Whilst I was doing a four week internship at Healthista (a women's health website) I was really struggling to find a breakfast which would give me the healthy energy I desperately needed. I didn't want anything high in carbs, and I really struggle to eat cereal first thing in the morning. One day in the Healthista office the internet was down, my boss gave me The All Day Energy Diet book to read and review. Since reading this wonderful book, it has changed the way I look at food and since then my diet has changed.
The book is very "out there," Elkaim (the author) feels very passionately about giving up gluton, caffeine, sugar and dairy. For me, that's impossible - I love pasta, coffee and the occasional biscuit. But it did make me realise how changing your diet can make you feel energised and a happier person.
From reading the book I realised that smoothies/juices were the way forward, it's an easy way of getting 4-5 of your day in one sitting, and it also gives you the essential energy your body needs. I liked the look of his recipes, but as I am on a very low budget at the moment (I'm a poor graduate) I just started using whatever was in the fridge which is mainly green vegetables.
I decided to make a smoothie every morning and see how this improved my energy, how long it filled me up for and whether it made my skin clearer.
- The smoothie challenge
My first smoothie consisted of: a handful of spinach, handful of kale, handful of blueberries, half an avocado, a swig of coconut water and a pinch of porridge oats (just to fill me up).
I drank this smoothie everyday for a week and it really did work - I felt full up until lunch time and I found I was awake for the entire commute to London, rather than struggling to keep my eyes open on the train and panicking that I would miss my stop.
Since experimenting with different ingredients for about six weeks now - adding nectarines, pears, apples, raspberries and squeezing lemons and limes. I have finally found my favourite recipe.
- The smoothie challenge
This does look like a glass of green grunge, but it is totally delicious. The recipe is so simple and it takes under two minutes to make: 1 banana, a handful of spinach, a handful of kale, a handful of blueberries and a splash of soya milk. I find this is the smoothie that fills me up the most and it tastes more like a milkshake than a ridiculously healthy smoothie. I decided to choose soya milk instead of coconut milk for two reasons - 1. coconut milk is really expensive and getting through about two cartons a week was a burning a hole in my already empty pocket, and 2. soya milk makes the smoothie more creamy and fills me up for longer.
I strongly recommend doing the smoothie challenge, it's a great way to start your day off healthily and is a huge energy booster.
Read my review on Elkaim's All Day Energy Book here: 11 ways to stop feeling so tired.
