Fat-Busting Smoothies for Diet Success

If you want to lose some weight or keep the pounds off, don't overlook the role that smoothies can play in a nutritious, low-calorie diet. For those who associate weight loss with boring food and deprivation, including smoothies in a diet may seem counter intuitive, but there are numerous reasons why fat busting smoothies can be a valuable part of your diet plan.

Smoothies Are Quick and Easy to Make. This can be especially important in the morning when time is short and the path of least resistance is to skip breakfast entirely or to opt for the convenience of a high-calorie, high-fat bagel or donut. Experts tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for weight loss and maintaining health, so skipping breakfast is not the way to keep your diet on track. You can prepare a smoothie in just a few minutes (especially if you assemble the ingredients the night before), making it an ideal breakfast choice for dieters who are short on time.

Smoothies are Nutritious. The key ingredients for smoothies, including fruit and dairy products like skim milk, nonfat soy milk and yogurt, are nutrition powerhouses.

There Are Smoothies for Every Taste. One of the downfalls of many diets is that they offer too little variety, which makes them boring and almost impossible to maintain for an extended period of time. The varieties of smoothies are limited only by your imagination. Start with a base of ice, no-fat or low-fat yogurt, and no-fat or low-fat milk, then get creative. Fruits and berries, juices, oatmeal, peanut butter, tofu, honey, and protein powder are just some of the ingredients that can be combined to make delicious smoothies. Search the internet for smoothie recipes or create your own.

Smoothies Are Filling and Can Provide an Energy Boost. A well-designed smoothie can be a well-balanced combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat, which will slow digestion and provide hours of energy. As a result, they can help to postpone the between-meal hunger pangs that are the downfall of many diets

Low Calorie. Many of the basic ingredients for smoothies, such as fruits and berries and nonfat dairy products are relatively low in calories. Therefore, you can easily make a nutritious, tasty and filling smoothie that contains only a few hundred calories. For example, a blueberry/banana smoothie made with a medium banana (105 calories), 2/3 cup blueberries (60 calories), 3/4 cup skim milk (75 calories), and ¼ cup nonfat plain yogurt (28 calories) comes in at less than 270 calories.

Inexpensive. Smoothies don't have to be expensive budget busters. For example, the simple blueberry/banana smoothie described above can be made for less than $2.00.

Source:

www.healthrecipes.com, How Power Smoothies Promote Weight Loss