Smoothies....

Nikkilynn32710
Nikkilynn32710 Posts: 256 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm currently doing Turbo Fire. I'm eating the low end of my BMR but this last week I have been replacing two meals a day with smoothies. My breakfast smoothie I add in a whey protein powder to help replenish from the HIIT training and the other cardio days. For lunch I just do a regular smoothie of some sort with no protein powder. For snacks I eat just fruit and then I have a measured out supper. My question is have any of you tried doing this? How did it work for you? Am I ok by doing this and will it help aide in weight loss?

However, I need to buy a new blender b/c mine quit working this morning in the process of making my breakfast smoothie :/ which today is also a rest day so there was going to be no protein powder added.

Replies

  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    If I were training that much, I would certainly make sure that I was eating comfortably above my BMR. Just my .02.
  • Firestar98
    Firestar98 Posts: 30 Member
    I have had terrible "luck" with smoothies. My end result is the same as if I ate a bowl of ice cream, or drank a milk shake made at any restaurant--I get short-term appetite supression, but 2-3 hours later it's as if I never drink/ate it, and now I'm down 500+ calories.

    As a very recent example, I allow myself one McDonald's Shamrock Shake a year (at least since I started dieting two years ago this has been my trend.) Yesterday (Tuesday) was my day, and I had a McDouble (which I normally have) to compliment it. I ate this around lunch time, which yesterday was around 12:30PM. By 5:00PM I was just as hungry as if I had just eaten the McDouble. This is very typical of the "phase" I went through when I tried replacing meals with shakes--the shake goes right through me (while still giving me a very high calorie count, usually) then a few hours later I'm back to being hungry.

    Good luck on your quest to find an appetite-satisfying shake! Sadly my experiences won't assist you, but hopefully someone else can!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    If I were training that much, I would certainly make sure that I was eating comfortably above my BMR. Just my .02.

    Agreed.
  • babymama81
    babymama81 Posts: 12 Member
    I've been using a Nutribullet since October. I try to follow the guidelines with half greens, half fruit, and some kind of special ingredient "blast" like milled flax or chia seeds. I've definitely reaped the benefits. I can't remember when I stopped drinking coffee, but it was pretty early into my green smoothie introduction.

    I will occasionally have a green smoothie as a replacement for breakfast or lunch, but rarely both. For the past three weeks I have started doing the following:
    200-300 calorie breakfast of either oatmeal or egg beaters omelette
    170 calorie green smoothie for morning snack
    300 calorie lunch of whatever
    170 calorie green smoothie for afternoon snack
    300 calories worth of chicken breast or fish and sauteed or steamed veggies

    I've also started going to a Zumba class four or five days a week, and I've lost 9 pounds in the past three weeks. I'm careful not to drop below 1000 calories net for the day. Naysayers, say what you will, but I've been feeding myself every three hours until about 6:30 at night, and I have had plenty of energy throughout the day.

    BTW, my green smoothies are spinach, kale or spring greens up to the halfway mark, half a banana, 1 blood orange, and half a cup of mixed frozen pineapple and mango chunks. When I have it handy I'll add ground up chia or flax seeds. This is delicious, refreshing and energizing. I keep my blender at work and when the smokers leave to take a smoke break, I'm going to the break room to blend up a fresh smoothie. It's so easy to fill my blender cups in the morning, screw on the lids and stick them in the refrigerator as soon as I get to work. People ask me about it all the time and sometimes even ask if I'd mix one up for them with some booze in it, lol! (the answer is no, of course)
  • babymama81
    babymama81 Posts: 12 Member
    I have had terrible "luck" with smoothies. My end result is the same as if I ate a bowl of ice cream, or drank a milk shake made at any restaurant--I get short-term appetite supression, but 2-3 hours later it's as if I never drink/ate it, and now I'm down 500+ calories.

    As a very recent example, I allow myself one McDonald's Shamrock Shake a year (at least since I started dieting two years ago this has been my trend.) Yesterday (Tuesday) was my day, and I had a McDouble (which I normally have) to compliment it. I ate this around lunch time, which yesterday was around 12:30PM. By 5:00PM I was just as hungry as if I had just eaten the McDouble. This is very typical of the "phase" I went through when I tried replacing meals with shakes--the shake goes right through me (while still giving me a very high calorie count, usually) then a few hours later I'm back to being hungry.

    Good luck on your quest to find an appetite-satisfying shake! Sadly my experiences won't assist you, but hopefully someone else can!


    Four and a half hours between lunch and dinner without a snack is a long time to me. Do you normally eat foods that will sit in your stomach for that long? I'm interested to know, because sometimes if I have to go to the library to study for a couple of hours before my fitness class, then I'm usually famished by the time I get home.
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    When are you getting your 5 servings of vegetables? Are you including spinach or greens in the smoothies? You aren't getting a well rounded/balanced diet.
  • quiltlady77
    quiltlady77 Posts: 93 Member
    I find that smoothies keep my satisfied providing I have greek yogurt in them, lots of protein there.
  • anifani4
    anifani4 Posts: 457 Member
    I would suggest adding 1/2 cup All Whites or equivilant store brand when you are not using the protein powder. It will boost protein, which you need whether you are exercising or not and will increase satiety. Also consider adding a big handful of baby spinach or chopped kale to one smoothie a day for the vitamins/minerals. Perhaps also add a healthy fat source, just a little is all that's needed. Avocado would be good with some of your combos. Or I like to use a tsp or 2 of Cold Pressed Flax seed oil (for the omega 3s). The main indicator is how you feel on this regimen. Do you have good energy? Are you staying in your calorie goal?
  • MerRock
    MerRock Posts: 56 Member
    I eat a smootie for lunch a lot of days after I workout. It does keep me full, but part of that is because it's huge. Around 32 ounces. Smoothies can get high in calories, so you have to be careful what you put in. Also, a good quality blender is essential. I have a Vitamix, which I love and couldn't live without. it's pricey, but we use it several times a day in this house, and we eat much better having it. Here's what my lunch smootie is. I usually have it after swimming laps.

    1 cup frozen strawberries
    5 oz/85 g of fresh spinach
    45g of fresh kale
    6 oz. Greek Yogurt (I usually do the fat free Strawberry or Blueberry, but I sometimes use the one that has fat since the body needs some fat to absorb some types of vitamins)
    Stevia (to taste)
    1.5 cups of water
    Ice (I don't measure, I just eye ball it. It's probably a cup or two.)
    I often also add a tablespoon of unflavored BCAA powder
    1/2 packet of the individual servings of Crystal Light Orange Sunrise- This is optional if you don't like artificial sweetener.

    I just put it in the vitamix and within a minute I have a massive smoothie for around 240 calories. If I use the fat free yogurt, I also eat a piece of low fat string cheese (another 50 calories) to give myself some fat to help with absorption. Even with that included it comes out to: 6g of fiber, 25g of protein, 43 carbs (if you're working out, it's important to have some carbs after working out so glycogen is released to help repair muscles) and 3g of fat. You could probably throw a banana in too for some more nutrients. I'm allergic to them so I can't, but I think it would make a good addition too.

    This does keep me full till I have dinner. I do sometimes still have a small afternoon snack, but I have to force myself to eat it often times, because I'm still full from the smoothie. I don't know how it would work if I tried it for 2 meals, but I think it can work for one just fine.
  • julesxo
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
    I love smoothies. I find it helps me get in more fruit, vegetables and of course calories in. I add things like spinach, peanut butter, greek yogurt etc. It is working for me especially since its quick and easy to do and keeps me full.

    I drink one in the morning and usually one after lunch or after my workout. I used to not have much if anything for breakfast so its an improvement for me.
  • Nikkilynn32710
    Nikkilynn32710 Posts: 256 Member
    I do add spinach and sometimes broccoli I have tried kale but its to intense of a taste for me. I generally do one small banana 1/2c of blue berries or frozen mixed fruit and then like 2c of spinach leaves, when Im not out. So far its kept me full. I'm eating at the middle of my BMR like 1500 is what i set MFP too. I don't burn that much doing the workouts like 250-600 depending on the dvd and such. I use an HRM so none of it is a guess. I have the polar FT4. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing more harm than good. Maybe I'll switch it up and do the smoothies for snacks instead of meal replacements.

    I went today and bought a new blender that's a single serving one.

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