Living a Healthy Lifestyle with GreenChoice Role Model: Charlie Green

“Having a healthy and sustainable lifestyle also means that you are enjoying life.

Recognizing that some days may not be as healthy as others, or exactly what you had planned for, is important and critical to maintaining this lifestyle.”

— Charlie Green

Here at GreenChoice, we’re on a mission to empower people to create a healthy, just, and sustainable world through their daily food choices. Improving our food system and the health of our country depends on the action of many people. With all that is going on in the world, we understand how important it is to spotlight people who are living healthy and sustainable lives and inspiring others to do the same.

Know someone living a life of health and sustainability who deserves recognition? Submit them to be featured.

We are excited to introduce you to one of our inspiring Health and Sustainability Role Models, Charlie Green— a recipe developer and avid grocery shopper who loves sharing easy and healthy recipes on her Instagram @smooothie_operator.

The opinions expressed in this interview are Charlie’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of GreenChoice.

Why is living a healthy lifestyle important to you?

My days can get pretty busy between work, my food Instagram, seeing friends, and making time for a workout. I find that healthy eating keeps my energy levels much higher throughout the day, and that being intentional about food provokes me to be intentional about other areas of my life. This contributes to me being more productive and focused throughout my day.

What does living a healthy lifestyle mean to you?

Health to me is feeling well physically and mentally. I do this by eating healthy, but also making sure I allocate time to check in on those around me. Being thoughtful about the environment is a huge piece of thinking about those around you and future generations, and is fundamental to a healthy lifestyle.

What is the hardest part of living a healthy lifestyle?

For me it’s sustaining this lifestyle, and not letting things derail or set back the larger goal. Having a healthy and sustainable lifestyle also means that you are enjoying life. I try to make choices that are as healthy as possible without hampering the fun I am having, because that is not sustainable in the long run. Recognizing that some days may not be as healthy as others, or exactly what you had planned for, is important and critical to maintaining this lifestyle.

What are you looking for when you go grocery shopping?

I LOVE this question because grocery shopping is one of my favorite hobbies – before COVID I would go to a grocery store almost every day to survey food options and brainstorm dinner. There are a few basics I make sure I have in my fridge at all times. At the start of my week I buy 7 boxes of Gotham Greens lettuce (their butterhead is amazing) and I eat this as a base for most of the lunches and dinners that I cook (lettuce buns and wraps, salads, etc), I usually also top with Gotham’s Green Goddess dressing. I tried their lettuce about a year ago, and haven’t been able to go back to any other lettuce brand. In addition, I like to have a glass of water with some apple cider vinegar to start my day, and then will move onto an Iced coffee (always use Silk’s vanilla soy milk in this), so I make sure to have all of those supplies on hand. Other ingredients I like to keep on hand are Perfect Bar’s reeses cups for when I need something sweet, cheeses, and a wide variety of different sauces (love siracha, mayo, hummuses.)

Have you used GreenChoice to implement your healthy lifestyle? What do you think of the app?

Yes, I love this app! I think it’s incredibly important to be mindful about how your ingredients are made. This app is ideal for when I am between ingredients in the grocery store, and helps me select the ingredients that are the most sustainable.

What piece of advice would you share with someone who’s interested in living a healthy lifestyle?

If you are trying to make your lifestyle healthier and more sustainable, you don’t need to make any drastic changes. The main goal is to maintain this lifestyle in the long run, and drastic changes may serve as a quick solution but rarely last for a while. I have found that small incremental changes work best for me.

You can follow Charlie on Instagram @smooothie_operator.

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GreenChoice, PBC has evaluated and rated more than 340,000 food & beverage products across hundreds of attributes related to diet, health, and sustainability. Easily find the best products for you, the planet, & your budget. Download the free GreenChoice app for Apple iOS or Android!

Sydney W

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