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The perfect smoothie is both delicious and healthy. But before you pull out your blender, you'll want to read about the common smoothie slip-ups that can mess up your diet, or even lead to weight gain.

Make your smoothies healthier by avoiding these common smoothie mistakes.

Credit: Rimma_Bondarenko/iStock/GettyImages

Read on to find out the pros and cons and our favorite, dietitian-approved recipes.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, smoothies are a useful way to get more fruit and vegetables in your diet (other than, well, eating them). Unlike juices, they're usually made from whole fruit and vegetables, so they're higher in fiber and lower on the glycemic index. This means less blood sugar highs and lows, which can help control cravings.

Smoothies are easy to make (apart from cleaning the blender!) or grab and go when you're out and about. They're useful for those days when you have no time for breakfast or have just finished a workout and need a quick refuel.

Not into leafy greens but know you need to eat more? Try blending them into a fruit smoothie for an easy win. The sweet taste will offset that of the offending vegetable. But keep in mind that plenty of vegetables are sweet too.

"My fave veggies for smoothies are spinach, any greens, frozen cauliflower or frozen broccoli. You cant really taste them!" says Isabel Smith, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian based in New York City.

Smoothies can be part of a healthy weight-loss diet.

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Smoothies can be part of a healthy diet that supports your weight-loss goals as long as you don't fall prey to these common smoothie mistakes.

1. Drinking Too Many Calories

Although the mechanism isn't fully understood, scientists believe that we are more likely to over-consume calories if we drink rather than eat them.

"Liquid calories don't register in your body the way that solid calories do," explains Jennifer Koslo, PhD, RDN, dietitian, certified personal trainer and author of Healthy Smoothie Recipe Book: Easy Mix-and-Match Smoothie Recipes for a Healthier You and The 21-Day Healthy Smoothie Plan: Invigorating Smoothies & Daily Support for Wellness & Weight Loss. "So you can drink a smoothie and, depending on how thick it is, feel hungry soon after."

A much-cited August 2004 study in JAMA found that women who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages put on more weight than those who didn't. An effect that researchers attribute to the fact that drinks can contain a lot of sugars, yet the body cannot recognize and adjust intake to compensate, as it does when you are full after a solid meal.

The fix: Don't add too many smoothies to your diet, keep an eye on calories and consider smoothie bowls. The thicker texture helps your body know that it's full. According to the Harvard T. H Chan School of Public Health's healthy beverage guidelines, smoothies shouldn't be drunk daily due to their calorie content.

If you're using it as a meal replacement, a smoothie should contain about 300 to 450 calories, Smith says. Stick to 100 to 250 calories for a snack.

"The biggest mistake I see is that people just mix a ton of fruit with fruit juice and blend. That equals a nap for me hello, sugar crash, " Smith says.

Keep in mind that a large, fruit-only smoothie can have over 500 calories.

The fix: Skip fruit juice, since it only adds calories and isn't needed if you're using whole fruit. Use water, dairy milk or a milk alternative as your base instead, Koslo says.

When it comes to whole fruit, Smith recommends adding no more than 1/2 to 3/4 cup of fruit per serving and rounding out the drink with other ingredients.

3. Not Adding Filling Protein, Fiber or Fat

"If you want smoothies to be satisfying and help with weight loss, then there needs to be a balance of slow-digesting carbohydrates, some sort of protein and then some healthy fat and fiber," Koslo says.

Why? "Protein and fat help to keep us feeling full and they slow digestion," explains Smith. "Liquids digest more quickly than solids do, so adding some extra fat and protein can help to slow this process down and keep us fuller for longer."

Adding extra protein to your diet may even help you lose weight. Although a small sample size, a February 2015 study in the journal Nutrition found that women who ate a high-protein breakfast felt fuller and ate less at lunchtime, compared to a low-protein or no breakfast. Plus, a December 2019 meta-analysis in Advances in Nutrition found that people who are actively cutting calories to lose weight should eat more protein than the average person.

The fix: Aim for 17 to 25 grams of protein per smoothie if you are using one as a meal replacement, 10 to 12 grams for a snack, says Smith.

Good protein choices include greek yogurt, cottage cheese or white beans and peas. Or choose from one of the many dairy- or plant-based protein powders protein powders now available.

For fiber, try ground flaxseed, a tablespoon of nuts or some soaked oats. For fats, good options are a third of an avocado or 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or nut butter.

Make healthy smoothies with a good balance of protein, fiber and fat.

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Many recipes or bottled smoothies include added sweeteners like honey or agave, which only add to the sugar and calorie content without the benefit of extra nutrients.

The fix: The right recipe should be sweet enough! Call on the natural sugars in fruit when you're making a smoothie at home and skip the other sweeteners (yes, even the "natural"-sounding ones). Adding fruit gives you the benefit of filling fiber and other nutrients. When buying bottled, check the ingredients to make sure there are no added sweeteners.

5. Drinking Them With Meals

If you want to drink a smoothie with a meal, you have to lower the calorie content of the meal to compensate, or you'll end up consuming much more than you think.

The fix: The best way to enjoy smoothies is as a breakfast replacement or snack, not with a meal. "A lower-calorie smoothie as an afternoon snack would be good, instead of reaching for empty carbs like pretzels or candy," Koslo says.

The Everyday Green Smoothie has 144 calories and 6 grams of fiber per serving.

1. Everyday Green Smoothie

This one isn't too sweet (no sugar bomb here). Plus, it's balanced with plant-based protein and a healthy dose of greens for good measure.

The Hidden Spinach Smoothie has 160 calories and 8 grams of protein.

2. Hidden Spinach Smoothie

Spinach is a favorite for smoothies because its texture and taste are so much easier to hide than kale, and it allows the bright flavors of your raw fruits to shine through. This recipe uses steamed spinach because it's easier to digest.

The Bunny Food Smoothie contains 295 calories, 6 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein.

The tofu, veggies and fruit in this smoothie might sound like an unusual combination, but the subtle sweetness from the fruit and creaminess from the tofu makes this a delicious and easy way to start the morning.

The Pumpkin Spice Smoothie has 255 calories and 15 grams of protein.

4. Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

Push the sugary pumpkin spice latte aside and enjoy the pure taste of pumpkin in this beautifully spiced, warm smoothie that's packed with vitamins, fiber and heart-healthy fat.

The Paradise Smoothie has 318 calories and 19 grams of protein.

A nutrient-dense smoothie, this drink offers a punch of antioxidants, protein, vitamin C and healthy fats. Koslo recommends swapping the grapeseed oil for flax oil in this recipe.

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How to Make Smoothies Healthier and Smoothie Recipes to Try - LIVESTRONG.COM

Is your new year's resolution is to lose belly fat and get fit? Although there's no magic bullet, there are ways to burn belly fat (or 'lose weight' as we used to call it) that are tried, trusted and true. That doesn't make them easy or quick, and this is not about telling you how to get a six pack although we have plenty of articles on that topic. No, this is just about having a healthy lifestyle and feeling comfortable with the girth of your stomach.

To that end we've got here for you proven advice and key tips to lose belly fat quickly, healthily and sustainably. As we just said, there are no quick fixes here; we want you to develop habits that ensure you'll stay trim for good.Weve also got the lowdown on the best exercises to lose belly fat, and all the gear youll need to get started although, of course, the most important 'gear' is the bit between your ears.

There's no hard-and-fast rule for slim-down success: the best way to lose belly fat is the way that works around your lifestyle. If you follow an unsustainable plan, you won't last: it's as simple as that. In this article we lay out five principles that are applicable to everyone, whether you're a total beginner starting your weight-loss journey or a seasoned pro who fell off the wagon over Christmas.

These guiding lights will keep you on the straight and narrow, whether you've got time to hit the gym every day or a shift worker looking to manage your schedule. Dont try to take on more than you can reasonably fit into one day. And, despite the name of this feature, don't fixate on 'belly fat'. It's important to reduce visceral fat, which does tend to lurk around the belly area, but that is best achieved by trying to slim down and tune up overall.

Here are five strategies to help you start losing weight.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The short answer to the question of how to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. In the fitness world, this is known as achieving a "calorie deficit".

If this sounds like a waking nightmare, there's a trick to it: what you need to do is ensure youre eating the correct kind of food to make sure you feel full and sated, even when consuming fewer calories than you're burning off. Certain foods are "empty calories" while others release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer.

But before that, you'll need to find a good way to track your calories burned and calories taken in. The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you'll need a dedicated fitness tracker. If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, the Fitbit Versa Lite is the best activity tracker you can buy right now. Check out the deal below.

Oh, and staying hydrated is crucial, as well

Fitbit Versa 2 | was 199.99 | now 159 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa 2 is getting regular price cuts for the new year and is currently 40 off at Amazon and various other fine online retailers. The Versa 2 features advanced cardio tracking as well as the usual steps and sleep stuff, and has Alexa built in. It's also unusually stylish for a Fitbit.View Deal

Fitbit Versa Lite | was 149.99 | now 124.95 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa Lite is the best affordable fitness tracker or smartwatch you can buy.It tracks deep and light sleep, steps, distance and calories, but that is barely scraping the surface of its capabilities. Via Fitbit's excellently presented app and sprawling ecosystem, you can use it as the basis of a complete fitness and diet programme. You can also enter your meals to log calories consumed, so you can have all your dietary data in one place.View Deal

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S'Well Marble Drinking Water Bottle | now 25.00 at John LewisIn this case beauty is more than skin deep. This bottle is vacuum sealed, which means it should be able to keep liquids warm for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. Its stainless steel, has a capacity of 500ml and requires handwashing, and its definitely one for one-upping your co-workers boring flasks and supermarket specials.View Deal

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OXO Good Grips spiraliser | was 14.99 | now 11.60 on AmazonHand-held spiralisers can suffer from a teeny weeny little problem: if youre not careful you can end up spiralising your own flesh. The Good Grips spiraliser solves that by having a plastic food holder that you can use instead of having your fingers anywhere near the blades.If youre only spiralising for yourself its a simple and effective tool. Its dishwasher safe and easy to clean in the sink too.View Deal

Spiralizing vegetables is a great alternative to pasta

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Intermittent fasting is becoming more and more popular. It involves significantly cutting calories or abstaining from food altogether for a portion of the day or week, and then cramming all your calories into a much shorter time window.

The best-known intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where you eat as you normally would (although hopefully a bit healthier) for five days a week, then scoff no more than 600 calories two days a week.There are also variants of this diet where you consume almost no calories, two days per week. This is much more doable than it sounds, so long as you are in good general health, but it's not exactly fun.

However, for trainees who are serious but not that serious, there's the 16:8 diet. With this diet you have only 8 hours a day to fit all your meals in, but can only drink water (and maybe some black coffee, if you're feeling naughty) within a 16 hour fasting period outside of those 8 hours. Most choose to eat from 10am to 6pm, but as long as you stay within an eight hour window, you can start and finish at any time of the day. This isHugh Jackman's strategy, so if you have ever wanted to be in Wolverine shape

Why try fasting, though? Well, during the fasting period the body will run out of sugar to run on, and so will start eating up the bodys fat stores. The big negative is the adjustment period: if you're used to a big breakfast or an early dinner, a 16-hour fast feels tough at first, especially if you're exercising. You're going to get seriously cranky.

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Weight training is a great way to tip your muscle-fat ratio the right way

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There are two main types of exercise: cardio training and weights, otherwise known as resistance training.Although cardio burns a lot of calories while you do it, weight training builds muscle which burns more than fat as you go about your day. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn even when not working out.

Resistance training may seem scary if you're doing it for the first time, especially in the gym when the area's dominated by serious lifters, but you dont have to start adding big plates to the bar right now. There's plenty of ways to get started at home with smaller weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and even medicine balls.

Were not going to list every single lifting exercise, so why not pick the body part you want to start toning up and check out some of our muscle-building how-tos. One you've done that, grab one of the best dumbbell sets on the market. They're not just for arms: you can use a dumbbell to work your core, shoulders, and even your legs with combination movements. Once you're comfortable in your own home, you can move on to more advanced equipment at the gym.

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All of this aside, dont neglect cardio, as regular cardio workouts are important for fitness and stamina.

Electric Muscle Stimulation can help your muscles recover faster

(Image credit: PowerDot)

It may seem gimmicky when you unwrap your new six-pack vibrating belt, complete with a picture of Ronaldo on the box, but don't roll your eyes just yet. While you can't just sit there eating crisps and expect to get ripped, Electric Muscle Stimulators can help as part of a controlled dietary and exercise plan.

EMS can cause the muscles to contract, essentially tensing and untensing rapidly. During downtime post-workout, you can continue to encourage muscle growth with EMS, while the right bit of kit can also encourage faster recovery, allowing you to get back in the gym all the quicker. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, EMS stimulates the muscle in the same way as a massage, prepping it for the next go-round.

It's not a bona fide shortcut to a six-pack, but it can speed up the muscle-building process with regular use. Check out our choice below: the PowerDot 2.0, a smart muscle stimulating solution you can control from your phone.

(Image credit: Sixpad)

Alternatively there is always SIXPAD as used by Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who takes great pride in his body. Perhaps a little too much pride, the unkind or jealous might say. Amazon also sells all manner of abs belts by brands we have never heard of, for about 20. Needless to say we dont recommend these.

PowerDot 2.0 - Smart Electric Muscle Stimulator | now 185 at AmazonThis neat muscle stimulator works from your phone, allowing you to control intensity, stimulation and goal. Reduce your recovery time and increase muscular performance, as the PowerDot working to support your gym schedule. This model has two stimulators, but you can scale up to four for 325View Deal

Planks are a tough abs workout and a great end-of-workout finisher

(Image credit: Taco Fleur from Pixabay)

As well doing both muscle-building and cardio exercises, if you want to lose belly fat its also important to switch up the pace of your workout.

Every time you workout, you should exercise using both steady state (working hard but not at max capacity, such as during brisk jog) and high intensity (going flat out, like sprinting) to torch your abdominal fat.

Steady state or aerobic exercises include cycling, running or uphill hiking.Its a crucial part of losing belly fat because it burns through your fat stores. However, it also uses your sugar stores for energy first, so you need to do steady-state for long enough to use up all that sugar before it eats into your fat reserves.

High intensity workouts use mainly sugar for fuel, so they don't hit the fat right away, but it does help in building muscle, which will help you torch fat even on days you're not exercising. Explosive weight lifting, sprinting and HIIT-friendly exercises like mountain climbers are all great high-intensity exercises.

A good fitness tracker will help you to gauge the intensity of your workout by monitoring your heart rate. For overall fitness trackers, check out the Fitbit Versa Lite above, but for a dedicated running watch, you can't beat the Garmin Forerunner 645, the best on the market right now.

Find out more about heart rate zone training

Garmin Forerunner 645 | now 276.93 at AmazonGarmin dominates the running/fitness watch category so totally, it's almost embarrassing for the competition. The most recent addition to their premium line, the Garmin 645, incorporates GPS and wrist heart-rate tracking, which is good for monitoring your resting and all-day rates. The 645 crunches a lot of data to suggest recovery times, make a decent stab at estimating your VO2 Max, tell you how optimal your training load and lots, lots more.View Deal

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The most important thing to bear in mind is this: losing weight takes time. You'll have setbacks and slip-ups, but if you stay committed to your goal, you'll be fitter and healthier in 2020, building up great habits for many years ahead.

Need some help to get started? Check out all the latest deals on the kit you'll need to get fit in 2020.To start with, you'll need a killer playlist and a good set of workout headphones to listen to it on:

Beats By Dre Powerbeats Pro | now 219 on AmazonPowerbeats Pro are a 'game changer' for Beats; the quality of them is over and above anything the brand has produced before. Designed for workouts and running, the clever design of these true wireless buds means they stay still in your ears during even the most arduous physical jerks. Battery life is way better than most true wireless buds at 8-9 hours and they recharge incredibly fast.View Deal

Read more from the original source:
How to lose belly fat: burn fat and reveal your abs in 2020 with these 5 techniques - T3

My name is Kelly Nieto (@kelly.nieto), and I am 30 years old. I live in Long Island, New York, and I am a bank operations trainer. After my husband committed to his weight-loss journey, I saw his amazing progress and knew it was my time, too. And now? I've lost 110 pounds.

I was always heavy as a child, but I really started noticing my weight around the age of 10, when I started to get made fun of at school. I was always confident and outgoing and never really let things bother me, but the teasing about my body started to get to me. I begged my mother to let me start WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) and, with my doctor's blessing, she finally agreed. I lost about 30 pounds and I actually ended up a bit underweight. Naturally, the kids at school taunted me about that, too, spreading rumors I had an eating disorder.

I finally got to a healthy weight by the time I was 13, after getting involved in a lot of sports teams at school. Then, when I was 16, I met my now-husband, and some happy weight from being in a great relationship started to creep on. For example, we started going out to dinner a lot, and I gained 90 pounds gradually (and he gained 100 pounds).

When we got engaged, I knew I didnt want to be unhappy and unhealthy on my wedding day, so I joined WW againbut something just wasnt clicking. I didn't feel the fire or sense of motivation. I only lost about 25 pounds ahead of my wedding, and thats where I stayed for about a year. I eventually gained those 25 back, and then some.

He started eating healthier (bringing a sandwich to work instead of buying fast food, for instance) and working out. When he started experiencing real weight-loss changes, I was so motivated and knew that, this time, I was going to do it. We were a team through everything else, and I knew we needed to go through this as a team, too.

I knew we would be unstoppable if we were supporting each other and doing it together. So in August 2015, at 26 years old, I decided this time WW was going to work for me. I was finally going to commit to it. I lost a total of 70 pounds, slowly making changes to my nutrition to really fuel my workouts and meal prepping all of our lunches.

Eventually, my meals werent fitting into the WW points system due to the way I was trying to fuel my body with enough protein for my workouts, so I decided to continue on my journey on my own, without WW. It was so scary at first to stop WW and lose weight without the guidance, but I felt in my heart that I could do it.

Spoiler: I lost another 40 pounds on my own by doing intense workouts and meal prepping.

There isnt anything wrong with counting calories. But for me, I had fitness goals I was determined to achieve, and I knew monitoring my carbs was going to be more of a necessity for me. I downloaded the app called myMacros, which is like a calorie counter for macros, and it was so helpful to determine where my levels should be, and how on track I was. The best thing was I could link my husbands account to mine so he could track the meals I was cooking for us, too.

I know there are a lot of diets out there that restrict one of the macronutrient groups, generally either fat or carbs. Personally, I believe that every nutrient out is vital to my body in some way. So, I eat a balanced diet of a healthy amount of protein, carbs, and fats. Having a substantial-enough combo of all three fuels my workouts properly, helps me with recovery, and keeps me full and energized.

My husband was and continues to be a huge factor in how I structure my workouts. He has lost so much weight (175 pounds) and gained so much muscle that he is the primary source of inspiration for me in the gym. I work out with him when I can and model my session after him when I cant. He pulls most of his workouts from YouTube or Instagram.

I stopped making excuses, accepted what I had done to end up at that point, and became obsessed with fixing my ways. If you want to change the outside, you have to change the inside: your outlook. Find that one reason you are going to choose to live, and never stop fighting for it.

This journey has changed my life because it has allowed me to become the person I always knew I was. Sure, I was always an outspoken and outgoing person. But I always knew all people could see was my size, so I always felt I had to compensate somehow. Now, I am unapologetically me, and I love that.

More:
'I Count Macros And Work Out With My HusbandAnd We've Lost Nearly 300 Lbs. Combined' - Women's Health

James Martin will often appear on the small screen to share his cooking tips with Britons. In the past, the chef has been open about his incredible weight loss journey. What did he do to slim down?

The TV chef recently shared snaps online showing his ten year transformation.

He has dramatically slimmed down during his career and most recently showcased a 1st 7lb weight loss in May 2018.

Speaking at the time, he revealed his TV appearances motivated him to make a change.

James told Mail Online: You kind of watch and go, 'oh God there's a bit of chin happening there'. And everybody's TVs are bigger now.

READ MORE: Weight loss diet: One drink can help burn fat fast - how much should you have?

Before you used to watch TV on a small one and now they're massive."

Working in the public eye, he revealed negative comments persuaded him to change his lifestyle.

I looked on social media and every comment was about me being fat, he told The Sun.

So I lost a stone-and-a-half. And no doubt Ill lose another stone on this tour.

DON'T MISS

It is reported he cut back on butter and foods high in fat to help him get into shape.

However, he has admitted he will use lashings of fatty foods when cooking on his show.

He said: If you want to do Weight Watchers this show probably isnt for you!

I have double cream, full fat milk, cheese and butter and thats just for one of the side orders on this tour.

But I like food. Ive always been surrounded by food. I was brought up on a farm, I worked on a farm producing pigs.

You have to understand food and I am seriously passionate about ingredients.

On social media, the popular chef will often share posts of healthy meals he has cooked.

However, it was exercising that first helped him lose a staggering amount of weight.

Previously weighing in at 19st 7lb, James lost a huge amount of weight when he competed in the reality dance show, Strictly Come Dancing in 2005.

While on the show, contestants will follow an intense training regime and James managed to dance off an impressive five stone.

Opening up on the training routine, he said he eventually trained seven days a week for 10 hours.

The routine helped him kick start his weight loss journey.

Read more from the original source:
James Martin weight loss: TV chef used this trick to shed a whopping six stone - Express

Jessica Simpson turned to diet pills at the age of 17 after she was ordered to lose weight by record executive Tommy Mottola.

The With You hitmaker dropped to 103 pounds (46.7 kilograms) after she was told to shed 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) in order to get signed to a record label, the star has claimed in excerpts of her new memoir, Open Book, obtained by People.

On her 17th birthday, Jessica had the chance to sing for Tommy, who at the time was the CEO and chairman of Sony Music Entertainment, parent of the Columbia label, and belted out Amazing Grace in a bid to get snapped up and signed to their roster.

The star recalled that "he wanted to sign me", but he said: "You gotta lose fifteen pounds."

After questioning his remark, he allegedly told her: "That's what it takes to be Jessica Simpson."

Jessica said that at the time she was five-foot-three and weighed 118 pounds (53.5 kilograms) and, after the meeting, she "immediately went on a strict diet, and started taking diet pills, which I would do for the next twenty years."

The star said that she also took sleeping pills at this time, noting, "I started hearing voices when I was alone at night, waiting for the sleeping pill to kick in 'Do more sit-ups, fat a*s.'"

Jessica noted she "couldn't enjoy" her success "because I was so freaking hungry," and claimed that, after she lost weight, the label allegedly told her to "show more skin," which sent her on more of a downward spiral.

In previous snippets of the publication, the hitmaker opened up about her battles with alcohol and drugs, which she claimed were sparked by an incident of sexual assault when she was just six years old.

The 39-year-old is planning to drop six new songs to mark the release of Open Book on 4 February. The tracks will be included on the memoir's audiobook, which Simpson has narrated herself.

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Jessica Simpson turned to diet pills after record executive told her to lose weight - Music News

Protein is one of the most crucial macro-nutrients that is also referred as the building block of body. Those who are trying to lose weight and gain some muscle, increasing protein in your diet may take you an inch closer to your goal. Protein helps build muscle. After a grueling session at gym, when you tend to lose a lot of muscle, protein helps aid muscle recovery too. The more muscle you have, the lesser room there is for fat to accumulate in body. You become more muscular, fit and lean. Since protein also takes a while to digest, it stays in your system for a longer time inducing the feeling of fullness. When you full and satiated, your tendency to bend towards fattening foods decreases, you are not mindlessly munching all the time, therefore you end up saving many unnecessary calories. This is why many fitness experts and nutritionists often recommend including high-protein foods in your weight-loss diet.

There are many natural sources of protein that you can add to your daily diet. Flaxseeds, for instance, has become a superfood for those looking for a healthy plant-based source of protein. Would you believe 100 grams of flaxseeds contain about 18 grams of protein?!

"Flaxseeds are a great source of mucilaginous (gum like) fibre that can lower "unhealthy" (LDL) cholesterol in the blood, balance blood sugar levels, and act as a hunger suppressant", notes the book 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing House.

(Also Read:Healthy Diet: 3 Delightful Smoothie Bowl Recipes For An 'Insta-worthy' Nutritious Meal)

There are many natural sources of protein that you can add to your daily diet.

Eating seasonal is also a key component of a healthy weight-loss diet. Apples and spinach are two winter staples that come loaded with a range if healthy antioxidants that help fight free-radical activity. They also prevent inflammation,boost immunity, heart health and make your skin radiant. Blend them together and you can have a concoction to fire up your weight-loss goals too!

(Also Read:Weight Loss Drink: Drink Oats-Based Smoothies To Rev Up Your Metabolism)

This home-made spinach-flax and apple smoothie may do wonders for your weight-loss diet. It is wholesome, high in protein and combines power of seasonal fruits and veggies. It is super easy to make at home too.

Here's How To Make The 3 Ingredient Winter Smoothie At Home

1. Take one medium-sized apple, de-seed it and cut it in thick chunks2. Chop a cupful of spinach leaves too.3. Take a blender add apples, spinach leaves, and 1 tbsp flaxseeds. Blend until smooth. If the consistency is too thick for your liking, add some water and blend again until you get the consistency of your liking.

Try the recipe at home and let us know how you liked it. Do make sure you complement your diet with a planned fitness regimen too.

(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)

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High Protein Diet: Make This 3-Ingredient Winter Protein Shake At Home And Drop Those Extra Kilos - NDTV Food

Wheatgrass (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Weight loss doesn't just happen like a miracle, a lot of effort needs to be put in for that. Along with regular exercise and overall standard diet, it is also necessary to include some natural fat loss remedies for quick result. Wheatgrass is one such food that can expedite the fat loss process and also help in losing belly fat. In this week's weight loss tip, we will discuss how wheatgrass should be used to lose weight effectively.Weight Loss Tip of the Week: How to Use Snow Mountain Garlic (Kashmiri Lahsun) to Lose Weight.

Wheatgrass drink is a perfect health tonic that will not only help in weight loss but also provide the body with various health benefits.Wheatgrass is an excellent source of many different vitamins and minerals. It is especially high in vitamins A, C and E, as well as iron, magnesium, calcium and amino acids. The best part is that wheatgrass contains all eight essential amino acids which the body itself cannot produce.

Wheatgrass helps in increasing the activity of the thyroid gland, which in turn enhance the functioning of metabolism. Those with hypothyroidism must include wheatgrass juice in their daily morning meal. Also, the chlorophyll content in wheatgrass helps in blood circulation and remove harmful toxins such as heavy metals, metabolic waste and other impurities. Apart from this, wheatgrass can also help lower blood cholesterol level.

Wheatgrass Drink For Weight Loss

Wheatgrass is also high in antioxidants which helps in fighting against the free radical cells present in the body. According to a study published in the National Institute of Health in the year 2015, wheatgrass helps in regulating blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. In the end, it can be simply said that wheatgrass, if added in your daily diet plan, can work wonders on your health.

(This article is written for an informative purpose and should not be substituted for medical advice. Kindly consult your doctor before trying any tips.)

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Weight Loss Tip of the Week: How to Use Wheatgrass to Lose Weight (Watch Video) - LatestLY

New Delhi: Looking to lose some extra kilos? Look no further than some easy-to-find items in your own kitchen.

Diet and exercise can help to lose weight in a healthy way but how well one knows their kitchen and its items, makes a world of difference to someone who has an urge to shred some extra pounds. Incorporating some food items from the kitchen in a day to day diet can have a big impact on ones ability to lose weight, says Dr. Partap Chauhan, noted ayurvedacharya and Director, Jiva Ayurveda.

His weight loss suggestion? Embrace Ayurveda!

He points to five kitchen items that aid weight loss by boosting metabolism and digestion at your best convenience.

Cinnamon:

Cinnamon has been used in Ayurveda for its disinfectant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. When it comes to weight loss, this sweet fragrant spice boosts metabolism, lowers blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Drinking cinnamon infused water first thing in the morning helps to suppress appetite, lower bad cholesterol and boost metabolism.

Black Pepper:

According to Ayurveda, black pepper is considered to be an effective agent for weight loss. It decreases blockages in the body, improves circulation and digestion while stimulating the metabolism. It also helps the body detox and inhibits it from accumulating fat.

Ginger:

This magic spice of Ayurveda boosts metabolism by 20 per cent, helps improve gut health, melts fat and flushes out toxins. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties aid digestion, while its appetite suppressant properties ensure that you dont gorge on your favourite treats. Regular intake of these spices can not only help to lose weight but can dramatically improve overall health.

Lemon:

Including lemon in food, sprinkling on salads or just making lemonade helps in rapid weight loss. Lemons contain a high amount of vitamin C and soluble fiber that give them a number of health benefits. Lemons may reduce your risk of heart disease, anemia, kidney stones, digestive issues and cancer. The most important part is to eat it wisely and one wont be far from ones ideal weight.

Honey:

Consuming honey right before hitting the bed, can help burn more calories during the early hours of sleep. Essential hormones in honey suppress appetite and aid weight loss in much easier way. It also helps in reducing belly fat, which is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

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Fast track your weight loss with these kitchen essentials - The Siasat Daily

If you, like tons of other women around the world, are hell-bent on finally winning the weight loss battle in 2020 then youre going to have to approach it more deliberately and with a tight strategy.

But first things first: dont beat yourself up for not staying the course last year. Theres nothing wrong with going right back to the start and taking it from there. As long as youve still got time and energy, you havent let yourself down yet.

And I dont know about you, but theres an extreme sense of newness in 2020 it feels like the year that were all finally going to knuckle down, get our ducks in a row, our goals in order and finally win the wars weve been fighting in ourselves.

READ MORE: 9 Common Mistakes People Make When It Comes To Weight Loss, According To A Celeb Trainer

With that said, life coach and author Paula Quinsee reckons that theres very little you can achieve without the right mindset and the right strategies in place.

With the right mindset and a solid plan, there are very few things you cant achieve this is the starting point of any goal, she says.

We asked her to help us unpack some of the most effective strategies we can use to make this year different to finally get to the finish line of the weight loss race.

If youre not clear on why weight loss is your goal, then your motivation to achieve it wont stand firm.

People need to understand the why behind their goals, Quinsee says. Yes, you might want to lose weight but its not so much about the goal than it is about what the goal will do for you.

In a sense, losing weight is only but a vehicle thats taking to you to where you want to be. And your why can be anything you might want to lose weight to feel more confident, get healthier, become more energetic for your kids and so on. If it matters to you, it is valid.

Working towards a goal aimlessly and with no time frame leaves a lot of room for excuses. A deadline, so to speak, not only encourages some form of discipline, but its also important for helping keep track of your progress (well get to why this matters in a moment). But in setting those time frames, its also vital that they are realistic for the way that your life is set up.

Giving yourself an unrealistic time frame for your goal is setting yourself up for failure, Quinsee explains. You will end up feeling disappointed, let down and the self-blaming and loathing can derail you from the entire goal itself.

Were always told to dream big and what makes a big dream attainable? All the smaller dreams in between and all the little wins that eventually lead us to our big picture.

Often, people look at the big goal and they get overwhelmed by it. But if you break a goal down into much more manageable bite-size chunks, then you will find that the process becomes a lot less daunting, Quinsee says.

Its important to know and be extremely conscious of your weaknesses, and to make sure your strategy includes things that work around them.

If you know that youre not a disciplined person when it comes to exercise then make sure that you set yourself up for success by getting a personal trainer, Quinsee says. In that way, you will know that someone is always holding you accountable. This could even be a workout buddy or anyone that can help support, motivate and encourage you throughout.

A lot of the time were so busy focused on the goal that we miss how far weve come in our journey, how much weve achieved and the progress that weve made.

Every small little step forward is success and its so important to not only note, but to celebrate those little victories and small signs of progress, Quinsee says. The acknowledgement of these is what will keep you going.

A strategy that works really well is creating a personal rewards system for every time you achieve a small goal or objective.

You can even reward yourself for just being disciplined and attending all the workout classes you planned to attend that week, Quinsee says. The key is to always seek out the positive sides of your experience and to acknowledge them.

This article was originally published on http://www.womenshealthsa.co.za

Image credit: iStock

Excerpt from:
6 weight loss strategies that'll get you closer to your #BodyGoals - Health24

The Med diet was the easiest to stick to (Picture: Getty)

A new study has found that intermittent fasting may help you lose more weight in the short term, but the Mediterranean diet is both healthier and easier to stick to.

Researchers found the Med diet is the most effective way to lose weight overall because more people were still sticking to it a year after starting than with other diets, like the paleo or 5:2.

Six in ten (57%) were still on the Med diet at the end of the year.

This compared to 54% of those who chose the 5:2 diet and just 35% who opted for the paleo caveman eating plan.

And, because a healthier diet isnt only about losing pounds, the Med diet presented other health benefits too. People saw big improvements in their blood pressure and glucose levels reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Following the diet encourages consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole-grain bread and cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds and olive oil with moderate amounts of fish, chicken, eggs and dairy and red meat once a week or less.

Our participants could follow the diets guidelines more closely than the fasting and paleo diets and were more likely to stay with it after the year, as our retention rates showed, says co-lead author Dr Michelle Jospe.

The Mediterranean diet varies, but generally itshigh in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil. It usually includes a low intake of meat and dairy foods.

Co-lead author Dr Melyssa Roy added: In the real world, the one right way to lose weight and eat right is that you can find what suits you the best, and whatever diet is the best is the one you stick to.

If you choose something that suits you, and is basically a selection of healthy foods, and perhaps eating a bit less often, you can actually get real-world benefits and just live a normal life, and lose weight and see improvements in your health.

The study also found that people who managed to stay on an intermittent fasting diet where they ate a quarter of their normal calories on two days of the week lost slightly more weight.

Those following the fasting plan lost an average of nine pounds of 12 months, compared to an average of six pounds on the Med diet.

The study also showed expensive weight-loss products or ongoing dietitian advice werent really necessary.

The aim of the study was to look at how effective all three diets were in a real world setting, where participants self-selected which diet they wished to follow, without any ongoing support from a dietitian.

You can actually just choose a particular way of eating and apply it to your own life, says Dr Roy.

These people just literally got given advice on how to follow a diet then got left alone and then at least half of them actually managed to lose an amount of weight that from a medical point of view is clinically significant.

This work supports the idea that there isnt a single right diet there are a range of options that may suit different people and be effective.

Like the Mediterranean diet, intermittent fasting and paleo diets can also be valid healthy eating approaches the best diet is the one that includes healthy foods and suits the individual.

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The Mediterranean diet is the healthiest way to lose weight long-term - Metro.co.uk

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