Green smoothies are a healthy and delicious snack with lots of benefits! Some of these benefits include:

• If you or your kids struggle with eating your recommended amount of vegetable servings, green smoothies are the perfect solution
• An energy boost!
• A great source of antioxidants
• Improves gut health
• Reduces cravings
• Improve Mental clarity

A green smoothie would be a great part of a healthy routine menu. I’ve compiled 9 amazing recipes for you to try. Happy blending!

Best Green Smoothie Recipes

Ginger Spice

This creamy, low-carb smoothie is a great way to start your day and get into fat-burning mode. The ginger is also great for digestion.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups almond or cashew milk
• 2 tablespoons raw almond butter
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 handful baby spinach or greens of choice
• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Green Breakfast

I crave nutrient-dense foods that fill me up and keep me going for hours. This smoothie is the best way to start your morning. So healthy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon, quartered (washed and unpeeled)
• 1 whole avocado, peeled and pitted
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 cups spinach
• ½ bunch parsley
• ½ bunch cilantro
• 1 organic cucumber (washed and unpeeled)
• 1 teaspoon organic extra-virgin olive oil
• pinch of sea salt
• Water

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend together until smooth, adding water, as needed for desired consistency.

Green Machine

This bright green smoothie gets its creaminess from nutrient-dense avocado, an excellent source of all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies need to build muscle, as well as the omega 3 fats our brains and hearts need to be healthy. The green tea is loaded with bioactive compounds and helps us increase fat burning.

Ingredients:

• 1-1 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 ounces (about 2 big handfuls) baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 small avocado
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 packet green matcha tea (about a teaspoon)
• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Triple Green Smoothie

Full of high-quality fat with coconut milk and avocado, this smoothie helps you burn fat and keeps you fueled!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cups full-fat coconut milk
• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice
• 1/2 avocado
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 large handful baby spinach leaves

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Lean and Green

A protein smoothie perfect for post-workout or for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up!

Ingredients:

• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice
• 1-1 ½  cup water
• 1/2 medium avo, pitted and peeled
• 1 roma tomato
• 1 handful of raw spinach
• 1/4 unripe banana

Creamy Green Apple Smoothie

You might think of fresh-cut grass when you sip this yummy smoothie for breakfast! It has an earthy, herbal flavor with a touch of sweetness from the apple. If a tart taste does not appeal to your taste, you can use a Red Delicious or Gala apple instead. This smoothie contains about one-third of your daily fiber requirement in one tasty glass.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 1 green apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (from a carton)
• 1 avocado, peeled and pitted 3 ice cubes
• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice

Green Pear Protein Smoothie

Flaxseed isn’t just packed with protein, it’s also a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber. The fat and fiber are crucial for slowing digestion and reducing the speed at which sugar is absorbed. Add an extra teaspoon of flaxseed for a mega boost of these nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice
• 1 cup torn kale leaves
• 1 Bartlett pear, cored and chopped
• ½ English cucumber, cut into chunks
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon flaxseed
• ½ teaspoon

Island Dream Smoothie

A creamy, light way to start the day with a touch of greens and have you dreaming of the beach!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
• ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tsp NA, GF pure vanilla extract or unsweetened vanilla powder
• 1 serving vegan vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 handful baby spinach

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Green Smoothie Reverse Natural

Here’s a recipe with healthy carbs and healthy fats!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup kale
• 1 cup almond milk
• ½ chopped avocado
• 1 1/ 2 cups ice
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 serving vegan protein powder of choice
• Stevia or other natural sweetener to taste
• Optional: Add a little Hi-Maize as a source of resistant starch

Place all the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth and silky.

If you prefer any of these smoothies to have a touch more sweetness, add the Stevia last to achieve the sweetness you want. The advantage is Stevia won’t raise your blood sugar like sugar. I don’t recommend artificial sweeteners since some can cause your pancreas to release insulin. Stevia is available at most supermarkets. Some Stevia sweeteners contain erythritol, a sugar alcohol. Erythritol shouldn’t cause your blood sugar or insulin level to rise and is not synthetic.

I hope you love these recipes! Give them a try, and let us know which one is your favorite! If you are making these for the kiddos-- skip the protein powder or, if you want to include it, make sure to check with your child’s pediatrician first. Enjoy!

xo,

Check out our nutrition guides: 10 Day Detox, 30 Day Slim Down, Bible Diet, and Pregnancy Nutrition Guide.

When I woke up Saturday (11/11) morning around 6am, I noticed I was having contractions- which felt like period cramps.  I didn't put this together that they were actually contractions until my water "broke" (but really just started leaking little by little) around 11am.  

We had planned to take Kenzie to play "video games" aka Dave and Busters (his new favorite thing to do) that afternoon and I quickly realized after my water started leaking that we probably wouldn't make it. I quickly changed my story and told him that instead he was going to get his special surprise that baby Leo bought him (a new bike). Luckily he was cool with that. 

I called my OB and told her my water broke around 11am. She told me since my last birth was a c-section that they would want to monitor me a bit closer so to be at the hospital around 4pm at the latest.  Contractions were coming but sporadic and not at all uncomfortable. I could easily move and talk through them. 

I had actually already scheduled a repeat c-section with her for the upcoming Wednesday bc I tend to have big babies and since I was overdue the chance of me being able to have a VBAC with a baby that was close to Kenzie's birth weight (9 lbs) was slim. If you haven't read Kenzie's birth story you can find it here: https://www.nancyandersonfit.com/blogs/news/kenzies-birth-story

I decided that I wanted to schedule a c-section and not keep waiting to go into labor naturally since I was already overdue. I knew that the outcome of trying to VBAC a big baby out of my small pelvic inlet (what I learned from my first labor and delivery) would probably not work out for me. However; since I went into labor on my own IE water breaking my doctor and I confirmed on that phone call that the plan was to try for a VBAC. 

So, I hung up with her and we went about our day staying at home. We played outside with Kenzie, made food, watched tv and waited for things to pick up. We have no family on the west coast so it's just my husband and I. I called our nanny (who bless her heart had basically been on call every weekend for 3 weeks) and she came over around 230pm. 

By now Kenzie knew something was up. He didn't want me to go to the hospital unless he came along. He was getting very clingy and emotional. It sort of broke my heart- his whole world was about to change. I was trying to stay calm because now I am thinking well F*CK this might be a long ass night (I had a VERY long labor with Kenzie), I need to conserve energy and stay relaxed.  So my husband took Kenzie to target to pick up a few things for me (headphones, batteries for my tens machine and pads for post hospital). By the time he came back poor Kenzie was sleeping (passed out from crying so hard) and it was time to head to the hospital.

We got to the hospital around 5pm, checked in and went to triage.  There they tested if my water broke (which it did) and checked my cervix (3CM and 70% effaced).  This was great news to me b/c with Kenzie I started at 1.5 and 50%.  We stayed in triage a while, not much happened.  I was having contractions but easy ones and about 5 min apart but not consistent.  Some were 1 min some were 10 minutes.  Sometimes I didn't even know I was having one. I kept having to ask how often they were happening. 

I think we were in triage for a couple hours then they took us to labor and delivery. I got set up, met my nurse (Sara- who was freaking amazing) and started laboring for a while longer.  I actually don't remember how long but I know we watched a whole movie and then some. Things just weren't moving quickly. I was staying at 3-4 cm and my body wasn't kicking the contractions into high gear. Since I've already had a c-section it is a risk to have a rupture if your uterus has too much wear during a long labor plus my water had broke so now time was also an issue bc of the risk of bacteria or infection for mom and baby.  

We decided to start a very low dose of pitocin to try to speed things up. I'm not a fan of medicine however I would rather have medicine like pitocin and have vaginal birth than have to have a repeat c-section. Now at this point- my thought of going natural (no meds or pain killers) is out the window in my head b/c I labored without any meds or pitocin with my first for 20 hours and I know how painful our own contractions can be but dealing with pitocin contractions without pain meds? OH hell no. Not interested. Until my pain level got to a 6/10 though the nurse said we can hold off on the epidural.  I was at like a 2, even with the pitcoin. 

Now this is where shit got scary. About 30 minutes after we started pitocin, I was sitting on the birth ball and my nurse rushed in the room telling me to please quickly get back into bed and lay on my left side. She put an oxygen mask on me and told me to take long deep breaths. She then hit some call button (to the nurses station?) and said she needed "more people now" and I am internally freaking the f*ck out bc obviously something is wrong. She then move me to all fours.  By now there is like 5-10 people in the room with the on call OB (mine wasn't there yet) and they are talking about how the baby's heart rate had dropped too low and they are trying to position me plus give oxygen to bring it back up. Which it did come back up- he actually recovered "beautifully" they said- which honestly in that moment made every single workout and healthy lifestyle choice for the past 10 months 100% worth it. Strong Mom = Strong Baby. Does this mean that bad things can't happen in healthy labors? No. But it was reassuring to me to know that I did everything to my knowledge to prepare my body and baby for stressors (exactly like this) that can be put on them during labor. 

So they then turned off the pit. My OB ordered a epidural (in case it happened again and we had to do an emergency c-section).  I honestly wanted to say fuck it right then and there and have another c-section which is what I told basically asked my OB via phone. That was enough for me. She said although it was scary to me- this happens in labor and maybe the cord got pinched during a more intense contraction.  She noted it wasn't time to throw in the towel yet- a VBAC was still possible.  We decided to let my body labor on its own and see what happens. They planned to assess and check me again at 4am and see where I was at. 

A couple hours passed- still was 3-4 centimeters. By now I had the epidural, which by the way makes contractions a BREEZE lol. Such a huge difference than no epidural. We used the peanut ball and switched my position every 30 minutes.  I had to dilate after all- which was my problem last time. I got to a 5 then started swelling because Kenzie was too big to fit through my pelvic inlet. So basically I got to a 5 then started going backwards because my cervix was swelling. 

Around 1am (I think?) they started pitocin again bc my contractions still weren't picking up.  Around 2am the heart rate dropped AGAIN. My nurse was in the room this time- same routine. She called for help and "more people" put me on oxygen, on all fours everyone rushed in.  I was naked this time by the way ass in the air on all fours, vagina out. In the moment you don't care bc you're just worried that your baby is going to be ok but after all is good you look back like OMG how mortifying. Lol. I'm sure they are used to it. Anyway, this time they gave me a shot of something that basically stops labor.  They checked me again and I was still 3-4 centimeters.  I am sure once I got to 5 I would have started swelling. Same thing, different birth. This time my OB called it- we would have a repeat c-section.  The cord was likely bunched up somewhere or getting caught or pinched and it was getting cut off during contractions. If I was close to a 10 maybe we could have kept going but I had a long way to go and was making like no progress over the course of several hours. 

(my amazing husband was so supportive the whole way. So lucky to have such a great partner in life). 

30 minutes later my OB was there, we reviewed the night, the reviewed some things about the c-section and got ready for surgery. C-sections are hard. I had serious PTSD after my first one.  I was so heart broken over it.  This time- I knew it was possible and I went into labor with an open mind so I wasn't nearly as disappointed.  I just wanted my baby to arrive healthy. 

At 3:53 am Leo was born. Again handful of people saw him before did, I saw a picture of him on my husbands phone before I saw him in real life.  It sucks. C-sections suck. The recovery is hard. I hate the fact that the one thing my body should be able to do as a woman- it can't. If I made 6 pound babies it could (maybe) but not when I made 8-9 lbs babies.  I married a division 1 football player. He is big, then men in his family are just as big or bigger.  It's not will, it's not about 'letting my body to what it's supposed to.'  I tried- both times. The out come was this- c-section or bust. 

At the end of the day, I wouldn't have been able to vaginally birth either one of my babies.  My OB said that my hips are normal sized but my inlet is just VERY narrow and would not fit babies that are 8-9 lbs. After opening me up, she noted Leo wouldn't have fit either, same as she noted with Kenzie.  Some of her tools wouldn't even fit which I guess never happens. 

 I used to be so against medicine.  Pain meds, c-sections, other intervention meds and then I realized through my own experiences that modern medicine is amazing and saves lives and without it I wouldn't probably wouldn't be here and neither would my boys.  So I am thankful for it. I praise it.  It may not always be necessary as many people would argue, but it was necessary for me. Both times. It's a little heart breaking that I will never be ale to experience a vaginal birth as I imagine there is something magical about bringing your baby into this world. 

I am thankful that I had such an amazing hospital, nurses and especially my OBGYN who I just can not say enough great things about.  She was always supportive of my wishes with both pregnancies, she is just above and beyond anything you could ever ask of an OB.  I wish every woman could experience such an amazing rapport with their OB. 

 Leo Maddox Anderson

8 lbs 6 Ounces 

I get lots of requests for ab workouts for pregnancy.  Here are some basic yet effective moves that are safe for all trimesters.

Directions: Try these moves completing 45 seconds of each move (on each side) then 15 seconds to transition to the next move (or to the opposite side).  Take breathers when you need to and try to go through this circuit 2-3 times.  

Tip: If at any time you see "coning" in your abs, refocus on core engagement and activation.  If you are unable to stop "coning" during the exercise, please take the modifications, slow down, or go lighter in weights.  Our goal is to help prevent ab separation and if you are coning we are promoting it.  

If you have any questions please let me know!  Stay tuned for more workouts and workout videos coming soon!  Enjoy! -Nancy 

I'm about 7 1/2 months pregnant and this is my first pregnancy update- lol. 

I am going to be honest with you. I really don't love being pregnant. It's just not my fav thing. Don't get me wrong I am obsessed with my son and already in love with the one on the way but the actual journey of being pregnant and all the things that come along with it- just not my fav.  To the women who say they love being pregnant and miss their belly after its gone, I envy you. I also at the same time sort of think you are full of it :P j/k

Here are some updates with my pregnancy so far:

Weight Gain: 13 lbs about the same as last time, maybe a little less.

Baby: It's a boy (if you didn't know) he is measuring 3 lbs 4 ounces (but who knows if that ish is accurate). He is BUSY. He is head down (hopefully for good) and I already feel very connected to him. 

Cravings: Ice cold water (just like pregnancy 1) I must drink 4 liters a day easy. I also have been really into salmon avocado brown rice sushi rolls. Been having this like twice a week. Yes, its raw. I like to live on the edge. 

Nutrition: Honestly good. I can't have gluten or dairy or eggs so its honestly pretty easy to eat clean. Anything yummy I would want to cheat on includes one of those ingredients so I just don't eat it. I hate cooked veggies right now but am fine with raw so I have been doing raw veggies and lots of salads. 

Sleep: Kinda sucks, but getting better.  For like two weeks I would wake up and stay awake for like 2 hours in bed. It was SO annoying. I think that's over though. Hopefully. 

Currently having trouble with: Balancing work, pregnancy and mom life. Why is this so hard. I always feel like I am short changing something. 

Currently working on: Being present in the moment when I am with my son and husband.  My mind is always racing, thinking about work, what I need to do, what I forgot to do, how to be more successful, what to study next that can bring more to my programs and better results to my clients.  The list honestly goes on forever.  I've been trying to put my phone face down and not look at it when I am with them. Every time my mind drifts to work I try to give myself a mental nudge to bring myself back into the moment with my family. It's hard but I think it's important and I think our kids notice if we are really present or not. 

Nursery: I have the design but haven't bought one effing thing yet. I am behind. So busy- who has the time to even online shop when you have kids and a crazy ass schedule?!  Here is the design or mood board for it- what do you think? I'm so happy with it! My friend Jenny Leu from @forestandj helped me with it. I can't wait to bring it to life!  I'll share more as we put it together. You can check out Jenny's designs here: https://www.instagram.com/forrestandj/

Work: It's great, its crazy. I know I seem like I have a ton of energy, which I guess I do,  but honestly by the time Sunday comes around (I work 6 days a week) I am really beat. I will probably stop all of my private client sessions soon. It's just too much. MY goal when I got pregnant was to not work 10-12 hour days anymore, which is honestly what most of my weekdays were.  I cut back on some things and tried to simplify but it's all crept back up and I'm working at least 10 hours a day again.  So I have to change that asap. It's just too much. Mama is getting big and tired and I also want to have more time with my son before he isn't an only child anymore.  

One thing I want to do for myself: I haven't had a pedi or manicure in probably 6-10 months? I can't even remember the last time. Going to find the time to do this before birth. 

Workouts: I train 4-5 days a week.  Usually 4 and well, you see what I do on my page.  Cross-fit or strength and conditioning usually x 2 a week and Barry's Bootcamp 2-3 days a week. I think this is a great program for pregnancy. This is also exactly what I do when I am not pregnant. My weights have dropped by 15% maybe 20% on some lifts from what I do not pregnant.  For those of you that speak Barry's, pre-pregnancy my jog pace is 7.0-7.5MPH depending on the day. Now it is more like 6.0MPH and sometimes if I feel good I'll finish the interval at advanced speeds. I have been able to sprint at advanced speeds (12.5MPH and higher) the whole pregnancy.  Recently I did a very stupid thing and went to a spin class and it f*cked my hips ALL up. Been trying to get re-aligned and loosened up to get rid of some pubic discomfort I had because of it.  Spin DOES not agree with my body. Even not pregnant- just not my friend.  Anyway, I have been doing a lot more inclines instead of speed when running bc of this and even one week I only worked out 3 times to give myself a chance to loosen up and reset. I feel a lot better. I think I should be good now. 

Birth Plan: fu*k it, you guys. I think I want to try for a natural VBAC. Yes, maybe I am crazy but this has ALWAYS been a dream of mine. I don't think I've ever wanted to achieve a physical and mental goal so badly in my life. And I have had a lot of physical goals given my line of work and lifestyle. I get it, if you don't get it. Last time, things didn't work out. Hopefully this time it will be different. If you're new to my page you can find my birth story of what happened with my first son here: https://nancyandersonfitness.myshopify.com/blogs/news/kenzies-birth-story 

I'll try to do another one of these at some point. Xo- Nancy

Must be Omega-3s on the Brain: How to Give Your Baby’s Brain Some Serious Love So we’ve been told for a while now that consuming omega-3s is essential for optimal adult nutrition, but did you know that it is a building block for baby’s growing brain?

Expecting mamas with high levels of one of the omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), at the time of delivery give baby a huge advantage in nutrition. Scientists have formulated various ways to test general developmental markers such as problem solving and language development, to measure brain development in infants whose mothers consumed omega-3s in comparison to those who did not. In fact, Dr. Emily Oken, a professor in the department of Nutrition at Harvard University conducted a study in 2004 and found that higher omega-3 consumption during pregnancy resulted in higher visual recognition memory and higher scores of verbal intelligence in the infant. Ultimately, there is a large amount of data that suggests that omega-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy is crucial for fetal brain development and continues later in life through the child’s neurodevelopment. Dr. Jaclyn Coletta-Luca and her colleagues from Columbia University Medical center also found that omega-3 fatty acid deprivation during pregnancy is associated with impaired developmental and behavior scores later in the infant’s life.

It’s hard to keep up with constantly changing science, but we can rely on one thing for certain: DHA level during pregnancy is linked to baby’s development. The human body does not make the essential fatty acid DHA, so the best way for you to achieve high DHA levels is through your diet! Expecting mamas should aim to consume anywhere from 300-500 mg of omega-3s (or 1 serving of omega-3 rich food) daily.

Your best source of omega-3s will come from food; avoid solely relying on your DHA pill supplement to cover your mg amount. As far as healthy food options goes, seafood is a popular source for getting your omega-3s. A lot of expecting mamas avoid consuming fish during their pregnancy, but that shouldn’t be the case- you can find a separate blog post I wrote about eating fish while pregnant here).

More great options are omega-3 fortified eggs, flaxseed oil, chia seeds and walnuts. And a word on supplements- any supplement you choose to take should serve as back-up for whatever your food is lacking. It is EXTREMELY important that if you choose to use a supplement, that you are consuming the highest quality supplement possible. Because supplements are exempt from FDA regulation, it makes it hard for consumers to weed out the good from the bad; did you know that some supplement suppliers secretly make their products with pesticides or fillers?

When choosing a supplement, be on the lookout for seals of approval from third parties that test whether the supplement was well-manufactured, that it contains only the ingredients listed on the label, and that they do not contain harmful levels of contaminants. Here is a supplement that I love and TRUST.

You can find it on Amazon by clicking on this link: http://rstyle.me/n/cqaf9qb9r77

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Let’s Talk about Fat.

Lately it seems that most health and fitness bloggers are either telling their readers to consume a lot of fat or advising their readers to avoid fat completely. Yikes. And to make matters worse, when it comes to eating, 90 percent of Americans consume the wrong kind of fat anyways.

Allow me to tell you here and now: it is SO important to understand the impact of different types of fats on the body. And just to set the record straight, you absolutely need to consume healthy fats in most of your meals. The better and higher quality the fat, the better your body will function. Did you know that the average person holds anywhere from 15-30% of fat in their bodies? Fat is one of the body’s most basic building blocks; it is used every time the body needs to build cell walls. In fact, there are more that 100 trillion cells in your body. Yup, that’s right- 100 TRILLION. And you guessed it; every single one of them needs high-quality fat to be constructed and to properly function. 

Now that you know how big a role fat plays in your body, it’s time to figure out which fats your body needs and why the kind of fat matters for cell production or organ function. Just think about it like this: imagine you’re starting a new project- you’re going to build a home or maybe you’re going to build a car. Would you build the frame of the house or car with strong, reliable and high-quality material? Or, would you just use the cheapest crap you could find? If you choose to go the cheap route and don’t use high-quality material- and maybe you’re like me and you’ve run into this issue with your home (oops)- problems almost always come up. We end up having to strip things back down and ultimately fix the problem from the inside, out. If we had just chosen the high-quality material in the first place, we wouldn’t be working twice as hard now to fix a preventable problem. And sure, maybe the problems start small; a leak here or crack there, but small problems add up. Worse still, small problems can also be signs that there is even greater damage than we thought.

I like to think of the human body in the same way. 

If you want to fuel your body with the cheap and easy stuff (like most Americans), then opt for the typical prepackaged, fast food. When this is the fuel that you give your body, this is what your body is forced to put to work to build cell walls. When cell walls are built using foods with shitty-to-no nutrition, they end up being shitty quality. That means the cell walls will be stiff and hard, with no flexibility at all. When cell walls aren’t flexible, they are more vulnerable to inflammation, which causes sickness and disease and the functions of the cells become much, much slower. 

To change the cells in our bodies from rigid to flexible, AKA completely rebuild our body’s structure; requires us to change our diet. This means incorporating those good, high-quality fats and limiting consumption of the bad fats. And this whole process can take up to a year. The hardest part isn’t finding the information (you have it now!), but being patient and consistent with a new way of eating.

Here are a few pointers to help you choose better quality fats, ones that will help rebuild your cell walls in the right way: 

1. Increase your omega 3 fats. You can source this fat through cold-water fish, organic (not optional- always go organic!!) canola oil, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seed, flax oil Brazil nuts, and/or sea vegetables.

2. Avoid trans fat and shitty processed fats completely, such as: safflower, soybean, sunflower, corn, and cottonseed oils; hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils; margarine and shortening.

3. Source your fats from this power group: coconut butter; organic, virgin, cold-pressed, unrefined coconut oil; organic, extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil; MCT oil; organic flax seed oil; organic, expeller-pressed refined avocado oil; walnut, pumpkin seed, pistachio and hemp oils

Let’s keep in mind, there is a reason that most Americans are eating bad fats- they are usually the cheapest, fastest option. Healthy fats (or foods that use healthy fats) can be very expensive, hard to find, or take some time to prepare. For these reasons (not because people actually want to be unhealthy) is why consuming healthy fat is low on most people’s list of priorities. My hope is that with more widespread knowledge about healthy fats, people will start to make small but mightier choices for their bodies. And in due time, food industries will follow and realize what the consumer actually wants. It might-be a far-fetched dream, and no-doubt one that will take years, but my hope is that by sharing this knowledge we can make healthier changes for ourselves and eventually, for our society as a whole.

By: Nancy Anderson

Editor: Clara Canul 

1. I love Sprinkles gluten-free cupcakes.

Most people think I eat nothing but veggies and protein all day, everyday, and that I never treat myself. Not true! Unless I am trying to lose weight post-baby, I follow my lifestyle plan, "the Bible diet," for about 80% of what I eat. But, for the other 20% of my diet (or about 200 calories per day), I stray! This freedom in my diet keeps me sane and focused. Because of this flexibility I am able to maintain a lean and healthy physique without ever feeling deprived. 

2. I'm a spiritual gangster.

Mediums, psychics, spirits, haunted houses, past lives, crystals- you name it, I’m into it. I see a psychic medium just about every quarter. She is amazing and has yet to be wrong about anything in my life. I am hooked! Some people may not believe mediums are "real" and that’s fine- I firmly believe that they are. Believing in spiritual things is fun for me; it keeps me motivated and helps me stay focused on my goals.  

3.  I don't squat.

Yup- doesn’t really happen. Truthfully, I haven’t squatted heavy for years. Sure I will do some squats here and there, but honestly, squats don’t feel good on my body. I don’t feel like they engage anything but my hip flexors, back and quads- even though even leaders in the industry have assessed my form and confirmed that I am on point. In the strength-training world, we know that the same movement for one person can feel and recruit differently from person to person. It partially depends on where people carry tension in their bodies and anatomy, making certain movements more or less beneficial for their specific body. The way I earned and maintain my “bubble butt” is through a mix of light, medium and heavy deadlift variations, hips thrusts, lunges and band work. Yes, it works and yes there is research that supports this!

4. I think I’ve already met my future children.

I had a dream 3-4 years ago that I had three kids (oldest: boy, middle: boy and youngest: girl). They all walked up to me and stood in front of me side by side and introduced themselves. They said they were my children. This "dream" felt so real, I have been convinced ever since that they truly were my kids visiting me from the other side. A year after this dream I had my first son. Two years after that I am pregnant with my second son. I believe if I choose to have a third it will be the little girl. 

5. I got my undergrad in fashion merchandising.

Yes, I don’t know what I was thinking. Looking back, it feels so far from my calling. I realized before I even finished earning my degree that I didn’t want to do anything in this field. Soon after graduating I quickly began plotting going back for my master’s degree. That’s when I decided to focus on what I realized I was actually passionate about- exercise science. 

6.  My calves and quads used to be the same size. 

I know- gross.  I had to work for years in the gym to get muscle mass on my body.  Naturally my legs are bean poles- like all the way from top to bottom and I naturally store fat in my lower back/waist.  It's extremely hard for me to put mass on my legs and much easier for me to put it on my upper body.  I've worked hard to get them where they are (they are still too small in my opinion). So when I tell my clients it doesn't come easy for anyone, including me- I mean it :) 

7. I told my husband on our first date I was going to marry him. 

This was a few drinks in, of course! He had been one of my clients for a year and I was undeniably attracted to him- almost magnetic.  When we finally went on a “date” one year later -AKA our company Christmas party- I spilled the beans and told him, “Max, I am going to marry you someday.” He told me I was “nuts.” I shrugged and said something like, “okay, we’ll see.” And now 5 1/2 years later we are married and pregnant with baby #2. Ha!

8. I don't believe that sex on the first date will ruin any relationship potential.

See #7! It worked out for me- and I’m sure lots of other couples too! They just don’t publicly admit it  :P 

9. I am obsessed with titanic and RMS ships from the early 1900's.

I am desperate to go on the re-creation of Titanic. I don’t know why I feel this way. I visited the Queen Mary a couple years back and it is just so incredibly fascinating to me. If I had more time I would nerd out on them way more often. 

10. I have one tattoo and you’d never know the meaning behind it unless you read this.

Unfortunately, when I was barely twenty years old my father took his own life. He had journals and letters that I found afterwards and in one of the entries he talks about his pride for me. In this entry he notes the accomplishments I achieved so far in my life, both past and present. My father went on to talk about how proud I seemed to be of myself for achieving my goals. He then inscribed three words: “So am I.”  This specific entry, these specific words, really hit home for me. After all, children always want to make their parents proud. I knew my mom was still able to tell me anytime that she was proud. He couldn't anymore. I never wanted to forget how good it felt to hear him say how proud he was of me; not because it was a compliment, but because of how motivating it was for me; how much it drove me to continue to do more, work harder, dream bigger.  I took the journal to a tattoo artist and had him tattoo my father’s exact handwriting from the journal on my wrist, facing me, so anytime I was hitting major milestones in life, working hard, struggling, achieving, etc., I could always look down and be reminded of this. 

It’s no secret that pregnant women have a long list of foods to avoid, but what about fish? We’re warned about the scary levels of mercury found in seafood but then we’re encouraged to get our omega-3’s in whenever we can. So what do we do? Let me break it down for you.

First things first – don’t avoid fish!

Let’s get one thing straight before we dive into the details. Avoiding fish altogether is not the answer. In fact, it’s great for you and baby’s diet. Because the human body does not naturally create omega-3 fatty acids like DHA, EPA, and ALA—all three of which are considered “essential,” the only way Mama can obtain these nutrients is through diet. In addition to the omega-3 fatty acids, fish also provides you with minerals like iron and it’s also a great protein option. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for baby’s brain function, healthy growth and development, and reducing inflammation. Deficiencies have been linked to a variety of health problems, which include some cardiovascular diseases, varying types of cancers, mood disorders, arthritis, and more.

And a note on fish-oil and omega-3 supplements: when you can, always choose whole foods rather than substituting with supplements. Just like how obtaining vitamins and minerals in the form of natural whole foods is way better than relying only on supplements, it’s always beneficial to incorporate foods that naturally contain omega-3’s. For this reason, it’s a great idea to incorporate fish with low mercury levels into your diet. And for mamas-to-be who don’t care for seafood, you can obtain your omega-3’s through foods like ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil, chia seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, canola oil, and soy oil.

So, what’s the deal with mercury?

Mercury is a type of metal that collects in natural bodies of water, where it turns into the neurotoxin, methlymercury.  It is found in high levels in certain types of fish and is absolutely toxic to mom and baby’s nervous system and can even lead to serious birth defects. While one serving of fish with a high level of mercury is unlikely to pose a huge risk, it’s best to avoid these kinds of fish at all costs.

So this might be where people get lost. Because there are so many kinds of fish, and because restaurants don’t want to tell you that you’re consuming mass quantities of mercury, unless you research fish types, it’s hard to tell which types of fish are safe and which are not. So, let me make this easy on you! Here is helpful guide straight from the FDA on how to safely consume fish during your pregnancy.     

For more valuable information on pre natal nutrition; download my pregnancy nutrition guide by clicking on the 'shop' tab at the top of this page. 

Xo, Nancy

Yields Approx. 4-5 1 cup servings

Ingredients: 

1 can (about 15.5 ounces) black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 large head cauliflower (3 rounded cups riced)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves fresh garlic (minced)

1/2 cup fresh sweet onion (finely chopped)

1/2 cup fresh red bell pepper (diced)

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

3 tablespoons pickled jalapeno slices (finely chopped)

sea salt and black pepper (to taste)

1/2 cup fresh parsley diced (or cilantro)

Instructions

1) Rinse and drain black beans. After removing excess water, place on paper towels or flat surface for remaining water to evaporate while preparing the vegetables.

2) Cut cauliflower into florets and remove the thick core. Pulse in small batches in food processor to make "rice". See picture in post for proper consistency. Empty into large bowl and repeat. If there are uncut pieces of the core, remove them and discard. A box grater can be used as an alternative to a food processor. You will need about 3 full rounded cups of cauliflower "rice". Set aside.

3) Begin warming olive oil in medium/large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic to olive oil and saute until golden. Add onion, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper to garlic, stirring occasionally, and continue sautéing until onion begins to turn translucent. Add pickled jalapeno and stir. Pour cauliflower on top of vegetables, sprinkle well with salt and black pepper, then mix. Continue cooking approx. 5-7 minutes (until cauliflower is soft but not mushy) flipping and stirring about half way through. Add black beans and cook additional 2 minutes (enough to warm and gently soften beans). Add parsley, mix well and serve. Please add and serving 1/4 avocado with each serving. 

Notes

Here's the honest truth: any nutrition plan, food plan, or 'diet' that actually works is going to require some sort of meal prep. There is no way around it. Unless you can swing having a personal chef to prep your meals, you’re in the trenches with the rest of us who do some or all of the following: work, clean, run errands, workout, take care of kids (plus a partner!) as well as having to figure out how and when to squeeze in meal prepping.

Here are 5 super easy and efficient ways to meal prep and set yourself up for healthy meals and keep your fit-mom bod!

#1 Make a crockpot recipe every Sunday night. This is SO easy and makes a ton of food. My go to is a veggie overloaded pot roast (recipe in my nutritional plan 'The Bible Diet') but you can do any clean recipe. Use broths/water & herbs/spices instead of oils or sauces. This can easily cover all of your lunches for the week or one dinner for the whole fam and some leftovers for your lunch the next day. Always cook more than you need when making healthy meals. Give yourself some options for upcoming lunches or even dinners. Slow cookers are great because you can cook it overnight. Prep time is usually 15 minutes or less then you set it before you go to bed and forget it! It will be ready to serve (and/or store in the fridge) when you wake up.

#2 Buy your snacks in bulk. Perfect Protein bars or other bars that aren't loaded with carbs and sugar are awesome options on the go. Use Amazon, iHerb or Costco and get these in bulk to save some coins. Have them ready to grab and go for a mid-morning or afternoon snack.

#3 Shake & serve your breakfast! Protein shakes aren't for everyone but if you're into them they make for a super easy breakfast on the go. Pick a clean protein powder of course, (I prefer MRM or Vega-vanilla is my fav flavor of both!). I literally do this every morning and my breakfast is done in 30 seconds. Don’t ever skip breakfast. This option literally takes 30 seconds to make so there is NO excuse.

#4 Be a grill master. Throw it all on the grill with some to spare! Cooking for the fam? Throw the family meal on the grill plus extra for your lunch for the next few days. Add salmon with the chicken you’re grilling for dinner, throw those sweet potatoes and veggies on there too! You’re already turning the grill on and using it, so load that baby up with lots of extras to make sure that YOU can stay on track with your meals the next day or two to come. It’s quick and the clean up is easy! Store your leftovers in a tupperware and throw it in the fridge. Boom there is another few meals for the week.

#5  Think ahead. The theme here is just to take a minute and think ahead. Literally that's all it is. Take a few minutes (because YOU deserve them!) to think about how you can maximize the time you are already spending making meals for the family. If your husband is the cook then this is easy for him to get on board with, too. Take a few minutes and map it out, start adding your healthy snacks to his grocery list, don’t just grab the kids snacks because that’s all that's there.

Lastly, here is a skill video from Buzzfeed that shows just how do-able meal prep can be if you're smart and efficient. I hope some of you try this- bc it's awesome and so easy!!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mercedessandoval/stay-healthy-in-2017-with-this-one-pan-chicken-and-veggie-me 

For more inforamtion on my nutrition or training plans please check out the 'shop' tab (above!) or email me at nancyandersonfit@gmail.com 

Xo 
Nancy