When I first start working with people one of the first things they always tell me is that they skip breakfast. Their reasoning is either they are not hungry or they don’t have time, or both. I get it. The difficult way around this is to make yourself get up way earlier, and then force yourself to eat something, which inevitably makes you feel awful. So let’s not do it the difficult way.
Why is breakfast important for PCOS warriors? According to Time Magazine the reasons include:
increased physical activity
improves the kind of foods you eat and lower snack intake
skipping is associated with increased disease risk: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, lower nutrition quality
improves a range of metabolic markers
ability to burn fat
fight chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes
Smoothies are an awesome solution to the breakfast troubles. Here are some reasons why:
You do not have to get up that much earlier, maybe 10-15 minutes.
You do not need to cook anything.
You can get all your macro and some key micro nutrients packed in there.
They are extremely customizable.
You can have them on the go - no spending time sitting at a table necessary.
You don’t have to drink it all in one sitting. So if you are not hungry in the mornings this is the perfect way to start small. Have sips every now and then until you finish. (I used to not be hungry in the mornings either, then I slowly introduced breakfast in small increments and now I have to eat breakfast. It’s just a new pattern your body needs to get used to and CAN get used to). Another thing to do is stop snacking at night so that you will be hungry in the morning. This will help your nutrition pattern.
They are delicious!
Looking at this list, smoothies really do find a way around all the obstacles to eating breakfast.
So enough chit chat. I’m sure you don’t want this to be one of those posts you have to scroll for miles through before you get to why you’re really here: the recipe! Every ingredient in this smoothie has a purpose and a reason for being included: flavor, consistency, and nutritional benefits.
My Morning Power Smoothie Recipe
Can be made vegan too!
(Hint: put all of these ingredients in a physically specific order that will be the same every day so you do not have to waste time trying to remember where or what everything is.)
handful of raw spinach
raw leafy greens rich in vitamin K, A, C, E, B6, manganese, folate, niacin, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and copper
1/2 banana
flavor & consistency
potassium, manganese, vitamin C
1 cup egg whites (or a scoop of vegan/non-vegan protein powder). You should not taste the egg whites (some people do notice a difference). In fact, it adds a nice, foamy consistency to the smoothie
lean protein
1-1.5 cup milk of some kind or water (I use cashew milk. Water is fine, but isn’t great if you want a creamier consistency)
healthy fat (depends on the kind of milk you use)
consistency
1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
helps lowers blood sugar & improves insulin sensitivity
Ceylon, while a little pricier, has more antioxidants
1 tbsp nut butter (I use peanut butter)
healthy fat & consistency
if you don’t like any nut butters, throw in 15 almonds. They are pretty tasteless.
2 Stevia packets or 1/2 tsp (optional)
flavor
1/4 cup cacao (or however much chocolatey flavor you want)
rich in magnesium, antioxidants
reduces inflammation and lowers blood pressure
improves
cholesterol
blood sugar levels
brain function
mood & symptoms of depression
it may:
improve symptoms of type 2 diabetes
aid in weight management
have cancer-protective properties
benefit teeth and skin
Handful of Ice (optional)
consistency and temperature
Blend until everything is smooth and mixed in.
As you can see, this smoothie is full of so many good things AND it’s delicious. What’s not to love? Give it a try this week!
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