dishes.

• Taste is a factor, and I confess that popcorn with fresh butter poured over it and salt added can be one of the tastiest treats on earth. I would say that its easy, but making great popcorn takes effort. SO I will put that effort into making great fresh treats. I have printed off a group of new recipes that sound interesting and tasty and are all green or raw.

• Writing down what I eat holds me accountable. Even if I am the only one that sees the donut holes listed on my food intake, I still have to see it. Plus, seeing how I ate the day before can help me know when to expect cravings, curb temptations and make better choices.

Healthy eating does not have to mean BLAND eating. Fresh foods provide zip and flavor that even cooked foods will never offer. The key for me is making it easier so that the healthy choices become my first choice.

“Even good things can become negative when we let them define us.” – Shaun Alexander

The last several weeks have taken me through a green smoothie experience that shows in my body and in my attitude. Dropping nine pounds in 4 weeks without counting calories or pushing an exercise regimen would count as good in the eyes of most anyone. My issue comes when I begin to let the food drive the bus.

One of the best things I learned from the Green Smoothie Queens is that it is NOT about recipes or following a plan. It has to be about making better choices for life.

Tips for Making Better Life and Food Choices

1. Be honest – I discovered that I had more energy and felt better when I was sticking to almost all raw foods. The occasional meal out with family or friends made very little impact on that feeling. It was only after the detox was over and I fell back into the pattern of eating pizza, ice cream and cereal that my body started to drag. For the first time in over a month I experienced a migraine headache. The next morning I had to present the facts – with the green smoothie detox offerings I enjoyed my meals AND felt better. Outside of that eating style my body was quickly out of whack.

2. Be creative – I enjoy pizza and ice cream and potato chips. On the service there may be nothing wrong with those foods, but underneath my body has to deal with the preservatives and additives. I told my family that I was ready to jump into compromise AND to get them to help. We are going to use some of the recipes from the green smoothie detox and tweak them to fit our family. Instead of traditional spaghetti sauce, I will use the raw spaghetti sauce for lasagna and spaghetti (made with whole wheat pastas). The side dishes for dinners will incorporate the veggie dishes inspired by smoothies and other raw recipes. I even have plans to design a great pizza that the whole family can enjoy.

3. Be prepared – choosing better may not be the fastest path or the easiest path. It may require more prep work or more shopping or even growing your own garden. I have discovered that those investments are worth it if I know that my head and my body will continue to thank me tomorrow.

The food will NOT define me. Green smoothies, raw foods, fruits and vegetables are not my life. I am healthy. I am happy. I am choosing better for me and for my family for life – not for a diet.

Share a time when you struggled with good things become negative because they took over. What did you do to make a change and to choose better?

The 21 Day Green Smoothie Detox ended with me having dropped nine pounds. Additional benefits including the first time in my post-puberty life that I have gone through a month without cramps – that alone would have been worth it. I also learned to eat new foods, enjoy new tastes and dare to experiment.

Taking that journey through three weeks (four if you count the prep week) of sticking to mostly raw foods reminded me that food can be enjoyed and not control my life. Great flavors can come from fresh ingredients instead of artificial substitutes. And most importantly, I have rediscovered that eating is NOT what causes my weight issues.

Yesterday I began stepping back into my life without diets.

3 Keys to a Life without Diets

1. Waiting until my stomach growls is tougher when I am doing NOTHING. Sitting around watching television and being completely passive makes my head want to eat. I have to find ways to get my head to line up with my stomach. Taking a walk, doing some cleaning or organizing, and even some writing all help me to take my mind off the food and make it easier to wait for actual hunger to set in.

2. Eating healthy can be more exciting than eating stuff. I have found that I am just as quick to crave the amazing flavors that fresh vegetables and herbs offer as I used to be for craving fries. I have a confession to make – in the last month I have not eaten a single French fry (and I survived).

3. My food choices reflect back on my family. Teaching them now to make better choices when it comes to fueling their bodies will help them all throughout their lives. Helping them see that food is one more tool in that success will allow them to avoid the issues I have had with weight and food most of my life.

I know that I am nowhere near my end destination. I also know that I need more support and encouragement on the rest of my journey. This site will be one of those places as I continue to share my path with all those that stop by. The rest is still a work in progress, but your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Seeing Spring sprout up around me makes the ending to the 21 days really the beginning. I am planning a great garden that will provide me with more culinary adventure over the next several months.

Green Smoothie Detox Day 19

Breakfast: 1 lg handful spinach, 1 cup tomato juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1 large pinch of parsley, and water to think it out. It was a savory smoothie and a great way to start my day.

Lunch: olive and tomato salad (no – that is not one of the green smoothie recipes), celery chips with a couple of table spoons of chicken salad.

Supper: celery chips, chili broth (from the other night), another small scoop of the chicken salad. (my mom gave me the chicken salad and my kids are not fans).
I am beginning to find ways to mix in eating with the family with the raw eating and smoothies. My goal is to make a portion of all my meals raw and to have something green in at least two of my meals every day.

Mornings can be hectic enough without adding in visits to the doctor. This morning I took the trip with my father in law. We left early and so that meant no time to blend me a smoothie for the road. My tummy demanded attention the whole drive home.

The moment I walked into the house I smelled the pizza the boys had re-heated for breakfast. I LIKE pizza and everyone with any sense knows that pizza makes a great breakfast. They had left me exactly two pieces.

I set those pieces in the oven then went about the process of making a sweet smoothie. The doctor and I had been talking about them and I told my father in law that the next one I made I would send down to his house to try.

The smoothie finished up about the same time as the pizza. I pulled out the two slices and set them next to the oven. I picked up the larger portion of the smoothie, went into my office and started to work.

Three weeks ago I would have been upset that there were only two pieces of pizza remaining. Today I walked away from those two pieces of pizza and was excited for the taste of the fruit and spinach smoothie in my cup.

My journey may have only started, but changes have happened that will make the difference in that path.

Changes in Attitude

• A refrigerator full of fresh fruits and vegetables makes it easier to choose something better when hunger strikes.

• A notebook full of fun and interesting flavors allows me to eat fresh, raw and green without sacrificing flavor or enjoyment.

• A day filled with energy helps to encourage me to continue moving along the green smoothie path.

• A scale that continues to move down pushes me to gear up even more for a healthy lifestyle.

Not only are my new choices making a difference in my health and well-being, but the new attitude pours over onto those around me. My children are CHOOSING water, fresh fruit and smoothies over sodas and candy. That one result would be worth all of the time and effort invested into this experience.

The Green Smoothie Queens are still surprising me with new flavors and recipes. The encouraging emails are also a delight. Support, great food, and no guilt – what a way to lose.

Green Smoothie Detox Day Fourteen

Breakfast: I am so off the schedule at this point that I just pick and choose recipes. I went with the Ruby Ambrosia as my starting point. For my smoothie, I put in a large handful of baby carrots, a ½ cup tomato juice, the leaves and three celery stalks and a heaping tsp of ground ginger. It was a little thick for a savory smoothie but it was still a nice change of pace (ended up having to go back and add a little more liquid to finish drinking it).

Lunch: It is time to take a trip to the grocery store, but I have not made it there yet. I made up a green sandwich – one flour tortilla, three large tbsp. of spaghetti sauce / veggie dip from the other day, five slices of cucumber, ten leaves of spinach, one leaf of green leaf lettuce. It was very good!

Dinner: The wrap was so good that I ate a second one for supper and used up the last of my spaghetti sauce.

The longer I do this the more I discover I like flavor. Strong, bold flavors are the only things worth eating or what I would prefer to eat. Tomorrow starts a full week of just smoothies – we’ll see how THAT goes.

The weekend water fast was broken with a trip to Subway. I took my mom to the doctor at the crack of dawn and on the way home she HAD to stop there. It can be surprisingly easy to eat almost completely raw at Subway and to really enjoy the meal. I confess that my fast ended up going through a late breakfast (or early lunch – or brunch; however you want to label the meal).

Green Smoothie Detox Day Twelve

Brunch: Veggie Delight on flat bread. I topped it with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, banana peppers, onions and salt and pepper for the dressing. It almost inspired my mom to the veggie side until she found out they were out of bacon (and yes, I giggled at that too).

Supper: I wanted to sit down with the family again. The boys were having a pasta dish I had whipped together (using Wacky Mac) and I made a soup from the base recipe of the Raw Spaghetti sauce. One can diced tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, some fresh basil, parsley, cilantro, some dried oregano, and a heaping handful of fresh spinach. The garlic was EXTREMELY strong, but I enjoy the taste. I had enough left over to put in the fridge and plan to serve it as a dip when we have company.

The thing that I am remembering is that it is not about recipes or a program. The Green Smoothie Detox is all about me listening to my body, making better choices and developing healthier eating habits that will follow me for life!

• Trying out new recipes – the different flavors keep things interesting.

• Keeping the kitchen ready to work clean – I will work in the kitchen if I know that I am not facing down a mound of dishes to get there.

• Making plans with others – enough will never be said about accountability.

• Moving – the more I am doing then the less time I have to sit around and get into eating decisions that are not good for the new direction that I am headed.

Green Smoothie Detox Day 10

The weekends can be the toughest for me when it comes to eating well. Even with this green smoothie detox I have found that the quiet of the weekends provide the most temptation. This Saturday I am committed to not only following the green smoothie plan but not adding any supplements to that plan.

Breakfast: 1 cup blue berries, 1 cup cranberry juice, 1 large handful of spinach, 1 celery stalk, 1 mint leaf, ½ cup dark seedless grapes. The grapes and the berries were frozen so this was a cold smoothie. I think I like them when they are a little closer to room temperature. The mint almost overwhelmed the rest of the smoothie so I need to remember to be more careful with the mint in the future.

Lunch: 1 can diced tomatoes (look for a can with no additives or limited additives – your own tomatoes would be best), fresh basil, dried herbs (I used oregano), parsley, 1/3 clove of garlic (more if you like the flavor). Blend together until almost smooth. In a bowl, create noodle like slices of zucchini and carrots. Pour the “sauce” over the “noodles” and enjoy.

Dinner: I ate the leftover sauce with some celery scoops. I simply cut the celery into about an inch size pieces and used them to dip out the sauce.

Green Smoothie Detox Day 11

It was a rough week for my body, and it has not yet found the balance that would make me happy. A twenty-four hour water fast should help me regain that balance that I am seeking.

Plot your course to permanent weight loss.

Even a small weight release shows on a five foot frame. Getting rid of seven pounds in just two weeks makes a difference in my body – and the way my clothes fit. I feel amazing. I know that I am back on the road to permanent weight loss.

I have had several people ask me about this new diet plan and I wanted to share a little about where I have been, where I am now and where I am going.

My weight troubles stem from emotional issues. I am not an emotional eater, but eating gives me control. I can eat what I want when I want and what can YOU do about it (especially if I hide the wrappers). It was only when I began taking a course on addiction and recovery that I began to grasp the idea that I had become addicted to that control even to the point of self destruction.

But that is a little ahead of the story.

I have been through several different “eat when you are hungry programs” over the years. Almost all of the weight gained in my first to pregnancies was shed during one of those programs. I also let go of diet sodas and even skim milk. It was life changing.

The third pregnancy brought me back into the bondage of man – it was all my own choice but at the end of that pregnancy I was back where I had started. Only now the hole was deeper. The weight was not any more than before, but the attitude to ignore the path that God had led me down meant overcoming the defiance before the weight could be addressed.

I had all of the tools I needed to get back to a health place. I have talked about the keys to Christian weight loss on this site. I KNOW what to do. Defiance had me standing on a perch thinking it was all me.

Back to the counseling class – I found that the symptoms and signs the teacher discussed hit me like a brick. I had suspected my issue was deeper than calorie counting, but I think that I held out the hope that it was not really me after all. The class placed a light that meant it could no longer be ignored or pushed aside.

Close to this revelation, the Green Smoothie Queens sent me an email about the 21 day detox program. It was exactly 21 days until the beginning of Lent. I jumped in without hesitation.

The tools in the green smoothie detox are very similar to the ones that I have discussed in the past. It all comes back to eating when you are truly hungry and choosing better foods to provide the fuel for the body. And the Green Smoothie Queens gave me the encouragement and support I needed to begin moving back in those directions that I know are the right way.

It is not the answer that most of us are seeking. It is easier to follow a regimen than to have to listen to the inner voice. A written do and don’t list takes responsibility off my shoulders. But I have to bear the responsibility if I am ever going to heal.

Steps to Complete Weight Recovery

1. Get support – the journey to healing takes strength, courage and determination and a support system will help you stay on track.

2. Get the facts – food is NOT your enemy. Learn how food and your body work together. Car people know that you need to read the manual of the car you buy to discover the correct fuel, fluids and even tire pressure for the vehicle. Your body is a vehicle and the manual for each one is designed for that one specific body.

3. Get started – now is the only time to begin making a change in your life. Change will start you down the path to the success that you desire.

Do I follow a diet? No, I refuse to follow a diet. Instead, I look for new and exciting ways to feed myself and my family and introduce our palates to flavors and tastes that might otherwise be missed.

Do I think raw is the way to go? It is if you want to eat raw. I have discovered that many cooked foods – particularly vegetables – have a lot less flavor when they are cooked.

Do I feel that exercise is required for permanent weight loss? No, I know that exercise is important to a healthy life. The exercise I am focused on is playing with the kids, getting out in the fresh air, and dancing with my husband. I have looked at a gym membership but taking time out to do that would take time away from playing. I prefer to play.

Tell us about your journey into health and permanent weight loss. Are there any special changes that you are making that you can feel make a difference? Link back here or comment with the tips and support that will help each of us continue the journey down the path that leads to weight loss success.

This morning started with a trip on the scale – not an actual trip, like I feel over. I boldly and confidently stepped on the scales. It was only two pounds for the week, but then again it WAS two pounds.

It should have been more and I know that. The Green Smoothie Detox has made me more aware of my eating – and I find that I slip a bite of a snack before I even know I have opened my mouth. There is still a lot of work in my head that I have to do to get my eating right.

As I go along this journey, I will continue to enjoy the amazing dishes that I have discovered. My new found appreciation takes celery out of the flavor the stew category and puts it into a special place all its own. I have eaten two full bunches of celery in the last two weeks.

Just yesterday I found that if I drop a cinnamon stick in my coffee then there is really no need to add sugar. I would also think that cinnamon sticks would be something I could carry around and use when I am out to dinner. Coffee may not be the healthiest drink on the planet, but black with a dash of cinnamon probably helps its standings.

5 Keys to Eating and Losing Weight

1. FLAVORS – I have started to believe that is why most people add so much butter and salt – just trying to get some flavor in the meal. Fresh ginger, celery, cinnamon, fresh dill . . . the list of potential boosts goes on and on.

2. Experiment – give it a try and see what you think. Let recipes be doorways instead of walls. Use them to guide you to new tastes.

3. Enjoy – take the time to savor each bite that you take. When it stops tasting great then push it away.

4. Patience – wait until there is a full blown hunger feeling before you put anything in your mouth to chew. Hunger is a good feeling. It is your body gearing up to enjoy the meal to come. Hunger does not signal near death. Wait until that empty, growling sensation tells your whole body that it is time to eat.

5. Water – the only drink I still have is my morning coffee and even that has the new slant of the cinnamon. Before I know it, I will be drinking nothing but hot tea. Try to begin drinking as much water as you can. Squeeze in fresh lemon for an added boost of flavor and for additional health benefits.

The five tips that I have learned on this path down the Green Smoothie Detox have led me to seven total pounds of weight release in just two weeks. The great thing is that I do not feel deprived or like I am missing out. Instead, I feel the new me shining through and I know that the best is yet to come.