With my last easy resolution of 2015 I stuck to one of the most challenging ones: eating more fruits and vegetables. For those who know me you can understand that three meals a day could consist of chicken tenders and/or mexican food and I wouldn’t object. However, protein and cheese doesn’t necessarily contribute to a healthy routine (although my dream super power would make it so).
I always contribute this resolution to when you go to your yearly exam and your doctor asks you if you’re eating your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. 10/10 – I’m not here to lie – I nod and go on to talk about the three servings I eat per day. 20 year old Sarah can get away with that, but I know that 50 year old Sarah somewhere in the future would shake her head in disgust.
When trying to commit to a goal I’ve found that it’s important to focus on what’s relevant to your lifestyle and what you can do to introduce these new steps without throwing everything off balance. For me: I know that I’m horrible with eating before I go into my 9 a.m. work-time and that I don’t have time in the morning to make a balanced breakfast. To correct myself, I have time. I just don’t get out of bed early enough to do so.
Smoothies are the perfect way to knock out servings of your health needs before your day even begins. Bonus: throw some chia seeds into the mix to boost your energy and neutralize your hunger. Best part? Some of the best smoothies make it so you don’t even realize you’re eating the “good” stuff until you’ve sucked it all down. They’re quick to make, can hide vegetables, and fill you all the way to lunch.
The fruits I find from Trader Joes are already pre-packaged and don’t have any hidden surprises. Remember to read labels: a lot of frozen fruits can contain tons of sugar which can counteract your healthy goals. The best thing I’ve been taught is to always look at the ingredient list. If there are words you don’t understand, you shouldn’t be ingesting it. Both TJ’s and Whole Foods freeze their fruits without all of the harmful chemicals that can hurt you in the long run.
Here are some of my favorite – and once again, easy – smoothie finds that I’ve come to love (and yes, one has its own movement…rightfully so…):
Blueberry Kale Smoothie (Pictured)
Healthy Shamrock Shake Smoothie
P.S. if you’re ever in Arlington stop by South Block Cafe. They not only have the tastiest – and healthiest – smoothies to go, they also just opened a Juice Bar that is like your favorite microbrewery… but healthier.
Nice read! So love reading articles like this one! Thanks for posting!