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 impeccable figures, they all actively use smoothies to lose weight and have their own recipes for this drink.
For example, Alessandra uses them to increase the effectiveness of her workouts, Jessica replaces several meals a day with them, Lively adjusts her fasting days with them, Paltrow uses them every day and Rosie starts her morning with them. The result of such a diet is obvious: all the girls look amazing. Shouldn't we follow their example?
What is it
Before you lose weight with a smoothie, you need to understand what it is and how it differs from the same fresh drink. It is a sweet (pay attention to this! ) thick drink made from berries, fruits, herbs or vegetables with the addition of juice. So, common recipes include honey, sugar, dried fruit, stevia, molasses, jam, sweetener and other sweeteners. But as part of a healthy diet and diet, these ingredients are removed, which helps reduce calories.
Unlike fresh juices, smoothies contain not only the liquid part of the ingredients, but also the pulp. In addition, some peel fruits and vegetables from seeds, skins and membranes, while others grind all this "goodness" in order not to lose a single gram of vitamins. Therefore, they contain much more nutrients, are more nutritious and provide a feeling of long-term 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: a juicer is used to make fresh juices, and a blender or mixer is used to make smoothies.
Why is it called that?The word "smoothie" turns into English "smooth", which translates as "soft, smooth, pleasant".
Effect on the body
The main benefits of smoothies:
- preserve plant fibers, antioxidants and vitamins;
- contain easily digestible carbohydrates, which provide a boost of vitality, energy, mood improvement and increased performance;
- have an anti-stress effect;
- strengthening the immune system;
- cleanse the body of waste and toxins;
- improves digestion thanks to fiber;
- satiate and quench thirst at the same time;
- promote weight loss.
The last property is the most important, as many consider this drink as the basis of a diet diet. And it's not in vain:
- normalization of digestion leads to the fact that fats are not used as reserves, but are transformed into useful energy;
- cleansing the intestines can remove several kilograms;
- prolonged satiety leads to a decrease in the total daily intake of calories and allows you to maintain the diet until the end;
- improving metabolism activates lipolysis;
- removing excess fluids from the body means losing another 1-2 kg;
- elimination of cholesterol plaques also promotes weight loss;
- The mash-like consistency of cocktails normalizes the water-salt balance.
So smoothies have an ongoing benefit for health in general and for weight loss in particular. True, to pull it off, you need to be able to prepare it properly. After all, the presence of high-calorie foods and sweeteners in the composition can lead to the opposite result.
Through the pages of history.No one knows exactly who and when invented this drink and called it so. The first version says that the term appeared among hippies, and the second claims that such cocktails were invented by Pacific surfers.
The types
There are different types of smoothies, and you need to know which types can be used for weight loss and which ones cannot.
Fat burning
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 and becomes thicker, muscle mass increases), requiring additional energy from the body. This leads to the consumption of fat reserves.
Another group of foods have the so-called "negative caloric content": more energy is spent on their processing than they can give to the body. And again fat reserves are used up.
These products are called fat burners and if you make a smoothie from them, the effect will not be delayed. Here is their list:
Vegetables:
- broccoli;
- carrots;
- cucumber;
- tomatoes;
- savoy cabbage;
- beetroot;
- pumpkin;
- cauliflower
Greening:
- salad leaves;
- arugula;
- celery;
- asparagus;
- spinach;
- sorrel
Fruits:
- avocado;
- pineapple;
- orange;
- grapefruit;
- kiwi;
- lemon;
- mango;
- tangerines;
- apples.
Berries:
- Strawberry;
- Red blueberry;
- raspberries;
- currants;
- blueberries.
Drinks (for dilution):
- Pineapple juice;
- water;
- green tea;
- kefir;
- Mineral water;
- tomato juice.
Smoothies that burn fat are most effective for eliminating fat deposits in problem areas of the body; they can be used to lose belly fat.
dietetic
Losing weight is only possible if you burn more calories per day than you take in. Therefore, you should increase physical activity and reduce calorie intake. Diet smoothies made from foods with a minimal amount of calories will help with this. They are prepared mainly from vegetables, since berries and fruits contain more sugar.
Recommended products (caloric content below 40):
| products | Kcal |
|---|---|
| watermelons | 27 |
| Broccoli | 34 |
| blueberries | 39 |
| Grapefruit | 35 |
| Melons | 35 |
| Blackberry | 34 |
| Zucchini | 24 |
| Brussels sprouts | 35 |
| wrong conceptions | 16 |
| savoy cabbage | 28 |
| cauliflower | thirty |
| Red blueberry | 28 |
| Lemons | 34 |
| tangerine | 38 |
| Carrots | 35 |
| Sea cabbage | 25 |
| cucumbers | 14 |
| Pomelo | 38 |
| TOMATO | 24 |
| Leaf lettuce | 16 |
| Celery | 34 |
| Pumpkin | 22 |
| spinach | 23 |
But it is not recommended to abuse these products (calorie content over 50):
| products | Kcal |
|---|---|
| avocado | 160 |
| Pineapples | 52 |
| bananas | 96 |
| GRAPE | 72 |
| Cherry | 52 |
| grenades | 72 |
| Durian | 147 |
| potato | 77 |
| Mango | 60 |
| Sea buckthorn | 82 |
| Red Rowan | 50 |
| Rowan chokeberry | 55 |
| Jerusalem artichoke | 61 |
| Feijoa | 61 |
| persimmon | 67 |
| Cherries | 52 |
| Garlic | 149 |
| mulberry | 50 |
| pink | 109 |
Diet smoothies are recommended for overall weight loss as part of any weight loss program.
Detox
Making smoothies from foods that are known for their cleansing properties make great detox drinks. They can be used to organize fasting days.
What we cook from:
- from greens: lettuce, fennel, 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 fruits;
- from fruits: plums, apples, cherries, lemons, peaches, pears, apricots, grapefruit, oranges;
- from berries: black currant, strawberry, blueberry, lingonberry, eggplant.
What we try not to add:
- alcohol;
- coffee;
- spices;
- radish;
- spices;
- seeds;
- Black tea;
- spinach;
- sorrel
Detox smoothies are recommended for general slags of the body, as well as for cleaning certain organs and systems.
Milk / 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 lack, energy mainly begins to be extracted from muscle fibers, instead of fat reserves. Their breakdown leads to general depletion of the body. Protein prevents this, promotes the building of muscle mass and redirects all forces to the burning of adipocytes.
Protein smoothies are suitable for those who are actively involved in sports and are not only losing weight, but are sculpting their body so that it is slim, beautiful and sculpted.
This is interesting.In American bars, there is a distinction between "thick" and "thin" smoothies. The latter does not contain additional sweeteners and removes the natural sugar contained in berries and fruits.
Cooking features
The good thing about smoothies is that they are easily and quickly prepared at home in a blender or using a mixer. However, there are also secrets here that can make it even more useful and effective.
General recommendations
Smoothie components: solid (fruits, vegetables, herbs, berries) and liquid (most often juice or water) components. Canned products are not used. But frozen fruits and berries will be useful in hot weather.
To lose weight, you cannot prepare smoothies only from fruits - they contain a lot of fructose and glucose. It is better to dilute it with leafy greens and vegetables. All ingredients must be natural, it is better to take seasonal products. They must be thoroughly washed.
Some people recommend removing skins, seeds, pith, and albedo (the white subcutaneous layer of citrus) from fruits and vegetables because they can contain toxins and cause a softer texture. But everyone decides for themselves. 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 there is more and more talk 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 products containing fat to the smoothie: mashed avocado, olive oil or sour cream.
Advice.To properly prepare a smoothie in a blender, you need the highest grinding speed.
Universal recipe
- Squeeze out the liquid used for dilution.
- Tear the leafy greens by hand.
- Blend the herbs and freshly squeezed juice (can be replaced with water, green tea or milk drink) in a blender for 1 minute.
- Cut the fruits 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 sprigs of mint (traditional garnish), whole berries and pre-ground walnuts (be careful with them: they are very high in calories and can spoil your weight loss results).
Ideal size
- Fruit and berry smoothie = 40% leafy greens + 60% fruit and berries.
- Vegetables = 70% vegetables + 30% fruits and berries.
- Greens = 40% vegetables + 40% leafy greens + 20% fruits and berries.
The amount of liquid base is selected "by eye". If you need to take 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 the summer, to quench thirst, you can take more liquid - 100-150 ml.
Some supplements in minimal amounts (literally a pinch) will help increase the fat burning effect:
- vanillin;
- the mouth;
- ginger;
- cocoa powder;
- cinnamon;
- Peruvian poppy;
- nuts;
- protein;
- bee pollen;
- flax, sesame, chia, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower seeds;
- spirulina, kelp, chlorella;
- lemon peel.
Ideal combinations
Fruit:
- banana + pineapple + green apple + spinach;
- banana + peach + cucumber + lettuce;
- banana + dates + avocado + lettuce + soy milk + cinnamon powder;
- banana + green apple + strawberry;
- green apple + apricot + carrot + spinach;
- green apple + kiwi + strawberry;
- green apple + strawberry + black currant.
Vegetables:
- bell pepper + green apple + lettuce + pumpkin seeds;
- carrot + green apple + cucumber + avocado + spinach;
- carrot + beet + cucumber + green apple + lettuce + parsley;
- carrot + celery + green apple;
- cucumber + broccoli + pineapple;
- pumpkin + carrots.
Green:
- banana + pineapple + spinach + avocado;
- banana + green apple + lettuce;
- green apple + celery stalk + lettuce + spinach + parsley + almond milk;
- mango + cucumber + lettuce.
If you are making your own recipe, remember the golden rule: the ideal drink includes no more than 5 strong ingredients, 1-2 spices and 1 liquid for dilution.
You can not add ice cream, jam, sugar or any other sweetener that increases the calorie content and is harmful for weight loss.
Interesting fact.In American restaurants, smoothies are also divided into types depending on the effect they have. Before ordering, the customer is asked what exactly he wants: to relax or be happy, to be happy or calm down, to quench his thirst or to 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 right. 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 high-calorie fruit smoothies that will charge you with energy for the whole day;
- for lunch make them as nutritious and thick as possible, those with vegetables and many ingredients are suitable;
- For dinner, green ones would be an ideal option, as they improve digestion, setting the gastrointestinal tract for a night's rest;
- for lunch and snack in the afternoon, before or after training (+/- half an hour), drink protein smoothies - they will preserve muscle mass;
- At night, you can drink a drink with one ingredient (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 should 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 downloads every week, 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 food and replace all meals with smoothies. It can be different, it can be from some specific products (for example, focus on vegetables, greens or fruits). An important obstacle to such weight loss is bowel disorders at the end of the diet, as the stomach becomes unaccustomed to digesting solid food. Duration - from 3 to 7 days, no more. The result is minus 3-4 kg.
diets
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. Typically, breakfast is chosen because it's important to get an energy boost for the day in the morning, and/or instead of dinner to ease the stomach at 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 smoothies can be drunk not only for weight loss, but also for maintaining and building muscle mass. To do this, you should drink the drink 30-60 minutes before training and at the same time after it.
Regular use
To maintain a normal weight and not gain extra pounds, it is useful to drink a glass of diet smoothie for lunch or an afternoon snack as a preventive measure against the background of a healthy diet.
A spoonful of tar.Frequent consumption of smoothies leads to the development of dental caries.
Recipe
Since the mixer still has much lower power and beat speed, we offer recipes for a blender that is ideal for making smoothies.
Vegetable smoothie
- From pumpkin (40 kcal)
Finely 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 into 200 ml of 1% kefir. Beat in a blender. Add chopped broccoli (150 g), add cilantro seeds (10 g). Mix it up.
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 by hand. Pour beet 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 tastier 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 oats. Beat in a blender.
Fruit smoothie
- From kiwi (63 kcal)
Cut 2 kiwis, add 50 g of oats, pour 200 ml of low-fat kefir.
- With pineapple (60 kcal)
Cut 1 banana, 1 hard pear, 100 g of pineapple, add 5 strawberries. Pour in 100 ml of soy milk. Beat it.
- With grapefruit (80 kcal)
Cut ½ grapefruit and ½ orange (without white fibers) into large pieces, pour over them 200 ml of low-fat yogurt without additives or colors. Beat in a blender.
- From avocado (100 kcal)
Chop 50 g of parsley, dill, cilantro leaves. Pour 200 ml of still mineral water. Beat it. Cut 2 cucumbers, 2 avocados into pieces, add to the green mixture. Sprinkle with a little 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)
Finely chop 200 g of banana pulp, 150 g of kiwi, add 5-6 pitted plums. Pour natural low-fat yogurt (200 ml). For taste, add 10 g of honey.
Green smoothie
- From celery (44 kcal)
Mix the chopped parsley, dill and rocket to make a total of 200g. Chop 3 stalks of celery. Add 200 ml of kefir (minimum fat content), ½ tsp. olive oil. Beat in a blender.
- With spinach (47 kcal)
Grind 100 g of spinach, pour 100 ml of chilled green tea. Beat it. 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.
Recipe "Star".
- Green by Alessandra Ambrosio (50 kcal)
Grind 400 g of spinach, pour 400 ml of almond milk. Beat it. Cut 1 apple and 1 banana into pieces, add to the spinach milk mixture along with 50 g of oats. Add a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of coconut oil. Mix again.
Divide into 2 portions and drink half an hour before training and half an hour after it.
- Cabbage from Jessica Alba (58 kcal)
Finely chop the green cabbage (400 g), mix with Greek yogurt (200 ml). Add 50 g of raspberries and blackberries, 20 ml of honey. Beat again.
Drink instead of breakfast or lunch.
- Apple by Blake Lively (54 kcal)
Coarsely chopped celery stalk (100 g), chopped cilantro (10 g) and pour coconut water (100 ml). Mix it up. Add chopped kiwi (2 pieces), avocado (1 piece). Mix in a blender.
This is how Blake Lively adjusts her fasting days.
- Coconut by Gwyneth Paltrow (45 kcal)
Cut the meat of 1 coconut, pour coconut milk from the same fruit, add 100 ml of aloe juice and 20 g of chopped cilantro. Beat it.
Paltrow claims that with regular use of this drink, fasting days are not needed: it perfectly cleanses all organs and systems of toxins.
- With chia seeds from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (59 kcal)
Pour chopped cabbage (200 g) with coconut milk (200 ml). Mix it up. Add avocado (1 piece), apple (½), chia seeds (10 g). Beat in a blender.
Rosie drinks this drink every morning instead of breakfast.
Winter smoothie
- Chocolate (109 kcal)
Mix frozen raspberries (250 g), honey (10 g), low-fat fermented baked 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 greens (required 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.
- tangerine (48 kcal)
Pour 100 ml of low-fat kefir and 100 ml of orange juice into the slices of three tangerines. Beat it. Add some frozen berries on top. An excellent opportunity to lose weight during the New Year holidays.
Other recipes
- With oats (79 kcal)
Cut 1 slightly unripe banana, add 100 ml of soy milk and 100 ml of Greek yogurt. Beat it. Add 50 g of oats, a pinch of cinnamon and 10 ml of honey. Mix it up.
- From kefir (43 kcal)
Pour 50 g of shredded wheat cabbage with 200 ml of low-fat kefir and 50 ml of natural yogurt. Mix it up. Add 100 g of strawberries and 10 ml of honey. Beat again.
- With cottage cheese (62 kcal)
Mix 400 g of low-fat cottage cheese, 150 g of blueberries, 200 ml of low-fat milk. The ideal protein drink recipe for athletes.
These are the best smoothies for weight loss, which are recommended by nutritionists and have many positive reviews. Be sure to try different recipes to see which one works best for you. All organisms are so different that some lost weight thanks to banana smoothies, despite their high calorie content, while for others it is enough to drink a glass of green tea every day to maintain their normal figure.