Clean Eating Day 5: How I Smoothie

I have to admit that I laughed at poor Jennifer’s misfortune with her first green smoothie ^[4]. I’ve been there! I was on a roll with peanut butter-kale smoothies a few years back when, on one terrible morning, my blender failed to grind up the kale finely enough. One mouthful of kale chunks was all it took for me to swear off green smoothies forever. I’ve tried spinach a few times in recent months, but I still prefer my smoothies to come in prettier colors and without the risk of chewing. My old standby, even before the Clean Eating Challenge, has been a vegan berry smoothie with protein powder. The berries and liquids change, but the basic formula is easy to remember so you barely need a recipe.

Print Recipe ^[5]

Easy Berry Protein Smoothie

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 cup frozen berries (any kind will do)
• 1-2 scoops vegan protein powder
• 1 cup of non-dairy milk (I prefer almond)

Optional Mix-ins

• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• 1 TB nut butter
• Any interesting supplement you find on sale at Whole Foods

Directions:

1. Blend it up!

That’s really it, and I am often good to go until lunchtime. Since I eat a mostly vegetarian/vegan diet, I’m always looking for ways to add protein and other nutrients to my meals. I am engaged in a wild love affair with bread and cheese that, sadly, needs occasional supplementing. This smoothie ensures that I made at least one solid food choice during the day. Here are my two favorite brands:

^[6]

These guys help me avoid hanger, which makes everyone’s day better.

My own Clean Eating Challenge has focused on counting calories and being as active as I can while strapped to a desk during the workweek. I didn’t want to give up a ton of foods, but I did ban coffee, alcohol, dessert, and unnecessary carbs from my diet for the duration of the challenge. It’s felt easy enough so far, but I also haven’t faced too much temptation yet. Well, I did spend a good 2 minutes contemplating the tin of cookies in the office kitchen yesterday afternoon before heading back toward my desk. But I overcame!

I’m also revisiting a weightlifting routine that I started last spring and then abandoned because my apartment’s gym didn’t have the equipment I needed. 2015: New year, new gym, new edition in paperback! I’m two workouts in and, while definitely hungrier, I’m motivated to watch what I eat so I can see my progress in the mirror sooner rather than never. This morning I even made myself get up early to pop in a yoga DVD. When I’m active on a regular basis, I am motivated to stay active and I’m less tempted to counteract that with junky food.

How do you resist temptation when you’re trying to be healthier? Let us know in the comments!