10.04.2011

30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge


I have put this off long enough. I have watched my portions and still incorporated lots of fruits and veggies in my diet, but the white stuff has crept in...

white stuff: processed flours and sugary foods... cakes, pies, crackers, pasta.

So thus begins a 30-day Green Smoothie Detox.

So are YOU up for this challenge too? If you think you don't need to, then answer some of these questions.

1. Are you sluggish after waking up from at least 7-8 hours of sleep?
2. Do you have dark circles around your eyes?
3. Do you have blemishes on your face, neck, back or chest?
4. Do you have achy joints?
5. Are you constipated or having loose (ribbon-like), foul-smelling BM's?
6. Do you have dandruff or itchy scalp?
7. Do you suffer from mid-afternoon slump?

If you answer yes to two or more of these questions, I believe you need to join me on this challenge. It's easier when you are accountable to someone and know others are in on it with you!
If you're still hesitant in joining me, let me just give you some quick benefits of doing a 30-Day Green Smoothie Detox

1. You will regain energy in a few days.
2. You will feel rested when you wake up in the morning.
3. You will quickly lose those cravings for sweet, carby foods.
4. You will begin to see regular BM's that are soft and not as "foul smelling".
5. You will not be as moody. (Trust me on this one!)
6. Your nails and skin will be more radiant.
and more than likely you will lose some pounds and inches.

Who wouldn't want all that??

So here's whatya do!

You can use any combinations of fruits (berries, banana, pineapple, oranges, mangoes, kiwi), but the added greens should come from a vegetable... spinach, kale or romaine, preferably. (If you are new to green smoothies, you might want to start with baby spinach. It has a mild taste and then work your way up to kale). Here is a sample of what my green smoothies look like...

2 cups of green vegetable (usually kale or spinach)
1/2 very ripe banana
1 cup of frozen berries (or other frozen fruits of your choice)
1 cup of cucumber
1 whole kiwi
a spoonful of coconut oil
1 cup of water
6 ice cubes

Blend thoroughly for 2-3 minutes... drink immediately, but slowly over 15-20 minutes. (In other words, don't save it in the fridge for later. You want those active enzymes in your body and if you wait too long the enzymes begin to oxidize.)

So who's in? I need some buddies to encourage me! Leave a comment saying you're in :) Starting tomorrow... October 5 and ending on November 3rd ~ just in time to look great for the holidays.

30 days... you can do it!

Side Note... It is entirely up to you when you want to do your smoothie... breakfast, lunch, etc... it's up to you and your schedule. I will do mine in place of breakfast. In my opinion, breakfast is best. Also, I am avoiding "as much as" the white stuff as I can. I am the type of person that is all or nothing, but sometimes that can backfire on me. I end up getting too frustrated and give up. So I know there are birthday parties and Halloween coming up... so moderation is gonna be key! But the more you avoid the white stuff, the better your results are going to be.

5 comments:

  1. Jenna, GREAT article & Challenge! I'm IN! I actually started a fruit & veggie (juice) fast on Monday after my mom told me about the documentary Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead I bet you would enjoy it if you haven't seen it) and I'm doing the 5 day express fast. Smoothies are different than juicing (smoothies taste MUCH better) but I can have both! I'll do it until Nov. 1st!

    Also, Thanks for sharing at Healthy 2day Wednesdays!

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  2. I am dying to see the movie... do you know how/where I can see it? Also want to see Forks over Knives too. I love juicing too. So glad you're in with us, Rachel :)

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  3. Maybe this seems like a silly question...but how do you do a cup of cucumber? Slices, cubes, a big chunk? Ha.

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  4. No silly questions here, June :) I normally remove the peel and just slice into cubes... the cucumber adds a very nice flavor to the smoothie :)

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  5. I'm in!! I just started drinking green smoothies this week--and now that you mention it, I didn't get that mid-afternoon slump today!

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