5 Reasons Smoothies Are Ruining Your Weight Loss

Smoothies are a great way to lose weight because they are packed full of nutrients, so you get a hit of vitamins and minerals whilst enjoying a tasty beverage that fills you up. However, there are things to look out for when making your smoothies, because some could actually ruin your weight loss efforts. Here are 5 mistakes you could be making with your smoothies: 1. Not including enough protein If you didn't already know, protein is essential for muscle growth and repair, which is needed to improve your body and achieve the much-coveted toned appearance. A simple way of adding protein is through protein powders, but alternative ways are by adding peanut butter, coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, Greek yoghurt or soy milk. 2. Using too much fruit Fruit is great, so please don't read this and think that you need to cut out fruit, because that's not what I'm saying. But eating too much fruit can mean that you are actually eating very high amounts of sugar, and although it's natural sugar (which is the better kind), it can still lead to weight gain if you consume too much. Fruits that are the best for weight loss are those high in antioxidants, such as berries, kiwi or grapefruit. 3. Not adding enough fibre Fibre is essential for weight loss as it helps to keep your digestive system in full working order. It also keeps you feeling full, which is great to prevent getting the dreaded munchies! Great sources of fibre are berries, avocado, chia seeds and kale. 4. Filling the blender up It is easy to get carried away when adding the ingredients to the blender, but remember that large portions are one of the quickest paths to gain weight. Try to measure out your ingredients beforehand, rather than simply adding them to the blender as you go along. This way you will be more inclined to think about portion control, rather than seeing how many pretty colours you can cram into the blender. 5. Drinking smoothies as a snack Smoothies, although consumed very easily (and quickly) aren't typically snacks; they are small meals. If you are simply adding smoothies to your existing diet, then the chance of you losing weight is very small because you are actually consuming more calories than you were before. Ideally, drink a smoothie as one of your meals. This doesn't mean that it's a good idea to replace all of your meals with smoothies...it's not. As with everything, drink them in moderation. I drink Ciara Foy's Green Vitality smoothie as my lunch a few times a week because it's quick and easy, so doesn't take up my time...and tastes amazing! Ingredients  2 scoops of SunWarrior Raw Vanilla Protein Powder 1/2 banana 1 small organic apple cored and chopped 1 small organic pear cored and chopped 2 large organic kale leaves-stem removed 1 bunch of organic baby spinach 1.5 cups of fresh almond milk 3 organic celery stalks 1/2 small avocado 1 organic lemon (juice only) 1 sprig of fresh organic mint 2 handfuls of ice Method Throw all of that whole food goodness into a high powered blender and 30 secs later you have 2 servings of the yummiest green smoothie you’ve ever had!! Green smoothies are reported to be the best smoothies because they are the most nutritionally dense. Green smoothies are basically smoothies that contain leafy green vegetables, such as kale or spinach, and although they obviously don't taste as sweet as an all-fruit smoothie, they are a much better choice to include in your diet.           Sources: http://www.fitsugar.com/Smoothies-Weight-Gain-34554179#photo-34555030 http://vegetarian.about.com/od/beverage1/qt/What-Are-Green-Smoothies.htm http://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/chemical-free-ways-to-add-protein-to-your-smoothie http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-6-best-high-antioxidant-fruits.html#b