Think Yourself Thin

by JJ Smith

  If a sixty-three-year-old, post-menopausal woman who did not exercise can do this, you can do this! Focus on eating to be healthy and the weight loss will be a fantastic outcome. Plan, shop, and prepare your meals so that you are not hungry and searching for food. Find ways to have fun and enjoy life that do not center on food. As JJ says, “Food does not equal fun.”

  Elaine has lost almost 70 pounds.

  I started this weight-loss journey 18 months ago. I awoke one morning, looked in the mirror, and discovered I had gained 60 pounds. I did not like the image I saw in the mirror and no longer wanted my husband to see me with all of the extra weight. I hated the way my body appeared before me, and no longer looked like the woman he originally married.

  I have lost a total of 67 pounds and feel great! I no longer suffer from constant fatigue and now have energy to work out daily. What keeps me inspired and motivated is checking in on JJ Smith’s online VIP daily and sharing my weight-loss story with anyone and everyone I can. I have inspired my sister, her friend, and a few of my friends to join the “Green Smoothie Life.” Knowing that they are watching my progress holds me accountable for my actions, and as a result, I have managed to keep the weight off for a year now!

  One strategy I use to stay motivated is allowing myself to have one or two cheat meals per week. Since I eat clean all week long, the cheat meal gives me something to look forward to, considering I’m not really a health guru.

  The one thing I would say to encourage someone to continue on this health and weight-loss journey is that I did not think I was going to last two days, but I did and I promise you it does get easier with each passing day. It becomes a way of life, a habit, so to speak.

  You may encounter a few setbacks. It is okay, just get right back on it. You are going to have better health, more energy, and when you look in that mirror you are going to love the image that is looking back at you. It’s so worth it.

  Girosalee has lost 60 pounds.

  I started the Green Smoothie Cleanse two years ago. I tried so many different diets, from the Atkins diet to the Cardiac diet to Weight Watchers. All of these were a temporary solution to my weight loss. After almost giving up, having two children, and going through a divorce, I found JJ Smith. I contacted her through Facebook messenger to ask her about her program. She told me about the program and that I needed the book to get started. She also informed me about the VIP group, which helps you hold yourself accountable and get support from thousands of others on the same journey. I purchased the book, joined the VIP group, and was determined to not make excuses for the weight that I was holding on to. Since committing to this journey, I have lost 60 pounds, going from a size 22/24 to a 12/14. I have not looked back.

  I never thought of myself as a big person, but I did find myself unhappy. I always tried to stay active to keep up with my children. However, my knees and back would ache when I tried to run with them. I was always tired and needed to take naps throughout the day. When I first started the journey, I could see the yellow in my eyes and acne on my face and arms that I wanted to get rid of. It was not a hard decision to believe that a program with ingredients that were natural could help heal my body. I had nothing to lose, just opportunities to gain.

  After completing the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse, I had so much energy, my face started to clear up, and my knees didn’t ache as much. JJ says listen to your body, so I did as much as I could to “move,” and the weight just kept coming off. I received compliments at work, many questions about how I did it, and I even had men approaching me. Buying a new wardrobe was not disappointing. I lost 50 pounds in five months by following the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse, adding exercise to my daily routine, and living the DHEMM (Detox/Hormonal Balance/Eat Clean/Mental Mastery/Move) lifestyle. My knees and back no longer hurt and I have that “Green Smoothie glow.”

  A few tips I would encourage anyone on this journey to embrace are to make drinking half of your body weight in water a goal. Make sure to eat every two to three hours to keep triggering your metabolism and find some way to move. I do have an accountability partner who helps motivate me to go to the gym and encourages me to eat healthy foods. Taking advantage of the challenges in JJ’s private group only makes you stronger. It helps to keep your mind focused, giving you an understanding of what your body needs to be successful on this journey.

  Remember that only you can make the choice to better yourself. Believe that you can do it because this journey is all about your mind making the right decisions. There will be times when you have to replace people in your circle to find those who really support you. This is YOUR journey and only YOU can make goals to get YOU to where YOU want to be.

  Theresa has lost 80 pounds.

  My name is Theresa, and I have been on the Green Smoothie Cleanse journey for two years. I have lost 80 pounds and I’m down from a size 22/24 to a size 14 because of this new lifestyle!

  I have known for years that I needed change and tried every fad “diet” out there. It was two years ago, on my birthday, that I made up my mind to do the Green Smoothie Cleanse. I’d taken a picture outside of my new house with my husband and kid and when I viewed the pictures I didn’t look real. My face looked as if it had been blown up like a balloon. I was horrified. I joined the Green Smoothie Cleanse Facebook group a couple months prior, but only looked around wondering if I could really do the program. However, once I saw the pictures of myself I made up my mind to start the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse. I was both excited and determined. After five days, I’d lost 6 pounds and by day 10 I’d dropped an unbelievable 17 pounds! It was the beginning of my new lifestyle.

  I don’t have any more problems with anemia or low iron after following the Green Smoothie Cleanse and the Detox/Hormonal Balance/Eat Clean/Mental Mastery/Move system. My acid reflux has disappeared, my blood pressure has improved tremendously, there are no more dizzy spells, and my joints do not ache. I can climb stairs, exercise, walk, and even run a little without feeling as though I am going to pass out! I feel amazing and everyone else even noticed that my skin is clear and more even-toned.

  My motivation comes from my children, my husband, and my friends and family. In both the Green Smoothie Cleanse Facebook page and the VIP group, I notice others struggling and use what I’ve learned to motivate them. I am at a place where I feel as though I cannot fail. I have too many people counting on me and that is what keeps me going, along with prayer.

  For anyone who needs encouragement on their journey, I say, stay the course! If you fall off, get right back on and keep moving towards your destination, whether it’s weight loss or getting healthier overall. You owe it to yourself.

  Schwandra has lost 70 pounds.

  It was time to be a heathier me so that I could be around for my four blessings. My children absolutely deserve the best version of their mother. I began to search for diets that would work and was unsuccessful until I stumbled across JJ Smith’s Green Smoothie Cleanse Facebook page. I stalked the page for two months and finally decided to order the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse book. I was still skeptical after receiving the book in the mail, and therefore waited another four months before actually purchasing the ingredients for the 10-day cleanse. By day 4, I was so amazed by how much energy I had, how much healthier my skin appeared, and how my shirts were beginning to fit me differently. I thought I was dreaming when I stepped on the scale on day 11—I’d lost 25 pounds! I began telling everyone how the Green Smoothie Cleanse changed my life.

  I was at my highest weight when I started the Green Smoothie Cleanse for the first time. I have now completed three 10-day cleanses in the past year. When I am not on the full 10-day cleanse, I stick to the modified version by enjoying a smoothie for breakfast, a healthy lunch, a smoothie for dinner, and healthy snacks in between my meals. When I began my journey, I was wearing a pant size 24/26, dress size 26, and shirt size 3X/4X. Ten months later, my pant size is 18, dress size 16, and shirt size XL. I have lost a total of 70 pounds!

 
The 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse has changed my life for the better. I have more energy to play with my children and my skin is glowing all of the time! The cleanse has also tremendously helped lower my blood pressure. My blood pressure is at an all-time low, and my doctor is so amazed by my health transformation.

  I never want to be that unhealthy person sitting in my doctor’s office again and that keeps me motivated. I want to be free and live a normal healthy life! JJ Smith’s Facebook page has been one of my biggest motivations as well. You push yourself to keep going once you realize that you are not alone and you have wonderful people from all around the world supporting you. Not only do you want to do this for yourself, but along the way you are hoping your struggles and success will inspire others to keep thriving and going!

  I know that every day I am getting healthier and healthier, and that strengthens my motivation. I want to be around to raise my kids and grandkids—when that day comes! I keep a positive mind-set at all times. I am grateful that I have found a realistic program that actually works. I am still able to enjoy good, yummy, healthy food! The one thing that I would say to encourage you on your journey is that you matter and to take it one day at a time. It did not take one day for you to gain the weight, and it is not going to take one day to get it all off. It is a process, just stay the course!

  Kenya has lost over 50 pounds.

  I heard about JJ Smith and the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse long before I started on my journey to a healthier lifestyle. One of my former coworkers started the cleanse and I remember asking her, “How in the world do you just drink smoothies all day, because I would need to chew something?” She laughed and responded, “It isn’t as bad as you think.” She was right! I purchased JJ’s book 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse out of curiosity and started following the public group on Facebook. It was not until several months later that I joined “the movement.”

  I remember that day, that exact moment. I was at my favorite retail store trying on several pairs of pants for work. I needed new clothes because I’d gained even more weight, tipping the scales at 215 pounds. Nothing worked, nothing fit, and I was disgusted with myself for having gained so much weight over the past several years. My daughter, who was nine at the time, witnessed my moment of self-disgust. She sat in silence as I fussed at myself, watched me put everything back on the rack, and finally asked, “Mom, why are you putting everything back?” I told her that I was ready to lose weight, even after saying it repeatedly for so long—I was really ready. I walked out of the store, drove home, and sulked that evening. However, by the next morning everything changed.

  What I failed to mention earlier is that I had recently joined a local fitness facility but never actually went to workout. I’d given myself a ton of excuses: I was not motivated, did not have time, and didn’t know how to work the machines. I decided that the excuses had run out and if I was going to make a change I needed to take the first step. The answer to not having enough time was to make time. I’d just taken a voluntary leave from the workforce and suddenly possessed all of the time I needed to get started. I decided that while I was home, I would make good use of the time and focus on getting healthy. I picked up JJ’s book that I purchased months earlier and next called the fitness facility to inquire about meeting with a trainer.

  A year and a half ago my life changed forever. I started my very first cleanse and lost 7 pounds! Later that same week, I began working with a trainer. Since then, I have incorporated 10-day cleanses and exercise (two to three times per week) into my everyday life. I was able to wear many of the pants I had outgrown within my first four weeks. I went shopping again—in my closet!

  I decided that I needed to have a physical after completing a couple of cleanses and meeting regularly with a trainer. I had not had a physical or any type of blood work done for almost ten years, but I knew that my cholesterol was high. I found a new doctor, made an appointment, and during my follow-up visit to discuss my blood work, she confirmed that my cholesterol was indeed high. By the time I actually saw the doctor, I had lost 26 pounds. After I informed her of by weight loss, she told me that without the weight loss my cholesterol would have been much higher. She was also very much interested in what I was doing to lose the weight and I began to share everything I knew about JJ Smith and the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse.

  My cholesterol is almost back to normal ranges and continues to improve each time I visit my doctor. I am very happy to say that I have lost 54 pounds and refuse to find that weight again! I have also lost 291/4 inches and over 16 percent of my body fat.

  There are moments when I am weak and crave a soda or fried foods, but I stay motivated by knowing that I will be able to get into a pair of jeans or a sexy dress that I’ve seen in the store. I am also inspired by the nonscale victories and others’ response to my success on this lifelong journey. I cannot tell other people about the strategies I use to maintain a healthy lifestyle and not live by them. It is all about the mental mastery JJ teaches!

  My mind-set is simple: I will not go back to that place where I was not at my best! I was not at my best physically, mentally, or emotionally and I refuse to go back. The one thing that I would say to encourage you is to simply get started. Once you begin to see results, you will keep going.

  Linnell is a proud size 8.

  My journey towards health and wellness began with my annual visit to the doctor’s office every November. I weighed in at a whopping 200 pounds and my blood pressure was 160/100. My doctor informed me that if my weight and blood pressure did not change, I would be taking additional medication.

  It was nearing the holidays, one of the hardest times to change our diets and when Thanksgiving arrived I cooked, ate, and almost had a heart attack. Christmas then came which is also my daughter’s birthday. I cooked our traditional feast and baked desserts, but this time around I made a vegetarian meal for myself. My family was visiting from Maryland during the holiday and my daughter prepared a vegetable and fruit smoothie for breakfast. I explained to her that these foods should never be mixed. My daughter then handed me some information to read about the smoothies she was blending. I requested to taste this green smoothie and the rest is history. When my daughter left for Maryland, I went home with her. I could hardly walk and was on steroids, Albuterol, Singulair, and Z-Pak.

  I decided to do the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse and I lost 10 pounds! After this, I joined the VIP support group and purchased my online books. It was not easy, but I was determined to change my health condition before I suffered a heart attack. Months earlier, I was so embarrassed by my weight that I’d stopped looking at myself in the mirror but now I was inspired to keep going.

  I believe God gave me a second chance with JJ Smith’s system. In February, I received my hormone therapy and my middle began to shrivel. My disposition also changed; I was both calmer and happier. In January, l was a size 14 and lost 15 pounds, come February I lost another 10 pounds. Over the course of the next four months, I’d lose 30 more pounds. In July, I was at a size 10 and by September, I moved to a size 8 while dropping an additional 5 pounds for a total weight loss of 60 pounds.

  While detoxing my liver, I was also detoxing my brain as the two are connected. When you change your thoughts, you change your destiny.

  Appendix:

  Eat Clean and Balanced Foods to Achieve Healthy Weight Loss

  * * *

  WHAT ARE CLEAN AND BALANCED FOODS?

  Clean foods are primarily natural, whole, raw, or organic—foods that the body can effectively digest and utilize for energy without leaving excess waste or toxins in the body. Clean foods include lean proteins, good carbs, and healthy fats. Balanced foods mean that you will balance your meals by eating protein every time you eat a carbohydrate. So, if you have carbohydrates, you want to always include protein. Maintaining this balance between proteins and carbs is a very simple but incredibly effective method for preventing insulin spikes and aiding the body in burning fat.

  Why protein
every time you eat? Protein counteracts the body’s overreaction to carbohydrates, which cause insulin spikes and fat storage. Proteins will also help you feel full longer and thus will help prevent overeating and food cravings. Protein will also help you build and maintain muscle mass and, as we’ve learned, muscle naturally burns more calories than fat.

  Eating clean and balanced foods will help you lose weight for all of the following reasons:

  • It will help you address the underlying reasons your body stores fat.

  • You will learn which foods will help you stay thin and maintain your healthy weight.

  • You will have more control over your insulin and blood sugar levels.

  • You will burn fat, especially the belly fat and love handles.

  • You will gain control of your appetite and cravings.

  TWELVE PRINCIPLES FOR CLEAN AND BALANCED EATING

  To complement the strategies in this book, you can follow these twelve guiding principles for eating clean and balanced foods to help you achieve your weight-loss goals. Look at the principles below as your instructions on how to eat clean and balanced foods.

  • PRINCIPLE #1: Choose nutrient-rich foods, not empty calories. This means you will eat foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. Eating junk foods is like eating empty calories. You want your calories to provide you with nutritional benefits that will help you heal your body and maintain a permanently healthy weight. Before you eat anything, ask yourself, is this a healthy, nutrient-rich food or empty calories? Commit to be mindful of everything you eat.