Flashback:  December 31, 2011.   I was sitting on my bedroom floor waiting for the New Year to enter.  I’d spent the previous 7 days exhausted, stressed out, and feeling like shi**.  To make matters worse, I was racked with guilt because I had also been working extra hard on developing a new series of yoga and wellness programs, and up until that point hadn’t managed to follow a single piece of my own advice.

My personal yoga practice was almost non-existent, my daily meditation practice was begining to feel like more a chore than a gift and my diet was a sad combination of sugar, caffeine and simple carbohydrates, and everytime I passed a mirror my failures screamed at me from the pit of my slightly – but dangerously close to being largely – overgrown belly.

I felt completely disconnected.  For the second time in my adult life I had reached bottom.  Something had to give.

My approach to healing has always been rooted in addition.  If you feel like something is missing, add it.  If you want more energy add exercise to your daily routine.  If you want to manage your stress, add yoga to your workout regimen.  If you want to  feel more beautiful and feminine, add adornment.  While that may be true for some, most of us are already buried underneath too much “stuff” leaving little room for more.  What we need instead is a good “cleanse”.

So that’s what I did.  The logical place for me to start was with my body.  The mind-body connection is among the most powerful in the universe.  I have yet to meet someone who is in good mental condition but poor physical condition, or the reverse.  Our bodies are a physical manifestation of our internal condition and as such our internal condition can be improved if we concentrate on honoring our body temples

And that is how my 2012 journey to F.A.B. Life began, cleaning my body temple from the inside out.

I knew it wouldn’t be easy,  lifestyle transformation can be emotionally and logistically challenging.  First I had re-evaluate all of my thoughts, habits and relationships.  From there, the hard work of re-assigning importance to people and their opinions began. (more on that process in a later post)

Next I had to develop a  program that fit into my schedule as a full-time working momepreneur.  Since I knew my diet was a big part of the problem I decided to re-connected with nutritionist (and Shawna Renee Life Squad member) Tazima Davis.  Her ability to breakdown the connection between body/mind/purpose/spirit really resonates with me.  Never one to hoard knowledge, I invited her to share her expertise with my entire Cocoa Mode audience.  Hear that interview here.

Once I got a handle on all my “stuff”, I decided to go ALL IN.

Enter, The Green Lioness Juice Feast.   One of my yoga students shared with me the benefits of juice cleansing a few years back.  I thought about it then, but decided against it.  (I was in complete denial about the importance of proper food choices in my health/wellness/healing practice).  This time around I promised to spare no expense in getting my life back on track so I headed to the organic market and dusted off my juicer.

For two days I drank juice for breakfast and lunch and ate a small raw vegan dinner and in just that short amount of time  I feet like a new person.  I kid you not.  And the I’m still reaping the rewards.  I have tons of energy, I feel lighter, I can think clearly, my skin looks great, I sleep better, my yoga practice has improved, my sexy has returned and my son thinks I’m the “best mommy in the world”.  Who can ask for more?

F.A.B. Girls know:   Real change starts from the inside and out.

If you’re not ready to go all out, but you want to add more fresh fruit and juices to your diet, try a smoothie.  When I’m craving something sweeter than green juice I mix up a glass of my FAB “Sweet Life” Smoothie.

F.A.B Sweet Life Green smoothie

1/4 cup frozen mango cubes

1/4 cup frozen pinapple cube

1/4 cup frozen peach slices

1 handful of fresh spinach

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon agave nector (or honey)

Put all the ingredients in a blender (juice first) and blend for 1 minute.  Enjoy!