The power smoothie

This smoothie has evolved over time and has turned into my daily mid morning snack or lunch replacement. Very healthy and easy.

Ingredients in order:

• .5-1 cup frozen blueberries (I buy in 3 lb bags from Aldi)
• 1-2 cups kale (chopped kale keeps longer than spinach)
• Water to about 3/4 full
• BLEND
• 1 scoop pea protein (can use whey)
• 1 scoop Green Superfood
• 1 tbs wheat germ
• 1 tbs milled flax seed
• 1 banana
• BLEND

Notes: This Hamilton Beach blender works best of the 5+ I have tried.

Fill 1/4 of the blender with frozen blueberries. Then put a few fist-fulls of kale on top of it (don’t pack it in or you won’t be able to get it to blend). Then put WARM or room temp water up about one or two inches into the kale. Now blend it to get the kale to pull into the water. If it gets jammed add a bit more water until you get it to blend.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend it.

This smoothie is quick to make and has a great range of protein, vitamins and fiber. You can add peanut butter if your goal is sustained energy or meal replacement but it adds a lot of calories. It isn’t meant to taste like ice cream. Suck it up and get used to the flavor! If you must add sugar you can replace the water with orange juice.

The upper body ripper

This is a workout I developed while in college and have found it to be an excellent way to quickly and efficiently build upper body definition and muscle. Make sure to accompany this workout with cardio on the other days of the week.

No long breaks. No catching your breath. You go through each workout of the set quickly and take only a 3 minute break between sets.

Equipment: Adjustable dumbbells and Perfect Pushups

Schedule: 2x per week

Directions: Go through this workout without putting the dumbbells down. 48 total reps with the dumbbells before the pushups and abs. First set 12 reps of each. Second set 10 reps of each. Third set 8 reps of each.

I usually use 30 lbs weights. You may need to start with 15 or 20 lbs or you may need 35 to 40 lbs. Use your judgement here.

One set equals:

• 12 curls
• 12 standing military press
• 12 upright rows
• 12 standing reverse flys

Put dumbbells down and go straight into:

• 15 perfect pushups (start with less if necessary)
• 15 middle crunches
• 15 left side crunches
• 15 right side crunches
• 12 middle crunches
• 12 left side crunches
• 12 right side crunches

I do the crunches using the Ab Ripper X style of in and outs on the middle and oblique v-ups on right and left side.

This is one set. I do 3 and I’m absolutely fried after the 15 minute workout. Your first week or two you should only do 2 sets and make sure to use light weight. If you are really sore take an extra day’s rest.