My Green Breakfast Smoothie

I have been drinking this breakfast smoothie for the past month. I am sure that I will be drinking this smoothie, or a variation of this smoothie, for my breakfast, for the rest of my life. When I wake up each morning, I crave this breakfast. My body craves the nutrients. Some people crave fruit loops, I crave vegetables.

This breakfast is packed full of nutrients, and provides me with consistent energy throughout the day. Prior to drinking this smoothie for breakfast, I would drink coffee to provide me with a boost of energy. Unfortunately, the boost was temporary, and came with a terrible crash that left me feeling tired. The caffeine was also really bad on my system. I will spare the details, but let's just say my bowels are thanking me for cutting out coffee.

The majority of the ingredients are considered low glycemic carbohydrates. According to Glycemicindex.com, "low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health." By consuming low glycemic foods, you essentially regulate the release of glucose into the bloodstream, resulting in a steady flow of energy. Additional info on the glycemic index, and low versus high glycemic foods, please go here.

Here are the ingredients I use:

• Kale
• Spinach
• Cucumber
• Apple
• Pear
• Banana
• Avocado
• Flax seed oil
• Whey Protein
• Pineapple juice

Drinking your breakfast is an easy way for your digestive system to "wake up". Since the ingredients are broken down via blending, the digestion process is less taxing on your system, and energy is provided more rapidly due to easy absorption into the bloodstream.

References:
http://www.glycemicindex.com/about.php

Crazy for kettlebells!

I've been on vacation the past 2 days which has enabled me to plan my meals and workout when I feel like I have a steady source of energy. I woke up naturally this morning around 7am, and whipped together  my usual green smoothie. I will post about this and my general nutrition in a separate entry. I waited 2 hours for my food to digest and then began my workout (kettle bell circuit).
My circuit workout normally flows like this:

• 1.5 minutes of a kettle bell exercise
• 2 minutes of skipping
• 1 minute of core exercise
• 15 second rest

I just started using an ab wheel for my core exercise and it is killer! Highly recommended for building core strength. It's a simple but really tests your core. Here are the kettle bell exercises I performed.

Around the world (shoulder warm up exercise)
Alternating swings
Clean and press (right side)
Clean and press (left side)
Squats (all the way to the floor) (right side)
Lunges (all the way to the floor) (left side)
Snatch (right side)
Snatch (left side)
10 turkish get ups
Around the world (slow cool down)

Prior to the workout, I skipped for 4 minutes to increase blood flow, and performed various dynamic stretches to warm up.

Post workout I stretched to work on increasing my flexibility. Stretching after your workout is always better since your body is warm and pliable, which can help to avoid injury.