My Clean Green Protein Shake

One of the health changes I wanted to implement at the start of this year was to do 7 days of intermittent fasting (IF) per month. Research suggests our hunter gather ancestors would’ve been forced to do IF due to the unpredictable nature of food availability. I used a compressed eating window, fasting for 20 hours of the day between 6pm and 2pm, for 7 days of the first week of each month. Initially it was tough, but after the first few months, it become quite easy. I am still doing the compressed eating window for the first week of the month but I am now IF most days, eating “breakfast” only when hunger ensured naturally.

One of the main things I used to break my fast was the Clean Green Protein Shake. I usually workout in a fasted state in the morning and discovered this shake as an experiment. I wanted something that had some protein, some good fats and a little carb to restore muscle glycogen stores.

I would have this shake about mid morning, an hour or so after exercise. The reason I like to wait at least an hour is because exercise causes the body to release adaptive hormones, Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone. Eating causing our bodies to release among other hormones, cortisol-which is testosterones counter hormone. Releasing cortisol flushes the adaptive hormones that are working in our body to grow, repair and strengthen muscles. So eating directly after a workout flushes the hormones that are working to make our bodies stronger and more adaptive to the stresses we are putting it under during exercise. Waiting that little bit of extra time to eat allows the adaptive hormones to stay in the body longer and do their job, makes a better, stronger and more adaptive to the workout we have just completed!

This experimental Shake turned out to be tasty, clean and green and had all the right things for a post fasted state workout.

Here is my recipe:

1 tray of Ice-blitzed in the Theromix (or any blender).

100ml of Cream

100ml of Cold Water

1 Frozen Banana

1 tbs of Vital Greens- Just Greens Powder

1 Scoop of Thriving Raw Vegan Protein Powder

1 tbs of Chia Seeds

1 scoop of Boomers Creatine Powder

2 tbs of Cacao Powder.

I mix the ice so it is completely crushed then throw in all the other ingredients and mix them for 30-45 seconds on the highest speed. Of course you can throw in whatever green powder or protein powder you like!

Enjoy!