A Smooth(ie) Love Letter
If you know me, you know I love drinking my meals. Don’t get me wrong, I love cutting into a steak and crunching down on some tacos, but when the going gets tough, I get a shake.
More often than not, I’ve eaten at my desk at work, on public transportation (major faux pas, I know, I know, I’m sorry), while falling asleep in bed or simply skipped out on a meal because I was too tired to put something together. I also don’t always get sufficient (sometimes, any) veggies into my diet. Enter shakes!
Shakes are the most fun drinkable meal to me – protein shakes, milk shakes, smoothies, you name it, I’ll drink it. A bunch of veggies and fruit blended together to result in a tasty drinkable salad. Yum! (I also don’t really do salads unless they’re from Salad Days. I’ve had about 10 salads in my whole life, with five being during the past two months of this year, since I’ve discovered Salad Days.)
Often these shakes contain fresh ingredients, no sugar and include veggies that I wouldn’t have had in my regular diet, such as cucumber, spirulina, romaine, etc. It’s a convenient on-the-go way to have something nutritious and filling, rather than candy, chocolate or crackers (or air!).
I also feel more committed to a healthy lifestyle right after the gym. And if I’m on a role with attending three gym classes a week, I actually start craving a healthier diet. I’m usually the person who eats whatever I crave regardless of the effort I put in at the gym – because food is food and I hate feeling hungry. There’s also no feeling like eating something you’ve been craving. That hits-the-spot feeling. But many fitness enthusiasts have continuously reminded me that abs are made in the kitchen and no matter how much I workout, I won’t see real results until I change my diet.
Whether or not abs are made in the kitchen, we can all agree that a healthy lifestyle is not just about going to the gym, it’s about eating right and mental wellness, too. While I will never give up a good burger, steak, fries or tacos, these shakes help me make healthier choices more often. Full disclosure: I still do crave a Wendy’s burger or poutine after an intense workout, but it’s easier to opt for a green choice when it’s available – in a drinkable format.
It’s not always easy to find a green choice though. Working out at a gym located in a mall, makes it hard to stay on track and avoid the mall’s food court. This makes green spots a rare but valuable find – especially in suburban Canada.
So it’s understandable that I was over-the-moon excited to discover The Cold Pressery just minutes away from my family home in Mississauga and on my route home from the gym. #winning This space is so inviting, with it’s free Wi-Fi, board games, wood tables and offerings of juices, smoothies, desserts and snacks – all freshly prepared. Furthermore, it’s vegan. I’m not vegan but I do have friends who are vegan, who have showed me that vegans are picky about the ingredients that are included in their meals. Their food choices are light on sugar and fats and heavy on organic, natural, non-processed options. Therefore this ‘shakery’ was definitely a healthier version of the mall’s shakery options.
The convenience of the location, the manageable prices and the coziness of the spot, makes this a very viable option for my healthy eating habits. I’m eager for a juice program to be implemented so that I can have a juice a day. It would also be useful to know how much of my daily fruits and veggies intake is covered by each of the juices. For now, I’m happy to have found a healthy option close to home that has a rewards program, which lets me try different bites they also offer. It’s just another way to continue the journey to a healthy lifestyle.
Two beverages I tried today:
Kalefornia – Pineapple, Kale, Cucumber, Romaine
Choco Maca Shake – Almond milk, Almond butter, Raw cacao nibs, Raw cacao powder, Himalayan salt, Raw maca, Banana
Review: the Kalefornia tasted healthy. I truly felt like I was drinking a water-based green juice. I would get it again. The Choco Maca Shake was awesome. It was thick but drinkable. It was filling and delicious! Awesome post-yoga shake. Definite fave.
First written by me on madderandshade on February 25, 2017: https://madderandshade.wordpress.com/2017/02/25/a-shake-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away-right/
Reposted on final madder and shade site in 2018