I enjoyed the fresh flavors of the raw foods and decided to take a stab at a raw food detox that I found at The Raw Divas. This will only be seven days, but I am committing to following through with boldness. That means that I am CHOOSING to give up coffee for that week and am already beginning the weaning process by drinking hot tea instead.

This new journey corresponds with my reading of “Made to Crave.” I know that there is more. God made me for more. More opportunities exist than I ever imagined. My choices hinder my purpose, my path and my plans.

Think of a detox as a chance to train for better choices. Seven days (or 21 if you are going to do the Green Smoothie Detox from the Smoothie Queens) to begin to discover the potential of you.

The more I think about the possibilities the more exited I get about this detox. I want more and now my willingness to take the step to DO more is making that desire a reality.

Taking the Green Smoothie Detox with the Green Smoothie Queens opened my eyes (and my taste buds) to a world of possibilities. It also helped me to understand that some foods are made to be blended and others should be left to their own devices.

Vegetables

• Spinach – I use it a lot in my smoothies as the green ingredient (most green smoothie experts would say I use it TOO much). Although I know I need more variety, I find that it provides a green punch without offering any flavor.

• Romaine lettuce – this works well as a second major green ingredient. Be sure to taste a piece of the lettuce before cramming it into the blended. The deeper you go into the romaine head the more bitter the leaves can become.

• Leaf lettuce – another good green to use that provides very little flavor to the overall smoothie.

• Celery – be careful with this green. I have used it as a staple in soups and stews but discovered that it has a surprising peppery flavor when blended into smoothies. I prefer it in my savory smoothie mixes.

• Cucumbers – another good addition to my savory smoothies. Not overpowering, but still provide a subtle taste addition.

• Zucchini – I never imagined that I would say that raw zucchini works great in anything. It provides a crunch for raw spaghetti and chili without adding too much to the flavor. It works well blended into sweet or savory smoothies.

• Avocado – not much in the direction of flavor but it does a LOT to thicken up the smoothie.

Fruits and Spices

• Strawberries – frozen or fresh these berries pack a punch and demand to be recognized! Keep in mind that fresh only last a few days in the frig.

• Pineapple – another demanding addition to the smoothie. A little fresh pineapple will go a long ways. The best thing about pineapple is that it can last for several weeks if left whole – just cut off what you need from the whole pineapple and then seal that whole piece back up for later use).

• Apples – a mild addition, but the peel can be tough to get finely ground.

• Coconut – a fun flavor but the meat of is another tough item to get ground up and it will affect the texture of the smoothie.

• Ginger – interesting flavor but can almost get spicy. Works well when combined with carrots. DO NOT taste raw ginger on its own – it burned my tongue.

• Cumin – great spice addition to savory smoothies – almost adds a sweet touch.

This only begins to scratch the surface of the flavors that abound. The more I try the more I discover about what works in different applications. Experiment with smaller amounts before diving into a full blender. I am not an expert in green smoothie mixing but I am sharing what my own recipes have revealed.

See what flavor combinations your pallet enjoys. Make your journey unique – but come back and share your successes and failures so we can all learn together.

“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?

Green Smoothie Detox Day 15

Breakfast: 1 cup cranberry juice, 1 banana, ¼ cup blue berries, 1 heaping handful of spinach. I added some water after blending to make it a little thinner and it was enough to fill a 16 oz glass and still have about 12 oz to share with my dad.

Lunch: 2 stalks of celery, 1 cup tomato juice, 1 handful of parsley, 1 large handful of spinach. I also added some water to this one to make it thinner. My dad will be drinking well tonight.

Dinner: ¾ apple, ½ cup cranberry juice, 1 large handful of spinach, 3 small mint leaves. This is one of those smoothies that should not be left sitting around. The pulp of the apple really rises to the top quickly. Other than that it was a tasty treat – and only made enough for one glass.

Made it to the grocery store – should make the rest of the week a little easier anyway!

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.

Starting a new adventure gets me a little giddy. I think I smiled most of the day. It may because of the journey I am taking, or because of the revelations I am experiencing (about eating, dieting and life) or it may be that I feel so good. No matter the reason behind the beam, it is a great way to spend the day.

The menu for today required some things that were not on my shelves. I was supposed to go to the grocery store the other day, but a time crunch prevented it. So I just used what I had.

Detox Day 2 Menu:

Breakfast: 1 banana, ½ cup cranberry/grape juice, ¼ cup black berries, 3 stalks of celery, ½ cup fresh pineapple – it made about 16 oz and I drank every last drop. This was actually from the menu and the celery gives the smoothie a flavorful bite. I have always eaten celery, normally with a dip or with peanut butter. It was a delivery system instead of a stand alone unit. I confess that when I crossed over the borders into smoothie land I discovered that celery has a lot of flavor.

Lunch: 2 small tomatoes, small bunch of spinach, sprinkled with fresh dill and seasoned with salt and pepper; 1 small baked potato with a chopped green onion and butter to season. It was completely off the reservation from the recipes for today – but I loved it! And it was a great change of pace.

Dinner: ½ large tomato small bunch of spinach, ½ orange bell pepper, ¼ sweet white onion, ¼ cucumber, two pinches of fresh dill, ½ lemon (squeezed over as dressing), salt and pepper to taste. I also had a small handful of seasoned crackers to go along with my salad. I enjoyed the lunch salad so much that I had to tackle another one. Throwing all of those flavors in together makes it so much more than “just a salad.”

I made it to the grocery last night, so I should have everything I need to follow the green smoothie recipes tomorrow.

Now I begin my actual Detox program. Like with the prep week, I am not using this program to dictate a certain way to eat. This 21 Day Green Smoothie Detox program is my way to reconnect with my body’s real needs and break out of the cycle of addiction to food.

Detox Day 1 Menu:

Breakfast: water with lemon

Lunch: water with lemon

Dinner: 1 banana, ½ cup cranberry juice, large handful of spinach, five strawberries. I drank the whole thing!

The first day of the detox program began with a 24 hour fast. I realized that many of the non-diet programs begin with a fast. It helps you recognize actual hunger and begin to listen to what your body really wants and needs instead of going for the ordinary and expected.

Several months back I was introduced to the Green Smoothie. At the very basic, it is raw green vegetables blended into a smoothie. I have taken the idea and added my own little twist. Nothing is measured out, which is how I cook most things, so there are no details. All I really do is combine some fresh fruits and all-natural fruit juice to make a breakfast smoothie that even the boys want to drink – adding even more of a twist by throwing in the occasional raw vegetable now and then.

Breakfast Smoothie Recipe
(The one we had yesterday anyway)

Start with one whole banana broken into two or more pieces
Add about two cups of frozen, all natural fruit
Add two handfuls of raw baby spinach
Add about ¼ cup all natural fruit juice
Blend until smooth

Some days I skip the spinach and add more banana and fruit to make a fruit smoothie. Any that I have left over I use as a snack when my tummy starts growling between meals. The kids enjoy experimenting with different fruits to see what colors they can create.

The best way to be sure that you eat healthy and that your children develop healthy eating habits is to experiment with foods. Fruit smoothies and veggie smoothies are great alternatives to carrot sticks and green salads. See what fun ways you and your family can discover together to enjoy all the great foods available today.

I want to be healthy again, and I know that eating less is the way to go. But even the size of my dinner plates (which were wedding gifts) is fighting against me in my effort to eat less.

Recently I found a book that is opening my eyes and guiding my path. Kiss Dieting Goodbye by Elliott Young is pulling together the biblical ideal and the health principles into one sound practice. One of the best things that I pulled from the book focused on portion control

Tips for Portion Control to Aid Weight Loss

1. Don’t wait until you are starving to eat. It gives you the sense that you have to make up for lost meals.

2. Measure out your portions. Most human beings only need a food serving that is equal to their flattened fist. That’s not a lot of food, folks.

3. Keep in mind that you can always get more. Here in the United States, there is no lack of food. Don’t feel like you have to “store away” a favorite food because there might never be anymore available to you.

4. Don’t eat from the container. Putting food on a plate or in a bowl will give you an idea of how much you are eating. It will also give you a stopping point.

5. You can only eat just one. Sometimes just the taste is what you crave. You don’t have to eat the whole candy bar or all the M&M’s or the full bag of chips. Satisfy your craving and save the rest for later.

6. Share your meal. Especially when eating out. Most restaurants offer more than enough for two. This will not only help your portion control, but it will help your budget.

7. Can’t split the meal? Then ask for a “To Go” box with the meal. Put half the food away before you even get started.

8. DON’T SKIP MEALS. Keep your energy up and your metabolism running by eating at least three times per day.

9. Avoid the TV. You can’t truly enjoy something that you aren’t focused on. Remember how much better that last meal out tasted? It’s good because you are focused on the experience. Make every meal an experience so that you can savor the food.

10. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. It makes the portions look and feel more filling.

Eating less food doesn’t mean I have to deprive myself, it just means I have to control the portions that I lay out. By doing a little planning, taking a little extra time, and making my meals and experience and not just a necessity, I can make portion control a natural way of life.