One of my favorite ways to start the day off is with a smoothie. I am like most people. It is not always easy to eat breakfast in the morning. Especially when you have to wake up at 4:30am to meet your first client. I want to sleep as late as possible and get out the door. If I don't eat breakfast though I am screwed for the rest of the day. I know I will be starving in a few hours and I will have no energy.
To make sure this doesn't happen I often have a smoothie for breakfast. I can make it in minutes and I can have it on the go. I was searching for the perfect formula to making a great smoothie. After searching everywhere I finally found it. John Berardi with Precision Nutrition has done it again. He has laid it out step by step how you can make the perfect nutritious smoothie. Here is what you need:
1. Add a liquid
This can be a variety of different things. Pick what you would prefer. Some examples include water, green tea, cow milk, goat milk, almond milk, rice milk, soy milk....
2. Add Frozen Fruit
Again you really can't go wrong with what fruit you choose. Some of my favorites include blueberries, raspberries, mango, and banana.
3. Add a Veggie
I know you are thinking this is a gross thing to add to a smoothie, but you really won't even notice the taste of it. Just a small amount of veggies can add nutrients that you really need. Pick green leafy veggies like spinach. Pumpkin is also a great choice.
4. Add Protein
Any meal or snack we have should include adequate amounts of protein. If you use water, almond milk, or rice milk you will not have a lot of protein in your smoothie so you should add some protein powder. Again there are many varieties including whey, soy, egg, and casein. I generally recommend finding a protein powder that is a blend of a few sources.
5. Add Nuts or Seeds
With the fruit, veggies, and protein power we have plenty of carbs and protein in the smoothie. Adding nuts and seeds will give a great serving of essential fatty acids to our smoothie. A few examples are almonds, walnuts, and flax seed.
6. Add a Topper
A topper will add flavor to your smoothie as well as some other powerful benefits. For example sprinkle cinnamon onto your smoothie. Cinnamon has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and even increase your metabolism. Coconut is also a tasteful topper.
Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Personal Training
San Diego Boot Camp Classes
My Workout Creator
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