Juicing/Smoothies for weight loss

[AG]

Hello,
I am new here. I just needed some advice on the best and tasty juicing and smoothie recipes for weight loss. Please give recommendations if you have tried juicing for long periods of time or know of a website that would be good for reference. I was a vegetarian for 6 years but recently made the transition to a vegan diet this year.
I have been doing high intensity interval training on the treadmill for 30 mins 4-5 days out of the week and starting making my own green smoothie for my weight loss, hair, and skin but would like other recipes. I need to lose 20 pounds within the next 2-3 months.

smoothie recipe is
kale
spinach
blueberries
banana
coconut milk-vanilla
flaxseed oil
wheat Germ
ice


Also, I recently bought cranberries and carrots and have been pondering the best juicing recipe for this fruit and vegetable.

[BilTan]

Hi,

I started juicing seriously 4 months ago, when I invested in an Omega 8004 masticating juicer. A few years ago I had experimented with juicing, using a Philips HR1861 whole fruit centrifugal juicer, but I gave up after about a year.

Since I became a vegan last year, after 21 years as a vegetarian, I have become more interested in incorporating more raw food into my diet, albeit that I am hesitant about making a complete transition from cooked food.

So I decided that a regular juicing regime was a good step in the right direction, and, having widely researched the subject on the internet, I concluded that a masticating juicer was more appropriate for my requirements than my existing centrifugal model. The Omega 8004 ticked all the boxes in my price range.

I also took the plunge and purchased a Vitamix Total Nutrition Center (TNC), but I have found that I use this far less than the Omega juicer which is employed on a daily basis, as I have discovered that I much prefer juices to smoothies, not least of all because the former retain more nutrients & natural enzymes, but contain less calories. IMO an 80rpm masticating juicer produces a much healthier end product than a 240mph blender.

Although I purchased several juicing books, and downloaded several recipes online, I have more or less standardized on my own concoction:

3 or 4 large carrots (gently scrubbed)
2 or 3 sticks of celery (washed)
3" to 4" piece of cucumber (unskinned, washed)
1/4 piece of a lemon (peeled with large pips removed)
1 medium to large apple (washed)
1 piece of fresh ginger (at least 1" length)
2 or 3 fresh whole garlic cloves (peeled)
3 large handfuls of curly kale (washed & cut into small pieces)
1/2 piece of a medium/large beetroot or 1 small beetroot (gently scrubbed)

Sometimes I add 1 or 2 small peppers (washed), and/or substitute spinach for the curly kale. Also, I have experimented with adding a whole parsnip (gently scrubbed), but have not done so lately because it does not add much juice.

The above recipe produces between 1 to 1.5 imperial pints, which I drink in one go, but most definitely it is not for the faint-hearted. It suits me, because I do not have a sweet tooth, and I like tart flavours - preferring to eat gooseberries, blueberries etc. before they ripen, and opting for raw Bramley cooking apples instead of sweeter alternatives. Nevertheless, IMO it is a good healthy concoction!

There are numerous websites that contain juicing recipes - just google "juicing recipes" or visit some of the raw food sites.

PS: Should have mentioned that all ingredients are organic, whenever possible.

[Andy_T]

Hello AG,

welcome to the forum!

Your green smoothie recipe looks good to me APART FROM THE COCONUT MILK. That is practically pure fat, as far as I remember, I'd leave it out if I were you.

For weight loss, I'd stay with smoothies, because when you juice, you will lose all the fiber in the fruits and veggies you drink. With a good blender (e.g. Vitamix, Blendtec or similar) you can drink your greens and still get all that is inside. I think your idea is a good one, if ýou can drink green smoothies instead of some other kind of snacks you would typically take over the day.

Best regards,
Andy

[rwa]

Hi AG,

You can check my website for my favorite smoothie recipe and for some websites that you can use as reference. Here's my link : http://www.rawvegandietadvisor.com/index.html
(http://www.rawvegandietadvisor.com/index.html)
Claire

[tickled onion]

for juicing you could do worse than searching out Jason Vale recipes, commonly known as the Juicemaster, he has a lose 7lb in 7 days programme for juicing, it would set you off to a good start, the juices on it are nutritious and tasty too, easy to make and varied, his superjuice is my favourite juice ever. For your carrots, just juice those with green apples and an inch of ginger, fab, the cranberries will need to go in a smoothie, switch them with you blueberries, try not to have the same juice all the time, and try and get some wheatgrass and spirulina in there too.

[Blueberries]

Hello AG,
Your green smoothie recipe looks good to me APART FROM THE COCONUT MILK. That is practically pure fat, as far as I remember, I'd leave it out if I were you.


I think the poster was referring to the type of coconut milk that's meant for drinking rather than the type that comes in the tin for cooking. Drinking coconut milk is generally thinned out considerably and is like semi-skimmed milk. So it wouldn't be 'pure fat'. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with moderate amounts of fat, especially if you're trying to lose weight as your body needs it and it keeps you sated for longer than just veg/fruit. I'm probably getting the wrong impression but putting in caps to exclude something that is 'pure fat' comes across as a bit negative and fat-phobic, fat isn't a dirty word!

[AG]

Hello AG,

welcome to the forum!

Your green smoothie recipe looks good to me APART FROM THE COCONUT MILK. That is practically pure fat, as far as I remember, I'd leave it out if I were you.

For weight loss, I'd stay with smoothies, because when you juice, you will lose all the fiber in the fruits and veggies you drink. With a good blender (e.g. Vitamix, Blendtec or similar) you can drink your greens and still get all that is inside. I think your idea is a good one, if ýou can drink green smoothies instead of some other kind of snacks you would typically take over the day.

Best regards,
Andy

perhaps i should switch to coconut water?

- - - Updated - - -

It is for drinking not the the tin. I get my coconut milk from Trader Joes

[Andy_T]

Yes, I was guessing the one from the tin for cooking.
Just check out the calories and the calories from fat.

Best regards,
Andy

[leftyladyfrommo]

I make myself a big smoothie every day. I change the ingredients daily. I try to use at least 3 fruits, add enough water to make it drinkable and then fill my blender to the top with one or two kinds of greens.

It's like drinking 50 ounces of pure nutrients and lots and lots of fiber.

Good for weight loss and also great for blood pressure.