Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Better Health, Better Food, Better You

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
  • Props
  • Wellness
  • Services
  • Contact

Confessions of a Nutritionist and My Favorite Green Smoothie

June 3, 2014 by lauren.kelly 53 Comments

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. All opinions are my own.

Jump to Recipe

I debated whether to write this post.  But in the end, I want to keep it real. Here goes nothing…

This winter was very long.  I mean, really, really really long.  

It snowed every other day and it we were stuck in the house most of the winter.  I have three little boys that keep me very busy.  

All. The. Time.  

I love them dearly, but their energy is endless.  I only wish that same energy was contagious.

So back to the winter.  We had so many days off from school which meant I couldn’t exercise.  

And what are you supposed to do when you are snowed in?  Even if your not a food blogger like me, you want to cook and bake, right?  

Well that’s what I did.  All winter long.  

And being the responsible recipe developer that I am, I HAD to taste (almost) everything to make sure all of my recipes were delicious.  And they were (thank goodness).

And now brings on the confession… I ate a lot this winter.  No, I wasn’t eating Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets (gasp).  

I was eating healthy foods, just too much.  I started to emotionally eat when I was stressed (which was a lot).

Stress…everyone gets stressed at times.  My family went through an incredibly stressful and difficult time.  My husband got laid off quite unexpectedly.  

You hear about it all the time.  But when it happens to you, you are never really prepared for it.  

My kids were 2, 5 and 7 at the time and we were scared out of our minds.  One thing you should know about us (really my husband, I tend to enjoy shopping πŸ˜‰ ) is that we are savers.  

We were fortunate to save a good amount of money, but little did we know it would 2 years before my husband landed a permanent job again.  

So yes, we had money saved, but it was stressful.  Like pull-your-hair-out-and cry-stressful.  

In those two years I also wrote two cookbooks (under ridiculous deadlines) and had no help with my kids.  It was hard.  

And I turned into the person that I counseled my clients about.  The Emotional Eater.

Like I said, I was still eating healthy foods, but just too much of it.  And the winter was long. WAY.  TOO.  LONG.

I am a runner by nature, and it has been a huge stress reliever for me.  I also take my beloved Bar Method classes where I have the privilege of working as their nutritionist.  

The Bar Method in Montclair, NJ is my happy place.  I get to work with these amazing women (all of which are my friends) at this beautiful studio and have an insanely hard (and awesome) workout.  Running and Bar Method make me happy and help me to forget about all the worries I have at home.

One day, on one of my long runs, the back of my knee started to hurt a little bit.  Seriously, just a title bit.  

About 2 minutes later, I felt something pop and my leg gave out on me.  I had to limp all the way home.  I knew something was wrong.  

It took me a few weeks to admit that I had to call a doctor.  I had stopped running and taking Bar Method classes cold turkey.  And it was difficult for me.  

The stress relievers that I relied on and looked forward to were stolen from me.

I took 2 months off of exercising.   That’s a lot for me.

I exercised during all of my pregnancies and this was probably the longest I’d taken off in years.  So I was stressed out but had no way to release it.  It wasn’t easy.  

I had to start working more than I ever wanted to since my husband wasn’t working full time AND take care of my 3 (very busy) kids with no help.  I was burnt out.  

I went to the doctor and was waiting to get my MRI on my knee to see if I needed surgery, when all of a sudden I got the best phone call of my life.  My husband got a job!  

We were THRILLED and life started to feel normal again.  My MRI results came back and I don’t need surgery! Life was good and there really was a light at the end of this very, very long tunnel.

I picked myself up (both literally and figuratively) and started my Bar Method classes again and started to run (ok, slowly jog) again with the green light from my doctor.  I stopped all of that emotional eating (damn homemade granola!) and I am back on track.  

It felt great.  And life is back to normal.  

My perspective has changed.  And I can finally take that deep exhale that I waited two years to take.  It feels amazing.

I thought it would be appropriate to share one of my favorite smoothies that always helps get me back on track.  I make this every day around 3:30 most days when my kids are snacking and doing their homework.  

It helps prevent me from wanting to eat my kids’ snacks or the whole entire container of homemade granola.  And it tastes great too.

My Favorite Green Smoothie | Lauren Kelly Nutrition

 

My Favorite Green Smoothie | Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Print

My Favorite Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 4 large handfuls of organic baby spinach
  • 2 large handfuls of organic kale
  • 1/2 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 scoop protein powder I use Sunwarrior or Vega
  • 1 sliced green apple
  • 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Instructions

  1. Place all of the ingredients in blender in the order listed above. Blend until smooth.

Thanks for listening to my very long story.  I am one of the lucky ones whose family’s story has a happy ending.  I appreciate every single one of you and thank you all for your support.  Count your blessings.

You might also like

  • Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie {Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, 3 Ingredients}Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie {Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, 3 Ingredients}
  • Blood Orange SmoothieBlood Orange Smoothie
  • Coconut Quinoa Smoothie {Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}Coconut Quinoa Smoothie {Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}
  • Pineapple Mint Jalapeño Smoothie {Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free}Pineapple Mint Jalapeño Smoothie {Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free}
Pin
Share
Tweet
Share
Signature

Filed Under: Beverages, Blog, Breakfast/Brunch, Gluten Free, snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Tagged With: bar method, green smoothie, healthy, nutritionist confessions, smoothie, vegetables

Comments

  1. [email protected] says

    June 3, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    Lauren,
    So happy to hear all of your happy news! Congrats! You & Steve deserve it!! And yes I will try your green smoothie when my kids are snacking-thank you for the inspiration!

    Luv

    Megan

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 1:13 pm

      Thank you so much Megan!! I hope to see you soon! XO

      Reply
  2. Jennifer Hoffman says

    June 3, 2014 at 1:42 pm

    Thanks so much for opening your heart to all your readers! We are in the midst of tough financial times, and I am also fighting chronic illness and have a busy 2 year old boy. And we moved 100 miles away. I do still exercise, probably pushing myself too hard with illness, but man does it relieve the stress!! I haven’t turned to emotional eating (I am actually underweight from medical treatment) but actually found a wonderful nutritionist and learned how to intuitively eat for the first time in my life. I’m not at my goal weight yet, but did gain 12 pounds! Although we haven’t reached our happy ending yet, the hard times make us count the blessings. It could always be worse! Thanks again for sharing, love reading your recipes!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      Yes, we all need to count our blessings Jennifer. I hope you start to feel better and enjoy your time with your little boy! Thank you so much!

      Reply
  3. The Food Hunter says

    June 3, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    2 months off…i can’t even begin to imagine that.

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 5:04 pm

      It wasn’t easy! But onto bigger and better things now πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Stephanie @ Back For Seconds says

    June 3, 2014 at 3:34 pm

    Wow, so glad things have turned around for you guys! This smoothie looks like the perfect afternoon pick me up!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 5:03 pm

      Thank you so much Stephanie!

      Reply
  5. Amy @Very Culinary says

    June 3, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    I’m a runner, too. Ran in high school and college and now run in the mornings. I think, once a runner, always a runner, but there’s no question it’s not exactly the best on the joints. I wish I had a pool! Smoothies are my life – love this one!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Yes, Amy, I totally agree! Some people don’t understand when you’ve been running forever, it’s hard to just stop (even though I am getting older and seem to be falling apart πŸ˜‰ ) Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  6. Amanda ( The Kitcheneer) says

    June 3, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    I agree, the winter was WAY too long!!! It kept me exercising indoors at the gym all the time! And I can only imagine having 3 kids and working, and exercising! Whew! I am so happy to hear it is looking up now! I hope your knee heals soon so you can get back to what you love! And the smoothie looks fantastic! I usually stick with one leafy green in mine but two…I must try this. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 6:28 pm

      Thanks so much Amanda! I hope you like it πŸ™‚

      Reply
  7. Lora @cakeduchess says

    June 3, 2014 at 7:13 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story with us, Lauren. I alternate between running and swimming and after exercise, I crave smoothies like this! Perfection!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:02 pm

      Thank you Lora!! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  8. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says

    June 3, 2014 at 7:32 pm

    Thanks for sharing all of that with us!! I’m glad you got through such a difficult time in your life…and glad it was only temporary πŸ™‚ I love green smoothies when they are made right. I’m sure this one is delicious!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 3, 2014 at 8:02 pm

      Thank you so much Ashley! XO

      Reply
  9. foodwanderings says

    June 3, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    You aren’t alone. The lbs I wished to shed before the summer are still comfortably snug to my body. At least you are juicing which for some reason I can’t bring myself to do. Maybe this beautiful green in your smote will encourage me to jump start a new trend in my life. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  10. Lauren O'Connor says

    June 3, 2014 at 10:03 pm

    I also debated about writing my “emotional eating post”, too. lol! So glad to hear about all your great turnarounds for you and your family. Congrats to your hubby on his new job. Keep up the great work!

    xo,
    Lauren

    Reply
  11. Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says

    June 3, 2014 at 11:58 pm

    I’m so happy to hear that things are finally looking up!

    Reply
  12. Elizabeth @ Food Ramblings says

    June 4, 2014 at 12:14 am

    Yay for things looking up- thanks for sharing…and this smoothie looks delish!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 12:36 am

      Thank you Elizabeth!!

      Reply
  13. Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says

    June 4, 2014 at 12:42 am

    Thanks so much for sharing your story…and smoothie. I reaaaallly need this smoothie to get me back on track!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 4:05 pm

      Thanks Marjory πŸ™‚

      Reply
  14. Ginny McMeans says

    June 4, 2014 at 4:11 am

    Sounds wonderful. Love the fruit mixed inside!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 4:05 pm

      Thank you Ginny!! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  15. Anna says

    June 4, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    Lauren! I had no idea your husband was out of work for so long! My husband was also laid off unexpectedly last year. His unemployment wasn’t as long, but it was still a challenging time for everyone, so I can totally relate to what you’re saying about stress eating. So glad your family is back on track!! P.S. I take barre classes, too. Holy crap, they are hard. My face looks nothing like “happy” when I’m there. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 4:05 pm

      LOL Anna! Yes, they are so hard! But I love the feeling after it’s over πŸ˜‰ Thanks for stopping by! XO

      Reply
  16. Nutmeg Nanny says

    June 4, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    I’m so happy to hear your husband landed another job! That is so exciting for you and your family πŸ™‚ I don’t think I realized you were in Montclair! I used to live in Roseland but now my husband and I live up in New York. We should meet up sometime. We go to Newark a lot for hockey games and always stop for dinner before the game.

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 4:04 pm

      No way Brandi, I didn’t realize you were so close! I would love to meet up πŸ™‚

      Reply
  17. Barb says

    June 4, 2014 at 3:19 pm

    Awesome post! Sharing with the Girlfriends, I know many will relate to your stressful winter. I’m glad you’re back on track and so happy hubby got a job! Hugs!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 4:03 pm

      Thank so much Barb!

      Reply
  18. Angela {Mind Over Batter} says

    June 4, 2014 at 5:57 pm

    Due to stress I also became an emotional eater, putting on a whopping 20 pounds in 2 years. I’ve dropped 6 of those pounds, and slowly but surely will drop them all. Sometimes you don’t realize you’re an emotional eater until you really can’t button the jeans you purchased when you first began to put on weight. I’m glad things turned around for you guys, and you’re able to exercise again! Now, I really love this smoothie. I love the flavor of pineapple in smoothies.

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 4, 2014 at 6:05 pm

      Thank you Angela! I always add pineapple to my smoothies t

      Reply
  19. Deb. says

    June 4, 2014 at 6:06 pm

    Hi Lauren! I’m glad that you opened up! I love knowing that you are a REAL person with a REAL life! It was a long winter in Iowa too! I love your recipes! Thanks!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 6, 2014 at 1:09 pm

      Thank you SO much Deb! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  20. Cynthia Banessa says

    June 6, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    Thanks for sharing, I’ve been off track for about 3 weeks, events in life can contribute to this…just today I said that I need to pick myself up and start all over again. This recipe is one that I will surely put in my “Bullet”

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 6, 2014 at 1:08 pm

      Thank you Cynthia! Sometimes we all need reminders to get back on track! Have a great weekend!

      Reply
  21. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says

    June 6, 2014 at 2:10 pm

    I was a fake runner for awhile πŸ™‚ I ran for about 4 years and did 2 half marathons, but I don’t really enjoy it. Unless I have someone to run with, I pretty much hate it. So I am back to my Insanity and DVD’s. Would love to try a bar class though, need to look into that. Loved meeting you, so glad your story has a happy ending!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 6, 2014 at 5:43 pm

      Thanks so much Erin! It was so nice meeting you too! I hope we can hang out again soon πŸ™‚

      Reply
  22. Andrea Meyers says

    June 6, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    Oh, I know all about stress eating. Mine happens when I have to spend too much time in front of the computer trying to meet deadlines, though there was some stress eating last year during two federal government furloughs and shutdowns, which left my husband minus paychecks while I was going through cancer treatment. I’m so happy your husband got a new job and that you are on the mend. Exercise is wonderful for dealing with stress.

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 6, 2014 at 5:44 pm

      Thank you so much Andrea! I hope you are recovering well! XO

      Reply
  23. Heather @ French Press says

    June 7, 2014 at 12:07 am

    I’m a big stress eater, but trying so hard to get that in check, and even if most of the food is on the healthier side. I wish I enjoyed running more, but every morning it’s a …do I have to, maybe someday that will change, but the smoothie looks amazing

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 7, 2014 at 1:26 am

      Thank you Heather!

      Reply
  24. Carolyn says

    June 7, 2014 at 5:39 pm

    Lauren, my dear, I know exactly how you feel. Well, minus the husband-laid-off part. But the running injury/no exercise part I am completely on the same page. I still haven’t managed to get back to Crossfit but I am running again and it feels so good!

    At least I comfort myself with what a crappy winter we had and how hard it would have been to run outside anyway! Love ya!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 7, 2014 at 8:23 pm

      Thanks Carolyn! I know we have talked about this before. It’s so hard to go through and I am so glad it’s over, for both of us!! XO

      Reply
  25. Brooks says

    June 7, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    Lauren, thank you for sharing your story. Any reader will take something good away from your experience with all its bravery and perseverance. Now that you’re on the other side of it, may your future continue to be bright.

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 7, 2014 at 8:22 pm

      Thank you so much Brooks. I thought so many people could relate to this. Thanks for the kind words!

      Reply
  26. Amee says

    June 8, 2014 at 11:51 pm

    Great post Lauren. I know there are a lot of people out there walking in those same shoes. You will definitely inspire others with your story. I am so glad that everything is working out for you and your family. I hope that your husband is enjoying his new job. Now you can relax and enjoy those sweet boys this summer! xo~

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 9, 2014 at 4:19 pm

      Thank you so much Amee!! XO

      Reply
  27. Sarah Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says

    June 10, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    Congratulations on the good news! I am so happy to hear that things are looking up for your family. And the smoothie sounds tasty!

    Reply
    • lauren.kelly says

      June 10, 2014 at 3:24 pm

      Thank you Sarah!!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. OneBar + Giveaway says:
    June 10, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    […] might have read my last post where I basically confess to some emotional eating over the winter. Β It was a long, stressful […]

    Reply
  2. Immune Boosting Smoothie says:
    January 10, 2015 at 2:51 am

    […] My Favorite Green Smoothie […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Lora @cakeduchess Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Lauren Kelly

Lauren Kelly
My Newest Cookbook!
Greek Yogurt Cookbook

Most Popular Recipes

  • Matcha Coconut Ice Cream from Lauren Kelly Nutrition #vegan #glutenfree #dairyfree Matcha Coconut Ice Cream {4 Ingredients, No Churn, Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free}
  • This Healthy Mexican Casserole is my favorite, easy meal. It's gluten free, delicious and is ready in 30 minutes! Healthy Mexican Casserole
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Biscotti Peanut Butter Chocolate Biscotti
  • Slow Cooker Thai Curried Chicken Soup {Gluten Free, Low Carb, Keto}
  • Crock Pot White Bean Soup
  • Gluten Free Strawberry Pomegranate Scones
  • Healthy Parmesan and Flax Crusted Chicken
  • Amazing Roasted Eggplant Amazing Roasted Eggplant
  • Move over hash browns, these healthy and delicious Low Carb Cauliflower Fritters are even better! They're so easy to make, gluten free, sugar free and keto friendly! Crispy Cauliflower Fritters {Low Carb, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Keto Friendly}
  • With just a few simple ingredients, this Easy Cauliflower Soup is simple to make , keto, gluten free, low carb and sugar free! Creamy Cauliflower Soup {Keto, Low Carb, Gluten Free, Sugar Free}

Recent Posts

  • One Bowl Blondies {Gluten Free, Low Carb, Sugar Free, Keto Friendly}
  • Crispy Cauliflower Fritters {Low Carb, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Keto Friendly}
  • Chocolate Mousse Cake {Low Carb, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Grain Free, Keto Friendly}
  • Low Carb Bagels {Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Grain Free}
  • Healthy Homemade Snickers {Low Carb, Gluten Free, Vegan, Dairy Free, Sugar Free, Keto}
Wheat-Free Cooking!
Everything Wheat Free Book

Categories



Lauren Kelly Nutrition is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program
designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


Β© 2021 Β· Lauren Kelly Nutrition β€’ Privacy Policy β€’ Log in
Enter your name and email and get the weekly newsletter... it's FREE!
LAUREN KELLY NUTRITION
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.