YOU LIVE LIFE WELL

SHAKE IT BABY

At You Live Life Well I am often asked about whether I incorporate protein shakes into my daily diet and if I think they have a beneficial effect on people who are either looking to lose weight or tone up an area of their body. While I recognise that a lot of bodybuilders and gym goers make use of the various powders and supplements that are available, I am always a little wary simply because there are so few completely pure protein shakes on the market.
There are the odd few that I can recommend and are mostly natural such as Vital Protein made from 100 percent pea protein isolate and SunWarrior.

Keep It Clean
I like to keep a good, balanced and, most importantly, CLEAN, diet! This is something that is practically impossible to maintain with most protein shakes because they make use of artificial chemicals that I am uncomfortable putting into my body.
However, it is important to remember that protein is very important for your body, so I prefer going the all-natural route by making my own using fresh ingredients, rather than contributing to an enormous industry that I think may be doing more harm than good. There are plenty of recipes available for those who have the same concerns, with this one being one of my favourites.
I currently love Deliciously Ella’s recipes, check out her new book, Every Day, its packed with great clean eating recipes and smoothie ideas using natural protein ingredients.

Favourite for Post Workout
Before you get started, you will need to have a blender or food processor handy so that you can mix the ingredients into a smoothie. I tend to use the Vitamix blender. It is pricy but a great investment if you are going to eat clean.
Next is to chop the fruit and blend the ingredients for 2 mins. It’s so simple!

Banana Almond Supreme
2 Egg whites
1 Banana
1 Tablespoon of Almond butter
1 Table spoon of greek yogurt
1/2 Cup of Almond milk
A sprinkle of cinnamon is optional
Strawberry Protein Shake
A Cup of fresh strawberries that have been quartered
Half a cup of almond milk
About a third of a cup of low fat cottage cheese
A cup of crushed ice
A tablespoon of chia seeds
While strawberries are all there for flavour, the milk, cheese and chia are all excellent natural sources of protein so they are absolutely vital.
Have a crack at these next time!