I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again:
Intermittent fasting has been the key in the lock of maintaining a steady weight and fit with my clothes, keeping my levels steady (that is, no crashing throughout the day or feeling low-blood-sugar shakes) and managing my food cravings stemming from years of bad habits. 

 I typically split my meals into my 12pm/1pm protein shake, and my solid foods hearty dinner around 8pm. These two meals will vary in substance depending on the type of day I’ve had; if it’s a gym day, my break-fast protein shake will be extra stuffed with a colorful variety of fruits and sometimes veggies (carrots and cucumbers are two of my faves to use in a smoothie). Or, maybe I’ll treat myself to a yogurt protein smoothie with peanut butter (extra protein) and raw cacao powder for a superfood chocolatey treat.

For dinner on workout days, I assume eating plenty of macronutrients to replenish what I’ve used at the gym, so no guilt over potatoes or other carbs (your body actually NEEDS carbs to function, blog post to come on explaining common misconceptions later), and paired with a nice, average 20g serving of protein and whatever vegetables seem like the intuitive way to go. Having been vegan for a few years now, I speak with personal experience when I say that with the vegan transition, you tend to have your body reset and become intrinsically more connected with your Green Thumb way of living, and your cravings as a way to ascertain what your body needs. Sometimes I’ll know I need iron if all I crave are leafy salads and sauteed greens. If one morning I’m craving a LOT of sugar, my body needs the energy and I’ll up the fruit intake, not indulge in useless candy bars and fattening snack foods.  These are just two references, but you get the idea. On a rest day, I might be a little lighter on the carbs, conscientious of my physical activity that day, and eat accordingly. The beauty of veganism is that with the exception of dense starchy foods or foods high in carbs like some processed foods, you can essentially eat to your fill — it’s not like vegetables and legumes are bad for you! This is the short version explanation of course, but hopefully it will help give you a starting look at the type of intermittent fasting I’ve found to be successful for my body and health without having to count my calories or necessarily “Give up” anything.

The protein powder I’ve used here is another vegan brand, Sun Warrior. There are some different varieties within the brand, but the one I’ve used specifically here is a raw blend including but not limited to legumes, hemp seeds, and goji berries for a wide range of superfood power. If you’re interested in trying but not wanting to commit to a full tub, a smaller 15-serving tub is offered:

If you prefer a little more product for the dollar, you can alternatively get the 30-serving size which calculates out to be a little cheaper per ounce, saving a little over $5 to splurge on the larger, last-all-month tub. As always, consumer’s discretion. I like to showcase various brands and supplements because if I have learned anything on my health journey, it’s that veganism is a different feel for everyone, and each vegan will come to find their own plant-based preferences. If I truly did not like a product, I promise I would not recommend it. I still have 3 or so brands of vegan protein I’m excited to try, but have to finish up the ones I’m currently sitting on, lest my kitchen counters be filled up with protein containers leaving no room for pouring wine. 😉

Lastly, if you’re considering jumping on board the “Smoothies ‘n’ More” train, perhaps you might want to consider investing in a quality NutriBullet blender for easy frozen fruit chopping, package-included cups for active lifestyles, and easy cleaning. I’ve had mine over 3 years and LOVE it! I’ve even found some uses for it outside of smoothies and finely blended protein shakes. Check out My Favorite Kitchen Tools if you haven’t already to get the scoop.

Happy Eating! 🙂

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Lean & Green Protein Shake

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Total Time 6 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium banana peeled, halved
• 1 1/2 cups organic kale
• 2-3 kiwis
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice
• 3/4 cup plant-based milk
• 1 serving vanilla plant protein

Instructions

1. Here I've used a traditional blender instead of my NutriBullet, but I've also not used any frozen fruit (which the NutriBullet absolutely purees).
   
   Start with the banana in your blender, peeled and halved for easy folding.

2. Add in the pineapple juice, the plant-based milk (here I've used coconut milk, but you can use any kind you like), and fold in the kale on top.

3. Lastly I toss in the kiwis to help weigh down the kale as I put my protein powder in.
   
   The EASIEST way to harvest the kiwi is to put it on the cutting board, long ends left to right (as opposed to up and down, i.e. "tall"),&  slice in half. Take each half on its own, and use a spoon to edge between the kiwi skin and the inner fruit, running the spoon along the entire circumference, and the fruit should pop right out.

4. Add protein powder after the kiwi, blend all ingredients together, and enjoy!