Why the Blender is Essential Home Gym Equipment

There aren’t many things that you “have” to have in a home gym, but I would say that a good blender is one of them. I have had dozens of blenders over the years and I use mine every day.  Throw away all your pre-made energy drinks, recovery drinks, or protein shakes, and just make your own!

Glass bodies are going to be the hardiest, and I happen to think things taste better from a glass vessel than they do from plastic.  I also prefer a blender base that only has 3 settings: on, off, pulse.  Less things to go wrong there, and I find the motors are generally more powerful in these.

Now, I’m also a protein powder snob, so your journey might start there: experimenting with different protein powders until you find what’s right for you.  This is probably the most critical element–the crux of the smoothie, if you will–so read the labels on those proteins.  Depending on your values, your personal goals, and the peculiarities of your own food tolerances and digestion, each person is going to do best with a different protein powder.  Some are animal-based, some are plant-based, most are made from either dairy or soy.  Some have added sugar, or artificial sweeteners, some are completely unsweetened.  Some come from organic ingredients.  Same are basically just a chemical sludge.  Read labels, taste test, and find your strike-zone.  Currently, I’m using the beef collagen peptides from Vital Proteins.

Your second major consideration for a post-exercise drink (after protein) is carbohydrates.  I prefer to use fresh fruit (usually a banana) & frozen berries because of the phytonutrients & fiber, rather than using a recovery powder, honey, or other form of sugar.  Again, this all depends on the individual, so powders and gels and syrups might be for you, but they’re not for me.  This ability to individualize your recipe and control every ingredient is what makes the blender an essential piece of home gym equipment.

The smoothie-to-be in the picture is one of my favorite recipes: 2 cups water, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 scoops beef collagen peptides, 1 organic banana, a handful of frozen spinach, and a cup of frozen organic triple-berry blend (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries).  Now all that’s left to do is flip the switch!