How to Replace Meals With Soups & Smoothies
Meal replacement is nothing new in the weight-loss arena; diet programs such as Slim-Fast have been replacing meals with hearty shakes for years. Replacing meals with smoothies and soups allows your body to get the nutrients it needs to fuel your body without the overload of calories or bloated feeling of a full meal.
Instructions
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Eat six smaller meals a day. Six small meals a day keeps your body's metabolism raised throughout the day and keeps you properly fueled without crashing.
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Start with a smoothie. A smoothie as a meal replacement is best in the morning either as your first meal or your mid-morning snack around 10 a.m.
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Combine one scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, 6 to 10 ounces of yogurt, a handful of frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries or raspberries) with a handful of ice cubes in a blender and blend to a creamy consistency.
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Transfer the smoothie to a cup, grab a straw and enjoy.
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Eat soup in the afternoon. Soup as meal replacement is best served as lunch or an afternoon snack around 3 to 4 p.m. Because this soup will serve as a meal, stick with heartier soups over watery, broth soups. Campbell's Chunky line of soups are perfect for meal replacement, and homemade soups are even better.
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Eat a light supper of solid food. Include protein--lean meat, chicken or fish--and fresh vegetables.
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Have a snack before going to bed. The snack should consist of slow-digesting protein such as small container of cottage cheese.
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Tips & Warnings
Six smaller meals a day is imperative to meal replacement. Replacing your meals with a primarily liquid diet is not healthy. Experiment with different flavors and ingredients for a good variety of smoothies. Make sure you reach your daily maintenance caloric levels and not allow your daily calorie intake to drop drastically with meal replacements.
Do not replace more than one meal a day with a smoothie; the same goes for soup. A drastic change in diet can result in irritability, vomiting and extreme hunger pangs.
References
Resources
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