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Weight Loss: How to make smoothies healthy and help in shedding excess pounds

Anna Volkova/Flickr

Weight loss is more than just skipping meals. To be successful in bringing the scales down, you need to put effort into it. You also have to make sure that you are doing it in a healthy way.

However, most people do not have the luxury of time to focus on their weight loss regimen as they go about their everyday lives. So a quick fix would be very much welcome.

Fortunately, there are a lot of options to do just that, and one of them is replacing your breakfast and snacks with smoothies.

But, not all smoothies are healthy. Even the fruits you use for your smoothies have natural sugar, so you have to be sure to use only small portions.

So, what exactly makes a healthy smoothie? A well-concocted smoothie should have proteins, healthy types of carbohydrates, and good fats. It should be able to jumpstart your weight loss with nutrients.

Also, smoothies with the right ingredients can satiate your cravings or make you feel full until the next meal, so you can do away with snacks, according to Kim Pearson, a nutritionist.

Pearson told the Daily Express that to make a healthy smoothie, you should not use fruit juice as the liquid for your smoothie. Instead, use unsweetened nut milk or simply just water.

A good weight loss regimen should be able to regulate your sugar intake. Even naturally occurring sugar such as those in fruits can still be harmful if taken in excess. So, you have to keep the number of fruits you use to no more than two portions.

Adding protein powder to your smoothie will help you feel full longer, said Pearson, which means you will not need a snack until lunch.

The nutritionist also said that adding half of an avocado can satisfy the healthy fat requirement that your smoothie must-have. Or maybe a palmful of seeds, such as linseeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. You can also use unsweetened nut butter to make your smoothie creamy.

And, one other ingredient that your smoothie must-have is the veggie or the greens. One advantage of having green leafy veggies in your smoothie is that there is less chance of tasting them, that is, if you are not a big vegetable eater.

A smoothie is a good way to start your day and your weight loss regimen. Once you've decided on the ingredients, it will be easy and quick to make. And, you can also make different flavors every day.

Image credit courtesy of Anna Volkova/Flickr

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