Think Yourself Thin

by JJ Smith

  My “why” is my motivation. I remember why I started. I remember how I used to feel prior to the 10-day cleanse. Severely overweight and unhealthy, I was lethargic and inactive. I was bloated and unhappy. I did not like what I saw when I looked in the mirror. I was simply tired of looking and feeling the way I did. Later I joined the VIP group, and the support and accountability I discovered became a lifeline for me. Now in a sisterhood of love and acceptance, I was able to reach out to like-minded individuals. Everyone understood the journey. We may have been at different places on our journey but our destination was the same. Advancing from the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse to the incorporation of the DHEMM System (Detox/Hormonal Balance/Eat Clean/Mental Mastery/Move), I was able to maximize my weight-loss results. Optimal health was and is still the ultimate goal!

  Weight loss will come eventually but the scale will not determine how we view ourselves. My motivation is to remind myself of what God has done and will continue to do in my life. I must do the work, results will come. Without challenge, there is no change!

  The one thing I would say to inspire someone else on their weight-loss journey is to stay the course. Do not quit! Yes, you may stumble; you may even fall, but you simply must not quit . . . Implement my DARE system into your life.

  D: Dream It! Dream the size/weight you want to be. See it in your mind.

  A: Aim for It! Do what you must to get there (eat clean, move, detox, balance your hormones, mental mastery).

  R: Reach it! No matter how long it takes, reach your desired goal! It may take one year, two years, or even three, but reach it!

  Then

  E: Excel at it! That’s right, excel at your new lifestyle! Master this craft of losing weight and keeping it off! Read JJ’s books and join the VIP group!! Do whatever it takes to excel! DARE to do it.

  This journey has saved my life. It is one I embrace daily and celebrate annually. I know the day I was born. I do not know the day I will leave this earthly home but I know the day my life changed for the better. The day I did my first 10-day cleanse!

  Taisha has lost almost 90 pounds.

  My name is Taisha Young and I decided to begin my weight-loss/health journey about two years ago. Before I made this life-changing decision, I was in a very dark place in my life. Severely depressed, I had no confidence and no motivation. Smiling on the outside, I was crying on the inside. I sheltered myself. I hated who I’d become and had almost lost everything I owned.

  I was only twenty-seven years old when all of the above caused me to be on seventeen different medications. Yes, seventeen! I had very high blood pressure, migraines, suffered memory loss (literally writing everything on sticky notes), and my anxiety was through the roof. I eventually had a stroke and a mild heart attack! For almost two months, I was literally in the ER two to three days every week! I thought I was dying. It was the most terrifying experience that has happened in my life.

  It was my family and my boyfriend who told me they were worried about my health and desired for me to get healthy again. They knew I was depressed, and we all know depression is a silent killer. It was the concern from my loved ones that made me want to become motivated again. I made them a promise that I would take better care of myself. Not only that, my two boys needed their goofy and happy mother back. I really hated for my kids to see me in this position and experience the energy I was giving off. I began to change my thought process immediately. I weighed the most I have ever weighed in my life at 250 pounds! I am only 5’1”. At this time, I was twenty-eight years old. I could drink two 2-liter sodas a day and eat an entire large pepperoni pizza by myself. I remember watching Steve Harvey’s talk show one day; he had JJ Smith as a guest to talk about her 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse book. She immediately grabbed my attention with her confidence, how healthy she looked, and her glowing skin. Her lifestyle change gave me the motivation I needed. I immediately downloaded her book on my phone, went to the grocery store and bought everything I needed to begin this lifestyle change.

  I remember reading a quote, “When you become lazy, it’s disrespectful to those who believe in you.” Those words spoke volumes to me. I stopped drinking sodas cold turkey. I threw away all of my medication and switched them out for vitamins instead. I no longer buy unhealthy snacks, juices, et cetera; only water and almond milk. I was suspicious about trying out the green smoothies, but they taste really good. The first two days, I was starving. I made a smoothie for breakfast and one for lunch. I ate healthy snacks in between meals, drank lots of water to keep me full and for dinner, I would eat a small-portioned healthy meal. By day 6, I felt alive! My energy was up, I did not feel tired or lazy, and I felt a difference in my weight already. I stepped on the scale to weigh myself and discovered I was already down 14 pounds! My skin began clearing up and I was able to think clearly again. After my 10-day detox ended, I continued to make a green smoothie for breakfast every morning. I drank a gallon of water a day with a few lemon slices in it. I completely cut out fried foods, pork, beef, and sodas. I mostly ate (besides the green smoothies) turkey, chicken, and fish. I walked a mile a day in my neighborhood and would keep moving so as not to become lazy. The most important factor was getting plenty of rest.

  In six months, I was already down 73 pounds! I am currently thirty years old and am proud of myself for beginning a journey that changed my lifestyle. To be honest, it was not easy, but I kept my faith through it all. Take it one day at a time. Do not think about tomorrow or next week, you’re already getting ahead of yourself. Excuses are not motivational. Love yourself and take care of yourself first and foremost, then everything else will fall into place. I gained my confidence back (plus more), I’m genuinely smiling, full of energy, no longer lazy, and above all, I’m healthy. I still have bad days as well, but even through those days I try to stay positive. If there was any advice I could give, it would be to believe in yourself. Be the role model you would want your kids to look up to, never feed into negative energy (you will have people who will doubt you), focus on self-growth. You never know who you will inspire or who looks up to you. Put yourself and your NEEDS first.

  I currently weigh 163 pounds, I am down 87 pounds. I’m still not where I want to be, but I’m working on it and still drinking my green smoothies. Also, I am no longer having health issues.

  Joyce has lost over 70 pounds.

  I thought that I had finally made progress with my “baby weight” ten years ago. I was back in a size 8. Then, I found myself in a spiral of life-altering events. I was diagnosed with breast cancer (my sister was diagnosed two months earlier). Less than two months after completion of my nine-month treatment, my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I became one of her caregivers. A month after her passing, my daughter moved away to attend college, my job relocated (after twenty-seven years), and I entered a PhD program. I managed to lose 30 pounds in 2014, to a size 16, in preparation for my twenty-five-year vow renewal. However, I soon lost control again and packed on weight when I started teleworking three days a week while balancing family life, school, and health/caregiving issues with my dad and husband.

  I attended the graduation for my PhD in Florida in January. To celebrate, my husband and I tacked on a cruise to the Bahamas and did a mini-hike while on the trip. As I trekked down a slope, I slipped and fell. It was not until we were on our plane ride home that I started to feel the effects. By the time we arrived home, I could barely walk. I went to the doctor and learned that I had bilateral osteoarthritis, severe in one knee. One of the doctor’s recommendations was to lose weight to take stress off the joints. I had to do something. I owned a copy of 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse and started with a 10-day modified cleanse in early February. I lost 8 pounds. I then bought the 30-Day Program, Green Smoothies for Life. Upon completion of the 30-Day Program, I learned of the VIP group. I wanted to be at my goal weight (the weight I was when I was diagnosed) at my ten-year cancerversary. I joined the VIP group and have lost over 55 pounds since beginning my #GS4L (Green Smooth
ies for Life) journey. I am closing in on my 72-pound goal.

  At age fifty-seven, a number of changes have taken place in my body. Good nutrition to support health and regular physical activity to maintain mobility is even more important now.

  God has a plan! He wants us to be healthy, well, and fit. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. As good stewards, we have a responsibility to take good care of our bodies, including the basics, like eating well, sleeping well, and getting enough exercise. Even amidst our frailties, God sees the desires of our hearts. He helps and encourages us through the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word. He is the Ultimate Motivator. “Delight thyself also in the Lord. And He shall give you the desires of thine heart.” (Psalms 37:4) Being part of a supportive community, JJ Smith’s Private VIP Group, makes all the difference in the world. My self-determination is strong, but I also need to be encouraged and held accountable. Also, the tips and challenges from the group keep motivation high. And, detoxing is a game-changer.

  One tip that I would share with others on this health and weight-loss journey is this easy and effective way to incorporate activity into your day. For years when I worked on-site, I walked during my breaks and for fifteen minutes of my lunch hour to maintain my weight. Now that I am teleworking, I use my Fitbit to monitor my steps as I step in place with hand weights during breaks and fifteen minutes of my lunch. I put on a recorded television show so that I’m not bored. Do what works for you and that which you can do consistently.

  Just as GS4L is a not a diet but a lifestyle, good health is a journey not a destination!

  Bolesha has maintained her 70-pound weight loss.

  I got serious about my health when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and Sarcoid. I felt my body was deteriorating. Both of these conditions are stress-induced. In my career, I supervise administrators who impact the lives of children and families that have been involved with child-abuse cases. Learning of my condition was a true wake-up call. The physician was very condescending when delivering my medical options. While driving home, I vividly recall the feeling of powerlessness.

  That is when I decided to change my life and take the power back over my life. I joined a gym and started to monitor my food. I was able to lose approximately 50 pounds and maintain that for several years. I was pleased with my progress, but I felt my weight loss was stagnant. I then learned about the Green Smoothie Cleanse and it changed my life forever. I learned the importance of detoxing and how it contributes to weight loss. This was an awakening for me. I took full advantage of the VIP privileges and studied all the information JJ provided. She explains things so simply. I was so impressed with the shared knowledge, I became an affiliate and opened my business, Fit, Fine & Fabulous. I clearly understand how various foods affect my body. My determination and commitment to my health has contributed to lasting results. I feel in control and empowered. I have maintained a weight loss of 70 pounds.

  I truly believe I can achieve anything I desire. I have created success over the course of my life and now the benefits are abundant. I love how I feel and look. Every day, I get a choice to choose the life I want.

  • I choose to have that relationship.

  • I choose to respond to that circumstance.

  • I choose to allow this and that to affect me negatively.

  I am in a place, as I turn fifty years old, where I believe that I deserve the best the world has to offer. I’m happy, content, confident, discerning, and focused on what God has for me. I have done my work to get to this place and now I want to give back. I am now obtaining my life-coaching certificate to help others move their lives forward.

  My final advice: You can do anything you put your mind to. First, believe you’re worthy of the change and make active efforts to achieve your goal, then celebrate. Purposely set up small achievements, this builds confidence, motivation, and success. You cannot take on another person’s decision. Everyone has to take control of their own life.

  Deborah has lost 65 pounds and become a Zumba instructor.

  In October I experienced acute pain across my lower back and immediately left work to go to the emergency room. I thought it was kidney stones, based on experience, so I was not prepared for the diagnosis of diverticulitis (inflamed intestines). The emergency doctor administered an intensive antibiotic. He also explained that once this condition appears, it will recur. Since I did not receive any advice or guidance on how to deal with this condition other than see my primary physician, I did my research via the internet, which ultimately led me to JJ’s book Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out! To my horror, I learned that I had done this to myself by:

  1. Not taking my health conditions seriously: For example, I should have asked more questions of the colonoscopy doctor who examined me three years earlier to determine if I was a candidate for this condition and what I could do to prevent it. I did not know!

  2. Not eating the right foods: Fruits and vegetables were missing from my daily diet. I ate fast food more days of the week than I prepared a home-cooked meal. I was a meat and potatoes person. I planned all of my meals around what meat I was eating and multiple selections of starches were always on the table. Of course, there were always a variety of desserts finding their way onto my plate.

  3. Drinking the wrong liquids: Sodas, sweet teas, and fruit juices were my downfall. I did not drink enough water. McDonald’s was one of my fast-food stops and I loved their sweet tea.

  Most importantly, I learned that some of the bad health conditions that had already taken most of my senior family members and my brother were a direct result of bad eating habits. A family history of high blood pressure, strokes, diabetes, high cholesterol, sinus infections, allergies, shortness of breath, kidney problems that led to daily dialysis requirements, and obesity were starting to manifest in me.

  All of this research hit me. I’m sixty-three years old, I’ve worked hard for others all of my life and I’m also working hard on an “accelerated path to death.” I made my decision to use the advice in JJ’s book to develop a healthy lifestyle plan for me. A plan that focused on eating healthier, enjoying life, and seeing if I could lose weight without working out. I had not exercised in over twenty-three years and I knew I wasn’t ready to incorporate that into my plan. Special note: I already had JJ’s book, I’d skimmed through it but I had not incorporated the information into my life. Something has to occur in your life to make you want to change.

  I reached my goal of improved health and a surprising weight loss just six months after starting JJ’s Green Smoothie Modified Cleanse, which I have maintained with weight fluctuations of up to 10 pounds for three years. During this time, I’ve incorporated JJ’s DHEMM program and continue having at least one green smoothie on most days. I monitor my weight fluctuations and make corrections in what I’m eating and doing to get back on my plan. Two years ago, I started various types of exercise classes. I enjoyed the music and socialization so much that I made a plan to acquire my Zumba license within a year. I reached that goal and started applying for positions. I was hired to hold my first class within five months. I never imagined that at sixty-seven years old, I would be alive and a Zumba instructor. Tears come to my eyes when I think of the value of JJ’s guidance and how much she has given of herself to help us live.

  I know I was over 200 pounds, but I didn’t know my exact weight because I was too afraid of getting on the scale; I never wanted to see that number. I did not weigh myself until I was over my diverticulitis and had already changed what I was eating. The scale read 198 pounds and I can only imagine what I weighed originally. I tracked my weight loss based on that lower scale reading; I’ve lost 65 pounds and a lot of inches. I was wearing sizes XL and 18. Now I’m wearing XS/S and 4/6, depending on the garment style. This outcome was a surprise for me since my original goal was to be able to wear the clothes in size 12/14 that were in my closet. I had to reset my goals based on what was best for my body.

  My cholesterol level has dropped
from 212 and I’m maintaining at 125–132. My pre-diabetes condition is gone. I no longer need my asthma and inflammation-reduction medications. I have more energy whereas before I constantly needed to sit down since I was frequently out of breath with a racing heart. I have not had a recurrence of inflamed bowels (diverticulitis).

  My fuzzy-brain feeling and lack of clear thinking for concentration is gone.

  I stay inspired with the help of God, my family, and JJ’s Facebook forums, activities, and calls, which allowed me to learn from others’ testimonies and learn about new “tools” to incorporate into my healthy lifestyle plan. This inspires me to reach out to others and help them learn how they can also live healthier lives.

  I never want to experience diverticulitis again. Due to inflamed intestines, I was in excruciating pain, bloated, miserable, and I did not have a bowel movement for over ten days.

  I think about being around as long as I can to have the energy to hang out with my granddaughters. I want to actively be able to do what they do. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing the little ones’ faces when I climb and run around on the playground equipment with them and slide down the sliding boards.

  I love the feeling of putting on an outfit, which I could not even have imagined getting into, and finding that not only does it fit but it looks good and feels good.

  I want to grow up gracefully and extend my quality of life for as long as I can. At the same time, I love extending God’s love through a smile, a hug, encouragement, inspiration, and acts of kindness to others.

  I want to be a walking testimony to my family that we can overcome our family’s medical history of bad health.