How to Hack Staying on Track With Smoothies

Ooooookay, so the catchy title might be a bit of a misnomer. There's not really a "hack" for functional fitness and nutrition; it takes intentionality and commitment. BUT, a daily smoothie is a great way to meet your protein and fiber goals—especially in the beginning when you're learning to identify patterns and food choices that set you up for success. I've been on the smoothie bandwagon for YEARS; I choose to pack mine with protein and greens so that I'm starting off every day with a balanced, nutritionally supportive meal. My smoothie habit was a lifeline during pregnancy, especially. Whether I was battling morning sickness or heartburn or just the "too tired to fix myself a real meal" blahs, I could rely on my daily smoothie to get the fuel my body needs in a way that was palatable even on the worst days.

Since I'm a such a champion for the daily smoothie, I wanted to share a few of my favorite tools and recipes with you!

In the MVP spot is my Ninja blender. All blenders are not created equal, and this one is powerful enough to provide a balanced blend no matter how many ingredients I toss in!

Before we talk ingredients, let's talk layering order. For the smoothest blend, I like to put any liquids on the bottom (water, unsweetened almond milk, etc.). Next comes my powders: protein powder scoop, tablespoon of flaxseed or ground chia seed, fiber blends, etc. On top of that, I put my greens—a handful of spinach (make sure you remove the stems!) or some frozen rice cauliflower. It doesn't hurt to pause at this point and give the mix a blend. Next comes the fats—Greek yogurt, avocado, nut butters. Lastly, add your frozen fruit (berries, mango, banana, etc.). You may need to blend two or three rotations with a spatula scrape between rounds to get everything fully incorporated.

Ingredients are a matter of personal preference, but there's a general formula you can follow for balance. Your smoothie should include your choices from the following categories:

• Protein Powder: plant or whey-based, whatever you prefer. Experiment with flavor options, too.
• Fruit: I like to use frozen fruit. An organic berry blend is a great option, or mango chunks.
• Fiber blend: Triple Seeds and Garden of Life are two of my favorite brands
• A handful of baby organic spinach or frozen rice cauliflower: don't be afraid of adding greens to your smoothie. You can always start out with small amounts and work your way up (I promise, you won't taste them!)
• Healthy fat: avocado or your favorite nut butter are good options. Full fat Greek yogurt will also add an extra boost of protein.
• Liquid: unsweetened almond milk or water

Not sure how to get started? Here are a couple of my favorite, go-to recipes!

Daily Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

18-24 oz of water/unsweetened almond milk or coconut water

1 scoop protein powder

Juice of half lemon

1 tbsp ground organic flaxseed

2 organic celery stalks

1/3 or 1/2 organic cucumber

1-3 cups organic spinach

1/2 cup frozen fruit of choice

1 inch freshly peeled ginger root

(Makes two servings)

‍

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 1/2 TBL cocoa powder

2 pitted dates or 2 tsp honey

1 scoop protein powder

1-2 TBL peanut butter

1/2 cup frozen riced cauliflower (optional)