In my 20’s, I was a vegetarian who survived on grilled cheese sandwiches, Lucky Charms, and bean-and-cheese burritos. Sometimes I’d buy a bag of spinach because it was “the healthy thing to do,” and then watch it rot away in the fridge because I didn’t know what to do with it.

It wasn’t until I had my second child that I was stopped in my tracks. Having a toddler running circles around me, a newborn who wouldn’t stop crying, and a diet extremely low in any real nutrition was a recipe for utter exhaustion. I relied on double shots of espresso to get me out of bed in the morning, one around 10am… and another in the afternoon to keep me from falling asleep during Thomas the Train episodes.

Coffee was my lifeline, yet eventually, even that stopped working. It didn’t matter how much I had, I was still always tired. I felt defeated by my own body. Something had to change.

The Power of a Green Smoothie

I started blending a daily smoothie with spinach (aka: a green smoothie) for my family, wondering if the health claims were legit. I quickly noticed I had more energy and didn’t need so much coffee. I was also staying full and using them as meals. Even the kids enjoyed them… and never seemed to get sick.

For my family, green smoothies were the “gateway drug” to a healthier life. Within a few weeks of drinking them, I was a different person. I was actually eager to wake up in the morning, bike my son to preschool, and then head to the playground with my daughter.

Running Across the Grand Canyon

I started creating plant-based meal plans, using them weekly and would wake up early to run in the morning, and completed a half-marathon in 2014, a marathon in 2015, an ultra-marathon in 2017 (100km), and then ran across the Grand Canyon in 2018 (49 miles). Since then, I’ve ran the canyon every year as a way for me to stay in shape, spend much needed time in nature and reconnect with myself. Yet it doesn’t stop there.

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I’m still a work in progress (half & half in my coffee, Taco Bell and I are BFFs), but I’m pretty proud of how far I’ve come. You see, I plan to live a long, active and adventurous life and I’m doing what I can to cultivate a lifestyle that supports it. My husband (Ryan) is an Air Force chaplain, so travel is in our lifestyle… and I a determined to keep my body rawkin’ so no matter where we move or how old I get, I can still go after my passions.

Current bucket list adventures

• Visit all US National Parks as a family.
• Complete a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim with my kids.
• Thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2027.
• Do a Netherland Bike Tour with Ryan for our 30th anniversary.
• Trek the Camino de Santiago.

By drinking green smoothies and eating mostly plant-based, I’ve transformed my health. I am finally able to see my dreams as a possibility that I’m trying to chase down.

I’m here to help you do the same. Let’s transform your health one smoothie at a time. Unleash the energy inside you to go after the things that matter most. Who you are today, can be someone different tomorrow. I’m proof of that. Now, are you ready to take the first step like I did?

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