I'm a Celebrity Trainer and This is the Only Smoothie I Can't Live Without

Ask almost any person who is in great shape what they eat in a day, and some type of smoothie or protein shake is likely on the menu. Why? Blending together healthy fruits and veggies with digestible protein sources and downing them in beverage form is an easy and efficient way to get the nutrients you need to fuel your body. Fitness influencer and celebrity personal trainer Massy Arias, who sweats with the likes of Gabrielle Union-Wade and Chris Hemsworth, recently shared the smoothie recipe she can't live without – and it tastes really good. 

In an Instagram video shared with her 2.7 million followers, Arias explains that you can satisfy your sweet tooth while treating your body to a healthy dose of nutrition. "Instead of falling for the sugary drinks with no nutritional value, let me show you how to make smoothies that cut your cravings, help build 💪🏽, and are actually good for your overall health," she writes in the caption. 

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Her smoothie is "loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and protein," and "It tastes incredible and you can treat them as a meal, a snack, or your post workout fuel," she maintains. She adds that it helps keep you "focused with sustained energy throughout the day" and will help you "feel satiated, but not bloated."

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A post shared by Massy Arias (@massy.arias)

Massy Arias' Smoothie Recipe

• 1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree
• 1 Banana, frozen
• 1/4 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 6 Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins (optional)
• 2 tbsp Pecans
• 1 scoop Vanilla Cream protein @tru_supplements
• About 1 cup of ice
• 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Totals:

• Calories: 484
• Protein: 28.5g
• Fiber: 9.1
• Fat: 15.5
• Carbs: 54

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She also offers a modified "lite version," which omits the graham crackers and only includes half a banana and one tablespoon of pecans instead of two. It cuts the calories down to 324, reduces protein to 26.5 g, fiber to 6.55g, and the fat down to 9g.

The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, also endorses smoothies as a healthy and satisfying meal. "The key if you are making it as a meal replacer is to make sure you have at least 20 grams of protein from greek yogurt and/or protein powder of some sort," she says.  If she were to modify the recipe, she would cut out the crackers, "because you can't really taste them and it is contributing some extra calories," but she loves that it has "fruit, protein, and some healthy fats from the pecans."

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She also offers another trick when it comes to making smoothies: "Use cooking extracts to add flavor," she suggests. "For example, I will use vanilla protein powder, banana, ice, milk, cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract. You can find coconut, almond, coffee, raspberry, orange, etc. to boost up the flavor and change things up without needing to buy multiple flavors of protein powder. I usually just buy vanilla protein powder because it goes with everything! If I want chocolate I use cocoa powder. If I want peanut butter, I use powdered peanut butter."

Another tip for those on a plant-based diet? "You can easily make smoothies vegan with plant based milk and plant based protein powder or you can use cow's milk and whey protein if you do dairy," she says. 

💪🔥Body Booster: Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to sacrifice sweets. You can satisfy your sweet tooth, while reaping nutritional benefits with a protein, healthy fats, and fiber-filled smoothie.