What people are saying

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

Better Sleep, Clearer Skin, Fewer Sweets Cravings—Plus Lost 9 lbs!

I learned so many new ways to take care of myself and my family through this full-support detox! I’m so grateful I got guidance on essential oils, skin brushing, and coffee enemas. I now feel confident implementing these new tools for health into my everyday life. The best parts of this detox was sleeping better at night, clearer skin, and losing my cravings for sweets! I lost 9.5 pounds (and always had options of healthy things to eat when hungry!) while on the detox. This was well worth my time and effort, as it is such a well researched program, and access to the forum and my buddy gave me the support and encouragement needed to get through each phase of the detox journey. I would definitely recommend this to others and do it again on a yearly basis!

*results may vary

— Kara T., Oak Harbor, Washington

12 Steps to Whole Foods Graduate Lost 100 Lbs–Then Loses 12 More on the Detox!

From a beautiful lady in a little town with only one stoplight who previously lost 100 pounds doing Robyn’s 12 Steps to Whole Foods Course:
I have never done a detox before, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it was amazing. I loved it. I loved knowing I was helping my body to perform better, and I loved the empowering feeling I had throughout this whole experience. I was able to lose 12 lbs! I had been stuck at the same weight for a while not being able to get past it. I loved the full support, having a forum where you could get your questions answered. Being able to hear from others was great! I also loved the required buddy, which made all the difference, knowing I couldn’t let my buddy down. The live Q&A sessions with Robyn and the other coaches were also fabulous.

Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put into this detox program. It is amazing and I am becoming a lifetime member, looking forward to doing it again with you.

*results may vary

— K’Lynne W., Phoenix, Oregon

No More Pain and Numbness, Lighter, and Clearer Thinking—and More Energy!

This was my first 26-day detox and I would recommend people try this. I loved the full-support buddy system that helped as we both experienced being spacey the first two weeks. I was experiencing neck, shoulder and arm numbness before starting this program and within 7-10 days, the pains quit and numbness stopped shortly after 10 days.

I feel lighter, have no bulge in the middle and am much clearer in my thinking process. I have more energy with more clarity to details. Was a great success for me. Thank you, Robyn.

— Jacquelyn S., Allen, Texas

I will not ever go back to eating the way I used to!

I started drinking green smoothies and doing about 80% to 95% raw to help improve my migraine headaches. I lost 51 pounds in six months and I feel great. I am 47 years old, and I teach at an alternative high school. It can be very stressful working with at-risk youth. I have seen my mood and attitude improve so much since I started adding green smoothies as my breakfast.

My favorite is 2 bananas, 1 large apple, 2 kale leaves, 6-8 dandelion greens, 2 large handfuls fresh spinach, some wheatgrass juice, 2 cups water and 1 cup of ice. Blend and I have breakfast and my afternoon snack. This great stuff and I will not ever go back to eating the way I used to with fast and processed foods.

*results may vary

— Carol N.

You could say I am a green smoothie addict!

In spring of 2006, I gained 30 lbs. in 6 weeks when I started taking a particular birth control pill. Of course I went off of it, but it seemed to push me into some major perimenopause symptoms including depression, exhaustion and continued weight gain. I went to several doctors who tried various hormone treatments, thyroid treatment, the candida diet and treatment,–all of which seemed to make me worse!

So in the spring of 2007, I decided to take matters in to my own hands. I stopped all medications and diets and began to treat myself with food and exercise. I committed to myself to try it for a year and just see what happened. I felt desperate, so I decided to just eat mostly raw fruits and vegetables, believing that they were the cleansing and building tools my body needed. I made up the green smoothie on my own and started drinking it all day and supplementing it with veggies and at night a potato and sometimes a little meat and cooked veggie. For eight months there was no change in my weight, but I did start feeling much better and at least I stopped gaining weight!

My hot flashes almost completely stopped, and in Jan. of ’08, I finally lost 15 lbs all at once.* One day one of my clients told me about greensmoothiegirl.com when she saw me with a huge mug of green stuff. I went home that night and looked it up and have been a huge fan ever since! I was so glad to have support and new ideas and information.

I don’t think I have completely solved my health problems, because I’m sure my thyroid is still very sluggish, and I still can’t get that last 15 lbs off, but I feel so much better. Now I am committed to eat this way the rest of my life just for the health of it!

I love green smoothies and having an easy way to get so many veggies in that I would never eat otherwise. You could say I am an addict! I love them mostly because of the way I begin to feel (sluggish and run down) when I have to go without them for very many days. I have been doing them for a year and a half and it feels like my body is slowly but surely repairing from many years of not having enough live enzymes. My hot flashes are almost non existent when I drink my greens.

The protein in the leafy greens keeps me from being hungry till afternoon. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a green smoothie freak. Many have told me that I inspire them to want to eat more healthy. I have taught many people how to make them, and my mom and husband are as committed to having them as I am. My husband ran Boston last year (at 52 years old) without the benefit of green smoothies. Since Oct. he has had them 4 or 5 days a week, and we are anxious to see if he improves his performance this year. We will let you know!

P.S. When I give my grandchildren tastes of my green smoothies, they love it! Now I just need to get their parents committed.

— Debbie W.

I have been telling all my friends about green smoothies!

I have been telling all my friends about the green smoothies and converted several of them to start drink them on a daily basis. My friends are all west coast dancers and energy is important for the 4-5 hours of dancing we do 2-3 nights weekly.

— Anonymous

Feeling really good!

We are eating whole foods, including green smoothies, and feeling really good! I feel really good because my family is not eating any sugar, MSG, or preservatives.

My children ask before they eat things at relatives’ homes if they have these things in them!

My husband does irrigation work in central WA and so he is out in public every day, we go to town once a week, and so far none of us have gotten sick. I am praying it stays that way!

We really like the Almond Joy Fudge from Ch. 4, and my brother in law, whose wife is against anything I make (won’t eat it), told me he would pay me to make it for him!!

I made the Teriyaki Almonds for a camping trip in October and everyone gobbled them up! Some of them are going in on the Raw Almond group buy with us!

I like to make the whole wheat tortillas (Ch. 6) and fill them with different things like hummus, guacamole, and fresh veggies. For supper last night we had them as enchiladas, with brown rice, olives, salsa (homemade, canned), onions and homemade enchilada sauce. YUM!

We like Mexican food so I have made the Taco Lentils a lot (Ch. 6), which are especially good added to Taco Soup. I am even experimenting with converting sugar and white flour recipes (Ch. 11)–so far so good!

Early on in March we had a going away party for a friend of ours, he is allergic to dairy and so I made the ice cream in Ch. 11—YUM YUM! He really liked it and so did everyone else.

I made the Choc Chip Zucchini cookies for our camping trip and they were yum!

I like to read Robyn’s blog because she does the research for me and I don’t have work as hard to find things out! I still do a ton of research though. I like how it is all comprehensive in one spot. That way I don’t have to remember where I read it and it is easy to find.

I tell everyone about it, especially when they have health issues. Anyone who talks to me very long has heard of green smoothies. And some have tasted them. Anyone who eats at our house eats salad, whole food, and homemade salad dressing.

I have had little red bumps on my upper arms my whole life. Since I have not been eating any dairy they are gone. My husband’s chronic bad breath in the mornings is gone.

I wanted to try lactic fermentations (Ch. 9) next.

Love the dehydrator ideas (Ch. 7) and I am constantly learning new ways to use mine.

I really like the 12 Step blog for support. It’s nice to have somewhere to go and know that everyone eats this way and has the same problems with skeptics. It is great to know that we are not alone. GreenSmoothieGirl.com is a great place to ask questions and get answers.

Thank you, thank you!

— Beth W., Washington

Feel Incredible

I have learned so much from the 12 Steps to Whole Foods program! I have learned to go back to the basics, what God intended us to eat. So many people ask me, “Well what do you eat then?” There is an abundance of food to eat!  It is aggravating because so many people are so ignorant about good nutrition.  I am more aware of all the advertisements promoting good nutrition in certain products just to make a sale, when they are really so far from good nutrition.

I tell so many people about the 12 Step program!  It is very obvious that I do not eat the ways of the world.  I stand out like a sore thumb when I don’t eat the food at a party and I bring my own snacks.

I have given countless number people the links and a CD full of information. I have inspired many people to start making green smoothies, four of whom have bought a BlendTec.  They too have experienced the benefits with just the smoothies.

I was at dinner a few months ago and one of them was a pharmacist.  He was giving me a hard time about why I eat the way I do.  He asked, “Why do you eat like that?” I said, “To put you out of business one day.”  He said, “Well, what about when you get diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol?”  I told him I wouldn’t get those diseases because of the way I eat and the things I do.  People don’t get how important food is, not just live but to live a healthy, full life and stay out of the doctor’s office. I have not gotten sick since being on the program. I am a runner and feel better than I did before.

I have a degree in Exercise Science and have taken many nutrition classes.  A whole food program makes the most sense, since it is what our bodies were designed to have.  I have a friend that is getting her masters in nutrition and snubs me for the way I eat because of her education in nutrition.  She thinks it is bogus, but then wonders why she can’t lose 20 pounds.  This program has no comparison to other nutrition. This one makes sense and it is easy, very easy!

I wish I could give a book to all my friends and family and have them change their lives.  Or even just have them start drinking green smoothies!

I absolutely LOVE the recipes in 12 Steps to Whole Foods! I make my shopping list from the book.  I printed off all of the pages and made it into a book so I can keep it in the kitchen.  My three year old loves the food in there as well.  The salads are my favorite!  Well, and the treats too.

I feel incredible since I have been on the program. I enjoy the fresh food.  It is easier than most people think.  I love being in the kitchen and then eating the good, wonderful food!  My friends and family have been my guinea pigs. I haven’t had too many complaints.

The benefits are countless.  The extra time in the kitchen and the extra money spent is more than worth it. It is like putting money into savings because I won’t spend it on my bad health in the future. I look forward to the day where I can have a garden and just walk outside to pick ingredients for dinner.

I will continue on the journey for myself and telling others about the program.  It is time to reverse the way we eat.  It will only help us. Thank you!

— Meghan Meredith

Addicted to green smoothies!

Is it possible to be addicted to green smoothies? Ever since you first introduced me to green drinks years ago, I’ve dabbled here and there with them. Things got serious though this past spring when I started working and knew that my diet would suffer now that I don’t have a lot of time to devote to thinking about what I am eating. I decided to make green smoothies my daily morning meal—there isn’t a quicker, more nutritious breakfast to be had! I’ve even introduced green smoothies to my friends at the office, and even whip up an extra drink for one of my co-workers, who now says she can’t wait for Monday mornings to come so she can have a smoothie for breakfast! I love the way I feel since incorporating green smoothies into my daily diet! I have energy for the entire morning; I do not crave sugar nearly as much. I can definitely say without doubt that green smoothies have made a difference; I just feel healthy!

This past week I made a green smoothie for a little nephew of mine who has never, ever eaten a vegetable in his life. Ever. My sister was very skeptical that he would even try it, let alone like it. Not only did he like it, he asked for more. My sister was blown away, and soooo happy to know that there was a way to get her little guy to get so much more nutrition into his diet. Oh, my sister loved it too!

Thanks, Robyn, for introducing us slowly but surely to green-drink-heaven! If I miss a day of green smoothies, I miss it, CRAVE it even. I’ve become a true addict.

— Sheri H., Utah

We love green smoothies at our house.

We love green smoothies at our house. I am a homeschooling mom of four children. Three of my children drink smoothies because they love them, and one child drinks her smoothies because it’s a good health choice. I try to vary the ingredients here and there so that they don’t get bored with them. We drink them first thing in the morning. I also have been known to feed them to neighbor children who then will ask to have more! Also, they are pretty tasty as popsicles: I am sure they lose some nutrition being frozen, but the kids love them!

— Melanie H.

I feel great!

I drink a quart of an all-vegetable green smoothie every day. I have more energy, sleep better, wake up ready for the day, and generally feel much better. I believe it’s because of the green smoothie and a whole foods diet, mostly raw. I have cut out all processed foods, sugar, and caffeine, and I feel great! Thanks for your website; it’s very informative and inspiring!

— Carol J.