My Health Journey began back in the winter of 2013.  My last baby had been born about a year before that.  We had just moved across the country and I had fallen in a deep depression.  I had tried to stay active but found that was hard with 4 kids.

This was all new to me.  I hadn’t even felt that way.  Ever.  So it was really scary.

So, of course, I found comfort in food.

And from that, I grew weak, fat and very unhappy.

Something Had To Change

On my birthday, in December, I remember breaking down in front of my husband.  I was at a crossroads.  I needed something to change because I didn’t want to live and feel the way I did anymore!  So I did.  I started to figure out how to get out of the slump I was in.

I first started with exercise because, well, that’s what everyone does, right?  I first used the MutuSystem for my Diastasis Recti (DR) because I definitely had issues with my core (or lack thereof).

My youngest baby was 11.1 lbs….

After a couple of months doing that, I was able to heal my DR and get some strength back.  I felt comfortable to step up my workout regime.  I found and started a program called Lean Moms (sadly she doesn’t sell it anymore).

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It focused on both HIIT type workouts, as well as diet and food.  Now, I thought I was eating healthy.  Yet the more I researched about food and what really is IN food, especially the food available & ready to eat,  I realized that I had really no idea what I was putting into my body.

I had also watched some food documentaries that helped prepare me for REAL food vs. Processed foods.

(Yes, there is a difference!)

The Power Of Food

So what I’m getting at is the power of FOOD.  Most think exercise is what makes us fit and get rid of the fat.  But it’s not.  In reality, it’s 20% exercise and 80% food.  The power of food is very real.  It’s all up to what we put into our bodies.

As you come to realize that more than 80% of the food in the grocery store is processed with chemicals and sugar, then you also realize that that affects your body in some way.  Your body becomes what you put into it.

If you eat horribly processed, fast food, then you are going to feel horrible, lack of energy, & depressed.  It’s a vicious cycle.  But if you put REAL food into your body, then it’s going to start healing and removing that gunk out of your body and you are going to see and feel results!

What is REAL food?

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Real food is anything that comes straight from the earth:

• vegetables,
• fruits,
• nuts,
• natural fats, like lard, ghee, and coconut oil

But there are so many variables to this and I won’t be able to touch base about it all.  I only have this post.

Green Smoothies That Taste Good

So my focus is on GREEN SMOOTHIES.  If you have a strong blender, then I recommend starting to replace 1 meal with a green smoothie.  There are so many recipes out there you can try.

Smoothies are easy to mix up!  Take a look at the chart below, courtesy of Green Thickies:

And this is just the beginning.  Green Smoothies are so easy and flexible. Any mixture you do is a new creation! There are even green smoothie cookbooks!

You can’t go wrong.  And you are putting so many nutrients into your body!  You will start to feel so much better, I promise.

Personally, I also add in a scoop of vanilla protein powder to add a boost of protein.  Protein is super important to help give us energy and build muscle.

Make Green Smoothies A Habit

Since my journey, green smoothies have become habit and part of my diet every day.  I usually have one for breakfast and maybe an afternoon snack.  The best part is that these can only heal and improve your body and how it functions.

There is no downside to green smoothies that taste good in my book.

So as I started doing the Lean Moms program, I started with a 7-day detox.

A detox is where you eat or drink only fruits, veggies, and natural fats for 7 days.  No sugar, no processed foods!  It’s harder than it sounds when EVERYTHING has sugar!

The first few days were hard.  Your body is cleaning out all the toxins from your previous diet.  Once you get past that, you immediately feel so much better.  And by day 7, that’s when I really saw a difference in my weight loss.

*this is a real 7-day difference picture of my last year!*

I. Was. Shocked.

Just look at what 7 days did to my body.  I lost 8 pounds and 8 inches off my body.  I was a believer!  And the best thing was it was a completely healthy way to lose weight!  I felt so much better just after that week.

And that’s what I wanted.  I didn’t want to just be thin.  I wanted my body at its full potential! I moved onto the next phase of the program, which is a hormone-balancing diet.  You put back more foods to eat and I was even allowed to have a cheat meal once a week.

It’s definitely doable but takes some planning. I have been pretty successful at sticking to it (minus getting pregnant and dealing with morning sickness).  I just really have found that food is meant to help our bodies!

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Our society has taken that to the other extreme. It’s up to us to choose what we put into our bodies.

And I choose to help and heal mine.

You can find me over on my blog, Lyssa Beth, where I write about the goings on with my family and I.  I have 4 kiddos, with 1 more on the way. I talk about real everyday life, parenting, my health journey, kids, photography and crafts of all sorts.

 

Let me know if you have any questions!
I would love to help you in your healthy journey!