Smoothie recipes

Restart your engine! Stalling on your quest for a honed figure more energy & better health? You may need to reset your system.

If that sounds like you, we may have a solution. The Body Reset Diet: Power Your Metabolism, Blast Fat and Shed Pounds in 15 Days/ (£12.99, Rodale Press) is a new diet and exercise plan to help you go from flabby to fab, fast. Devised by celeb fitness trainer and nutritionist Harley Pasternak, the US guru behind some of Hollywood’s most enviable bodies including Megan Fox and Katy Perry, it’s designed to help you build lean muscle while the weight drops off – and stays off! Results are practically guaranteed, as the plan is so easy to follow. ‘All the meals in the diet are nutritious and wholesome, and they take just five minutes, from preparation to clean-up,’ says Harley.

Why it works

While quick-fix diets usually spell disaster, the great thing about the Body Reset Diet is that you’ll shed the pounds for good. In fact, you don’t have to forgo your health, put your life on hold or empty your bank balance to hone an incredible body. The Body Reset plan includes delicious food and moderate exercise to help you feel energised while dropping pound after pound – and unlike other diet plans, you’ll also be giving your body tons of TLC along the way.
The secret behind the diet lies in eating around the clock to keep your metabolism ticking over while regulating insulin levels and nipping cravings in the bud. ‘Your metabolism is like a windmill. When you eat frequently, you're continually turning the windmill and keeping your metabolism stimulated,’ explains Harley. This involves consuming a selection of smoothies and solid meals with high amounts of veggies and fruits at specific intervals to overload your body with nutrients without having to count a single calorie.

The results

You can expect fast weight loss and inch loss within the first five days as a result of a metabolism boost. By the end of the diet you should feel the benefits of more energy, a flat tum and unbelievably glowing skin. Let’s get started!

Phase 1

Between days one and five you’ll be drinking three smoothies a day and eating two snacks. Meals are high volume, so you should never feel hungry.
Fitness: During this phase you’ll need to walk a minimum of 10,000 steps a day.
Top tip: Track your progress with a pedometer.

Phase 2

Between days six and 10 you’ll still be eating five times a day, to provide your body with adequate fuel. You’ll be drinking two smoothies a day, and eating one solid meal and two snacks between meals.
Fitness: You’ll be continuing your 10,000 steps per day along with circuit A, a simple five-minute at-home fitness routine performed three days a week. The moves in circuit A are designed to train the posterior muscles of your body to help align your body and make your arms and middle look longer and leaner. Check out the sample exercises on these pages.
Top tip: Try to eat your solid meals while sitting down, with no distractions.

Phase 3

You’ll have just one smoothie a day, plus two meals and two snacks.
Fitness: You’ll still be sticking to your 10,000 steps and you’ll be alternating between two sets of five-minute circuits of resistance training five days a week. The phase 3 programme consists of circuit A and circuit B which works the anterior muscles, such as your chest, obliques and quads. You should do circuit A on days 11, 13 and 15 and circuit B on days 12 and 14.
Top tip: Plan your meals well in advance and make sure you chew your food properly.

After the reset

Once you’ve completed the three phases, you’ll still need to stick to eating five times a day – one smoothie, two snacks and two solid meals. Twice a week you’re allowed ‘free meals’ when you eat whatever you want. You’ll need to keep walking no less than 10,000 steps a day every day and do a 10-minute resistance training circuit five days a week to help increase lean muscle tissue. ‘Walking is a simple fat-burning activity that doesn't require any skill or equipment, while super-short resistance workouts five times a week get great results,’ explains Harley.

The recipes

Smoothies are a part of each phase of the Body Reset plan as they’re good for your body and taste amazing, too. Each smoothie has a liquid base with lean protein, healthy fat and carbs from fruit or veggies to make sure you don’t miss out on any important food groups or nutrients. The solid food recipes are also really tasty and chockfull of nutrients. Here’s our favourites…

White Smoothie

5 raw almonds (whole or chopped)
1 red apple, unpeeled, cored and chopped
1 small banana, frozen and cut into chunks
125ml fat-free natural Greek yoghurt
185g skimmed milk
1/2tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

Red Smoothie

125g frozen raspberries
35g frozen blueberries
½ orange, peeled
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1tbsp ground linseeds

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

Green Smoothie

60g spinach leaves
1 ripe pear, unpeeled, cored and chopped
15 green or red grapes
185g fat-free natural Greek yoghurt
2tbsp chopped avocado
1-2tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

Snacks

You’re allowed a number of snacks during each phase of the plan. Each snack is around 150 calories and contains a minimum of 5g of fibre.

Tasty Snacks

85g raspberries and 225g fat-free Greek yoghurt
1 cucumber with 85g smoked salmon and 1 tomato
1 apple and 3 turkey slices
115g edamame beans
85g lean roast beef and 11/2 sliced red bell peppers

Meal ideas

Creamy Spinach and Chickpea Stir-Fry

1tsp olive oil
125g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
½tsp ground cumin
225g baby spinach, roughly chopped
125ml reduced-fat buttermilk
Salt and black pepper
2tbsp feta cheese, crumbled

1 Put the olive oil in a frying pan and place over a medium-low heat. Cook the chickpeas, garlic and cumin for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the spinach, cover and let sit for 30 seconds. Uncover and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted.
2 Stir in the buttermilk and cook until the liquid evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and garnish with the feta.

Coconut Chicken Curry

1tsp olive oil
1tbsp curry powder
½tsp ground cumin
200g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 large apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks
250ml reduced-sodium chicken stock
125ml light coconut milk
300g cooked barley or brown rice

1 Heat the olive oil in a non-stick saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Stir-fry the curry and cumin for 10 seconds.
2 Add the chicken and apple and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until they are browned and coated with the spices. Add the stock and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve over the barley or brown rice.http://www.womensfitness.co.uk/healthy-eating/819/smoothie-recipes

Burn 300 calories in 10 minutes

Use this workout to drop weight around a hectic schedule

Time poor and flab rich?

Finding the time to exercise is rarely easy, which is why we at Men’s Health provide you with a selection of quick muscle wins to suit all training goals. But if you can’t even squeeze in quarter of an hour at the gym, what’s the best way to sear off fat in the shortest possible amount of time? Sports scientist Christian Finnpresents a simple three-move no-equipment routine which should allow you to burn up to 300 calories over a 10-minute period.

Jump squats

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Start by doing a regular squat and then jump up as high as you can while reaching for the ceiling. Upon landing, lower your body into the squat position and repeat. Resist the urge to scream “Yippee!” upon takeoff.

Beginner 10 reps and 30 secs rest before the next exercise
As you improve Gradually increase the reps and decrease the rest time until…
Superfit 30 reps and 10 secs rest

Spider-Man press-ups

Start in the regular press-up position. As you lower yourself, bring your knee up outside your body to hip level. Return to the starting position and repeat using the other leg. These aren’t as fun as upside-down tongue tussles with Kirsten Dunst, but they will get you in shape faster.

Beginner 10 reps and 30 secs rest before the next exercise
As you improve Gradually increase the reps and decrease the rest time until…
Superfit 25 reps and 10 secs rest

Sprints

Use the Borg Scale to monitor your intensity. Developed by Swedish scientist Gunnar Borg, this rating of perceived exertion is your inner feeling of how
hard you are working. “It isn't a measure of how tired your legs are or how hard you are breathing, but rather your total perception of effort,” explains Finn. On the Borg scale, the perceived effort is assigned a rating between 1 and 10, with 10 as maximum effort and 1 as no effort at all. During the sprints, aim for a rating of 8.

Beginner Sprint for 10 secs and rest for 30 secs before the next exercise
As you improve Gradually increase the sprint time and decrease the rest time until…
Superfit Sprint for 20 secs and rest for 10 secs

Everything in its right place

Sequence the three exercises in the following way, advises Finn:

Jump squats
Spider-Man press-ups
Sprints
Spider-Man press-ups
Repeat

“You're alternating upper body dominant and lower body dominant exercises in order to maximise the amount of work your body can physically manage,” says Finn. “Trying to do ‘all out’ sprints followed by jump squats would leave most people totally wiped out.” Sounds a bit like a challenge, that…

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/lose-weight/burn-fat/burn-300-calories-in-10-minutes-444446

The 8-hour diet

We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the latest diet craze.

Fasting is the diet buzzword de jour. The latest diet book The 8-Hour Diet, by author David Zinczenko and Men’s Health editor-in-chief Peter Moore, is another spin on the fasting for weight loss phenomenon.

This diet restricts eating times to an eight hour period - 9am to 5pm or 11am to 7pm - in order to rev up metabolism by introducing fasting or 'fat-burning' periods. Read on for our analysis:

The positives - If you have to plan your meals to fit within the 8-hour time frame you become a more conscious eater. Mindless eating is a pitfall for many slimmers.
- The idea that you can eat whatever you like during the time frame is appealing - if you tell yourself you can’t have a food, you want it even more, so being able to eat what you like may even help you stick to healthier foods.
- If your last meal is at 5pm or 6pm, this diet will cut out any late-night snacking!
- in order to fight hunger pangs outside your allotted eating hours, you can eat high-fibre and high-protein foods such as yoghurt, nuts and vegetables. These foods are also healthy and nutritious.

The negatives - You are free to consume as many calories and whatever type of food you desire during the 8-hour period. This doesn't teach you about healthy eating, and could result in excessive calorie intake, which is detrimental to health and could cause weight gain.
- Avoid taking a fasting diet to the extreme. All meals consumed should contain a wide range of foods to ensure you get a balance of macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals).
- Eating within a restricted time frame, still instils the dieting mindset. If you think you're following a 'diet', you're less likely to want to follow the diet long-term.
- This diet ignores the theory of calories in Vs calories out. If you eat more calories than you burn off, regardless of when you eat them, you will put on weight!
http://www.womensfitness.co.uk/healthy-eating/851/8-hour-diet

Raspberry ketone: the bikini body supplement

Planning on sporting a bikini by the end of this sweltering summer? Here are our secrets

Struggling to feel your best while sporting that bikini? If you’re already eating healthily and exercising regularly, you might just need a helping hand with your weight loss goals. Check out our tips for getting that flat tummy, boosting digestion and getting your figure as fit as possible before your summer holiday.

Raspberry ketones

Try supplements. Rasberry ketones utilise a pure and potent extract of an enzyme which has recently shot to fame thanks to its natural thermogenic properties. The fruity compound promotes the conversion of excess calories into heat, which can then be released by the body as thermal energy, rather than being stored as fat. Perfect for your fat-loss goals.

Up your H2O

It’s dehydration not hunger. Often when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually thirsty, so aim to drink 2 litres a day to avoid the urge to snack. Water also aids weight loss by keeping your cells functioning at their fat-burning best and stimulates your kidney to flush out excess toxins.

Watch the salt

Ditch it for spices and herbs. Salt attracts fluid, which can make you feel bloated, especially around the time of your period, so scrap the salt if you want to rock that flat tummy. Try chilli, cinnamon, coriander, and ginger for a taste kick, instead.

Enjoy your food

Focus on your meal at dinner time and don’t just wolf down your lunch in front of the TV or the computer. Chewing your food properly will boost your digestion, stop you overeating and reduce any uncomfortable bloating at the same time.

Body brush

Boost your glow effortlessly. Every morning before you shower, dry body brush yourself all over. Using a firm, bristled brush, begin at your feet and use light, sweeping motions to work your way up your body towards your heart. Brushing your trouble zones will boost circulation and reduce the appearance of cellulite, too.

Avoid alcohol

Say ‘no’ to booze - at least for the weeks leading up to your holiday. Cutting out alcohol (or trying even healthier options like red wine) will really make a difference. Replace it with green tea, herbal teas and ice water with lemon. These are super refreshing and virtually calorie-free.

http://www.womensfitness.co.uk/weight-loss/839/raspberry-ketone-bikini-body-supplement

What to Drink When You Exercise

The options include sports drinks, energy drinks, and just regular water.

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By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column

We all know that when we work out, it's important to stay hydrated. Something we may not be so clear on is what exactly we should drink when we exercise.

Ordinary water, of course, is the classic choice. But with store shelves everywhere full of sports drinks, energy drinks, and various flavored and fortified waters, what's an exerciser to do?

Experts say it all depends on your taste -- as well as the length and intensity of your workouts. Here's a look at how the various drinks measure up.

Flavored or Unflavored?

When I'm really thirsty, the only thing that hits the spot is good old H2O -- preferably cold. But that's just me.

Are you someone who will drink more if your drink is flavored (and there are plenty of you out there)? Then you're better off drinking whatever ends up helping you drinkmore when you exercise. The bottom line is hydration.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends flavored drinks when fluid replacement is needed during and after exercise to enhance palatability and promote fluid replacement.

And how do you know when fluid replacement is really needed?

"Exercising 1.5 hours to three hours is long enough to warrant fluid replacement due to sweat losses," says Kristine Clark, Ph., FACSM, director of sports nutrition for Penn State University Park. "How much sweat is lost influences how much sodium and potassium are lost."

The longer you exercise and the more heavily you sweat, the greater the need for a sports drink to help replace these lost micronutrients, Clark says.

"A sports drink can do many great things to increase energy levels without the complications of digesting and absorbing a meal," says Clark.

Sports Drinks and Exercise

Basically, a sports drink offers your body three things it might need before, during, or after vigorous exercise:

• Hydration. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that people drink about 17 ounces of fluid about two hours before exercise, to promote adequate hydration and allow time for the body to excrete any excess water. During exercise, they recommend that athletes start drinking early and at regular intervals in order to take in fluids at the rate they're losing them through sweating.
• Fuel. The carbohydrates found in sweetened sports drinks provide energy to help delay fatigue, Clark says. The Gatorade Co. says lab tests have shown that 6% carbohydrate (14 grams of carbohydrate per 8 ounces of water) is the optimal percentage of carbs for speeding fluid and energy back into the body.
• Electrolytes or Minerals. These are things like sodium, potassium, and chloridethat athletes lose through sweat. When water goes out of the body, so do electrolytes. And when the body is losing lots of water (as during exercise), it makes sense that you need to replace electrolytes.

• What About the Average Exerciser?

  So what if you're just a "weekend warrior" when it comes to tough workouts? Or an avid exerciser who's not quite of athlete standing? Do you really need a sports drink when you exercise?
  The answer, it seems, lies in how much you're sweating.
  The American College of Sports Medicine says that during exercise lasting less than one hour there's little evidence of any difference in performance between exercisers who drink beverages containing carbohydrates and electrolytes, and those who drink plain water.
  And, according to Clark, someone exercising 1.5 hours in a cool environment (who is probably not sweating much) is more in need of fluids or water than electrolytes.http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/what-to-drink-when-you-exercise?page=3.

  The ABCs of Vitamin Water

  I totally get adding electrolytes to drinks to help your body recover from vigorous exercise, but vitamins? It's still best to get vitamins and minerals naturally from foods and beverages -- like vitamin C from citrus and dark leafy green vegetables, and calcium from dairy products.

  "Athletes will not need vitamin and mineral supplements if adequate energy to maintain body weight is consumed from a variety of foods," the American Dietetic Association and American College of Sports Medicine say in a position paper on nutrition and athletic performance.

  But if you really like the idea of vitamin water, here are some things to think about:

  • Whether alternative sweeteners are added. Many experts believe that even alternative sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, especially in children.
  • Whether you'll be taking in too many vitamins. Most of the vitamins added to vitamin water are water soluble (like vitamin C, B vitamins, etc.). This makes it seem like any excess consumed can just pass out through the kidneys. This is true -- but that doesn't mean large amounts of water-soluble vitamins are entirely harmless. High amounts can affect the absorption or utilization of other nutrients. It's also possible that passing large amounts through the kidneys could cause problems.
  • Whether you might be just as happy with dressed-up regular water. You can flavor it with lemon, lime, orange, or a strawberry or two. Green tea comes flavored naturally these days, too. This can be a different but healthful way to drink water once a day, too.

  Energy Drinks for Exercisers

  What about energy drinks for exercisers? Is there anything to them, besides plenty of caffeine?

  The truth is that it depends on the energy drink. Red Bull, among the biggest names in energy drinks, pumps in 106 calories of carbohydrates (27 grams), and 193 milligrams of sodium along with its jolt of caffeine. Sugar-free energy drinks, meanwhile, give you the jolt without the carbs and calories.

  Clark believes energy drinks do have their place. She says there is clear evidence caffeine is a nonharmful stimulant that provides performance-enhancing benefits, which can include improved endurance, stamina, and reaction time.

  Energy Drinks for Exercisers continued...

  "In most cases caffeine stimulates alertness, motor skill, and concentration," says Clark.

  She warns, however, that caffeine is banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at levels equivalent to five Starbucks coffees. But drinking one Red Bull, for example, provides about 70 milligrams of caffeine, which is less than what you'll find in one Starbucks coffee (260 milligrams per 12-ounce serving).

  Overuse of caffeine can cause the jitters, so exercisers just need to know how much to consume for their personal comfort, warns Clark.

  Assorted other ingredients are added to some of these energy drinks, such as:

  • Taurine, which is similar to an amino acid but not considered a component of proteins. Glucuronolactone, a compound produced by the metabolism of glucose in the human liver. It's purported -- but not proven -- to fight fatigue.
  • Ginkgo biloba, which is thought to help prevent mental decline but again, this theory is up for debate.
  • Ginseng, which is promoted for energy and mental alertness, but the specifics of its effects aren't clear.
  • Guarana, which is nicknamed "herbal caffeine." This is a stimulant similar to caffeine, and so should be used only in moderation.

  What's in Your Exercise Drink?

  Below is some nutritional information, as available on labels, about some of the common sports and energy drinks available. And here's one more tip for staying hydrated when you work out: Whatever you choose to drink when you exercise, drink it well-chilled for faster absorption by the body.

  Sports drinks (8 ounces):

  • Gatorade: 50 calories, 14 grams sugar (from sucrose syrup and high-fructose corn syrup), 110 mg sodium, caffeine-free. Other ingredients: potassium (30 mg). Vitamins (percentage of recommended Daily Value): None
  • Propel Fitness Water: 10 calories, 2 grams sugar (from sucrose syrup; also sweetened with sucralose or Splenda), 35 mg sodium, caffeine-free. Other ingredients: None. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 10% vitamin C; 10% vitamin E; 25% B3 and B6; 4% B12, 25% pantothenic acid.

  Energy drinks (8 ounces):

  • Red Bull: 110 calories, 27 grams sugar (from sucrose and glucose), 200 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: taurine, glucuronolactone. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 100% B3, 250% B6, 80% B12, 50% pantothenic acid. Note: Red Bull is also available in a sugar-free option with acesulfame K, aspartame, and inositol as sweeteners. This version contains 10 calories and 0 grams sugar.
  • Rock Star: 140 calories, 31 grams sugar (from sucrose and glucose), 125 mg sodium, 80 mg caffeine. Other ingredients: taurine (1,000 mg), ginkgo biloba leaf extract (150 mg), guarana seed extract (25 mg), inositol (25 mg), L-carnitine (25 mg), Panex ginseng extract (25 mg), milk thistle extract (20 mg). Note: Rock Start is available in a sugar-freeoption sweetened with acesulfame potassium and sucralose or Splenda. This version has 10 calories and 0 grams sugar.
  • Sobe, Energy Citrus Flavor. 120 calories, 31 grams sugar (mainly from high-fructose corn syrup and orange juice concentrate), 15 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana (50 mg), panax ginseng (50 mg), taurine (16.5 mg). Vitamins (% Daily Value): 100% vitamin C.
  • Amp Energy Overdrive (Mountain Dew). 110 calories, 29 grams sugar (from high-fructose corn syrup and orange juice concentrate), 65 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana extract (150 mg), Panax ginseng extract (10 mg), taurine (10 mg). Vitamins (% Daily Value): 20% B2, 10% B3, 10% B6, 10% B12, 10% pantothenic acid.
  • Full Throttle Energy Drink (from Coca-Cola). 110 calories, 29 grams sugar (from high fructose corn syrup), 85 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana extract (.70 mg), ginseng extract (90 mg), taurine. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 20% B3. 20% B6, 10% B12.
  • Sugar-Free Tab Energy. 5 calories, 0 grams sugar (contains sucralose or Splenda), 110 mg sodium, contains caffeine. Other ingredients: ginseng extract, guarana extract. Vitamins (% Daily Value): 25% B3, 25% B6, 15% B12.

  Fortified waters (8 ounces):

  • Propel Fitness Water. 10 calories, 2 grams sugar, 35 milligrams sodium.Vitamins (% Daily Value) 25% for niacin (B-3), B-6, and pantothenic acid; 10% for vitamins C and E.
  • Glaceau Vitamin Water -- Energy. 50 calories, 13 grams sugar (from crystalline fructose), 0 mg sodium, 50 mg caffeine. Other ingredients: guarana (25 mg). Vitamins (% Daily Value): 40% vitamin C, 20% B3, 20% B6, 20% B12.
  • http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/what-to-drink-when-you-exercise?page=3