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Goal-Oriented: Power up with these delicious smoothies!

With the holiday season upon us many people are going to indulge in foods that we know may add a few extra pounds to our waistline. The holidays are about family, friends and food. Most people will tell themselves that they will start their training program AFTER the holidays.

    by Kevin Miller
    Published 

With the holiday season upon us many people are going to indulge in foods that we know may add a few extra pounds to our waistline. The holidays are about family, friends and food. Most people will tell themselves that they will start their training program AFTER the holidays.

I love to eat around the holidays and I think you should enjoy every appetizer, meal and pie that is served during the holidays. With all of this extra food it's hard to maintain your weight. Today I am going to share with you one tip that I believe can help you enjoy a second serving of turkey with some apple pie without having to break out a pair of sweatpants(although a pair of Philadelphia Union sweatpants would be a good idea for dinner).

The tip for today is how to make a healthy and delicious smoothie.

Most people love smoothies. There is no reason not to love them. They are packed with vitamins and minerals and if prepared properly can provide you with enough energy to keep you running for hours. The problem that I see is that some people don't include the proper ingredients to make a healthy and powerful smoothie. I have seen people add fruit juice as well as liquid syrups to their smoothie. Although this may taste good it's far from healthy.

A simple and effective way to manage your weight and increase your daily dose of vitamins is to start your day off with a Power Smoothie. Below are three of my favorite recipes when it comes to increasing your energy and jumpstarting your brain.

Fruit and veggie smoothie

  1. 1-2  cup of water

  2. ½ cup of blueberries

  3. ½ cup of red raspberries

  4. ¼ cup of strawberries

  5. 1 handful of organic kale

  6. 4-5 slices of cucumber

  7. 1 tsp. of melted coconut oil (Make sure you melt the oil and pour it in slow to the blender as it is mixing. If not the oil will clump together)

  8. 4-5 ice cubes

  9. Blend everything together for 30-45 seconds and enjoy.

Green fruit smoothie

  1. 1-2 cups of water

  2. 1 avocado (peeled)

  3. ½ cup of spinach

  4. 1 banana

  5. 4-5 ice cubes

  6. Blend everything together for 30-45 seconds and enjoy.

Super power smoothie

  1. 2  cups of water

  2. ½ cup of blueberries

  3. ¼  cup of red raspberries

  4. ¼ cup of strawberries

  5. 3-4 beets from a can (Add in some juice for some extra energy)

  6. 1 handful of spinach

  7. 1-2 tsp. of chia seeds

  8. 1 handful of organic kale

  9. 4-5 slices of cucumber

  10. 1 scoop of vanilla whey (grass fed preferred) protein.

  11. 1 tsp. of melted coconut oil (Make sure you melt the oil and pour it in slow to the blender as it is mixing. If not the oil will clump together

When you are making your smoothie there are so many ways to mix and match fruits and vegetables. However, I would like to point out some key things to remember when you make your smoothies.

Use a good blender. You don't need to spend $500, however, get yourself a good blender that can crush and chop your food.

Berries, bananas and tropical fruits (mangoes) work the best in smoothies. Spinach, kale, avocados and cucumbers are great additions to your smoothie. Mix in a good Whey Protein (I prefer Grass fed) after you blend the smoothie in the mixer. Don't put the powder in the blender. If you don't have protein powder you can still benefit from the fruit, vegetables and healthy fats in the smoothie.

When making fruit and vegetable smoothies I would recommend that you add fat to the smoothie. I personally like coconut oil (melted), olive oil or flaxseed oil. This will help with the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

For an added benefit mix in some chia seeds for an extra dose of Omega 3's.

Drink one of these smoothies every day (preferably in the morning) for the next seven days and tell me how you feel. I am willing to bet that you will see an increase in energy and your waistline will stay in check.

Happy Holidays!

Kevin Miller is the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Philadelphia Union. He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has been working with the Union since their inaugural 2010 season. Check out Kevin's Instagram: @KevinMillerTraining

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