When most people think of smoothies, they think of those tall, fruity concoctions from mall food courts.
Those smoothies have their benefits: They’re quick, portable, and delicious. Plus, they can be loaded with nutritious fruit.
When we choose them, we often feel we’re making “the healthy choice.” However, some—especially the food court variety—may also include added sugar, syrups, sweetened frozen yogurt, or even ice cream.
These additives aren’t “bad.”
However, they DO add a lot of calories without a lot of nutrition. (Most sorely missed: Protein, which helps regulate your appetite and keeps you feeling satisfied for longer.)
The result? These smoothies contribute (sometimes generously) to your calorie intake, and yet aren’t very effective at keeping hanger at bay for long.
There’s a place for ALL smoothies, especially if you love them. But if you’re looking for a more nutrient-balanced, satisfying option, here’s an option you might like to know about…
The Super Shake
The Super Shake is a delicious meal (or snack, or post-workout fuel) in liquid form. It contains:
🥑 Whole fruits and vegetables
🏋🏻♀️ Protein
😋 Fiber and healthy fats
💪🏽 Enough calories to feel as satisfying as a meal (without overloading you)
It takes minutes to make and—once transferred to your cool hipster Mason jar or favorite tumbler—can be consumed on-the-go.
Super Shakes work well if you’re busy and want a quick meal option. But they’re also great if you want an easier way to add calories and nutrition between meals—for example, if you’re looking to put on muscle or overall weight. Because Super Shakes are liquid, they’re easier to consume than, say, steak and potatoes.
How to Make a Super Shake
Step 1: Pick a liquid.
If you’re trying to lose weight, use water or other lower calorie drinks like unsweetened almond milk or skim milk. If you’re trying to gain weight, use whole milk or whole fat plain yogurt.
Step 2: Pick a protein powder.
Whey is the most common option and has the best tasting products. Casein, rice, pea, soy, and hemp proteins can all work, too.
Step 3: Pick a fruit.
Bananas, berries, pineapple, apples (core removed), and dark cherries (pits removed) are all great options. You can use fresh or frozen fruit.
Step 4: Pick a vegetable.
This may sound weird (or even gross), but spinach is usually the best vegetable to use as it doesn’t affect the taste at all. Other options are cooked or canned squash or pumpkin, beets (cooked), cucumber, and celery.
Step 5: Pick a healthy fat.
The best options in shakes are nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds. Avocado, unsweetened coconut, and dark chocolate—along with almond, cashew, and peanut butter—all work well, too.
Step 6: Pick an extra.
If you used fresh fruit, you may want to add ice for a thick and refreshing shake. If you need extra carbs, you can include more fruit or a handful of uncooked oats. You can also add cinnamon and other spices for more flavor and health benefits.
Blend it up.
And in case you want a little more help: Try this chocolate, peanut butter, and banana smoothie. It’s a real crowd-pleaser. And don’t be put off by the spinach: Though it’ll turn your smoothie green, it’s nearly undetectable flavor-wise.🕵🏾
6-12 oz (180-360 mL) water, unsweetened almond milk, whole milk, etc.
1-2 scoops chocolate flavored protein powder 2 bananas
1-2 fists of spinach
1-2 thumbs of peanut butter
Add ice if using fresh fruit and uncooked oats if you need more carbs
I hope this helps, and while you’re here, I want to make sure you know that if there’s any way I can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, I’m here for you.
I offer online nutrition coaching to clients who are ready to quit dieting and start looking and feeling better, with more confidence and increased energy levels – without complicated diets or painful workouts
What exactly is “nutrition coaching”… and how will it help you reach your goals?
When it comes to losing weight and getting the body you want, “eating better” is one of the most important steps. The only problem?
Most of the common diet advice you receive simply isn’t sustainable…
- “Avoid your favorite foods… forever!”
- “Don’t eat after 7pm!”
- “Weigh and measure every morsel of food you eat!”
If you’ve tried something like this before and “failed”—or just couldn’t stick with it—you’re not alone.
(And it’s definitely NOT your fault.)
I talk to people every day who are trying to muster up all the willpower they can find to diet their way to a better body… but they still aren’t getting the results they want.
The good news? There’s a better way.
My nutrition coaching focuses on strategic, doable daily actions that are designed to fit into YOUR lifestyle. With this approach, you’ll learn how to:
- Eat better—without dieting or feeling deprived.
- Lose weight—without giving up your favorite foods.
- Ditch the food rules—overcoming the guilt and shame.
- Feel energized all day—so you can enjoy all the things you want and need to do.
- Get the results you’ve always wanted—and build the healthy habits you need to stay that way for good.
Bottom line: My goal is to help you learn how to “eat better” so that it becomes easy, consistent, and automatic.
No restrictive dieting. No weighing or measuring your food. No “one size fits all” meal plan.
Instead, you’ll learn how to bring healthy eating into your lifestyle and get in amazing shape—while building the habits you need to stay that way for good.
How is nutrition coaching different from fitness coaching or personal training?
As a coach, my number one goal is to help my clients reach THEIR goals. Doing that effectively requires me to constantly look for opportunities to learn new skills and hone my craft.
This is exactly why I chose to become a Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition.
I’ve now been trained by the best of the best, so I know what works.
(The nutrition method they teach is backed by science and has been proven to work with over 100,000 of their own clients… so it’s the real deal.)
The best part? The knowledge and skills I’ve gained can help you finally get the results you want—and keep them for life.
Through the rigorous training I’ve received, I learned that while exercise is a crucial part of losing weight, feeling good, and achieving optimal health… it’s only half the equation.
The other half—as you may have guessed—is nutrition.
I’d actually argue that nutrition is more important than exercise, because while you spend a few hours working out each week, challenges around eating and food can happen anytime (some would say all the time!).
That’s why having a coach there to guide and support you is crucial.
Don’t get me wrong: Exercise is very important. But no amount of exercise will ever be able to “outwork” bad nutrition habits. So in order to help you get the life-transforming results you deserve—I’m excited to be able to offer nutrition coaching in an official capacity.
What I learned while becoming a Certified Nutrition Coach opened my eyes to a whole new way of doing things. And through this science-proven approach, I’m ready to help you get even better results through healthy nutrition habits.
Interested? Have questions? Let’s talk…
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, or if you have questions about what this would look like… I’d love to discuss how my online nutrition coaching program could help you get the results you’re looking for.
Click here to get started and I’ll answer any questions you have. Plus, we can connect to talk more about what this would look like for you.
Dedicated to your success,
Nico.
P.S. Just so you know: I’m offer fitness coaching as well—and it doesn’t have to be “either or.”
If you’re in a place where guidance and support from an experienced coach could help you reach your goals, I’m here to help in whatever capacity will be most beneficial for you.
Simply learn more here and we can talk about the different coaching options I have available.