Do you know what Alessandra Ambrosio, Jessica Alba, Blake Lively, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley have in common? In addition to the fact that all these Hollywood actresses are incredible beauties with flawless figures, they all actively use smoothies to lose weight and have their own recipes for this drink.
For example, Alessandra uses them to enhance the effectiveness of her workouts, Jessica replaces several meals a day with them, Lively organizes fasting days with them, Paltrow uses them daily and Rosie starts her morning with them. The result of such a diet is obvious: all girls look amazing. Shouldn't we follow their example?
Things
Before losing weight with smoothies, you need to understand what it is and how it differs from the same fresh drink. It is a sweet (be careful with this! ) thick drink made from berries, fruits, herbs or vegetables with the addition of juice. So the usual recipes include honey, sugar, dried fruit, stevia, molasses, jam, sweeteners and other sweeteners. But as part of a healthy diet and dietetics, these components are removed, which helps reduce calories.
Unlike fresh juices, smoothies contain not only the liquid part of the components, but also the pulp. Moreover, some peel fruits and vegetables from seeds, peels and membranes, while others grind all this "good" so as not to lose a single gram of vitamins. They therefore contain many more nutrients, are more nutritious and provide a lasting feeling of satiety. This is very important for losing weight, since you will not have to fight the hated hunger, which means that the risk of failure is minimal.
The second difference: to prepare fresh juices a juicer is used, and to prepare smoothies a blender or mixer is used.
Why is it called that?The word "smoothie" dates back to the English "smooth", which translates as "soft, smooth, pleasant".
Effect on the body
Main benefits of smoothies:
- retain vegetable fibres, antioxidants and vitamins;
- contain easily digestible carbohydrates, which provide a boost of liveliness, energy, improved mood and increased performance;
- have an anti-stress effect;
- strengthen the immune system;
- cleanse the body of waste and toxins;
- improve digestion thanks to fibre;
- satiate and quench thirst at the same time;
- promote weight loss.
The latter property is the most important, since many consider this drink to be the basis of a dietary diet. And it is not in vain:
- normalization of digestion leads to the fact that fats are not used as a reserve, but are converted into useful energy;
- cleansing the intestines can remove a couple of kilograms;
- prolonged saturation leads to a decrease in the total daily calorie intake and allows you to maintain the diet until the end;
- the improvement of metabolism activates lipolysis;
- removing excess fluid from the body means losing another 1-2 kg;
- eliminating cholesterol plaques also promotes weight loss;
- The puree-like consistency of the cocktails normalizes the sea salt balance.
So smoothies have an ongoing benefit for health in general and weight loss in particular. True, to extract it you need to be able to prepare it correctly. After all, the presence of high-calorie foods and sweeteners in the composition can lead to the opposite result.
Through the pages of history.Nobody knows exactly who and when invented this drink and called it that. The first version says that the term appeared among hippies, and the second claims that such cocktails were invented by Pacific surfers.
Types
There are different types of shakes and you need to know which types can be used for weight loss and which cannot.
Burn fat
Some foods contain substances that activate the production of growth hormone. These are vitamin C, taurine, methionine, magnesium and iodine. Under their influence, cells begin to divide intensively (nails thicken, hair stops falling out and becomes thicker, muscle mass increases), requiring additional energy from the body. This leads to the consumption of fat reserves.
Another group of foods has the so-called "negative calorie content": more energy is spent on their processing than they can provide to the body. And once again the fat reserves are used up.
These products are called fat burners and if you prepare a smoothie from them, the effect will not be long in coming. Here is their list:
Vegetables:
- broccoli;
- carrot;
- cucumbers;
- tomatoes;
- cabbage;
- beet;
- pumpkin;
- cauliflower.
Green:
- leaf salad;
- rocket;
- celery;
- asparagus;
- spinach;
- Sorrel.
Fruit:
- avocado;
- pineapple;
- oranges;
- Grapefruits;
- Kiwi;
- lemons;
- Mango;
- mandarins;
- apples.
Berries:
- strawberry;
- blueberry;
- raspberries;
- currant;
- blueberry.
Drinks (by dilution):
- Pineapple juice;
- waterfall;
- green tea;
- kefir;
- mineral water;
- tomato juice.
Fat burning shakes are the most effective for eliminating fat deposits in problem areas of the body; they can be used to lose belly fat.
Dietary
Losing weight is only possible if you burn more calories per day than you take in. Accordingly, it is necessary to increase physical activity and reduce calorie intake. Diet shakes made from foods with a minimum amount of calories will help with this. They are prepared mainly from vegetables, since berries and fruits contain more sugar.
Recommended products (calorie content less than 40):
| Products | Kcal |
|---|---|
| Watermelons | 27 |
| Broccoli | 34 |
| Blueberry | 39 |
| Grapefruits | 35 |
| Melons | 35 |
| blue raspberry | 34 |
| Zuchinis | 24 |
| Brussels sprouts | 35 |
| Cabbage | 16 |
| Cabbage | 28 |
| Cauliflower | thirty |
| Blueberry | 28 |
| Lemons | 34 |
| Mandarins | 38 |
| Carrot | 35 |
| Sea cabbage | 25 |
| cucumbers | 14 |
| Pomelo | 38 |
| Tomatoes | 24 |
| Leaf lettuce | 16 |
| Celery | 34 |
| Pumpkin | 22 |
| Spinach | 23 |
But it is not recommended to abuse these products (calorie content above 50):
| Products | Kcal |
|---|---|
| Avocado | 160 |
| Pineapple | 52 |
| Bananas | 96 |
| Grape | 72 |
| Cherry | 52 |
| Grenades | 72 |
| Durians | 147 |
| Potato | 77 |
| Mango | 60 |
| Sea buckthorn | 82 |
| Red rowan | 50 |
| Rowan aronia | 55 |
| Jerusalem artichoke | 61 |
| Feijoa | 61 |
| Persimmons | 67 |
| Cherries | 52 |
| Garlic | 149 |
| Mulberry | 50 |
| Rosehip | 109 |
Diet shakes are recommended for overall weight loss as part of any weight loss program.
Detoxifying
Making smoothies with foods known for their cleansing properties is an excellent detox drink. They can be used to organize fasting days.
What we cook from:
- from vegetables: lettuce, dill, celery, parsley;
- from drinks: mineral water, freshly squeezed juices, green tea;
- from vegetables: beets, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, pumpkins;
- from oats and bran;
- from nuts;
- from dried fruit;
- from fruit: plums, apples, cherries, lemons, peaches, pears, apricots, grapefruits, oranges;
- from berries: blackcurrant, strawberry, cranberry, cranberry, gooseberry.
What we try not to add:
- alcohol;
- coffee;
- condiments;
- radish;
- spices;
- seeds;
- Tender;
- spinach;
- Sorrel.
Detox shakes are recommended for general body slag, as well as for cleansing certain organs and systems.
Dairy/protein/protein
If you dilute fruits and berries in a smoothie with milk, kefir, yogurt or whey, they will become a good source of protein for the body. During weight loss, it plays an important role. With its deficiency, energy begins to be extracted mainly from muscle fibers, and not from fat reserves. Their breakdown leads to a general exhaustion of the body. Proteins prevent this, promote the building of muscle mass and redirect all forces to the burning adipocytes.
Protein shakes are suitable for those who are actively involved in sports and are not just losing weight, but are sculpting their body so that it is slim, beautiful and sculpted.
This is interesting.In American bars, a distinction is made between "thick" and "thin" smoothies. The latter contains no additional sweeteners and eliminates the natural sugar contained in berries and fruits.
Cooking characteristics
The great thing about smoothies is that they are quick and easy to prepare at home with the blender or with the help of a mixer. However, there are also secrets that can make it even more useful and effective.
General recommendations
Smoothie components: solid components (fruits, vegetables, herbs, berries) and liquid components (most often juice or water). No canned products are used. But frozen fruits and berries will come in handy in hot weather.
To lose weight, you can't make smoothies only from fruit - they contain a lot of fructose and glucose. It is better to dilute with leafy greens and greens. All ingredients must be natural, it is better to choose seasonal products. They must be washed thoroughly.
Some people recommend removing the peel, seeds, pith, and pith (the white subcutaneous layer of citrus fruits) from fruits and vegetables because they may contain toxins and give a softer texture. But everyone decides for himself. Albedo, for example, has a very high concentration of useful substances.
There is a heated debate about soy milk in smoothies. On the one hand it reduces the overall calorie content and is ideal for vegetarians. On the other hand, lately we are talking more and more about soy as a GMO product.
Many vitamins and minerals are absorbed only with the help of fats. Therefore, it is recommended to add 1 teaspoon of any of the fat-containing products to the smoothie: avocado puree, olive oil or sour cream.
Advise.To properly prepare a smoothie in a blender, you need the highest grinding speed.
Universal recipe
- Squeeze the juice used for dilution.
- Tear leafy greens with your hands.
- Blend the herbs and freshly squeezed juice (can be replaced with water, green tea or milk drinks) in a blender for 1 minute.
- Cut fruit and vegetables into large pieces and add them to the blender along with the berries. Beat for 1-1, 5 minutes.
- Pour into a glass, garnish with mint sprigs (traditional garnish), whole berries and pre-ground nuts (warning: they are very caloric and can ruin your weight loss results).
Ideal proportions
- Fruit and berry smoothies = 40% leafy greens + 60% fruit and berries.
- Vegetables = 70% greens + 30% fruits and berries.
- Greens = 40% greens + 40% leafy greens + 20% fruits and berries.
The amount of liquid base is selected "by eye". If you need to get a nutritious cocktail that acts as a separate dish and replaces an entire meal, add no more than 50 ml per serving (250-300 ml). In summer, to quench your thirst, you can take more liquid: 100-150 ml.
Some supplements in minimal quantities (literally a pinch) will help improve the fat burning effect:
- vanillin;
- Goji;
- ginger;
- cocoa powder;
- cinnamon;
- Peruvian poppy;
- peanuts;
- protein;
- bee pollen;
- flax seeds, sesame, chia, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower;
- spirulina, algae, chlorella;
- Lemon peel.
Ideal combinations
Fruit:
- banana+pineapple+green apple+spinach;
- banana + peach + cucumber + lettuce;
- banana + dates + avocado + lettuce + soy milk + ground cinnamon;
- banana + green apple + strawberry;
- green apple+apricot+carrots+spinach;
- green apple + kiwi + strawberry;
- green apple + strawberry + blackcurrant.
Vegetables:
- bell pepper + green apple + lettuce + pumpkin seeds;
- carrots + green apple + cucumber + avocado + spinach;
- carrots + beets + cucumber + green apple + lettuce + parsley;
- carrots+celery+green apple;
- cucumber + broccoli + pineapple;
- pumpkin + carrots.
Green:
- banana+pineapple+spinach+avocado;
- banana + green apple + lettuce;
- green apple + celery sticks + lettuce + spinach + parsley + almond milk;
- mango + cucumber + lettuce.
If you are preparing your own recipe, remember the golden rule: the ideal drink includes no more than 5 solid ingredients, 1-2 spices and 1 liquid to dilute.
You cannot add ice cream, jam, sugar or other sweeteners that increase the calorie content and are harmful to weight loss.
Interesting fact.Even in American bars, smoothies are divided into types depending on the effect they have. Before ordering, the customer is asked what exactly he wants: to relax or cheer up, cheer up or calm down, quench his thirst or eat.
Weight loss plans
Once you've mastered the art of making smoothies, it's time to choose a weight loss program and learn how to drink it properly. The results will also largely depend on this.
First you need to distribute its types according to meals:
- for breakfast it is better to drink the most high-calorie fruit smoothies that will charge you with energy for the whole day;
- for lunch make them as nutritious and dense as possible, vegetable and multi-ingredient ones are suitable;
- For dinner, green ones would be an ideal option, as they improve digestion, preparing the gastrointestinal tract for night rest;
- at lunch and as a snack, before or after training (+/- half an hour), drink protein shakes: they will preserve muscle mass;
- At night, you can drink a single-ingredient drink (for example, orange or strawberry) with a small addition of low-fat kefir.
Now straight to the weight loss plans.
Fasting day
During the day you need to drink 2. 5 liters of plain water and 1 liter of low-calorie detox smoothie in small portions (it is better to take the simplest recipes, from 1-2 products). For the first 2 months, organize such drains weekly, then once every 2 weeks. The result is minus 1-1. 5 kg per day.
Mono-diet
You will have to completely give up solid foods and replace all meals with shakes. It can be different, it can come from some specific products (for example, focus on vegetables, greens or fruits). A significant disadvantage of such weight loss is intestinal disorders at the end of the diet, since the stomach does not get used to digesting solid foods. Duration: 3 to 7 days, no more. The result is minus 3-4 kg.
Diet
The smoothie diet does not involve replacing all meals with these drinks, but only one or two. This allows you to avoid problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Breakfast is generally chosen because it is important in the morning to give a boost of energy for the day, and/or instead of dinner to lighten the stomach's work during the night. Duration: 1-2 weeks. The result is minus 5-6 kg.
As a sports supplement
Against the background of a healthy diet or any diet, protein shakes can be drunk not only to lose weight, but also to maintain and build muscle mass. To do this, you need to drink the drink 30-60 minutes before training and at the same time after.
Regular use
To maintain a normal weight and not gain weight, it is useful to drink a glass of diet shake at lunch or an afternoon snack as a preventive measure as part of a healthy diet.
A spoonful of tar.Frequent consumption of shakes leads to the development of dental caries.
Recipes
Since the mixer still has much lower power and whipping speed, we offer recipes for an ideal blender for making smoothies.
*Note.The calorie content of each dish is indicated per 100 ml of drink, and not according to the proportions prescribed in the recipe.
Vegetable smoothies
- From pumpkin (40 kcal)
Coarsely chop the pumpkin pulp (250 g) and 1 banana. Pour 100 ml of 1% kefir. Beat in a blender.
- From broccoli (75 kcal)
Tear lettuce leaves (50 g) with your hands and pour 200 ml of 1% kefir into them. Beat in a blender. Add chopped broccoli (150 g), add coriander seeds (10 g). Mix.
A hearty broccoli drink can replace a full lunch. It is also called cream soup.
- From beets (90 kcal)
Cut the spinach (150 g) and asparagus (250 g) into large pieces with your hands. Pour in beetroot juice (150 ml), beat in a blender. Add boiled beets (150 g), cut into large pieces and 2 figs. Beat the ingredients again.
This dish makes an even more delicious lunch than broccoli.
- Carrot (79 kcal)
Chop 1 carrot and 1 green apple. Pour 100 ml of 1. 5% milk and 100 ml of Greek yogurt. Add 50 g of oat flour. Beat in a blender.
Fruit smoothies
- From kiwi (63 kcal)
Chop 2 kiwis, add 50 g of oatmeal, pour in 200 ml of low-fat kefir.
- With pineapple (60 kcal)
Chop 1 banana, 1 hard pear, 100 g of pineapple, add 5 strawberries. Pour 100 ml of soy milk. Hit.
- With grapefruit (80 kcal)
Cut ½ grapefruit and ½ orange into large pieces (without white fibers), pour over 200 ml of low-fat yogurt without additives or colorings. Beat in a blender.
- From avocado (100 kcal)
Grind 50 g of parsley, dill, coriander leaves. Pour 200 ml of natural mineral water. Hit. Cut 2 cucumbers, 2 avocados into pieces, add them to the green mass. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Pour 50 ml of lemon juice. Mix with a blender.
A very satisfying and tasty drink that can easily replace any meal.
- Banana (60 kcal)
Coarsely chop 200 g of banana pulp, 150 g of kiwi, add 5-6 pitted plums. Pour in the natural low-fat yogurt (200 ml). For taste, add 10 g of honey.
Green smoothies
- From celery (44 kcal)
Mix the chopped parsley, dill and rocket for a total of 200 g. . Chop 3 celery stalks. Add 200 ml of kefir (minimum fat content), ½ tsp. olive oil. Beat in a blender.
- With spinach (47 kcal)
Tear 100 g of spinach, pour 100 ml of cold green tea. Hit. Add 50 g of green apple and kiwi cut into pieces.
- With spinach and celery (30 kcal)
Pour large pieces of spinach leaves and celery stalks (100 g each) with mineral water (100 ml). Mix in a blender. Add 50 g of green apple, kiwi and cucumber. Beat again.
"Stellar" recipes.
- Green by Alessandra Ambrosio (50 kcal)
Tear 400 g of spinach, pour in 400 ml of almond milk. Hit. Cut 1 apple and 1 banana into pieces, add them to the milk and spinach mixture together with 50 g of oat flakes. Add a pinch of cinnamon and a spoonful of coconut oil. Mix again.
Divide into 2 portions and drink half an hour before training and half an hour after.
- Cabbage by Jessica Alba (58 kcal)
Coarsely chop the kale (400 g), mix it with the Greek yogurt (200 ml). Add 50 g of raspberries and blackberries, 20 ml of honey. Beat again.
Drink instead of breakfast or lunch.
- Blake Lively apple (54 kcal)
Coarsely chopped celery sticks (100 g), chopped coriander (10 g) and pour in coconut water (100 ml). Mix. Add chopped kiwi (2 pieces), avocado (1 piece). Mix in a blender.
Here's how Blake Lively organizes fasting days.
- Coconut by Gwyneth Paltrow (45 kcal)
Chop the pulp of 1 coconut, pour in the coconut milk from the same fruit, add 100 ml of aloe juice and 20 g of chopped coriander. Hit.
Paltrow claims that with regular use of this drink, fasting days are not needed: it perfectly cleans all organs and systems from toxins.
- With chia seeds from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (59 kcal)
Pour chopped cabbage (200 g) with coconut milk (200 ml). Mix. Add the avocado (1 pc. ), the apple (½), the chia seeds (10 g). Beat in a blender.
Rosie drinks this drink every morning instead of breakfast.
Winter smoothies
- Chocolate (109 kcal)
Mix frozen raspberries (250 g), honey (10 g), low-fat fermented cooked milk (100 ml), dark chocolate (30 g) in a blender.
- Apple (30 kcal)
Apples are on store shelves all year round, so you can use them to make diet drinks even in winter. 100 g of any vegetable (it is necessary in the cold season to increase immunity) pour 200 ml of mineral water. Add 100 g of chopped apples and the same amount of kiwi. Beat again.
- Mandarin (48 kcal)
Pour 100 ml of low-fat kefir and 100 ml of orange juice into the slices of three mandarins. Hit. Add a couple of frozen berries on top. A great option for losing weight during the New Year holidays.
More recipes
- With oatmeal (79 kcal)
Cut 1 slightly unripe banana, add 100 ml of soy milk and 100 ml of Greek yogurt. Hit. Add 50 g of oat flakes, a pinch of cinnamon and 10 ml of honey. Mix.
- From kefir (43 kcal)
Pour 50 g of chopped wheat sprouts with 200 ml of low-fat kefir and 50 ml of natural yogurt. Mix. Add 100 g of strawberries and 10 ml of honey. Beat again.
- With ricotta (62 kcal)
Mix 400 g of low-fat ricotta, 150 g of blueberries, 200 ml of low-fat milk. The recipe for the ideal protein drink for athletes.
These are the best smoothies for weight loss, recommended by nutritionists and with many positive reviews. Be sure to try different recipes to see which works best for you. All organisms are so different that some lost weight thanks to banana smoothies, despite their high calorie content, while others just need to drink a glass of green tea every day to maintain their normal figure.