Do green smoothies actually work? Any tips appreciated :)

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  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
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    I generally make a smoothie a day almost 2 liters can include spinach carrots banana mango apple strawberry or melon depending on season and sales I use a protein powder to boost protein especially after workouts I generally put 1/3 in freezer for the day and use yesterdays frozen after it thaws as my dinner desert topped with some yogurt 1/3 drink for Bkfst 1/3 saved for after my workout for recovery protein.
  • Softrbreeze
    Softrbreeze Posts: 156 Member
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    I use smoothies as an easy way to get my fruit and veggies quota for the day. Surprisingly, you really can't taste the spinach when you're adding in frozen banana, apple, strawberries, etc. I use almond milk (1 cup= 60 calories + it has more calcium than regular milk) so the smoothies usually come in well under 300 calories and low fat. I don't use yogurt myself. You'll probably need a little snack to get you through until lunch though.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    the one i make is this:

    wRK35.png

    from there you can add all kinds of things like flax seed or protein powder or spirulina; whatever!
  • a6penn10
    a6penn10 Posts: 2
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    My "go to" breakfast is 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 c frozen blueberries, 2 c baby spinach, 1/2 of a frozen banana, 39g (1 scoop) EAS vanilla protein powder, and 1 tsp of olive oil. It comes out to ~240 cal, is actually purple, and delicious. I struggle with the tendency to skip breakfast so this makes it easy to chug a glass of nutrients quickly and move on.

    I've experimented w combos of other fruits (apples, frozen strawberries, grapes) and kale instead of spinach, but the above combo is my favorite. I can't handle kale. Yeccchhh! Good luck!!
  • merisendabills
    merisendabills Posts: 54
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    I made a bunch of these: http://www.muffintinmania.com/2011/07/green-smoothie-cups.html

    For a while, I followed a juice fast of just the "mean green" juice from the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" except I didn't really drink enough to stay full. I was too weak to keep at it for more than a week, but did notice that I lost like 7 pounds that week. The guy in the documentary lost over 30 pounds I think by drinking nothing but juice for a whole month, and then gradually introduced a veggie based diet after 3 months. He lost a lot of weight. (he did this diet under the supervision of his physician and went in for regular checkups)

    I'd recommend that documentary - it's really interesting!
  • miracle4me
    miracle4me Posts: 522 Member
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    I usually have a green smoothie for breakfast and it will send me to the bathroom within a few hours so it works in that respect :wink:

    This ^^^^^^
    A smoothie for constipation and all I can say it works.... carrots, 1 apple, 1 celery ,beet can be added also
  • Leeannboswell
    Leeannboswell Posts: 63
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    Drink a Premier Nutrition shake from Costo. 30 grams of protein. That's THIRTY!!!! 164 calories, 11 ounces. Keeps you going for hours, and comes in either chocolate or vanilla. Located usually by the pharmacy. (My doctor prescribed this, and it has been a life saver for me, because I don't eat much meat).
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    Oh, I'll look for those Costco shakes.

    I actually cut down my smoothie intake when dieting. I have trouble making them low calorie enough. I find it pretty easy to make a 400-500 calories smoothie, so then I have to drink half, and it doesn't always feel very meal-like. But I like them to get spinach in because I don't eat a ton of leafy greens sometimes.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    If I were you and was giong to do a meal replacement I'd probably substitute dinner and your physical meals be breakfast and/or lunch. That way you are getting the most calories you need when you need them most for energy to get you thru the day.

    It really doesn't matter when you eat your calories unless you have a personal preference.
  • diannejean2
    diannejean2 Posts: 2
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    I make green smoothies from my vitamix recipe book and they are delicious. I am currently doing the Ultimate Reset from Beachbody and have lost 10.4 pounds in 18 days. My daughter is 18, started at 139 to support me and lost 12 pounds! I wasn't really hungry on it but it is very difficult to do in that it is all fresh foods you buy and cook and the last two weeks are vegan and there are a ton of supplements. We have 4 days to go. It is an alkalizing cleanse/detox/reset that is designed to reset your metabolism. I basically signed up for it because I am a coach and I wanted to know what it was about if people asked me about it, and I have to say that I am very pleasantly surprised at the results. But it is quite difficult to do and the purpose is to improve you health by eating fresh whole foods and they are tasty and filling but this week it is tough getting enough calories. It really isn't a weight loss thing but we lost weight and we weren't hungry because whole foods don't have alot of calories and they are filling. Here is the site if you are interested. www.myultimatereset.com/diannejean. I hope I am allowed to post that. You just seemed to really need suggestions so I will take a chance. Good luck with whatever you choose. I do believe that it is a combo of diet and exercise. I also went cold turkey off a big coffee habit and that might have contributed to my weight loss because caffiene is supposed to hold on to fat.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Caffeine holds on to fat? Is that why it's constantly sold as a weight loss supplement?
    tigerpalm.jpg

    A green smoothie won't help with weight loss. A calorie deficit will.
  • pawprints86
    pawprints86 Posts: 59 Member
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    Thanks again for all the great support from everyone who has been positive and had really great tips :) Today was my first day of the smoothies, and I feel really great. Not even hungry, which is surprising - I'm always hungry! lol I'm going to eventually switch around my recipe for it, just to try new things. I liked everyone's ideas for different powders and ingredients to try. (Ginger? Who'd have thought!) :D
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I don't think you're going to lose more weight having green smoothies. Just a good way to get your nutrients from your greens.

    Exactly. When the original poster asks, "Do they work?" Work for what? Smoothies are a food item and no different than eating each component separately. Log it like you would every other calorie. Smoothies will help you lose weight faster as much as eating yogurt will. Or chicken. Or salads. You get the drift. The only thing that will help you lose weight is eating in a calorie deficit and increasing muscle. However, green smoothies are an excellent way to get some extra vegetables in your diet.
  • pawprints86
    pawprints86 Posts: 59 Member
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    Since I posted this - what with busy-ness at work and school and the like, I'd actually stopped using the site for awhile. I'm back now, and happy to say the 2-3 weeks I used the smoothies continuously I really felt really great. Can't believe I got out of the habit of drinking them in the mornings. I understand, they are just as good as the individual ingredients you put in them - I'm not looking for some miracle "cure" or anything for weight loss. That takes hard work and change. ;) Was more looking for some boost to what I was already doing.

    I'm sure it was at least partly the spinach leaves I put in it, but regardless, whatever it was, it was helping. Planning on putting these back in my diet this week ASAP, as soon as I pick up the items at the store again on Monday. Loved them!! Helped with excess hunger through the day, too, which to me was fantastic. Took all of 5 minutes when I woke up to make, and after that I felt like a million bucks the rest of the day. Somehow they motivated me to "stick with" my healthy eating the rest of the day. If it helped that? They are worth it to me! =D
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
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    Not sure if it helps me lose weight BUT... I know it makes my skin smooth as silk. It keeps me hydrated and I have not had so much as a sniffle since starting.

    My recipe.

    1 scoop Swansons Green Max Powder It has spirullina and broken cell wall chlorella (Blue green alge)
    1 Tbsp Chia seeds
    1 Tbsp Hersheys dark cocoa powder
    1 scoop vanilla protein powder
    1tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp potassium gluconate ( i am always low in potassium)
    1 cup unsweetened Almond milk
    A splash of coffee


    Looks like baby poop. Doesn't taste much better. BUT.. It fuels my long workouts and keeps me full through lunch.
  • FitzyFitzpatrick
    FitzyFitzpatrick Posts: 188 Member
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    I drink smoothies for breakfast about 4 out of 7 mornings. To help keep me full, I add a 1/4 c of old fashioned oat meal. It adds a great creamy texture to it too. I do not use any milk or yogurt generally, but make mine with ice, water, chia, fresh or frozen fruit, spinach, flax, and wheat germ. YUM!
  • pawprints86
    pawprints86 Posts: 59 Member
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    Not sure if it helps me lose weight BUT... I know it makes my skin smooth as silk. It keeps me hydrated and I have not had so much as a sniffle since starting.

    My recipe.

    1 scoop Swansons Green Max Powder It has spirullina and broken cell wall chlorella (Blue green alge)
    1 Tbsp Chia seeds
    1 Tbsp Hersheys dark cocoa powder
    1 scoop vanilla protein powder
    1tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp potassium gluconate ( i am always low in potassium)
    1 cup unsweetened Almond milk
    A splash of coffee


    Looks like baby poop. Doesn't taste much better. BUT.. It fuels my long workouts and keeps me full through lunch.

    That sounds great, actually. I'll have to try that out sometime.
  • pawprints86
    pawprints86 Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    I drink smoothies for breakfast about 4 out of 7 mornings. To help keep me full, I add a 1/4 c of old fashioned oat meal. It adds a great creamy texture to it too. I do not use any milk or yogurt generally, but make mine with ice, water, chia, fresh or frozen fruit, spinach, flax, and wheat germ. YUM!

    When you use oatmeal is it...just like, uncooked? Sorry if that was a dumb question, I just don't know about that part. ;)

    I'll have to check this Chia stuff out that I keep hearing about!
  • marshallexi
    marshallexi Posts: 162 Member
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    I think it's the simplicity of green smoothies that makes it a great addition to my diet. Mine tend to top out at around 300 cals. I'm rubbish at eating lunch when I'm at work, so a big green smoothie made the night before, put it into a big jar and then store it in the fridge at work - works perfectly for my lunch.

    I don't think it's made my weight loss any faster, but it's made eating all my fruit & vegetables less of a chore (I get so bored of fruit, I could eat vegetables all day but fruit is such a struggle for me) and it's negated the problem I had about lunches, so i'm less likely to eat junk at work.

    I have found they improved my energy, my sugar cravings are near non-existent for the first time ever and people do comment on my complexion a lot now, I look a lot healthier!
  • beachgod
    beachgod Posts: 567 Member
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    I make green smoothies from my vitamix recipe book and they are delicious. I am currently doing the Ultimate Reset from Beachbody and have lost 10.4 pounds in 18 days. My daughter is 18, started at 139 to support me and lost 12 pounds! I wasn't really hungry on it but it is very difficult to do in that it is all fresh foods you buy and cook and the last two weeks are vegan and there are a ton of supplements. We have 4 days to go. It is an alkalizing cleanse/detox/reset that is designed to reset your metabolism. I basically signed up for it because I am a coach and I wanted to know what it was about if people asked me about it, and I have to say that I am very pleasantly surprised at the results. But it is quite difficult to do and the purpose is to improve you health by eating fresh whole foods and they are tasty and filling but this week it is tough getting enough calories. It really isn't a weight loss thing but we lost weight and we weren't hungry because whole foods don't have alot of calories and they are filling. Here is the site if you are interested. www.myultimatereset.com/diannejean. I hope I am allowed to post that. You just seemed to really need suggestions so I will take a chance. Good luck with whatever you choose. I do believe that it is a combo of diet and exercise. I also went cold turkey off a big coffee habit and that might have contributed to my weight loss because caffiene is supposed to hold on to fat.

    I do believe you are correct.

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