Smoothies for weight loss

Penn

Hey all

I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for smoothies or shakes for trying to lose weight. I know some fruits have a lot of sugar and it depends if you have to use natural yogurt etc. But if anyone had any suggestions they'd be greatly appreciated

I'm planning to go for walks early in the morning before work, so a smoothie I can have as a breakfast or after I come home from the gym is particularly what I'm interested in. These are in place of a meal rather than in addition to one, so low calorie, high energy whatever. Especially if they are ones I can make the night before and leave in the fridge overnight

Cheers in advance

Khannie

paddyirishman85 wrote: »

low calorie, high energy

Those two things are a direct contradiction unfortunately. Calories = energy.

Is there any reason you want to have a shake instead of just eating something?

I'd suggest having a read of the stickies in here and in the fitness forum. I don't think smoothies are going to get you what you're looking for. I have always found it easiest to lose weight when I eat all my calories instead of drinking them.

Penn

Sorry, I meant something that is low calories but filling, or one which gives high energy for the gym

No particular reason why I wanted smoothies rather than a meal, just thought once or twice a week it might be a nice change. I know if I just have a few meals in rotation I might get bored and slip on the diet, whereas there a loads of different smoothies bit the same easy method to make them, so I might be more inclined. I've already switched to omelettes, scrambled eggs or porridge for breakfast usually, just thought smoothies might make a nice change or just evenings when I'm back late because of the gym

Mellor

Smoothies are generall not great. You can get low cal ones, but using strong flavoured fruit like lemon or blueberries and ice in place of yogurt., but the banana and strawberry monster with a scoop of yogurt is going to be pretty high.

Try a protein shake for meal replacement, or post gym.

Lantus

Using a liquid as a food substitute isn't a good idea. The human stomach was deisgned to digest food first and foremost.

For a really good breakfast think about porridge oats with some low fat yogurt and fruit.

Or shredded wheat type things that are 100% wholegrain. Don't add sugar!


After doing weights using a liquid protein drink within 10 minutes is essential to prevent the muscles eating themselves along with water and some carbs. Food should be taken within one hour though.

Lantus

Lantus wrote: »

Using a liquid as a food substitute isn't a good idea. The human stomach was deisgned to digest food first and foremost.

For a really good breakfast think about porridge oats with some low fat yogurt and fruit.

Isn't that carbs+sugar+sugar?

Lantus

bluewolf wrote: »

Isn't that carbs+sugar+sugar?

by porridge I mean natural oats. A complex carb that's a slow release sugar and keeps you feeling full and stabilises blood sugar levels for much longer. The low fat yogurt and fruit add flavour and nutrients.

After you have been asleep you have effectively fasted for 10 hours and need carbs. They are the body's primary fuel source.

Natural oats reduce colestorol, contains loads of fibre that kicks trouble makers out your body and raises testosterone increasing muscle growth and boosting sex drive.

It's a breakfast eaten by athletes, body builders and people who know their stuff about nutrition.

metamorphosis

Lantus wrote: »

After you have been asleep you have effectively fasted for 10 hours and need carbs. They are the body's primary fuel source.

While oats do rock for brekkie -you don't NEED carbs to break the night time fast ... at all. In fact i can do a ten mile run just as effectively in the morning if i had eggs than if i had porridge and i believe its because i eat enough carbs during the day everyday that i have a consistant level of glycogen to use ... carbs are just used for fuel quicker and firstly than the others.

Khannie

This may be slightly off topic.....

ULstudent wrote: »

In fact i can do a ten mile run just as effectively in the morning if i had eggs than if i had porridge

This is probably because it takes time to break down the carbs in the oats and have them as a usable source of fuel. You're almost certainly working off your glycogen stores for the majority of your run (or running slowly enough that you're using a mix of glycogen and fat).

You sub in a nice bottle of lucozade sport instead of porridge and I bet you a free kick in my bottom that you find your ten mile run times drop.

I have two feeds pre-workout. One a few hours out (2.5-5 hours) to restore any missing glycogen and one within the 45-30 minute pre-workout window to get blood glucose levels up. Typically the 2nd one is liquid. I'll make it myself generally with some mi-wadi and dextrose. I find that performance is good, but not AS good if I skip the sports drink. I absolutely *detest* running beyond aerobic threshold in the morning. It makes me cranky.

Lantus

ULstudent wrote: »

While oats do rock for brekkie -you don't NEED carbs to break the night time fast ... at all. In fact i can do a ten mile run just as effectively in the morning if i had eggs than if i had porridge and i believe its because i eat enough carbs during the day everyday that i have a consistant level of glycogen to use ... carbs are just used for fuel quicker and firstly than the others.

eerrrr yes, and even I exercise before I've eaten sometimes, so what? And if I crashed in the mountains tomorrow I could go for days and days without any food. The body is an amazing thing.

But, the body needs carbs during the first part of the day much more than towards the end of the day when we become much more sedentary. Basically it tends to burn up carbs eaten early on but if loaded with carbs in the evening will tend to store them.

In your case you will have a depleted stored energy in the morning and so will be more likley to burn fat as the secondary energy source. That doesn't mean however that you go without breakfast or that carbs ain't important.

Exercise during the morning fast has been shown to be very beneficial but his doesn't negate breakfast as an essential requirement.

metamorphosis

Lantus wrote: »

eerrrr yes, and even I exercise before I've eaten sometimes, so what? And if I crashed in the mountains tomorrow I could go for days and days without any food. The body is an amazing thing.

But, the body needs carbs during the first part of the day much more than towards the end of the day when we become much more sedentary. Basically it tends to burn up carbs eaten early on but if loaded with carbs in the evening will tend to store them.

In your case you will have a depleted stored energy in the morning and so will be more likley to burn fat as the secondary energy source. That doesn't mean however that you go without breakfast or that carbs ain't important.

Exercise during the morning fast has been shown to be very beneficial but his doesn't negate breakfast as an essential requirement.

Im quite aware of the science thanks. What i was saying was that the body doesn't NEED carbs during the morning. The body will function fastly with carbs in the morning but you don't NEED to have them at all. Yes, if you are eating carbs then having them earlier in the day is better than in the evening as you will more than likely have used them for energy.

Khannie

ULstudent wrote: »

if you are eating carbs then having them earlier in the day is better than in the evening as you will more than likely have used them for energy.

That's not what "the heff" says. (If he reads this, he will be unable to restrain himself from responding to the cool name I have given him). He says that you are more carb tolerant in the evening. I dunno. I just know that I loves my carbs. I'm never giving them up. NEEEVVVVEEERRRRRRRRR.

In fact....I'm going to get some carbs right this minute.

metamorphosis

For me i tolerate carbs well anytime of the day - i suppose though for people that are not at all active and who are trying to lose weight it might be better if they had the bulk of they're carbs before they're last meal of the day. Different strokes for different folks really.

I also could not give up carbs. Im a ****er for oats/dried fruit/decent dense bread/oatcakes ... yum.

I could do with some of Wills posting right now. Might perk me up a bit. Heff vs. Hoff: who'd win.

Sapsorrow

Khannie wrote: »

That's not what "the heff" says. (If he reads this, he will be unable to restrain himself from responding to the cool name I have given him). He says that you are more carb tolerant in the evening. I dunno. I just know that I loves my carbs.

Hmmmm not sure about this one, depends on what one means by 'tolerate' too, as far as I know eating them in the evening would mess your leptin levels up.

Also Lantus what on earth do you mean when you say fibre kicks 'trouble makers out of your body' exactly? Do you mean the soluble fibre feeds probiotic bacteria that can then metabolize xenobiotics to excretable compounds or do you mean that the fibre binds heavy metals or the likes and carries them out of the body? Either way you could really do with backing up some of your statements with good quality evidence.