Super Greens Frozen Smoothie Bowl

This month we are talking about resilience… mental toughness… and taking personal responsibility!

The foods you choose to eat play a HUGE role in your resilience. Here’s why:

You’ve probably heard that chronic inflammation plays a big role in what has been called the “four horsemen of the medical apocalypse”: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

Stress causes inflammation — and a diet of less-than-healthy foods adds to that stress and inflammation.

To eat for more resilience, focus on foods that make your body feel good: simple, nutritious meals that are loaded with the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help your body function at its best!

I’ve got a delicious and nutrition-infused smoothie bowl recipe for you. 

TIP 1: To get the most nutrition out of this bowl, mix in the greens & protein powders. 

TIP 2: For more “freeze” factor, use frozen banana and avocado. This will give you a thicker, more ice-cream-like texture

Looking for a good protein powder? I have several in my Fullscript store! You can browse the store here: Alignment Studio's Fullscript

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Super Greens Frozen Smoothie Bowl

(serves 1)

• ½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened almond milk or other non-dairy milk

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• ½ banana, peeled and sliced

• ¼ avocado, peeled and cubed

• 1 cup (140 g) frozen spinach

• ½ cup (80 g) frozen berries

• 1 tsp spirulina powder or other super green powder (optional)

• ½ scoop vanilla/unflavored protein powder (optional)

• 1 tbsp hemp seeds (optional topping)

Place the milk and chia seeds in a blender and let it soak for about 10 minutes, to allow the chia to gel. 

Add the banana, avocado, spinach, and berries and blend at high speed, scraping down the blender as needed. Add 1-2 Tbsp of milk if the mixture gets too thick.

Add the spirulina and protein powders (if using). Blend until incorporated. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and top with the optional hemp seeds. Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this recipe!

Grit study of West Point cadets

Can you guess the one surprising factor that separates West Point cadets who finish the grueling “Beast Barracks” initiation from those who don’t?

It’s not strength… speed… or smarts. 

It’s GRIT — aka the passion and perseverance to reach your long-term goals — and it’s a huge component of mental toughness and taking personal responsibility for your outcomes.

And it can play a big role in helping YOU to reach your goals, too.

Psychologists were interested in what led cadets to drop out during their West Point initiation, so they ran a study that spanned 9 different classes.

Now to even get into West Point, you have to go through a long and demanding approval process that can take a couple of years… 

Including being nominated by a member of the U.S. Congress! 

Before classes start, the new cadets are put through “Beast Barracks” initiation.

It’s tough — and it’s designed to push them to their limit, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

And even though they’d already been through an intense process that tested their commitment to getting in…

… about 3% of cadets usually end up QUITTING during Beast Barracks.

Scientists developed a “grit scale” that measured this trait in the cadets. (The psychologist who came up with the scale has an online “grit” quiz here: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale)

They found that those who were just one standard deviation higher on the grit scale were 60% more likely to finish the Beast Barracks than their peers.

But it turns out, “grit” isn’t only important for cadets: Grit (not IQ) plays a big role in both National Spelling Bee competitors and Ivy League students with high GPAs.

They put in the work to make their goals come to life.

“Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” – Samuel Johnson

The best part? 

You have control over your perseverance.

PS: If you’re a woman over 40 who wants to naturally manage her hormones and you want to see if personalized coaching could help you regain your energy and feel amazing in just 12 weeks, book a call to see exactly what the process looks like for you and if it’s the right fit for your goals!

8 ways to become more resilient

This month we’re focused on taking BIG ACTION toward our goals by doubling down on the one thing that will help you move the needle forward in a BIG WAY…

It’s taking PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY (aka practicing resilience, mental toughness, or whatever you want to call it)!

These actions will step up your self-care game AND help you reach (& exceed) your health goals.

8 Ways to Own Your Outcome

 

1. Hold yourself accountable. When you “own your outcome” and take personal responsibility for your life… your decisions, actions, and how you spend your time take on a whole new meaning.

So, when you tell yourself you are going to do something, DO IT. The more often you do this, the easier it gets… and the more progress you will make!

2. Ask for help if you need it. This is a big one because asking for help requires pushing your ego to the side so you can move forward, faster. 

3. Don’t compare yourself to others. We all are born with different strengths, challenges, and gifts. Comparing yourself to others robs you of the ability to express and build on what’s uniquely YOU!
   
   Definitely let other people inspire you… but also let your own gifts shine because you never know who YOU will inspire.
   
   

4. Expect the unexpected and, when it happens, don’t let it derail you. It’s pretty much inevitable that at some point you’re going to fall off track… so plan for it!
   
   There will always be obstacles – the key is to not let them stop you. They give you a chance to grow and learn. New levels, new devils.
   
   

5. Strengthen your inner circle. When you’re close with people who are working toward the same things you are, it will help motivate and inspire you. It can also provide valuable support when things get tough.
   
   

6. Take care of your body. When you eat healthy foods, get enough exercise, sleep well, manage your stress, and do all the self-care things, it gives you the energy you need to not only REACH your goals … but also live a more full and active life.
   
   And that’s what it’s all about, right?
   
   

7. Take action (even when you don’t feel like it). You’re not always going to “feel like it.” And that’s completely normal. Do it anyway, because, in the long run, those micro-commitments you make to yourself aren’t really “micro” at all. 

8. Focus on the positive. Check your inner dialogue… and when it turns negative, course correct ASAP so you don’t end up derailing your progress. (Or worse, quitting altogether.)

Another way to take personal responsibility? Work with a coach to help you stay focused on the exact actions you need to take to get results.