Home Smoothies, Advice needed badly

mythchild · February 2013

Hi All,

For 3 weeks I've been creating my own smoothies mainly to 'drink' fruit and vegetable servings (I just can't bring myself to 'eat'), and to replace a meal with, sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch and on rare occasions dinner.

I've been to MANY websites on homemade smoothie recipes, collected dozens and dozens of recipes, but I don't know how to measure calories. I forgot fruits have LOTS of sugars and calories, but I don't add any regular sugars, not even splenda, not one pinch.

To help liquify I vary it up with different recipes: tap water, almond milk, soy milk or coconut water (I've used this quite a bit lately).

I rarely eat out anymore, for two in a half months I've been making meals at home based on healthy recipes, keeping away from sweets (which I typically don't crave anyways) and foods with preservatives, and drinking LOTS of water. I also workout by taking classes in Krav Maga 3-4 times a week, but maybe I need to do more exercise?

Anyways, with all these changes that I've worked very hard on, I've gained 5 pounds!! It's not just muscle, I'm certain of it, because the flab of fat around my belly seems to be getting bigger.

I really feel I need the smoothies, but maybe I'm overdoing it with the quantity of fruits involved?

Are there any nutritionists at Fitness Pal or friends who understand how to create smoothies that won't make you gain so much weight?

Please, please, please share any advice or info. I'd appreciate it immensely. My doctor keeps telling me to try weight watchers which I did years ago and eventually gained the weight back.

Take care.

issyfit · February 2013

If you use frozen berries (no sugar added) instead of bananas and other high sugar fruits the calories and sugar will be lower. I make mine with 1/2 c frozen berries, unsweetened Almond Breeze and diet Splash or diet blueberry juice (these do have sucralose in them) and sometimes I add some Carbmaster yogurt. Another smoothie I love is chocolate PB2 with unsweetened Almond Breeze, protein powder and Carbmaster vanilla yogurt.

Tootce01 · February 2013

I make a smoothie every morning, it's usually enough to drink throughout the morning. I put about 2 cups of spinach, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup coconut milk. I sprinkle about 2tsp of cinnamon mixed with orange rind, Tbsp of Cacao and usually put a Tbsp of coconut oil in too (I am on a lower carb diet). Add water to thin and blend with ice! It's very good!

dmaloof2013 · February 2013

My smoothies have been:

2 handfuls spinach
1 banana
1 cup vanilla sweetened almond milk
8 ice cubes
1 thing of vanilla greek yogurt
and either- 1 cup pineapple, OR 1 orange, OR 8 strawberries and a handful of raspberries and a handful of blackberries and a handful of blueberries

These smoothies have ranged anywhere from 178 calories to 219 and they are really filling. I can have one for breakfast at 6:30am and not start feeling hungry until around 11:30 or noon. I will typically pair it with 2 hard boiled eggs. I always use a banana as a constant fruit, because it is very filling, and I change up the other fruit I add for variety. I really like them!

Edit: I just checked the sugars on mine, because I have them in my recipes and they range from 24-30, but I bet it would be less if I used unsweetened almond milk... Also this is s recipe for 2 smoothies :drinker:

otrlynn · February 2013

Finding out the number of calories in a smoothy should be pretty easy. Go to the food section and "create a recipe" and add in the ingredients that you use in the quantity that you use them. As much as possible try to use exact weights or measures amounts of the ingredients rather than "one banana". Fill in the little box that says "number of servings" and it will tally the calories per serving. If you have MFP set to track sugar specifically, it will list that amount. Rather than being concerned specifically about the sugar, I would focus on how many calories these smoothies are contributing to your day. Fruits and vegetables do have fiber, and lots of vitamins, but the calories do add up. In any case, congratulations on your new exercise habits--they will really contribute to your overall health!

Edited to add that it does not seem like you have been keeping a food diary. That would be a very good thing to start. You may be eating way more calories than you intend to--even if they are from healthy foods.

2hobbit1 · February 2013

Have you weighed and measured your ingredients and used the my recipe feature to see the calorie and nutrition in you smoothies?
It will help you to see how much is in your smoothie and whether you should cut you smoothie into more than one serving.

I make mine with pumpkin puree, spinach, banana whey protein powder, and fiber one cereal plus pumpkin pie spice plus water. - tastes like pumpkin pie!
1/2 cup fiber one - buzzed to powder
1/2 pumpkin puree - I like libby - it has less sugars and more fiber
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 cup cold water
buzz in blender till smooth then add
1 scoop protein powder
a shake or two of pumpkin pie spice
toss in a few ice cubes and buzz till blended.

Its around 200 cals with 14 gm fiber, 20 gm protein, 30 gm of carb

seena511 · February 2013

you are not counting your calories correctly. just add all the ingredients individually and then save it as a meal. pay attention to your calorie goal and stick to it. you can't gain weight just by eating sugar as long as you're eating at a deficit.

Lind140 · February 2013

My smoothies are simple but I like the taste. I buy fresh strawberries and pineapple, then slice and
freeze in baggies. I use 1/2 cup of each, 1/2 cup 1% milk and 2 packages of truvia, which tastes better
and I have to avoid real sugar. You can use this with other fruits, blackberries or blueberries. It
makes a tall glassful and you aren't really getting that many heavy calories. Good Luck!

SatchGallamax · February 2013

I think it's important to understand that smoothies do not cause weight gain - a caloric surplus does. That being said, make sure you are logging everything and staying within your caloric goal, and you should be good to go.

taso42 · February 2013

I suggest calorie counting

DorisR184 · February 2013

Bumping to save these recipes! Thx for sharing :drinker:

charrisonwms · February 2013

I just began having a smoothie for breakfast but also notice the high sugar and calorie content. But I feel great and it is very filling don't even think about in between snacking. Thanks for all the great recipes... Can't wait to try them. I'm hook.. and I believe that's a good thing!

mythchild · March 2013

Thank you so much everyone!! Fitnesspal wasn't sending me alerts that anyone responded so I was worried that no one looked at the page at all. But I now that I've seen all these great responses I appreciate them all!!