STARTING YOUR DAY OFF RIGHT
Are you a breakfast person? I know so many people (myself included) that can't eat a full meal in the morning or else they feel pretty rough.
But somehow, we're always made to feel guilty about it. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" after all.
For one, your metabolism doesn't always get the memo first thing in the morning, since it's been in "off mode" while you've slept. It's not using the same amount of energy. There are also several other factors at play: you may have eaten too much the night before, and so you're not hungry yet. Hormones also play a role in your hunger (or lack thereof) in the morning, as one of many cycles that impact your body's waking and rest periods.
So yeah. Food in the morning is different for everybody. For me, all these factors have manifested in: smoothies.
I've had a smoothie every morning that I can remember. For one, they go down easily. They're easy on your stomach, so you're not going to feel sick. They also mask the taste of greens, so if you're someone who's struggling with getting enough veggies in your diet, this is a great solution! Stuff that smoothie with antioxidants. They're great for picky eaters, which also makes a smoothie a winner for kiddos.
WHY THE RITUAL MATTERS
One of the reasons I also love smoothies is that they kickstart my day. For one, I'm making a healthy choice first thing in the morning, so I'm more likely to continue with them. I notice that when I'm eating well right away, I tend to stick with the same patterns.
Additionally, I find the ritual of making a smoothie to be a really pleasant start to my morning. When I'm still blinking sleep out of my eyes, making a smoothie is a relatively low-effort task that makes me feel like I've accomplished something and gets me moving. It's the same concept of how making your bed makes you feel more put together because you've accomplished at least one task already. (I've mentioned on the blog how I'm addicted to my to-do list, so this mentality shift means a lot to me.)
SOME TIPS ON MAKING A SMOOTHIE WORK FOR YOU
Be cautious about fruit juice. Instead of using fruit juice as a base, use coconut milk, water, or something similar. You may hear "fruit" and think it's all roughly the same, but fruit juice is significantly worse than whole fruit. Whole fruit is chock full of nutrients you're not getting from the liquid version: the skin, meat, and other aspects of the fruit contain fiber, which break down differently in your digestive system. The fiber in whole fruit helps to break down the sugar present in the fruit. Fruit juice is essentially just liquid sugar, because it doesn't have the same fiber. (If you're looking to get more calories into your diet, it could be a good solution for you!)
Add protein. In my three-day detox, my breakfast smoothie is different from my lunchtime power smoothie, which contains vegan protein powder. If you struggle to feel full in the morning, you may want to increase your protein in your morning shake as well. Don't like powders? Add a scoop of peanut, cashew, or almond butter. The nuts will help you feel full.
SMOOTHIE RECIPES TO GET YOU STARTED
I share several of these in my free eBook about how to do a three day detox (as well as the accompanying blog post.)
SWEET SUMMER SMOOTHIE
2 cups frozen banana
2 cups strawberry
2 cups watermelon
1 cup cucumber
1 kiwi
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup water
SUPER GREENS SMOOTHIE
1 cup frozen banana
3 cups apple
1 kiwi
1/4 avocado
2 cups spinach
1 cup kale
1/2 cup cucumber
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cups water
BERRY BLAST SMOOTHIE
2 cups frozen banana
2 cups mixed berries
2 cups spinach
2 cups water
SOME TROUBLESHOOTING
I love these recipes and make one every morning (or the others, included in the eBook!) As you'll notice, each of them has variation in the fruits and veggies. If you're dispassionate about your smoothie, it probably doesn't have enough in it. Including a bunch of different elements in the smoothie will give you more flavor, more nutrients, and keep you from getting bored if you -- like I do -- have one or more every day.
Are you an avid smoothie fan? If so, what's your favorite flavor? Let me know what you think of these recipes in the comments or on my Instagram.