Has anybody use Green smoothies to lose weigh?

RuthyLOL
RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
edited November 15 in Success Stories
I am replacing 2 meals with green smoothies to start and feel great on day 3. Started with 281.2 lbs (my highest ever) and on day 3, weigh 275.3 lbs :) I eat a healthy snack once per day and a "regular" meal with tons of veggies. My back started to give me problems so I have to succeed for my health! I hope to get suggestions and support
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Replies

  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
    Will this be sustainable forever?

    Main thing is to focus on portion control and moderation. Calories in vs. calories out.

    If you want a smoothie, go for it. But you won't lose weight on it quicker than just eating whatever else you like in smaller amounts.

  • abarriere
    abarriere Posts: 135 Member
    I drink green smoothies pretty often, but never for more than one meal in a day. For me, I need more variation to stay motivated long term. Good luck though! They are definitely healthy if you are putting in protein and healthy fats in there.

  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    What protein do you use?
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    Will this be sustainable forever?

    Main thing is to focus on portion control and moderation. Calories in vs. calories out.

    If you want a smoothie, go for it. But you won't lose weight on it quicker than just eating whatever else you like in smaller amounts.

    Not forever, I will go down to one per day. But to star a need a kick in the pants sort of speak.
  • SuzySuzerson
    SuzySuzerson Posts: 2 Member
    I drink tons of green smoothies and have seen great results! Most days I'll have a smoothie for lunch or breakfast.

    My favorite meal replacement smoothie-
    1 cup (packed) spinach
    1 cup unsweetened almond milk
    1.5 cups fruit (I mostly used frozen berries with the occasional banana.)
    1 tbsp ground flax seeds
    1 tbsp almond butter

    Typicality one of these smoothies will be about 250-275 calories and I find that the flax seeds and almond butter make it more filling by adding more fiber and protein. Chia seeds are great too, but I love the nuttiness that comes from flax. If I'm making a smoothie as a snack I'll nix the almond butter and flax seeds and use water instead of almond milk.

    I turned to this website when I was first started making green smoothies and found it to be very helpful-
    simplegreensmoothies.com
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Nope, never had and lost 121 pounds!!! You need to be in deficit to lose weight!!
  • classicalbk
    classicalbk Posts: 12 Member
    I love my smoothies (with added protein powder) but I have to be careful with the recipes; many smoothies have a ton of sugar, which is not good for many of us who are carb sensitive/diabetes candidates.
  • 2bjemm
    2bjemm Posts: 47 Member
    that's a good lost
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Caloric deficit causes weight loss. Personally, I prefer to chew my food. I do now, as I plan to continue on.
  • FrazierSamuel
    FrazierSamuel Posts: 45 Member
    I drink a lot of them in the summertime,Usually just greens, berries, and ice. It's more to get the nutrients than to lose weight. I would rather drink my greens than eat them.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    jkwolly wrote: »
    Will this be sustainable forever?

    Main thing is to focus on portion control and moderation. Calories in vs. calories out.

    If you want a smoothie, go for it. But you won't lose weight on it quicker than just eating whatever else you like in smaller amounts.

    Not forever, I will go down to one per day. But to star a need a kick in the pants sort of speak.

    Replacing two meals a day with smoothies isn't the way to go about weight loss. Whatever weight you do lose during this time, you will regain when you start eating food again..
  • toofatnomore
    toofatnomore Posts: 206 Member
    Yuk
  • stephxfit
    stephxfit Posts: 30 Member
    I supplement green smoothies, but I find that if I have more than 1 per day my hunger starts to build up quickly.
  • Will210
    Will210 Posts: 201 Member
    It's packing a lot of nutrition into a drink if you do not like to eat veggies. I add spinach to my morning protein/frozen berry shake and try to get a green drink at night with another protein like chicken. As far as a meal replacement? Maybe as part of a meal or maybe in the AM with fruits. To me a green drink with say spinach/kale and various fruit tastes like a fruit drink. I use a vita-mix blender.
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    Will210 wrote: »
    It's packing a lot of nutrition into a drink if you do not like to eat veggies. I add spinach to my morning protein/frozen berry shake and try to get a green drink at night with another protein like chicken. As far as a meal replacement? Maybe as part of a meal or maybe in the AM with fruits. To me a green drink with say spinach/kale and various fruit tastes like a fruit drink. I use a vita-mix blender.

    I am trying to keep the fruits to a minimum. I made one tonigh with broccoli, avocado (half for 4 people), kale and one green apple. It was not bad and filled me up. Even my 9 year old drank a glass without complaining :smile: I have a vegetarian friend who is in shape and drinks one every morning instead of breakfast. Lots of nutrients!
  • tripamy
    tripamy Posts: 7 Member
    edited March 2015
    I use 1 cup almond milk, a banana, 1 tbsp flax seeds, 1/2 tbsp wheat germ, 1 tbsp steel cut oatmeal, 1 & 1/2 cups of spinach, 1/2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 cup blueberries, and 1/2 cup strawberries. It's around 325 calories. I sip it through the morning for breakfast. I like the chewiness of the oatmeal and flax seeds, and I find they make it more filling.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited March 2015
    I have a green smoothie MANY mornings. It's a great way to get extra plants in your diet. it can be a great way to get extra fiber. It can be a way to control the calories you eat. But nothing magical in them.

    My favorite:
    1-2cups kale/spinach (frozen)
    3TBs hemp seeds/hearts (good protein/fat)
    1TBs flax seeds
    goji berries, blue berries, raspberries or some other berry
    a hunk of ginger
    a dash of turmeric
    1 cup of soy milk (or milk, or some yogurt etc)
    water
    sometimes 1/2 a very ripe banana
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    tripamy wrote: »
    I use 1 cup almond milk, a banana, 1 tbsp flax seeds, 1/2 tbsp wheat germ, 1 tbsp steel cut oatmeal, 1 & 1/2 cups of spinach, 1/2 tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 cup blueberries, and 1/2 cup strawberries. It's around 325 calories. I sip it through the morning for breakfast. I like the chewiness of the oatmeal and flax seeds, and I find they make it more filling.

    This sounds great! Thanks for the tip. I have not tried oatmeal or peanut butter in them. There is always a first time...
  • jcurrie17
    jcurrie17 Posts: 36 Member
    I love my green smoothies! I've been replacing just one meal a day and I add some protein powder to help keep me full longer. I hate to eat veggies. I figure it's really no different than eating a salad for lunch.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I can see doing it sometimes, but to do it every single day to replace two meals? Eventually you are going to get bored.
  • theskinnyonme
    theskinnyonme Posts: 443 Member
    I drink smoothies. I make up baggies ahead time of veggies and fruit and then throw in the nutribullet. Saves me time with as busy as I am.
  • kendalslimmer
    kendalslimmer Posts: 579 Member
    edited April 2015
    I haven't tried one yet, but I'd like to. When I started my journey I made a definite decision to eat my calories rather than drink them - I'm pretty much a water-only drinker right now - but as time goes on, I could imagine being satisfied by a smoothy rather than by a meal. I've made 'mental' as well as physical progress during my time on MFP I think! The thing is, it's weighing out all the ingredients (so I can count the calories in each one) and having to buy so much stuff which wouldn't normally be in my fridge (like almond milk) that puts me off now. But one day, when I have the spare cash, time and calories...
  • leecha2014
    leecha2014 Posts: 385 Member
    edited April 2015
    I love smoothies! I have one every day for breakfast, you can make them so nutritious and I find them a lot more filling than eating cereal or oatmeal? They are easy to put together, I make big smoothies because I will add more water, the volume of these fill me up.
    So many variations, sometimes it's almond milk, bananas, peaches, spinach, chia seeds or flax and plant-based protein powder, other times peanut butter or better pb2, raw cocoa, almond milk, kale ? It is so healthy. Now I'm having a simple plant-based protein shake for lunch most days when I'm too busy at work to go out for lunch or plan for lunch, it's easy. It's a great way to jumpstart your weight loss and then you can have two smoothies a day when you feel like it. Much healthier than what most people are eating for lunch!
  • JohnBarth
    JohnBarth Posts: 672 Member
    Green smoothies are part of my breakfast every morning:

    For 2 Smoothies (my wife drinks one, too):
    12oz almond milk
    1 Scoop Protein Powder (32g)
    1 Banana
    5.5oz of Power Greens (Kale/Chard/Spinach blend from Costco)
    1.5C Frozen Fruit (blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blends, etc)--whatever 2 servings (in grams) is listed on the package.

    We made a recipe with this recipe x 4 and used 2 servings of 4 kinds of fruits.

    They average 220 calories, 3g fat, 36g Carb (20g sugar) and 16g Protein.
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    Well my proteinshake is green, but that's because it's pistachio flavored. Not using it for weight loss though.
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,153 Member
    I love them and had them once per day a few yrs ago when I first started making a conscious effort to eat better. It very much helped me get my veggies in for the day. I sometimes used protein powder in them, sometimes amped them up with vitamin powder. I always used a little juice at that time (cranberry, orange or grape). I lost about 15 lbs and after talking with a nutritionist, of course they say chewing your food is better, but if it helps to get the greens, etc. in, then do it - BUT - watch for the sugar (especially in the fruits and juices). It adds up quickly. Because, in the beginning, it's such a change for your body, it responds, but later on, you see that sometimes weight loss can stall and for me, it was what I added to the smoothies. Now that I'm pretty much where I want to be (give or take and dependent upon time of year) when I have smoothies, they are more carefully thought out than when I first started. I like them, they are convenient and with a decent 'blender' (I finally bought a Vitamix during my smoothie start up) you can really beat those veggies to a liquid.

    So, yeah...always better to chew it, but if smoothies move you from crappy eating to healthy eating....they are perfect! Enjoy the many varieties!!
  • briannadunn
    briannadunn Posts: 841 Member
    I drink a green smoothie every morning with a choice of one fruit, veges, almond milk, ground flax seed, cod liver oil, magnesium, and vitamin D. I dont add protein because I prefer to save that as a snack for later. I cant have protein powders anyway, but I have almond butter with an apple.
    My Dr. Recommended to me at least one green shake a day..more than one isnt going to hurt you. As a matter of fact they are super healthy for you and as long as you have the blender and ingredients and you enjoy them, you can drink them your whole life. There is a never ending amount of recipes and you will get in more veges and fruit in the long run. The goal is weightloss and if you are achieving that and can do it this way dont let anyone persway you not to.
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    Thanks for all the ideas :) I usually make it with 1 apple, a ton kale or spinach and a banana or 1/2 avocado. Put some water, flax seeds and a tablespoon of steel cut oats (makes them creamy) and it makes 3. My kids drink it no problem. Usually for breakfast. They have some protein with it, like an egg and feel full until lunch.
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    I drink a green smoothie every morning with a choice of one fruit, veges, almond milk, ground flax seed, cod liver oil, magnesium, and vitamin D. I dont add protein because I prefer to save that as a snack for later. I cant have protein powders anyway, but I have almond butter with an apple.
    My Dr. Recommended to me at least one green shake a day..more than one isnt going to hurt you. As a matter of fact they are super healthy for you and as long as you have the blender and ingredients and you enjoy them, you can drink them your whole life. There is a never ending amount of recipes and you will get in more veges and fruit in the long run. The goal is weightloss and if you are achieving that and can do it this way dont let anyone persway you not to.

    Thank you :) I have a friend that drinks one for breakfast everyday and got me hooked. I stopped them for a few days and started to crave them again. They feel so healthy and refreshing. She uses berries "all the greens she finds in her fridge" with some avocado and flax seed, and powers up the vitamix. Yum! And keeps in shape with that and healthy food.
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    I love them and had them once per day a few yrs ago when I first started making a conscious effort to eat better. It very much helped me get my veggies in for the day. I sometimes used protein powder in them, sometimes amped them up with vitamin powder. I always used a little juice at that time (cranberry, orange or grape). I lost about 15 lbs and after talking with a nutritionist, of course they say chewing your food is better, but if it helps to get the greens, etc. in, then do it - BUT - watch for the sugar (especially in the fruits and juices). It adds up quickly. Because, in the beginning, it's such a change for your body, it responds, but later on, you see that sometimes weight loss can stall and for me, it was what I added to the smoothies. Now that I'm pretty much where I want to be (give or take and dependent upon time of year) when I have smoothies, they are more carefully thought out than when I first started. I like them, they are convenient and with a decent 'blender' (I finally bought a Vitamix during my smoothie start up) you can really beat those veggies to a liquid.

    So, yeah...always better to chew it, but if smoothies move you from crappy eating to healthy eating....they are perfect! Enjoy the many varieties!!

    I am now doing only one per day, watching the fruits ;) only one serving, and low carbs. The low carbs is helping :) I am happy to be on my way to a lighter me!
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