What people are saying
Enough Energy for an 8-Mile Race—and 9 lb. Weight Loss!
I chose the detox program because I felt like I needed to “reset” my body. I’ve been at a set weight for years, felt sluggish, and knew my body wasn’t running at its highest potential. Because I have not done a cleanse before, and 26 days seemed like a long time to me, I chose the Full Support option. I’m so glad I did!
The first three days of the detox were a little rough as I went through caffeine and sugar withdrawals. Having the ability to chat with other detox participants on the forum was priceless. Participants, as well as coaches, offered inspiration and tips that kept me going! I jumped onto the forum several times a day to compare notes with other participants.
The live calls and expert calls were also very motivating. It was reassuring to have my questions answered by doctors who have experience with detoxing. Listening to the expert calls kept me motivated, as I was reminded that my hard work was all for a very good reason.
At the end of the detox, I’d lost 9 pounds. I feel lighter, cleaner, and more alive. Real, whole foods taste amazing. During the detox, I was also training for an 8-mile race. Each day I felt that I had enough energy to go through my day and train for my race. Going through the detox process taught me that my body runs more efficiently without meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, and salt. I feel alive!
*results may vary
— Christi L., Tucson, Arizona
Neither of My School Kids Have Had a Sick Day!
I started 12 Steps during the busiest time of my life, when my fourth baby was 6 weeks old. My other little ones were 2, 5, and 6. It was three days before school started and everyone was sick with a cold but me. I was sick with an inflamed gallbladder and scheduled for surgery at age 33! We had been sick more than 50% of the last 365 days.
“Enough is enough!” I thought, “I know what I should be eating, I’ve been studying this since I was pregnant with my first, but I can’t figure out how to apply what I know. It overwhelms me. I want my family to be healthy, especially my son who is sick the most. Maybe Robyn’s program can teach me something I don’t already know. I trust Robyn’s nutritional philosophy more than any other author out there.” (Sorry I was skeptical at first, but the beauty of 12 Steps I now see, is putting the transition into a do-able order and adding one thing at a time.)
We started 12 Steps on the first day of school. An awesome time to start because fruit and veggies are abundant in the garden and cheap at the store, and the beginning of the school year is a time of transition anyway! I had paid for school lunch, but we started 12 Steps just in time. None of my kids will ever have school lunch (they serve corn dogs every single day; I hurt for the other kids).
The first week curriculum for first grade was “health and nutrition.” At dinner I remarked on the coincidence that I was taking a health and nutrition class too. My kids already know to expect fallacious nutritional information from school, so we compared notes on what we were learning each night at dinner. My kids loved that I was going “back to school” too.
I call “12 Steps” my online class and I always say “my teacher says . . .” Rather than being on a crazy diet, in my family’s eyes, I am taking a university-level, highly prestigious, nutrition course and I will “graduate” in a year (you never really graduate, though, do you?). In my eyes, it’s even better than that. Each month as my kids start new units of study, they are excited to hear about my new unit of study.
During the first month, my goal was to drink 8+ glasses of water a day instead of 3 or 4. I had been perpetually dehydrated since I got pregnant, and nursing was making it worse. That was a hard goal because I was so insanely busy I didn’t even have time to get a drink until 10 in the morning some days.
More than once, due to kid distractions, a green smoothie took three days to make. Water in the blender the first day, wash produce the next, chop stuff up and blend it the third. Getting hydrated was wonderful and I had green drinks on days when I couldn’t get a smoothie made. A ginormous burden of guilt (that I didn’t even know I had) lifted off my shoulders about my family’s nutrition. That gave me an emotional boost. The water made me feel physically so much better. I cancelled my gallbladder removal surgery and I don’t recall when it happened, but all of a sudden I had an extra 30 minutes to make green smoothie every day (it takes longer holding a baby or toddler or both while you do it).
Organic ready-to-eat salads just happened to be on sale for $.99 a box when we hit month two. That would convince anyone to love salad, no work and so tasty. When the sale ended two weeks later, I found again that I magically had the extra time to wash piles of romaine, spinach, and other lettuces. Another huge burden lifted off my shoulders, because I didn’t have to think of what to have for dinner anymore, it was always salad. We had main dishes too, but they were way simpler, just side dishes really. Salad was fun. My kids love picking out toppings for the salad and my picky eater has a passion for making her salad pretty. She also loves that dinner every night is a salad bar. Dinner battles at our house almost disappeared. As the quality of our meals went up, there was less to complain about.
The third month was my birthday. I got a beet cake, a salad spinner, and the “okay” to order almonds in the GreenSmoothieGirl.com annual group buy. I have been substituting almonds, apples, and raisins for chips and pretzels (just a few per snack) since we started 12 Steps. I reverse engineered our favorite store salad dressings using high quality ingredients. It was fun.
Where did I get the time to sit around reverse engineering salad dressing recipes? It is a mystery to me. I am getting salad making down to a science. I love buying it. I love being the lady who fills her cart up with lettuce and practically nothing else every few days at the grocery store.
Instead of fruit snacks, my toddler hugs the bags of romaine and skips the complimentary Laffy Taffy at the check-out. (Toddlers transition so much faster than the rest of us). I took salad to the family potluck, and impressed my relatives when 2 of my 3 kids took big servings of it before eating anything else.
My husband won’t touch green smoothies, but he has enjoyed the improvement in the family menu and the unanticipated weight loss from having salads for dinner every day.
Wow, now we are into November and neither of my school kids have had a sick day! My toddler has been sick every other week like usual (and my husband too). Even the daily green smoothie can’t save her at age 2, I guess. With one kid and one parent sick a lot though, it is miraculous that no one else is getting it, as they got everything last year. And my son went off asthma medicine without a hitch. In the past, running out of medicine meant he would be sick in the next day or two, but so far so good! Thanks!
*results may vary
— Regina Slaugh
My day is not complete without a smoothie!
My day is not complete without a smoothie! If I go without one, I feel bad physically and mentally. My children love them, too, and want them every day so they can have energy and strong muscles.
— Jenny L.
Rash/Breakouts Cleared Up—and 15 lbs Lost!
I have checked out a few detoxes over this past year, many that had products like protein shakes and meal replacement bars, etc. Most of them are one-size-fits-all programs. Guess what, I lost a few pounds on a couple, but they weren’t sustainable and were expensive to keep using the products. I am aware of an alkaline diet and have incorporated green smoothies/juicing into my lifestyle daily. When I saw the 26-day detox and the full support group, I knew I had to do it.
I embraced the full Level 1 program and made it all the way through! I lost 15 pounds and, most of all, cleared up a rash/breakouts that have been appearing on my face this past year. I emailed a before and after picture of my face to Coach Cathi and she asked that I share. I will definitely continue to educate myself and follow a whole-food diet from here out; I still have more weight I would like to release. I am working on easing my family into the same way of healthy eating. It’s challenging, but I now have my 7 year old son eating salads, so leading by example does work!
*results may vary
— Jennifer C., Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Surprised how good they taste
My family—including my picky two-year-old—really enjoys green smoothies. We like the fact that we’re taking a significant step toward better health, and we’ve had far fewer illnesses since incorporating them into our diet. We’ve also made them for visiting family and friends, and they’re all pleasantly surprised at how good they taste.
— Kari W, Utah
Not Turning Back—This Will Be My Way of Life Now!
The past 26 days of detoxing has been an amazing journey for me. I was hesitant at first because 26 days is a long time.
To my surprise, I enjoyed it very much. The program is very well organized and easy to follow. I almost felt that there was more food than I needed. I never felt hungry or deprived. I absolutely loved the satisfaction of the green smoothies as well as the provided recipes.
I have lost 8.5 pounds, although my goal was just to get healthy. I was already at a normal weight. Giving up coffee was a bit of a struggle, but my quality of sleep is just amazing. I finally sleep the whole night through.
I am so glad that I did the full support program. The detox manual was very concise and I had it with me all of the time. I listened to the calls in the evening—and what a pleasure it was to be able to ask Robyn a question live. She is right there doing the same detox with us, and very down to earth and approachable. I also kept in contact with my buddy who was assigned to me.
I learned so much and I feel so great and I am drinking a green smoothie as I write this. I am not turning back. This will be my way of life now. So grateful for the last 26 days. It was fun “crossing the finish line!”
— Jill K., Rockford, Illinois
Something is working!
I started doing smoothies twice a day (breakfast and lunch), July 14, 2008. At the time, I had no idea what to expect, as I was just trying this on a whim. After about two weeks, I noticed I lost about 5 pounds. I decided to continue this process, and switching up my dinners to be cooked, mostly vegetarian. Another 2-3 weeks passed by and I lost another 5 pounds. Something was working… I suspect it was the combination of green smoothies and going mostly vegetarian.
Well, along my journey, I started seeing books about raw food and 80-10-10, and just a whole bunch of information. I decided to try doing raw, and for the most part I have been able to maintain about 90-95% raw since I started doing this. Every week that passed I noticed I kept losing 2.5 pounds a week, for an eventual total loss so far of about 47 pounds. About 3 months into my journey, I read 80-10-10 Diet by Douglas Graham, and have implemented a lot of his concepts in my daily routines, so most of my daily intake consists of fruits and vegetables, with very small amounts of nuts/seeds. I noticed that with gourmet raw using high content fat (ie. nuts and seeds), I would do alright but I truly thrived doing 80-10-10.
As far as exercise goes, even before I started smoothies, I was doing twice a week at the gym doing a cycle/spin class, and I would occasionally do some light weights at home. I have noticed that my cycle/spin classes, I have been able to maintain extreme high energy levels and not gas out when on 80-10-10. I also noticed that when doing raw-gourmet (with higher fat), that I would not be as energized. Another thing I should note, my muscle recovery times have improved dramatically with 80-10-10– gone are the days of recovery, instead my muscle recovery occurs in about 15-20 hours, ready to hit up more exercise the next day.
I used to have a sinus headache about once a week. Those are all gone. I sleep much better, and noticed that I can go on my day with less sleep and still have a ton of energy. My daily diet still consists of two smoothies a day (one breakfast and one lunch) and my typical dinner meal varies, but it is typically in line with 80-10-10. It took me about 6 months to lose nearly 50 pounds, but the whole process was pretty easy. It is just a matter of committing your mind, and making great habits and breaking the bad ones.
*results may vary
— Eddie Yee
Green smoothies are easy and quick
Green smoothies are easy and quick to do and keep me full and alert way past lunch time. This past growing season I had access to lots and lots of lettuce. I would use between 2 and 3 cups in my smoothie along with other greens, but long after the other greens were gone there was still plenty of leaf lettuce in many colors and kinds. All of my greens came from my local farmers’ market.
— Anonymous
This combination rocks!
I started drinking green smoothies two months ago. I use a large amount of organic leafy produce and I use kombucha as the liquid, with a small amount of fruit or fruit juice. Then I follow it up with a handful of spirulina and chlorella tablets. This combination rocks.
— Anonymous
Green smoothies have helped me stay full longer in the morning.
Green smoothies have helped me stay full longer in the morning. I used to be SO hungry by lunchtime. My stomach would growl and I would become dizzy. Now I drink a blender full of smoothie in the morning and I am satisfied until it is time to eat my next meal.
— J. Burns
Oh Happy Days!
Oh happy days! That’s how I feel about the detox. The fact that it was 26 days is exactly why it is so powerful. Anything less, although beneficial, would NOT have given me access to the numerous breakthroughs in my personal awareness and true intentions for my life, which are now crystal clear and accessible due to personal power derived from simple discipline and commitment to health.
I started with a casual interest, then to just buying the digital course manual, then realizing I wanted the hard copy….which, after I read it, made it clear: this detox was for me. Then I upgraded to the Full Support option, and I jumped in with both feet. By doing the program, I have turned the corner away from a long life of the same roadblocks to my personal success.The daily audio, video, and written emails were key to my personal breakthroughs. The physical detox is secondary to the access to my personal power I discovered.
This is the best investment in my own health and happiness I’ve made in a long time. It’s subtle but profound to know of my own personal strength to sustain health, joy and vitality.
What more can I say? The five pounds lost is the tip of the iceberg of personal growth that awaits anyone willing to follow Robyn’s gentle and loving path.
Regret will be a word in a vocabulary associated with your past–which is nicely established where it needs to be–behind you! The future is yet to be created–go for it!”
— Ken, Oregon
Cellulite Gone! 7 lbs. Lost!
I am a 55-year-old female who began the detox at the weight of 126 lbs. I have been vegetarian for a few years and eat a pretty clean diet. I don’t drink alcohol, the only caffeine I drink is in green tea, and I don’t eat sugar.
However, over my lifetime I have been exposed to environmental toxins as well as pharmaceutical concoctions involving dentistry and Graves’ disease. I had been recommended by a shamanic healer about a year ago to cleanse every organ in my body. I did a series of colonics along with a parasite cleanse but I stopped there. Most cleanse programs on the market detox independent organs and most of them seem to be a kit.
They hardly recommend to even alter your diet. These detoxes never seemed right to me so I was at that crossroads of what to do. I stumbled across GSG and looked into the protocol. It seemed perfect for me.
The timing was right and then I got the brainstorm to enlist my 21-year-old college daughter to join me. I always worry about the genetics of her generation being weaker due to all the FDA-approved food, cleaning supplies and personal products they are exposed to. Plus, I felt it would be a great bonding experience for the two of us. She jumped on board with me immediately.
We spoke every day: she lives in New Orleans and I live in Jackson, MS, and we text messaged each other support when we felt weak. We listened to the group phone calls. We both would share what insight we gained either from the GSG daily emails, the forums or the online talks and chats. We shared with each other our experiences with the recipes.
She came home for a visit prior to Phase Two and we both cooked the recipes for each of us and went to the grocery store together. She would email me the grocery list for each phase to make it easier for me. Prior to the GSG Detox, my daughter was always tired. The first day on the program she could not believe her energy level and how she would jump out of bed and get things done.
I felt a surge in not only energy, but also in inner joy. Don’t get me wrong: I struggled with the first day, just being hungry in the middle of the night, the second day of the watermelon cleanse, and then the after-effects of the olive oil and lemon juice liver detox day.
But it was all worth every second. I love how my clothes fit me; I feel more peaceful. Oh yeah, and this is huge: since I was 5 years old, I remember having cellulite on my thighs. I remember sitting on the front porch swing of our home and looking down at my legs wondering what those puckers were in my skin. About 10 days into the GSG program, I was blow drying my hair, with my head bent over and looked at my legs. Now, I practice yoga 6 days a week so I am in that position a lot and I know how my legs look. Well, that morning they looked different, in a good way—they weren’t as saggy. I pushed the skin together to see if the cellulite was still there. It wasn’t. I pushed my skin together over all the parts of my body that had cellulite previously, and it was gone! The cellulite never really bothered me that much but I sure do like it not being there. I can only attribute it to being the fact that the toxins that were stored in my fat cells were pushed out!
I have recommended the GSG Detox to anyone who will listen to me. I am actually sad that today is the last day. I am excited to incorporate the recipes that we used in the detox program into my everyday life and I ordered the GSG Menu Planner to keep me on the straight and narrow! All I can say is, thank you, Robyn, and your colleagues, for all your hard work in developing this program! It was easy to follow, well planned out, and your program incorporates cutting-edge knowledge in the healing field.
*results may vary
— Tamar S., Jackson, Mississippi
