WEIGHT-LOSS SMOOTHIES
When it comes to losing weight, one of the biggest challenges you may face is hunger. The simple fact of the matter is that to lose weight, you have to decrease calories and fat. That often means eating significantly less than you may be accustomed to. The secret is to find foods low in calories and bad fats, yet high in filling ingredients such as fiber to stave off feelings of hunger for several hours. It’s important to have a sustained source of energy as well, because research shows that when people feel tired, they often head to the fridge.
Though all produce is low in calories and generally fat-free, not all are created equal. When your goal is to lose weight, you need to have foods that taste great, keep you full, provide the nutrition you need, and give you the necessary energy to get through the day: this equates to fiber and complex carbs. For your breakfast smoothies, try going a bit sweeter to use that natural sugar as a pick-me-up. For lunch and dinner, go with more fibrous produce that takes somewhat longer to digest, so you don’t suffer that mid-afternoon slump or before-bed craving.
Finally, avoid adding high-calorie or high-fat flavor boosters, such as sugar, plain protein, or full-fat yogurt to your smoothies. Try using your produce on their own—you may be surprised at just how good they taste naturally.
Without further ado, here are some amazing smoothie recipes to help you lose weight and look great without feeling like you’re starving!
The Dish on Negative-Calorie Foods
The Good: Foods such as tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, cabbage, onions, and greens actually require more calories to prepare, eat, digest, and eliminate than they contain. You already know that these foods are nutritious, but now you know that you can eat them in basically unlimited amounts to help you feel full.
The Bad: You still need to incorporate foods that contain carbs and protein to give your body what it needs to function properly, make energy, keep your brain going, and protect you from disease. Plus, if you’re not getting enough calories, your body will think you’re starving and will lower your metabolic rate, making it much more difficult to squeeze back into those skinny jeans!
Cabbage Soup Smoothie
Rich in vegetables that help your body flush toxins, this drink is both delicious and nutritious. Since it’s nutrient dense, you can actually fast with this for a few days, if you so choose to really clean your system out.
• 1/4 head green cabbage
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 6–8 basil leaves
• 1 tomato
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
Blend ingredients well and enjoy.
Yield: About 2 cups.
Skinny Salsa Sauce xxx
Made with many of the same vegetables you find in salsa, this pleasant tasting juice is low in calories and excellent for cleansing and detoxifying your entire system, so your metabolism can function efficiently. The large amounts of chlorophyll help increase your oxygen use, so your body can drop unhealthful excess weight more quickly.
• 2 green onions
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/4 pound wheatgrass
• 1 lime, peeled
• 2 sprigs cilantro
• 1/2 cup water
Blend all ingredients in the order listed.
Yield: About 2 cups.
Vegetable Soup Smoothie xxx
Anyone who’s ever tried to drop a pound—or twenty—has heard of the vegetable soup diet. A delicious play on that concept, this smoothie works especially well as a mini-fast to jump-start your dieting efforts.The cayenne gives it an extra metabolism-boosting kick.
• 1 potato
• 1 green onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Cut the potato into 1-inch pieces.
Blend ingredients together well.
Yield: About 3 cups.
Perfect Pepper Picker-Upper
Greens are an excellent source of chlorophyll as well as B vitamins for energy and minerals that can help suppress food cravings. Capsaicin from the jalapeño may help burn fat, too. This peppery yet refreshing drink will have you skinny in no time!
• 1 cucumber, quartered
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
• 1/2 cup water
Blend ingredients well.
Yield: About 2 cups.
Skinny Spaghetti in a Glass
This smoothie will remind you of a delicious spaghetti sauce because of the basil and tomato combination. It’s a pleasant drink that will help keep you full while providing a potent burst of nutrition.
• 1 clove garlic
• 6 basil leaves
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
• 2 ripe tomatoes
Blend ingredients well. Add a pinch of sea salt if you’d like.
Yield: About 3 cups.
Southwest Slim-down Gazpacho
Hearty vegetables that are low in calories but high in fiber will help satisfy you and keep you full while assisting you in reaching your weight-loss goals. The Southwest flavors blend together to lend the gazpacho a tasty kick that’s sure to be a hit.
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed
• 2 sprigs cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green onion
• 1/4 lime, peeled, plus extra for garnish
Since this is a soup, feel free to leave it a bit chunky if you like. You can control the spiciness by removing the seeds of the jalapeño, or if you’d rather, replace it with a green, sweet pepper. Simply blend all ingredients together, and serve in a bowl. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a lime twist.
Yield: About 2 cups.
When it comes to losing weight, one of the biggest challenges you may face is hunger. The simple fact of the matter is that to lose weight, you have to decrease calories and fat. That often means eating significantly less than you may be accustomed to. The secret is to find foods low in calories and bad fats, yet high in filling ingredients such as fiber to stave off feelings of hunger for several hours. It’s important to have a sustained source of energy as well, because research shows that when people feel tired, they often head to the fridge.
Though all produce is low in calories and generally fat-free, not all are created equal. When your goal is to lose weight, you need to have foods that taste great, keep you full, provide the nutrition you need, and give you the necessary energy to get through the day: this equates to fiber and complex carbs. For your breakfast smoothies, try going a bit sweeter to use that natural sugar as a pick-me-up. For lunch and dinner, go with more fibrous produce that takes somewhat longer to digest, so you don’t suffer that mid-afternoon slump or before-bed craving.
Finally, avoid adding high-calorie or high-fat flavor boosters, such as sugar, plain protein, or full-fat yogurt to your smoothies. Try using your produce on their own—you may be surprised at just how good they taste naturally.
Without further ado, here are some amazing smoothie recipes to help you lose weight and look great without feeling like you’re starving!
The Dish on Negative-Calorie Foods
The Good: Foods such as tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, cabbage, onions, and greens actually require more calories to prepare, eat, digest, and eliminate than they contain. You already know that these foods are nutritious, but now you know that you can eat them in basically unlimited amounts to help you feel full.
The Bad: You still need to incorporate foods that contain carbs and protein to give your body what it needs to function properly, make energy, keep your brain going, and protect you from disease. Plus, if you’re not getting enough calories, your body will think you’re starving and will lower your metabolic rate, making it much more difficult to squeeze back into those skinny jeans!
Cabbage Soup Smoothie
Rich in vegetables that help your body flush toxins, this drink is both delicious and nutritious. Since it’s nutrient dense, you can actually fast with this for a few days, if you so choose to really clean your system out.
• 1/4 head green cabbage
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 6–8 basil leaves
• 1 tomato
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
Blend ingredients well and enjoy.
Yield: About 2 cups.
Skinny Salsa Sauce xxx
Made with many of the same vegetables you find in salsa, this pleasant tasting juice is low in calories and excellent for cleansing and detoxifying your entire system, so your metabolism can function efficiently. The large amounts of chlorophyll help increase your oxygen use, so your body can drop unhealthful excess weight more quickly.
• 2 green onions
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/4 pound wheatgrass
• 1 lime, peeled
• 2 sprigs cilantro
• 1/2 cup water
Blend all ingredients in the order listed.
Yield: About 2 cups.
Vegetable Soup Smoothie xxx
Anyone who’s ever tried to drop a pound—or twenty—has heard of the vegetable soup diet. A delicious play on that concept, this smoothie works especially well as a mini-fast to jump-start your dieting efforts.The cayenne gives it an extra metabolism-boosting kick.
• 1 potato
• 1 green onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Cut the potato into 1-inch pieces.
Blend ingredients together well.
Yield: About 3 cups.
Perfect Pepper Picker-Upper
Greens are an excellent source of chlorophyll as well as B vitamins for energy and minerals that can help suppress food cravings. Capsaicin from the jalapeño may help burn fat, too. This peppery yet refreshing drink will have you skinny in no time!
• 1 cucumber, quartered
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
• 1/2 cup water
Blend ingredients well.
Yield: About 2 cups.
Skinny Spaghetti in a Glass
This smoothie will remind you of a delicious spaghetti sauce because of the basil and tomato combination. It’s a pleasant drink that will help keep you full while providing a potent burst of nutrition.
• 1 clove garlic
• 6 basil leaves
• 1 green bell pepper, de-stemmed
• 2 ripe tomatoes
Blend ingredients well. Add a pinch of sea salt if you’d like.
Yield: About 3 cups.
Southwest Slim-down Gazpacho
Hearty vegetables that are low in calories but high in fiber will help satisfy you and keep you full while assisting you in reaching your weight-loss goals. The Southwest flavors blend together to lend the gazpacho a tasty kick that’s sure to be a hit.
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed
• 2 sprigs cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 green onion
• 1/4 lime, peeled, plus extra for garnish
Since this is a soup, feel free to leave it a bit chunky if you like. You can control the spiciness by removing the seeds of the jalapeño, or if you’d rather, replace it with a green, sweet pepper. Simply blend all ingredients together, and serve in a bowl. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a lime twist.
Yield: About 2 cups.