• 1/2 cup grape juice (sweetened or unsweetened depending on your taste)
• 1 tsp. sweetener such as Splenda or Stevia
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries (frozen or fresh)
• 1/2 cup low fat Greek vanilla yogurt

Grape Juice Smoothie

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate

1 cup milk (2% or low fat is fine, your choice really)

1 cup filtered water

1/4 cup sugar or sweetener of your choice (honey, stevia, ect.)

3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Ice to taste

Basic Orange Smoothie

That certainly sounds simple enough but, as we all know, entire industries and personal fortunes have both risen and fallen just on that meaning of a single word.

What’s more is that the words “diet” and “dieting” are often used with the same feeling as swearing, and for good reason. A Diet and dieting isn’t fun and the limitations an effective diet puts on your life can be very frustrating.

However, there is good news. There definitely methods and techniques we human beings can use to lose weight and regain (or improve) our health without having to resort to a “diet” for help. A few of those are listed here:

Losing Weight Without A Diet

Serve More Veggies in Your Diet

This sounds like old news but there is a twist; instead of serving a single vegetable as a side, serve three or four. There are many recipes that use more than a single vegetable and, when seasoned with herbs instead of high fat dressings or sauces, vegetables are ridiculously healthy. As you eat the vegetables the high fiber and water content will satisfy you while eating far fewer calories.

Add Whole Grains To Your Daily Diet

Brown rice, oats, whole wheat, and barley will all fill you up quickly without a lot of calories and, as an added benefit, might help your cholesterol as well.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and can have other well documented side effects as well. It is far better to drink sparkling water or Tonic instead.

Limit Restaurant Visits

According to a Consumer Reports survey, eating at home a minimum of five days a week is a key to losing weight. And it makes perfect sense. When you cook at home you have complete control over what you eat and how your food is prepared which is not the case in a restaurant. As another benefit, you will probably save money as well.

Keep Sugarless Gum Handy

Pick up a supply of strong flavored, sugarless gum and chew it instead of having an after meal snack or any other time you are at risk of mindless eating.

Use Smaller Dishes

Studies have shown that we will both serve and eat more food with bigger plates. If you have 12 inch dinner plates, try replacing them with 10 inch plate. These same studies proved that even when eating off smaller plates, no one complained of still being hungry.

Reduce Meat In Your Diet

This doesn’t mean that you have to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle but cutting back on meat isn’t a bad idea at all. As a culture, we eat way too much red meat and not nearly enough fruits and vegetables.

If you use these suggestions you will reduce the number of calories in your diet. Are these “miracle” suggestions? No. But if you make these changes in diet and lifestyle and keep it up over a year you are probably going to weigh at least 10 pounds less than you do now. And, if you add exercise to your plan, the weight loss will be even more significant.

And, you can start right now!

• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 avocado, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups Peach nectar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• Ice to Taste

Blueberry Avocado Smoothie

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• 2 previously frozen bananas (peeled and sliced)
• 2 cups Greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1 tbsp. Chia seed (optional)
• Ice to taste

Banana Spice Smoothie

Enjoy!

• 2 cups peaches (canned, fresh, or frozen)
• 2 previously frozen bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 3/4 cub canned pumpkin
• 1 cup filtered water
• ! tbsp. Chia seed (optional)
• Ice to Taste

Pumpkin Peach Smoothie

Nutrition aside, at its core, this is one tasty smoothie anytime of year but especially in the warmer months. Use this for a breakfast and you will be starting your day the right way!

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 tbsp. Chia seed
• Ice to taste

Blueberry Vanilla Smoothie

This Basil lime smoothie recipe will render two generous servings of a very interesting smoothie. Try it soon.

• 2 tbsp basil (fresh and chopped)
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 3 tsp. lime zest
• 1/2 cup vanilla Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups lime sherbet or lemon sorbet

Basil Lime Smoothie

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By either name, Granola is a nutritious and healthy food with nuts, rolled oats, honey and, occasionally, puffed rice. Here we have a Granola Strawberry Fruit Smoothie that makes full use of this tasty treat and adds in fresh fruit to give you a healthy start to your day.

Chia seed is an optional ingredient here. If you do choose to add it, you will be adding a whole lot more nutritional value to the smoothie without changing the taste.

Enjoy!

• 1/2 cup Granola
• 1/2 cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups Greek Strawberry Yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk (low fat, no fat, 2%, your choice)
• 1 tbsp. Chia seed

Granola Strawberry Fruit Smoothie

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• 2 fresh oranges, peeled and sliced
• 1 mango, sliced
• 1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• Ice to taste
• 1 tbsp. Chia seed (optional)

Summer Dessert Smoothie

2 cups sliced and pitted peaches

1 cup vanilla soy milk

1/2 cup chopped natural almonds

1 tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp.almond extract

1 tbsp. Chia seed

Ice to taste

Almond Peach Smoothie

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• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 cups mixed strawberries and blueberries
• 1 cup Fresh Orange Juice
• 1 tbsp. Chia seed

Green Spinach Smoothie

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1 frozen banana, peeled and sliced
1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Kale leaves
2 tbsp. Strawberry Jam
1 tbsp. Chia seed
1 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Ice to Taste

Strawberry Jam Smoothie

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This detox smoothie uses mixed fruit to achieve that goals in a safe, sane, and very healthy manner. As a bonus, its very tasty as well. Drink this detox smoothie mix three or four times in a week and you will really feel the difference.

• 2 apples, cored and seeded
• 2 pears, also cored and seeded
• 1 lemon, use everything but the peel
• 1 tsp. Tumeric
• 2 tbsp. flaxseed oil
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 3 cups pure distilled water
• Just a bit of Pepper (like Cayenne, or Paprika for less heat, or even Tabasco)

If you have a normal, non-commercial blender mix the fruit a bit at a time with the distilled water and then add everything else. That way you won’t burn up the motor.

Detox Smoothie With Mixed Fruit

- 1 medium peach
- 1 medium pear
- 1 cup of vanilla low-fat yogurt
-1 teaspoon of Chia seed

Peach Pear Smoothie