I am not usually a fan of drinking your calories. There are many reasons for this. If you are trying to lose weight, it is almost always a better idea to eat your foods whole instead of blending or juicing them. Eating a plate full of steamed veggies or a large salad is going to fill up your belly and hold off your hunger for much longer than a glass of juice. Most juicers remove the peel, seeds, and all the fiber from your veggies which is definitely not desirable from a nutritional perspective. All that fiber helps to keep your blood sugar in check and keep your colon running smoothly.
If you are using whole foods and simply blending them in a blender or Vitamix, you are not removing any of the fiber or the nutrients. The only downside here is that pre-blended food eliminates all of the chewing action and also speeds up the digestion process. This means quicker consumption of your calories, quicker emptying of your stomach and thus (often) quicker return of hunger.
For these reasons, I don't usually recommend smoothies, shakes, or juicing to my clients who are trying to achieve weight loss. However, for folks who are at their desired weight, smoothies and shakes can be quick, easy to prepare, and delicious meal substitutes. For athletes who want something that is healthy and quick to digest before or after a vigorous workout, shakes often are the perfect choice.
Keep in mind that it is important to measure your ingredients carefully to ensure you don't overload on the fruit and thus ramp up your carb count. To create a balanced, healthy shake, you need enough protein and fat to balance out those carbs. Usually at breakfast, I take a teaspoon of fish oil for my fat. If you don't, then chomp down a few nuts with this smoothie. Or add the optional chia or hemp seeds and blend well. WARNING: smoothie with seeds may be more of a "crunchie"!
Ingredients:
One half of a SMALL banana (frozen is great!)
One half of a SMALL navel orange, peeled
1/2-1 cup strawberries (frozen is fine as long as unsweetened)
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
One teaspoon chia or hemp seeds (both are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids) OPTIONAL
Blend all ingredients, adding just a drop of water if necessary. Drink immediately! YUM! This smoothie is deliciously sweet with absolutely no sugar added.
If you are using whole foods and simply blending them in a blender or Vitamix, you are not removing any of the fiber or the nutrients. The only downside here is that pre-blended food eliminates all of the chewing action and also speeds up the digestion process. This means quicker consumption of your calories, quicker emptying of your stomach and thus (often) quicker return of hunger.
For these reasons, I don't usually recommend smoothies, shakes, or juicing to my clients who are trying to achieve weight loss. However, for folks who are at their desired weight, smoothies and shakes can be quick, easy to prepare, and delicious meal substitutes. For athletes who want something that is healthy and quick to digest before or after a vigorous workout, shakes often are the perfect choice.
Keep in mind that it is important to measure your ingredients carefully to ensure you don't overload on the fruit and thus ramp up your carb count. To create a balanced, healthy shake, you need enough protein and fat to balance out those carbs. Usually at breakfast, I take a teaspoon of fish oil for my fat. If you don't, then chomp down a few nuts with this smoothie. Or add the optional chia or hemp seeds and blend well. WARNING: smoothie with seeds may be more of a "crunchie"!
Ingredients:
One half of a SMALL banana (frozen is great!)
One half of a SMALL navel orange, peeled
1/2-1 cup strawberries (frozen is fine as long as unsweetened)
6 oz. plain Greek yogurt
One teaspoon chia or hemp seeds (both are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids) OPTIONAL
Blend all ingredients, adding just a drop of water if necessary. Drink immediately! YUM! This smoothie is deliciously sweet with absolutely no sugar added.
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