365 Days of Green Smoothies with Jessica

We are always excited when people write to us and tell us about how green smoothies are changing their lives.  So we were thrilled when we came across Jessica and her initiative to make green smoothies a part of her daily routine this year.   This gal’s going all out – not 3 days, not 10 days, not even 24 days, but 365 days of green smoothies!  We’ve invited Jessica to tell you a little about her and her blog, and we’ll be looking forward to receiving monthly updates on her progress.  Be sure to stop by her site and give her some green love! 

- by Jessica Mauk

Hello there!  My name is Jessica and I’m a green smoothie addict (“Hello, Jessica”).  That’s ok, though.  If being addicted means higher energy, shinier hair, a smaller waistline, and better overall health well sign me up!

The truth is, I haven’t always been addicted to green smoothies.  In fact, up until October 2009 I “enjoyed” a standard American Diet (SAD).  Enjoyed is in quotes because I thought I was enjoying my food, when in fact I was enjoying the flavors that I had trained my palate to expect.  My body was certainly not enjoying itself. 

One day I posted on Facebook about my children being sick for the 578^th time that year and a friend of mine suggested I check out green smoothies.  I’m sorry, check out what????  Green smoothies.  Oh, ok.  Having no idea what she was talking about, I did some googling, hit up the local library and then made a trip to Barnes & Noble.  My husband thought I’d lost my mind, but he thinks that often, so I wasn’t too worried. 

Eventually, I dug out my blender (and had to dust it off) and threw some fruit, some water and some spinach in it.  I tentatively took a sip, with a glass of my trusty favorite soft drink near by just in case I needed to wash out my mouth.  But holy moly, my life was forever changed in that one instant.  I downed that whole glass and poured myself another.  I ran into the living room and shoved this new concoction into my children’s faces screaming “Oh my good golly, you HAVE to try this!!!”  I think my children were too shocked (afraid?) to question me and just did as they were told.  They both gave it a thumbs up and we, as a family, haven’t looked back!

I began making our smoothies every day.  Then the holidays hit us in full force and I became a little relaxed with our newly formed habit.  And I really noticed the difference then.  It’s funny, when you’ve eaten a SAD diet for your entire life, being overweight, sluggish and exhausted all of the time really doesn’t register into your brain.  But once you’ve seen that energy, noticed the difference in your waistline, and removed the cobwebs from your brain, going back is like taking a quick trip into Hades. 

We were driving home from my inlaws’ home on Thanksgiving 2009, and I looked at my husband and said, “I need a smoothie.”  Right then I made a vow to eat one quart of smoothie every day.  I knew I couldn’t keep this miracle food to myself, so I decided to write a blog about my adventure, invite all of my friends and family and the rest of the world to come along on my journey with me.  Won’t you please join me on my Year of Green Smoothies Challenge?  You’ll never go back, I promise.

Visit Jessica and say hello at: http://365smoothies.blogspot.com/