There is lots of bad information out there about weight loss. From pills and powders to books and gadgets, there is a whole industry making money from people’s efforts to shed the pounds. While some people may have limited success, time and time again it is proven that there is one simple way to lose weight – burn more calories exercising than you take in through eating.
While this isn’t generally what people want to hear, it’s safe to say it’s the most effective way to lose weight for most people. One excellent way to consume fewer calories is to give natural smoothies or juicing a try. We recently uploaded a beginner’s guide to juicing which you can read here.
How it works
By getting your daily sustenance from organic plant matter instead of calorie dense processed foods, you are going to slash your calorie intake. But, crucially that doesn’t mean you’ll run out of energy. Juicing does not = fasting or at least it doesn’t have to. If you make your drinks the correct way then you should be getting all the nutrients and goodness that you need and direct from the source. If you feel hungry still then load up some more of those leafy greens to get you going again. While it’s true that you may find the first few days difficult, you should notice that your energy levels actually begin to increase and you feel ready for a good calorie burning workout. That being said, it’s not recommended to undertake intense workouts on your first juice cleanse, particularly if you don’t exercise very often.
Provided you aren’t solely juicing you should seek to include plenty of fibre and protein in your diet through legumes, oats and rice as well as yoghurt or soya alternatives. Having the occasional smoothie instead of relying solely on juicing can also help as smoothies retain the pulp from all the ingredients.
The amount of success you have with juicing and ultimately the amount of weight you lose will come down to how much you invest in it. Those who fully detox or fast will of course lose the most, but even just replacing a fatty breakfast or lunch with a detox juice can help you to slim down. Here are three recipes to get you started:
Minty Kick
- 1 apples de-cored
- 1 stalk of celery (without the leaves)
- 1/4 cucumber (peeled)
- Fresh mint (to taste)
- ½ a lemon (unwaxed)
- 1 cup of cale
- 1 inch of fresh ginger (peeled)
- Add water to fill line of your blending cup
Carrot Cooler
- 2 small-medium sized carrots chopped
- 1 inch of fresh ginger
- 1 cup of mango
- 1 cup of grapefruit
- Half a teaspoon of turmeric
- Half a teaspoon of ground cayenne
- A handful of ice cubes or crushed ice
- Add water to fill line of your blending cup
Kale & Berry Blast
- 2 cup of blueberries
- 2 cup of kale
- 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
- Add water to fill line of your blending cup
Use our recipes as a guideline to get started but feel free to experiment. If the consistency is too thin then you can always add more ingredients. Share your favourite recipes with us by tweeting us at @TimeForYouGroup or for more tips and advice visit us at https://timeforyou.cleaning/uk/ for more tips and advice.
