In Lesson #5 we'll review some of the amazing health benefits you can expect from drinking a smoothie every day. We'll also discuss how adding just a moderate amount of physical activity to a nutrient rich diet can work wonders for your health.
Here is a summary of the benefits you can expect from drinking a healthy smoothie every day:
Increased intake of fruits and vegetables: By keeping the calorie count of a smoothie under 500 this restricts you to mostly whole foods such as fruits and vegetables. Because these are so nutrient dense this helps to ensure that you have an abundant supply of necessary vitamins and nutrients your body needs for optimal health.
Decreased intake of processed foods: By drinking a healthy smoothie every day you will also help avoid consuming the extra fat, salt, and sugar contained in processed foods. Calorie-dense processed foods are a significant cause of many modern day health problems such as heart disease and cancer. Adding smoothies to your daily routine helps ensure that at least one meal per day is free of these harmful foods.
Maintain a healthy weight: By increasing your intake of nutrient dense foods and cutting out processed foods your daily calorie consumption can be cut considerably. Over the long term this will help you both lose excess fat as well as maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, losing excess fat will increase your energy and further reduce your risk of certain diseases.
Feel fantastic!: In addition to the above benefits you can also expect a general improved sense of well being, including an increase in both physical and mental energy. You're also likely to avoid many diet related illnesses as well as the common cold.
There is one additional step, however, that in combination with drinking a daily smoothie can really help take your physical and mental energy to the next level...
The Final Touch: Adding Moderate Physical Activity
An inescapable fact is that the body was designed for moderate physical activity. Even perfect nutrition won't compensate for the stimulus-induced benefits the body receives by moderate physical activity. According to research from the Mayo Clinic, moderate physical activity helps improve mood, boosts mental and physical energy, helps control weight, combats health conditions and diseases, promotes better sleep, helps improve your sex life, and increases longevity.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) says that to achieve these health related benefits you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activities per week. Based on our experience you can achieve these benefits even with light activity, as long as it is performed every day. Here are some quick and easy ways you can incorporate this into your daily routine:
- Go walking. One of the best habits is breaking up your day by taking a mid-day 30 minute walk. This will help you relax, clear your mind, and get your blood flowing and your body moving. Alternatively, you can take several 5-10 minute mini-walks. Because this can be done year-round and requires no equipment, this is probably the easiest way to get the minimum amount of required physical activity.
- Add activity whenever possible. In addition to walking you can create mini-breaks during the day by such simple things as always parking as far away as possible when driving or by always electing for the stairs whenever possible.
- Add muscle training activities or sports that you enjoy. Playing a sport of moderate intensity, going for a run, or exercising at the gym are 3 ways you can increase the intensity of your physical activity. The more intense the level of activity, the greater the benefit. By finding a sport you enjoy you do two things at once by combining play with exercise.
Congratulations! We hope you've found our Smoothie Expert Series helpful, and that our 5 lessons will better enable you to achieve your personal health goals. If you have any feedback to help improve our lessons please let us know.
To your success...
Matt S. - PerfectSmoothie.com
BONUS TIP: Can you make an amazingly healthy smoothie from start to finish in 3 minutes? Including preparation and clean-up time? If not, check out our recommended best blenders for smoothies.