The Benefits of 30 Days of Green Smoothies

- Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle -

The green smoothie challenge ended a few days ago and I must say I am a little sad about it. For me, it was definitely a challenge, but I enjoy a challenge. Having some great friends along for the ride made it even easier.

I guess the older you get, the wiser you start to become. I am to the point where I am I realizing the importance of eating foods that really aid in the overall health of my body. That isn't to say it is easy to eat a carrot over a piece of cheesecake... no, it is usually a battle for us all. We know the things that are good for us, but deciding to choose them is really the key.

It is never too late to do your own 30-day (or 10 or 20-day) green smoothie challenge. I would encourage you to go back and read this post on how to do one and why your body needs this challenge. And remember, I am here for you! I love to encourage other people to live and eat well. I have seen and know the benefits of eating well over not. So know that this blog exists to encourage YOU!

Here are just a few snippets of the benefits I saw while doing the GSC.

1. No signs of irritability/moodiness. I guess you could say this was the best benefit I experienced soon into the challenge. I can be a little "up and down" as far as moods go. But I can honestly say, I was very chipper during the 30-day challenge. Now to be honest... I did skip 2 days where we were gone most of the day and I just did not get my smoothie and crazy enough, my moods were wacky those days. Call it coincidental, but it was obviously true! Next day back on the smoothie challenge, things were definitely better.

2. Increased energy. Even on the days that were gloomy and dark out, I was feeling good. I had the energy and motivation to do the things I don't normally want to do. I had the energy to go out for a walk with my toddler and not be dragging later on in the day. The most radical times I was aware of this was in the morning. I woke up feeling very rested and ready to go and this is not normally the case with me.

3. No aches and pains. Sometimes I suffer from joint pain. From my history and doing a few food (allergy) challenges, I have recognized I am gluten/wheat sensitive. I know if I have had a lot of that in my diet, I tend to get very sore joints and sugar usually exacerbates it even more. When I was on the GSC, I had absolutely no aches and pains... anywhere. It was amazing.

4. No sugar cravings. It's really hard to believe this until you have experienced it. No. Sugar. Cravings... seriously. When you are putting into your body the things it truly craves and properly uses, the junk food cravings completely diminish. If you can get past the first 3 or so days, you will start to see what I mean. I was actually wanting a salad, carrots, nuts and apples.

5. No headaches. I do not enjoy drinking water. I know it is so good for me, but it is a huge chore for me to actually consume it. I know I am borderline dehydrated most days. One of the biggest signs your body sends you to say it is dehydrated is headaches. So I tend to suffer from headaches several times a week. Well, on the challenge, I had zero headaches. I know I was well hydrated because my smoothies were no smaller than a quart every day.

6. No bloating. I love salt. And consuming salt brings on water retention and bloating. On the challenge since I was craving mostly fruits and vegetables, I was not eating as much salty foods. Also, the amount of water in all the fruits that I was adding to the smoothie definitely made my fluid intake much, much higher which acted as a diuretic in itself. My rings were quite loose and the numbers of the scale went down as well.

7. Sense of well-being. I just felt well on this challenge. You know when you are on a cycle of eating well it just naturally filters into other areas of your life... it just makes you feel good. I didn't have a brain-fog that I sometimes suffer from and life seemed more optimistic from all angles. I could directly feel the benefits of eating healthy and it usually continued throughout the day.

So there you have it. If you are on the fence about trying a 10, 20 or 30-day challenge, I would encourage you to go for it. Remember that anything worth trying takes some discipline... and remember that nothing worthwhile rarely comes easy. Great health does not come easily, it takes hard work, a focused mindset and a determined will.

If you were along for the ride with me, please share what benefits of the green smoothie challenge you experienced too!

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.