A nutritional boost that fills you up!

Whenever I want to lose a few kilos I know I need to get back on to my smoothies. If I have drifted away I end up paying for it, usually by feeling hungry and eating something I shouldn't. On them I don't get so hungry and feel great.

I worked for Curves for several years and taught classes on weight loss and it was really fantastic. Overall the ladies who had their shakes daily did much better and that included me. 

Why? Well they are protein shakes and protein fills you up. Generally carbs make me hungry. Bread is my kryptonite it seems. 

So here is my homemade recipe that I use after trying lots of things. You can use the milk of your choice, I use no fat soy.

You need a protein powder. Something with out artificial sweeteners. I say something with less than 3 g carb per serve and over 15 preferably 20 of protein. Protein is the thing that fills you up.

I add a spoonful of flaxseed oil (a desert spoon) some LSA (linseed sunflower and almond crushed) some yoghurt, a heap of berries as my fruit mostly. Berries are lower GI so I prefer them and a teaspoon of chai seeds. Blend. Thats it!

There are a couple of ways to use this. If you replace a carb meal with this you will normally lose weight. Breakfast cereals are my number one hate! I mean I used to like them but then I am hungry all day! So an egg is breakfast or a smoothie. 

The other way to use them is if you know your normal time of the day where cravings hit and the wheels fall off for you. For me this is late afternoon. Diet wise I am fine before mid afternoon. Then I hit the danger zone! So if I have a smoothie then I am fine. If not I am hungry and start thinking about food and feel starving at dinner and it's all a slippery slope from there!

One extra way is to have a smoothie before a problem time. ie have one half an hour before facing serious temptations. It will seriously slow you down and you will make less ridiculous choices and you won't wake up the next morning wondering what ever happened to all your will power and good intentions!

You can buy frozen cubes to add to your smoothies. If you keep ice cube trays just for left over fruit or yoghurt then you always have things to use and never waste anything.

This tray went in the freezer with left overs from the pavlova I had decorated. 

My smoothie yesterday was mainly strawberries so it's lovely and pink.

Another option is to blend up extra and freeze as ice blocks with the little handles like we had when we were kids. They taste lovely that way.

There are lots of versions of this to suit your own nutritional needs. These suit me, fill me up and the extra protein is great for my hair and nails etc. The flaxseed is for omegas as I am unable to eat seafood. A healthy oil like this also adds to the fullness feeling factor. 

For anyone that struggles at times with cravings (like me) a protein shake can be a huge help.

I have to post some roses Lucy gave me for my birthday. As they are fading they are so delicate and lovely! 

That only just, milk shake pink, is my favourite!