Green Smoothies for Weight Loss

Green smoothies are an ideal fat burning food as they are nutrient-rich, loaded with fiber and low in fat. However, there is an art to making a weight loss smoothie.

These seven tips will help you create the perfect weight loss shake.

Tip #1: Start with water or plant milks. Water or plant milks like almond, coconut, hemp and cashew milk are low in fat and calories. Almond milk helps give your weight loss green smoothie a creamy texture, while making it more filling. It’s also very easy to make.

While it might be tempting to use milk or yogurt, I don’t recommend using these foods in green smoothies. Milk and yogurt add unnecessary fat and calories and have other possible negative health consequences that could undermine your health and weight loss goals.

Tip #2: Add a pinch of healthy fat. Add 1/4 of an avocado, or a tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseed, or some fresh young coconut to give your smoothie some heart healthy fats. Nut milks are good, too!

Fat doesn’t make you fat. Healthy, plant-based fats are good for you and can help you lose weight.

Keep the fat content low, however, as too much fat and fruit in the same green smoothie might cause gas and bloating. Fat is also a dense source of calories. While calories from whole foods are better for you, too many calories from any source may sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Tip #3: Sweeten it with fruit. Don’t be afraid to use bananas (not too ripe though), mangoes, grapes, and other sweet fruit in a weight loss green smoothie. These fruits will sweeten your smoothies without making you fat. The naturally-occurring sugars found in fruits do not cause weight gain.

Skip the honey, agave, and maple syrup. Any concentrated sugars will turn a healthy, weight loss smoothie into a sugar bomb. Refined and concentrated, processed sugar will hinder your ability to lose weight.

If you absolutely must add a sweetener to your smoothie, try dates. However, wean yourself off of them as soon as you can since dates are a dried food with concentrated sugars.

Tip #4: Use a quality plant-based meal replacement powder in your green smoothies or alone; it helps you feel full and satisfied. Shakeology® is what I use it's so incredible, there's nothing out there that can supply you with the dense nutrients, vitamins, proteins, and minerals in these amounts the way one delicious shake can. Making it a meal. I have found it very effective to use green smoothies as a meal replacement. Replacing one meal each day with a smoothie is an easy way to lower daily calorie intake. It also increase your consumption of fruits and vegetables while boosting your water and fiber intake – all great things for weight loss.

Most recipes in my "FREE" Fuel Your Body The Healthy Way Smoothie Recipe Guide are around 350 calories. This is NOT a lot of calories for a weight loss meal. My green smoothie meals fill me up without making me hungry (and susceptible to cravings) an hour later.

By the way, the best time to have a weight loss green smoothie is in the morning. Have it for breakfast and you’re less likely to crave unhealthy foods at lunch.

Tip #5: Stick with fresh, whole foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables and dark leafy greens are packed full of fiber, naturally water rich, and full of micronutrients that boost your metabolism.

If you are looking to save money, buy frozen fruits or buy fresh in bulk and freeze for later use. Avoid canned fruit as it is often soaked in syrup and nutritionally inferior to fresh fruit.

Tip #6: Don’t rely only on green smoothies for weight loss. Green smoothies can certainly help you lose weight, but a long-term change in diet and lifestyle will provide long term results.

While green smoothies were instrumental in my 30-pound weight loss, I could not have gained all of the health benefits and reached my weight loss goal without also cleaning up other areas of my diet.

I have found that green smoothies work best when they are part of a balanced, whole foods diet. 60 Quick & Easy Whole Food Recipes

Tip #7: Move Your Body. You have to get moving. Slow and steady wins the race. Try walking. If you have not been exercising take it slow. Check out my blog post "Walking Isn't Crowded"

The Best Weight Loss Smoothie Foods

All fruits and vegetables are great for weight loss, but there are a few that stand out in the crowd. Foods that are low in calories and high in fiber are going make weight loss more effective.

Some of the best ingredients to add to your weight loss green smoothies are grapefruit, pumpkin, kale, apples (with skin), blueberries, pomegranates, chia seeds, raspberries, pears (with skin), strawberries, bananas, oranges, broccoli, celery, cucumber, carrots and all leafy greens.

Even raw oats can provide a filing texture to a green smoothie while adding protein, healthy fat and fiber.

Weight Loss Smoothie Ratio

A good ratio of fruits to greens that I recommend for weight loss smoothies is this: 2 pieces of fruit (a banana and apple, for example) to 2 or 3 cups (packed) or handfuls of leafy greens (spinach, kale, collards) and 8 ounces of water or homemade nut milk.

Add either a tablespoon of chia seeds (soaked in water for 5 minutes), 1/4 avocado, or 1/4 cup of raw oats. Finish with a scoop of protein powder, if desired.

(Apple Tip: remove core with seeds from apples before blending or juicing. I prefer granny smith apples when available. Some of the reasons why I choose Granny Smith apples, over the other varieties: They are particularly high in antioxidants that neutralize free radicals in the body, preventing chronic diseases.They have high content of certain metabolite phytonutrients that make them a good “weight loss” food choice.)

Cleansing with green smoothies is easy and can help you effectively lose weight (and bust through a plateau), increase energy, sleep better, improve digestion, decrease bloating, crave healthy foods, and clear away the mental fog.

Do you want a little more help with your weight loss goals? Following a plan and putting a support system in place will help you reach your ideal weight faster, and with a greater chance of success. Hire A Health Coach

To Your Divine Health!

Ellen

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