I hate to burden you with stats, but read on and I promise you’ll want to know this:
- Scientists at Biofortis Clinical Research and the University of Missouri Department of Exercise Physiology and Nutrition did a study and found that women who eat 30 – 39 grams of protein for breakfast lose more weight than women that eat less than that.
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that dieters who ate 30 percent of their protein for breakfast ended up eating nearly 450 fewer calories a day—and lost about 11 pounds in 12 weeks.
I started to implement these findings into my life by having a protein smoothie for breakfast and was able to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks and have kept it off for three months now. The truth is, I wake up to gazillions of emails and have to jump straight into work. My morning routine usually looks like this. Wake up. Wash up. Clear my head with a 30 minute walk [accompanied by Ed Shereen on Pandora] and 10 minutes to make breakfast, caffeinate and get ready for work.
Hence the reason I turn to healthy smoothie recipes- filled with protein- that’s Rachel Ray-fast and allows me to switch up the flavors whenever I’m craving something different.
Here’s What You Need
Protein Complex: I alternate between BodyLab’s Chocolate Fudge or Vanilla protein complex; or Herbal Life’s Cafe Latte which is perfect for those mornings that I need an extra caffeine kick.
Milk or water: I use Coconut Milk but you can also use regular, almond, or rice milk here. I just prefer using coconut milk because of the added nutrients but if you don’t like the flavor, you can use any other milk substitute or water if you prefer.
Blender: I use the NutriBullet from Target. I bought it for $89.99 with Free Shipping (check here for more Target coupons).
My general rule of thumb for each one is that there’s always at least 1 fruit, and 1 vegetable. Keep in mind that you can adjust the flavors according to your taste buds. I tend to like my smoothie recipes on the bitter side, so I’ll usually increase my greens, and vegetables and use less of the fruits. But that’s the fun part. Play around with the recipes below to perfect it to your palate. Without further ado, here are my top 3 go-to healthy smoothie recipes (ingredients are per 8oz. serving):
Bombastic Berry Bliss
Best for: Bloating and big meal detoxing because of all the antioxidants that are in blueberries and blackberries. The darker the fruit, the better for you.
- 1 scoop protein complex
- 1/2 cup milk or water
- 7 blueberries
- 5 blackberries
- 2 dried prunes
- 1/2 cup of kale
- 1/4 cup of alfalfa sprouts
- 1/4 cup crushed ice
Green Mean Lean Machine
Best for: An overall energy boost, fiber kick and inflammatory cleanse. With this one, I go heavy handed on the kale and spinach because there are plenty of fruits to balance out the bitterness.
- 1 scoop protein complex
- 1/2 cup milk or water
- 1/2 granny smith apple
- 3 sliced pineapple
- 1/2 a kiwi
- 1 whole cucumber
- 1/2 cup of of kale
- 1/2 cup of spinach
- 1/4 cup crushed ice
Pink Potion for Motion
Best for: A healthy sweet tooth sensation. I love making this especially on the weekends when I want to be good, but not great. I wouldn’t drink this on a daily basis only because, it’s too sweet for me, even though it’s healthy, I would rather have it as a dessert or weekend treat.
- 1 scoop protein complex
- 1/2 cup milk or water
- 1/2 cup of pomegranates
- 1/2 cup of raspberry
- 1 Fuji apple
- 1 cup watermelon
- 1 raw peeled beet
- 1/4 cup crushed ice
With these 3 healthy smoothie recipes, it’s best to alternate between them each week or two because it’s good to switch up the foods you put into your body. That way your metabolism is constantly evolving and breaking down new sources of nutrients. Let me know how you like them and feel free to share your healthy smoothie recipes with me in the comments below.
