Personally, I prefer not to cook in the mornings. There are so many places I’d rather be than in the kitchen behind a hot stove. The first that comes to mind is my bed of course because what can I say, I love my sleep! It’s essential for weight loss, not to mention it helps the body recover-two things that matter a lot to me. I also think of mornings as the perfect opportunity to set the tone for the day, and this includes making sure that my body, specifically my gut, gets the right fuel that it needs. When you’re asleep, your digestive system slows down and begins to heal itself. (1) By nourishing it with liquid calories upon waking, you give your body a much-needed dose of nutrients, which is great after a night of fasting.
Reading: kale smoothies for weight loss
Fresh or Frozen?
Planning is the only way to implement a smoothie making routine successfully. Supermarkets nowadays make it incredibly easy to find fresh greens, but they don’t last long even when you keep them in the fridge. If you can, support local farmers in your area by buying your greens from a local grocer or grow some spinach at home so that you can snip however much you need straight off the plant in the morning. Of course, you could also use frozen fruits and vegetables if that would be more convenient.
Spirulina – Nature’s Protein-Packed Superfood
Many great smoothie bases include a fruit and a vegetable in one way or another. Personally, I love adding berries to my smoothies because they’re low in carbs but offer a host of benefits. Berries contains bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, flavonols, tannins and ascorbic acid which are responsible for preventing cardiovascular diseases, lowering your risk of developing certain cancers, and reducing inflammation in the body.
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For your vegetables, I chose a trio of kale, lettuce and spinach. Kale is one of the oldest cabbage-like plants originating from the Mediterranean and can be eaten either raw or cooked. It has risen in popularity because of its nutrient profile, which contains considerable amounts of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and prebiotics. (2) Spinach likewise contains a host of other micronutrients and antioxidants that help reduce the effects of oxidative stress on the body, thereby preventing the development of chronic diseases. (3) Lettuce rounds up the trio of supergreens by further boosting the antioxidant status of the smoothie, while contributing to the vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoid content, while directly benefiting tissue oxidation and lipid metabolism. (4) To take it to the next level, we add a little spirulina powder, a superfood that’s packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. This powder has antiviral, antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antidiabetic, and antibacterial properties as well as lipid-lowering effects, so definitely use it if you have it! (5)
Once you have all the ingredients, you can either break them down into portions and place them in freezer friendly containers or use a little at a time. Portioning out your smoothies ahead of time makes it easier for you to regularly make them, so I highly recommend this step.
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Throw all the ingredients into a blender with some ice. Don’t forget about that cup of milk! If you’re vegan or you’ve chosen to reduce your consumption of dairy, you can substitute it with coconut milk or coconut water. You’ll want to make sure that you have a reliable blender because it does all the hard work for you. I use the Blendtec range to create these smoothies because it’s high-powered and can hold a lot at once. You could also use a smaller blender with this recipe.
Pro Tip: Increase Your Fiber Intake
To lose weight, you need to cut down on your calorie consumption, increase your physical activity, or do a mix of both. Personally, one of the easiest and most effective ways for me to cut down on calories is by making sure that I’m always full. I do this by increasing my fiber intake from whole foods such as leafy green vegetables. Fortunately for you, you get all the fiber from those greens in your smoothie because of the blending process, unlike juicing which leaves out the pulp.
Now it’s time to drink, relax and enjoy. No need for washing up. Just rinse off what you’ve used and put it away to dry. That’s the great thing about smoothies; you’ll spend zero time stressing over cooking and cleaning and more time focusing on your health and having an incredible day. Make sure you’re getting a healthy mix of protein, fats, and carbs in the rest of the foods that you eat throughout the day to further promote weight loss. Cheers!
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