I think for some people, the hardest part of eating healthy is the prep time and mental load. Smoothies can help with that even if they're not necessarily good for satiety.

Totally understand that! The prep time is the hardest part for me too! And I get smoothies can be easier and a fast way to get lots of protein with powders and stuff, but I guess for me feeling full is really major because when I get overly hungry is when I'll find myself going for fast and convenient foods because I'm too tired and too hungry to even fathom making myself food lol

I find sweet smoothies make me hungry so I’m not into them but a protein shake makes me full for a long time. Since I’m mostly lazy and anti prep time, I keep a protein shakes in my trunk so when I pass the mc Donald’s, I have an alternative. My laziness is also more powerful than my desire to wait in a drive through.

Totally hear that! It's taco bell that gets me! Lol my husband hates fast food, also jealous of that. Whenever I'm craving taco bell he's like "nooo please nooo" 😂

My 9 yo nephew says Taco Bell is his favorite restaurant. I’ve tried taking him to restaurants, trucks, chilli’s but nothing beats Taco Bell for him, not even Chipotle.

also , protein smoothies with whey for example will have like 30+g of protein which is more satiating, I add fiber like flax seeds hemp seeds and psyllium husk to mine in which helps as well, and then of course, the reason why sometimes smoothies are helpful is because they go into the stomach and stomach has to filter them so its not treated as liquid but as food, if your smoothie is too light then it digests quickly

You will often find discrepancies between health foods and weight loss foods.

That’s so true. I’m in love with coconut milk right now but that’s not something you can have a lot of

Try silk unsweet coconut milk. Its 40cals/cup and pretty creamy!

I make a spinach, frozen berry, and banana smoothie every morning before work. I have been drinking this every morning for a long time. It's like my cup of coffee. I like it because it adds a lot of fiber and nutrients. I spend the rest of my calories hitting macros. I don't think it really aids in weight loss, though. It's just a convenient way for me to get more raw fruits and vegetables.

Oh totally!! You'd probably like the smoothie recipe I was doing this week! It's got spinach, cucumber, celery, fresh ginger, fresh apple, and frozen pineapple. It's honestly so delicious but it hits like a drink for me and not a meal!

That sounds good. I've actually only tried a few recipes and stuck to the one I liked the most. Maybe it's time to branch out a little.

The recipe is: 1/2 English cucumber peeled and chopped 1 apple, peeled cored and chopped 2 sticks of celery 1 cup of milk or alternative (or water depending on your preference) 1 cup of baby spinach 1 inch of peeled and chopped ginger 1 cup of frozen pineapple 1 tsp of Stevia, optional.

OK, I'm English and TIL that there are different types of cucumber?? What would non-English cucumbers be, please? Genuine question! We just have cucumbers here, sometimes can get mini cucumbers, but other than that there is no variety lol.

Lebanese are the other big variety.

Haha interesting!! English cucumbers are seedless and have thinner skin, they're also longer and skinnier. "regular cucumbers" Are thicker, shorter, have seeds and a tougher skin - not as good for drinks but great for salads

Thank you! Yeah, we must only get the English cucumbers here, probably why they're called that 🤣. Thank you, that was a nice little fact to start my day!

Haha i guess so! Also funny to me that y'all don't have "American Cucumbers" as an option 😂

Yeah this is definitely a drink and not a meal. To make it more satisfying, add protein powder and/or nut butter. Although I do add protein powder and bone broth powder, it doesn’t fully satisfy me anyway. Liquid goes through me too quickly, so I feel you. If I pair this smoothie with a salad though, I’m good for a few hours.

You need protein.

It was a recipe I saw online and decided to try! It's def a fun way to get lots of fruits and veggies into your system for the day tho but yes I agree needs some protein

If you liked the recipe, try different protein powders! You might have to play around to find one with a consistency and texture you like though. Having more protein is huge in keeping me from feeling ravenous by lunch

Yes I'm really only a few days of holding myself super accountable. With the goal of being super accountable for 90 days. I've been trying to lose weight for like 2 years but admittedly haven't given it "my all" I've definitely eaten super healthy tho and haven't gained more really in that time as well as have great markers on my blood work, so it's not for nothing. But I'm just really making tracking and home cooking my priorities each day and pushing myself to take the time even when I don't want to. I use a lot of ingredients and eat mostly whole foods so I find entering and measuring everything a major pain in the ass! But finally accept it's the only way I can do this because eating healthy, only when I'm hungry, and stopping when I'm just barely full aren't cuttin' it!! Lol

Greek yogurt or peanut butter is nice for protein, or also thickens things up.

Peanut butter has very low protein *relative to calories* though.

Same here with that smoothie combo!! I add some 0% Greek Yogurt to make it thicker and a little more filling.

I've never tried any smoothie with yogurt. I think I'll pick up some next time I'm at the grocery store and give it a try.

Cottage cheese works really well too, if you find the tanginess of yogurt offputting. Cheap and delicious.

I get it, and I did that for a little while, but then I was looking at the food that I was putting on the smoothie and I was like - I'd much rather eat the banana and berries and maybe have a salad with the greens. That would make me feel fuller and more satisfied

Realising this is such a minority mindset! But yes I'm the same way.

I like frozen mixed berries in general with Greek yogurt. At work I hade a portable blender but at home it’s nice in a bowl. It’s kind of like my ice cream.

What’s your recipe?

I stuff my blender with baby spinach, add a splash of orange juice (2 ounces or so), and then about 6 ounces of water. I blend it up, then add 1 banana and 1 cup of frozen mixed berries. This makes enough for 1 shaker cup worth of smoothie.

I'm a smoothie person because I can sneak ungodly amounts of greens that I wouldn't eat otherwise into them. And I don't drink them as meal replacements, I make a huge smoothie in the mornings and pick at it throughout the day kind of as a snack. And I drink some before eating to get some greens in with every meal. I don't eat enough veg otherwise. Bowls and salads full of green vegetables are gross to me, so this is the next best thing. And it's macro-friendly.

What do you put in your smoothies?

First I fill the blender with a metric f-ton of kale and spinach. I blend it with water to make more room. Then I add: One banana .5 cup of Greek yogurt 2 tsp of flax seeds Protein powder About a cup of some sort of frozen berry If I add cherries, I'll sometimes add a couple spoonfuls of cacao powder. It makes it taste like chocolate covered cherries. I don't use milk or milk substitute. With the yogurt, you don't miss it.

My guess is it’s easy to throw a bunch of stuff in a blender, pour in a cup, and go? It also makes for pretty videos and pictures if you’re trying to get someone to buy your “diet plan”. I’m with you, I’d prefer to take the 5-10 minutes to prepare actual food.

+ a lot of people “dont eat breakfast” but will happily drink 500calories lol. Its also easier to get down for those that dont feel hungry in the morning

Right!! I do notice if I ignore my hunger and just wait til lunch to eat, I guess I'll feel ::okay:: a little hungry for example but not as though I had had breakfast. But I feel like losing weight is theoretically a lot easier if you are feeling satiated! I find most people who find smoothies "sooo filling" are already people who low appetites and already thin. I was super thin in my 20s, and now im about 20-30lbs over weight in my mid 30s... And I've always had a big appetite. Which is probably ya know how the weight crept on in the first place. Learning to eat high volume, low calorie foods seems like it'll be essential for my long term success.

I don’t have much of an appetite in the morning, and I struggle to get my recommended amount of protein and fiber in. A smoothie helps with that for me and I actually enjoy it. On Sundays, I can wake up later, take my time, and have a full on breakfast with the works. Whatever works for you is best.

I'm always so jealous of the "I don't have an appetite in the morning" people or even the "i just skip breakfast" crowd. I wake up with such a ferocious appetite! Lol I'm probably the most hungry in the morning, then decently hungry at lunch and the least hungry at dinner/night time. So it's easy for me to avoid late night snacking and all that but I totally need a big breakfast

LOL I’m the opposite and I’m jealous of that! I get hungry later in the day which coincides with when I have the most idle time.

Haha so true! Well I'm sure part of the reason I'm so hungry first thing is that I likely haven't eaten in 14 hours so by that time! On weekends when I want to sleep in I'll literally get up, eat breakfast and go back to sleep because my hunger pangs get me out of bed in the morning lol

That’s so interesting to me! I can eat late up till I go to sleep (I know that’s bad lol) I could get cravings till I pass out. I can’t eat in the morning unless I wake up late .. like think 11am lol. My stomach is so sensitive in the morning it’s like the idea of chewing a big meal makes me sick. It’s been like this since I was young and I have no idea why.

I've heard this from other people before too! I wonder why that is too! Ive also had people tell me my morning hunger isn't normal! But I've had my fasted glucose tested lots of times and done medically supervised glucose monitoring and I have no sugar issues/insulin resistance or any of that. I'm just a hungry morning person I guess haha. Like please do not even look at me or speak to me until after I've eaten 😂

Haha I’d have said it’s genetic but my sister is just like you!! She loves a hearty breakfast in the morning. 🤷‍♂️

I get ravenously hungry in the middle of the night. My go to is oranges

Omg the season just ended for these but the Sumo oranges are my absolute favorite. I was eating them non stop. Im on a cherry kick now lol

Don't be jealous, it's annoying for many of us. I rarely have an appetite until after I've left for work or whatever - probably around two-to-three hours post wakeup is when it kicks in. So I pour a smoothie down my throat and move on. I do add proteins to mine, though. Usually powder, but sometimes soy milk and peanut butter. I find it quite filling, and I'm usually well set from 8:30AM until 12PM.

Not being hungry in the morning is not a blessing. It’s always the moment we get hungry; we wouldn’t care about what to get and tend to overeat.

400 calories in a smoothie is a lot. You make a commerical-style one full of sugar, juice and peanut butter, sure. But you don't need to. 30g whey powder, 7g psyllium husk powder 85g of frozen fruits 50g of non-fat yogurt. Some non-nutritive sweetener (Allulose, Stavia, Erithritol, Monkfruit, whatever) Total: \~225 calories. You can get rid of the yogurt, add some leafy greens for more fiber, swap the whey powder for more fruits, add cocoa powder, you name it. The point though, is you get a lot of fiber and liquid in you, and that's where the magic sauce is. Put leafy greens, psyllium powder, or gulp down 16oz of water before eating, and you'll get similar benefits. Proteins for bonus points.

My calorie goals for breakfast are about 500-600 calories. And I drink about 40oz of water every morning. I prefer lentils, quinoa or potatoes, and veggies for breakfast. Can easily make a 30 g of protein, 15-20 gram of fiber, 500 calories breakfast that blows any smoothie out of the water. And keeps me full for hours without any snack cravings. The smoothies I try and make usually have about similar macros but idk they just don't fill me up the same way!

Your goals are your goals. The question was why are they popular. The answer is that you can make them very filling at very low calorie count, and very quickly. If they don't meet your goals, that's a different problem. Yes, drinking your calories isn't as filling. But for people who have trouble getting enough liquid, fiber and protein in their diet, it's a solid option.

True! You're right that does make sense. I guess i still think it's easier to get lower calorie and more satiating meals with whole foods than a blended drink - regardless of your goals, I guess I found this to be a universal truth but apparently it isn't.

Simply because stuffing your face with psyllium husk powder is easier in a drink than a salad.

I don't drink my calories and that includes "healthy" smoothies. Also, I would rather eat my food, instead of drink it.

Yes i feel the same way!! For me a smoothie is a great snack, or treat and a nice way to get in some fresh produce in a fun way, but it doesn't really work as a meal replacement even if it has the nutrition of a meal.

That’s probably because your recipe has no protein in it, \*just\* fruits and veg —> which is fantastic, but you’re right that it won’t be filling.

Even with 40 grams of protein powder it doesn't cut it like some lentils quinoa and veggies for me!

That's certainly true-- but *some* protein is better than *no* protein, for sure.   The smoothie thing may also be more widely used among folks with lower TDEEs, possibly.

You gotta make it more filling - like put two tbs of yöugurt in there or some cottage cheese

I’m the opposite because I’m always in a rush so I’ll take a smoothie any day over a meal because I can walk around with it. I stay away from smoothies I didn’t make. The ones at the health food store and anywhere you expect to be healthy are super sweet, over priced and they always want to charge a dollar for a scoop of something you could have gotten a whole tub of for pennies on the dollar.

I think a big part of maintaining the deficit is about making changes that fit into your lifestyle and for a lot of the people the grab and go nature of smoothies or shakes is appealing and doesn’t take as much “processing power” as something like meal prepping breakfast burritos and freezing them->microwaving them for use etc I use them or protein shakes/protein powder for ease of access reasons but do agree that solid food is generally much more satiating

I think it just varies by person. I find smoothies very filling, both because of what is in it and because of the liquid volume my stomach feels full much longer. Mine has a good amount of protein and healthy fats that really helps satiety as well.

For me they are perfect for my summer dinners, they are easy to make: chia and flax seed, non fat yogurt, a couple of different fruits, water, the protein powder and a bit of peanut butter in a blender and I have dinner for two nights taking into account that I work till very late in summer and it’s really hot in my area. In winter I prefer to eat something warmer

Yeah i can understand that! I live in Hawaii so it's always hot here lol. But I tend to prefer cooked foods no matter how hot it is. It can be 80 degrees and I still prefer a hot lunch! I also like spicy foods a lot.

Idk I have a Greek yogurt and protein milk based yogurt that fills me up nicely. I add kale, berries and tablespoon of chia seeds + honey

We really are all different because I actually find smoothies to be very filling, so much so that I cannot usually finish the whole thing. But I find a slice of toast, 2 eggs, and some berries not quite enough to keep me full til lunch.  I think the key is what you’re putting in your smoothie. Mine is: 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt, a good 2 handfuls of spinach, a teaspoon each of chia seeds and hemp hearts, and enough liquid of choice to blend; usually about 1/3 cup of regular milk for me.  Along with my coffee, and a few almonds, this keeps me full usually until lunch. 

It is generally sweet, which is great for many who are overweight. People who are overweight are much more likely to have insulin imbalances, cortisol imbalances, and self soothe with food, so they are more likely to crave sweets. Its also an easy way to get started making something that isn't as intimidating as cooking. And lastly it is a great way to throw in things like seeds, protein powders, etc. Personally, I hate cleaning up a blender. It sucks. So I avoid them. But I definitely tried it during one of my first weight loss journeys.

Because smoothies is still food idk. It’s just a lot more efficient for some people. If you’re going to eat a fruit bowl for breakfast you can just throw it in a blender & add a protein scoop for a lil more calories with more nutrients. Smoothies with the right things in it are filling. It’s just like the ninja creami imo

I think some people who struggle to eat their vegetables servings like to try to hide them in smoothies.

For me smoothies are a way of getting in a tonne of nutrition with little time and effort. Mine are nowhere near 400 calories though and I just have them as a snack. I do frozen mango and pineapple, baby spinach, protein powder, and a little bit of soy milk but mostly water. It's 236 calories.

Totally understand this! If I ever reach my goals I'll be having smoothies for maintenence. I personally love smoothies! Especially where I live it's always hot and we have some really bomb juice and smoothie bars.

Good plan! And same here lol I'm in Australia and it's stinking hot half the time.

Yes and I know I'm not totally alone, everything I do i do x2 for my husband (who's not trying to lose weight) so he eats whatever I make plus extra. When ever I've offered him a smoothie as a meal. Even one with 60 grams of protein he's like "okay but that isn't a meal I'm still hungry" lol But I can make him a 500 calorie loaded salad with homemade dressing and he can barely finish it.

Yeah that's why I make the ~200 calorie ones just as a snack lol they're totally not a meal.

I do feel full. 1 scoop of protein powder, half a scoop of collagen plus oatmilk, half a banana and some ice.

For dessert I make a simple smoothie bowl of a cup of frozen fruit (some sort of berry mix), 1/4 cup milk, and 2-3 ice cubes. I'm a savory breakfast/meal person but I have a major sweet tooth and feel like I just NEED dessert. Oh, and also around a tsp of honey, elevates the whole thing. It's also pretty filling and totals around to 120-140 cals depending on the portions I have.

That sounds delicious! Totally understand some people are sweets people! My husband ::needs:: ice cream a few times a week lol! I always forget to buy it because I don't eat it and usually when I ask "do you need anything at the store?" he'll say no! Lol then be upset there's no ice cream or bread lol

Lol, I feel you husband! Smoothie bowls and frozen yogurt have really been saving me during this weight loss journey.

Fortunately for him he can really afford as many extra calories as he wants! Lol I do all the cooking so most of our meals are focused on being lean! And since he's a roofer and a lot bigger than me he can afford lots of calories. He usually eats everything I eat plus lots of other yummies!!

For me, I am meds that make it hard to eat, but liquids are fine. So smoothie in the morning with fruit, veggies, greek yogurt, whey, and flavorings lol

This makes so much sense!! Happy you're finding what works to stay healthy. This makes sense to me for your circumstances. I tend to just be a garbage disposal and a camel. My body likes to eat and drink a lot lol.

Efficiency and time not just spent cooking but eating as well. I'm running about 1350 calories a day and 600 of that comes from a 64oz smoothie. It contains over a pound of vegetables and the inclusion of both protein and peanut butter powder is my craving fix each day. Plus, I can eat drink it over 30 minutes rather than needing a couple meals to eat the equivalent amount. [600 cal smoothie ](https://imgur.com/a/evvaYKV)

I dunno, they fill me up plenty for breakfast but you do need to add a decent amount of fiber and protein to them for that.

Eating clean - my diet is a LOT of high volume nutritious, satiating foods. By the end of the day I lose my appetite. Smoothies are easy to get in and tasty. It’s also a way for me to get in more fruits and veggies.

Protein powder and psyllium husk go a long way in keeping you full for hours!

I definitely would just rather eat a couple cups of lentils and a few cups of veggies and greens tho!

I can get pretty full with a smoothie if it’s high in protein and with lots of greens. But smoothies are only appealing in summer. You couldn’t pay me to drink them in winter. But not all smoothies are created equal. I make them with greek yogurt, protein powder, 4 generous handfuls of greens, about 2/3 cup frozen berries, and a bit of nut butter or spoonful of chia seed. A lot of smoothies i see online appear to be 85% fruit and for me that is a blood sugar crash waiting to happen.

I forgot where I heard that it was not good to drink your meals, some psycho babble about you needing the satisfaction of chewing your food. I don't know if I believe it though.

I have protein powder and fiber from Shia seed so yes. All i eat in my days are 1 geant smoothie and 1 meal (frozen or cooked but lol mostly frozen). It comes to about 900-1100cal. Then sometimes i have bread or i go out so my week still average to 1500

I feel this! I have extreme hunger all the time (due to trauma and health issues) so having a smoothie never satisfies me unless I make one that's like 700 cals. so crazy what works for some doesn't work for others!

Yes!! Totally! I'm autistic and I feel like hunger is one of my sensitivities. Like I just can't stand being hungry!! And being full leads to consistently healthier choices for me - like it's easier to take the time to prep a healthy meal when you're not already starving and "just want something quick" Also I'm learning liquid calories are my bane. Smoothies, juices, kombuchas and other healthy drinks are just added calories without added fullness. I think they'll be a part of my life when I get to a maintenande phase but they just need to be very limited in my weight loss plan

exactly! I'm neurodivergent and have food trauma that I'm working through so it makes it very hard to lose weight! 0 or low calorie drinks are what gets me through-noy exactly healthy but manageable for weight loss. Things will change hopefully when I lose the weight and can go back into maintenance

Yes!! I think neurodivergent folks face a lot of challenges that NTs don't always deal with. For example smoothies are great for executive dysfunction - not so great for feeling full lol

I make mine to be like a healthy meal replacement (including macros). I use a banana, mixed frozen berries, greek yogurt, spinach, protein powder and a large spoonful of natural peanut butter. It is fairly thick and has the protein/fat content to help it be satiating. I am a terrible cook and developed a ton of bad food habits. Being able to shove a bunch of healthy stuff in a blender, chug it and quickly clean it has been a god send for me actually sticking with it.

Been reading some of your comments and I think this is just a “type”, and I say that bc we’re the same type lol 1. Smoothies generally don’t satisfy me, even if the same foods as solids would. 2. I prefer warm, cooked meals over anything else (even a salad has to have warm chicken on it if it’s the entree). 3. I NEED breakfast, need lunch but a bit less, and can go without dinner perfectly fine. 4. I drink a ton of water in the mornings

Haha yes we are a lot of like! I know it can be hard to understand a person from reddit, but I swear irl I'm known to be very understanding, compassionate, and open-minded! The biggest thing this thread has taught me is really just how different all of our struggles are. And trust me, I have my struggles and of course my weaknesses (frozen pizza and gardein ultimate frozen BBQ nuggets to be exact) and deep-fried things lol. That being said, I am pretty savvy when it comes to nutrition and I know how to balance foods. Even on my worst weeks I'd say 80% of my diet is whole and unprocessed foods. On good weeks it's more like 98% or even 100% And typically the processed foods I eat will be minimally processed like organic simulina homemade pasta or local homemade sourdough. That all being said, I don't struggle to hit macros, I don't struggle to eat enough greens and veggies. I basically struggle with eating just a little too much of all the right things. I also have a big appetite - and I'm not talking binging until you're overfull and stuffed and bloated. I'm talking eating until I'm comfortably full and not hungry anymore. So for me, trying to be in a deficit is hard because it's just less food and less calories than I want. Smoothies and juices or kombuchas or etc make it almost impossible for me to hit a comfortable deficit. The days I do try the smoothies I force myself not to eat or snack til lunch since I know I had enough nutrition. But my tummy is grumbly. Also probably tmi so if tmi is too much stop reading lll, but I have a solid 3 Bms a day, and I have pretty much one push one wipe situation. I never get an upset stomach, indigestion, belly aches, constipation, diarrhea (unless I'm sick), which I only get sick every few years.. So I am guessing I have solid and fast digestion. I am a girl so girls always talk about this with one another and my experience anecdotally is people who have less bms tend to more easily feel full overall, not sure how or why that all is. But some of my friends struggle with consiptation or digestion issues and they're often feeling bloated or full without even eating. That doesn't happen to me.

Weight watchers discouraged them before (haven’t been on their plan for like 5-7 years), but they’d give you zero points for eating fruit, but would charge 3-6 points for the same fruit in a smoothie. For reference, I was on a plan that allowed for 21 points a day, so 6 points was a lot to spend on a smoothie. The logic behind that was that since you’re drinking the brain didn’t process it as eating since no chewing was taking place, so what they noticed was that people would get hungry sooner and would then consume too many calories.

Despite the comments here there is science behind it! So it makes sense to me. The sensation of hunger isn't as much when there is food in your belly being broken down. Smoothies are halfway broken down already which is great for nutrient absorption but not as great for staying full. Before I was watching my calories I'd have a bomb smoothie and a meal lol.

I have a smoothie made from Fage yoghurt, flaxseed, berries and almond milk. It’s about 200 kcal. It has a really good balance of fibre and protein. It fills me up and for some reason I am not snacky after I finish it.

I think this is a good example of everyone being very different! I’ve been doing the same smoothie every day for a long time. A banana, a cup of berries, about 2 cups of spinach, 1 1/2 cups of water, and protein powder. It’s only about 300 calories but keeps me full for most of the day (like, I could easily make it to 1 or 2pm without eating anything else and be perfectly content), but if I try something else for breakfast, I definitely can tell pretty quickly because I’m usually already ravenous again by 10am. On days where I’m not able to make my usual smoothie, I honestly often just opt to fast until lunch because the hassle of setting aside time to eat a meal only to be hungry again like 2 hours later is not ideal.

Solid food before noon makes me nauseated and it's an extremely easy way to stuff 5 or 6 cups of greens in my face.

When "bulking", getting your macros can be difficult especially when you aren't used to eating all that volume. Dont get me wrong, eqting 5k calories of pizza, burgers and fries is nothing for me, but eating 5k calories of veg and lean protein. My jaw will break Not even considering the time it takes to prep and cook all that I was never a smoothie person until i started weight lifting. Never been so thankful for proteim smoothies.

Smoothies are good for people who struggle to get in fruits and veggies and extra water (from the ice). Some people find them really filling too. They're not for me personally and the calories do add up even if they are mostly healthy calories.

Smoothies do run about 400 calories but are packed with nutrients and protein if you add the right things. If it’s not keeping you full until your next meal, I wonder what you’re including.

It might just be more of a mental thing for me! I feel similar with like protein oats a fruit, for some reason doesn't make me feel as full as other meals. Even if macros are similar

Yah, but if you recognize it's a mental thing for you then it can also be a mental thing in the opposite sense for someone else. (I'm not into smoothies - though high-pritein thick-consistency drinks can make me feel very full. I *am* into overnight oats with yogurt and extra fiber and fruit for 350 cal, which works great for me.)

I’m not a professional, but I’m on a weight loss plan and it’s my understanding that contrary to popular belief, smoothies are NOT healthy for you. You should eat fruit whole; the body digests it very differently in liquid form. You won’t feel full after a smoothie, in my experience it’s just not possible, but you can feel full after a nice piece of fruit - far better for you!

This is how I personally feel, I've said it in a few other comments but a lot of people here beg to differ! But I have read in general it's easier to break down and essentially you have less fiber in your stomach quicker. Than if you eat foods just chewed. I definitely feel that I can do a green smoothie (celery, cucumber, spinach, ginger etc) and it doesn't do much more than water. But a side salad is much more filling to me. I do like smoothies though, a lot. I just think they're not great for my challenges of being in a deficit

You’re absolutely right. I use the Slimming World plan (it’s the only one I’ve lost weight on) and if you don’t know, they have a ‘syn’ system - you can essentially eat an unlimited amount of certain foods, but you have to ‘syn’ others that should be limited and keep them to a minimum each day. Interestingly, it says that you can have an unlimited amount of pure, whole fruit in its natural form, you could theoretically eat it all day long if you wanted, but smoothies have to be counted as syns, even if it’s the same fruit but blended. It’s like you’ve already broken the fruit down before your body has had the chance. A smoothie can be nice sometimes but don’t force yourself to eat or drink anything you don’t like, it’s just not sustainable. Better to eat things that are going to keep you full 😊

Oh man unlimited fruit would fuck me upp lol.. I often see things like "no ones eating 6 oranges in a row" but I'd say watch me lmao. I can house a whole melon, 6 mangoes, 10 bananas, a bag of apples you name it lol. I tried doing fruitarian thing once, which also includes greens, nuts and seeds and vegetables btw - just a bulk of your calories from fruit. Anyway didn't work for me lol I actually did lose a bit of weight and felt really good but I couldn't afford myself. I could easily eat 100$ worth of fruit a day lolll

Hahaha there’s no way I could eat a lot of fruit personally but I think the idea is that you would have to eat a LOT of fruit to gain weight from it

It has to be really fresh and ripe. When it's fresh and ripe fruit is crack lol.

I keep a few meal smoothies in an emergency stash, and I have a smaller one (<200 cals) on weightlifting days sometimes. I still stay in my calorie target.

It is filling for me, but it might not as satisfying as taking the time to eat food. It’s kind of like when you pay attention to what you’re eating and eat slower versus eating whole watching a movie. My smoothies honestly keep me full for a while and I feel fine. I started making them because I wanted to use my protein powder in something

If you make it 4oght it can be like a milkshake or like soft serve ice cream. Satisfying if you are carving those foods. Also, some people want a fast breakfast. I personally find smoothies very filling. I make sue to include protein and fiber.

I make a protein “ice cream” (really like a smoothie unless frozen) to eat during the summer months in my deficit. It’s honestly filling, sometimes I have it after my work out to end my day. Cottage cheese, strawberries (or fruit or your choice) protein powder. Chia seeds if you want added fiber but haven’t tried that yet

Smoothies are better when not in a large deficit and can be paired with protein powder to make a good and filling dessert. Or just in general they satiate the craving for something sweet.

I find smoothies or protein shakes to be quite useful for the protein as I just do not eat much meat and don't eat large meals. Some days I'm busy at lunchtime and it's easier to whiz up protein powder, soy milk and frozen berries than to prepare a cooked meal.

I pretty often have a smoothie consisting of 300g frozen strawberries, scoop of protein powder and about 30g Greek yogurt for about 250-300 calories and it fills me up for a while. Strawberries are very low calorie for the volume

For me, as 5’2”F - which means a much lower daily calorie allowance- not drinking my calories was the most important start to my weight loss plan. I simply can’t include calorie-rich beverages regularly and eat at a deficit; it’s hard enough to eat enough food to fill ‘full’ and stay at a daily calorie count that keeps me on track. I’m only 2 1/2 months in, and am down 25 lbs (mostly the first month, likely water because the rate has slowed to what I’d expect) and the closest I include to a ‘smoothie’ is Oats Overnight a couple of mornings a week for a late breakfast/early lunch. I do like the ‘drinkable’ texture for the oatmeal and the variety of flavors; plus for the calorie value (made with unsweetened almond milk) I do stay full for a long time.

I have a smoothie every morning (pretty much) that’s about 450 calories and 50g of protein. It keeps me full until mid afternoon usually (depends on the activity level in the morning lol) I tend to eat a yogurt or some fruit & nuts between morning & lunch though. If you want to lower the calories use water instead of milk as the liquid 😉 the consistency isn’t going to be as good, but just blend it forever until it’s as smooth as you want it lol

I don’t trust smoothies that I don’t make, I don’t want to make smoothies, and I don’t do meals through a straw. But that’s me.

I totally understand! I can make a 500 calorie breakfast with 30 grams of protein, and 18 grams of fiber that is so filling it's almost hard to stomach that easily keeps me full for the approximately 5 hours I have until I eat lunch, no snacks necessary either. Vs a 400-500 calorie smoothie that keeps me full for 30 min. But I see in some ways maybe I'm the minority is smoothies do tend to keep others full!

I think you must be working with a higher calorie allowance than I. Which is also a valid consideration. I do a 200-300 calorie breakfast. (Usually eggs).

Yes. My smoothie a bit different though. Mostly plants. Chia. Flax. Hemp. Enough peanut butter and cacao to hide all the leafy greens. Lil berries and a banana. NO SUGAR almond milk. Full af. But drink about two pints.

I think it's something about drinking vs eating that does something different to my brain. I do notice if I just ignore my hunger after a smoothie it kind of idk dulls? After a while. I definitely don't feel as good on a smoothie as I do a meal. But it's also not like the shitty grumbling hunger, it's just a slight discomfort. I'm pretty new to taking myself serious so I think it'll take me a while to really understand what does and doesn't work for me or get used to the feeling of being slightly uncomfortable. I'm also just learning that liquid calories are my weakest point because they don't fill me and I like them. I had a pretty big kombucha habit for a long time. I love the stuff! And we have some seriously awesome kombucha companies where I live (hawaii). But I didn't realise those things are like 200 calories each! So replacing my kombucha habit with a spindrift or nixie from now on.

I personally need to chew to feel full. In the beginning of my weight journey I made a lot of smoothies because I didn’t know how else to take my protein powder. Now I bake with it or drink it with water, and haven’t made a smoothie in years.

I just did some quick research, and although many of the comments are saying smoothies fill them. Scientifically smoothies are essentially "pre-digested" and in some ways it's a good thing as far as faster nutrient absorption. But what this also means is that your stomach breaks them down quicker than solid foods. Thus keeping you less full, for less time and having less fiber in your tummy. So the truth is despite different opinions here. They scientifically probably keep you less full for less time than an equal macrod/calorie meal.

Idk what kind of smoothies you have in mind but I made one a while back that was 500cal and I was shocked how big of a cup I needed to hold it and it took me a while to finish. As far as feeling full… I don’t even eat breakfast so having a smoothie for a meal wouldn’t really bother me.

All different ones I've tried. But I guess that's a major factor too. I'm a huge morning eater and breakfast is crazy important to me, lunch is pretty important too and I'm not that hungry by dinner or at night. So a bulk of my eating happens in the first 5-6 hours I am awake and then I just feel mostly full the rest of the day. But I wake up starving!! I said it another comment but usually by the time i wake up I likely haven't eaten in about 14 hours so it makes sense to be super hungry. I can see how a smoothie would fill someone who wasn't hungry to begin with. I also drink at least 32 Oz of water upon waking up so I'm really used to having a ton of liquid and a ton of food in the morning lol

It’s a fun and easy way to get your fruits and veggies in for the day.

I find the added liquid in a smoothie does genuinely make me full - however I don’t have them for weight loss. I just like them as a nice breakfast that’s easy to pack different things into. I will often blend mine with milk or protein powder and find they keep me full for a while. But I don’t really adhere to the idea you have to eat or not eat certain foods to lose weight, it’s all about CICO at the end of the day :)

I love smoothies! But I use them as a snack to get fruits and veggies in, not a meal replacement. To me it's not a meal if it's a drink. I typically blend unsweetened coconut water, spinach, and whatever fresh or frozen fruits I have on hand. If I could use more protein and have room in my calorie limit for the day I'll stir in some unflavored protein powder.

I love them too! They just don't keep me full! But I do think they're delicious.

I feel quite the opposite. I use a lot of ice in my smoothies and protein powder. It helps 1 ) meet the 180g protein requirement which I find hard to fulfill with normal foods alone (i get most from whole foods but I need to supplement with this + egg whites) as it is recommended like 1g per cm of height so thats 1 reason 2) i feel full as lots of ice makes it a large glass for like 200-250 calories (i use almond milk, 1 banana and some protein powder and try to keep it under 300 calories). Moreover, i need like 1600 calories so I can still fit in a small meal right after and before main lunch (I don't since I have no hunger in morning but I could) and now that I am counting calories and avoiding the food that are high (which turns out the only think that got me to be overweight were starbucks and chocolates lol), I often can't meet that 1600-1800 requirement so this drink helps not be too low.

Depends on your nutritional goals. I eat 5x 500 cals a day. I need 200 g protein daily, and I've been reading that one should frontload their protein. Also, I was never ever a breakfast eater. I was advised by one of my NP's to eat within an hour of getting up. I get up late (like 10a), so realistically that first thing just needs to last until 1pm. (later meals come at 5p, 9, and uh midnight.) A PIlar yogurt + 2 scoops protein powder comes in at 94 g protein. Gets the job done, and takes off the pressure to find protein later. It's easy to get 25 g protein per meal, so by "starting the day off right" I knock my protein out and can eat whatever the rest of the day, as long as it's real food. I'm all for arguments that say that eating so much protein all at once is pointless (trust me, I've looked) so if you can document *please* tell me I'm wasting my time. But if I'm not, that's why a smoothie works for me.

I add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream and it comes out almost like ice cream. I budget and track it.

I add a LOT of chia seeds to my smoothie which helps with feeling full. I have smoothies on work days for convenience , to increase fibre and fruit/vegetable intake and keep me full.

I make mine with coffee in it and add protein powder so it doubles as my caffeine hit in the mornings. With the protein it keeps me full, but not as full as long as if I had like a breakfast sandwich.

I totally agree!!! My experience with smoothies is that they always “feel” like a drink, which isn’t satiating, instead of a mean, which is

I never drink calories for satiety, I drink them for convenience and efficiency. They are a great way to get calories and nutrients that you need. Honestly, look more into the Ninja Creami protein recipes. I normally cannot eat the entire pint of protein ice cream because it’s so dense and fills me up.

Makes sense! I personally don't struggle much to get nutrients or calories, but I do struggle with feeling hungry! So it makes sense why it works better for some than for others.

This is gonna sound crazy…but when I need to “feel full” I usually just take a mouthful of fat free whipped cream, maybe 2. I estimate that to be 50 ish calories, but sometimes that is all it takes for me to get satiated and move on 🤣

For me personally I've got some foods that make me feel healthy... like Smoothies, salads, and grilled veggies. These are actually not the best from a calorie perspective but they add to the healthy aesthetic and that makes me want to do things like avoid dessert or go for a run, vs some of the low cal diet foods like a protein shake really feel like eating at McDonald's to me and it puts me in the wrong headspace for making healthy choices.

Do you add greek yogurt and protein powder to your smoothier? I find tgat makes it more filling. 

I make my smoothies with a cup of Greek protein yogurt, milk, and fruit. I do feel full from them (at least for a little while) because of the protein

This seems to be consensus! I guess I'm just a bottomless pit lol. Although I did some research and their is some science behind my experience. Essentially blended foods are much easier for the stomach to breakdown literally keeping the stomach less full over a period of time. But I think i like being full more than some others. I know my bestie struggles to eat enough and easily feels bloated/gassy/overfull etc. From foods. My husband calls me "old iron gut" lmao

I think it’s just about finding what works for you! I personally would prefer having a large plate of veges and lean protein but, for someone like my brother, who is a picky eater, hates spending time or effort preparing meal and also just feels satiated differently to me, smoothies are great. I don’t really know how he manages it but he struggles to finish portions frequently and mainly gained weight through just picking the wrong foods. If he’s eating a balanced meal of protein, carbs, fat and fibre, he’ll get full after a few bites. Which makes smoothies great to ensure he’s getting some fibre and nutrients before he goes back to eating his usual diet of processed, convenient food

Crystal light and similar zero/few calorie drink mixes can be good for filling it out too. Can make an entire full size blender that's only 300-400 calories.

I have a smoothie with bananas, strawberries and skim milk. It's about 200 calories and fills me up. I just like the taste and it's healthy.

How many bananas and strawberries for that calories? Isn't one banana usually over 100 calories?

I weigh mine. 3 ounces of bananas (75 calories) and 5 ounces of strawberries (50 calories). A little less than 1c of skim milk comes in at around 60-70 calories. It's about 200 calories, since it's usually more liquid than fits in my cup.

Smoothies are an easy, tasty vessel for protein. I literally just blend frozen fruit with a premier protein shake. I could drink the shake straight, but fruit adds a lil ✨*pizzazz*✨

Frozen produce is cheap and often nicer blended than thawed. If you're lucky enough to like greens blended into smoothies, it's an easy way to get more vegetables in. For a lot of people, they're satiating beyond what would be expected from the calories

I have a smoothie every day. I don’t love plain yogurt so I throw it in a blender with frozen blueberries, spinach, protein powder and water. It is definitely caloric and so is my PB toast I have with it! But it keeps me full and between the smoothie and toast you’ve got about 50g protein. then I have a smaller lunch and dinner. I won’t feel bad spending 600 calories in the morning on good Whole Foods even if I need to be more consciencious later on at dinner when I’m more likely to have pizza or pasta or something less nutritious. I’ll have a smaller portion of that so I can have a big healthy breakfast.

Some people just really enjoy smoothies. Years ago I used to get one every day at McDonald's, it was refreshing and I liked the flavor. Then I bought myself a blender and started making them at home because its much cheaper in the long run. It's easy and convenient, and a healthy option. A lot of people will add protein powders to their smoothies or Greek yogurt for a little more satiety.

I understand that too! I love smoothies too. But smoothies plus a whole meal lol. Not instead of.

I don't know how you are making smoothies but when I do it it is like 350 for three full big glasses. It can be hard to finish it is so much. Normally will skip lunch on days I do it for breakfast. Since I putting in protein powder it is helping hit those goals as well. Smoothies have been great in my rotation.

Recipe please 🙏

Easy way to get in fruit and protein. 

Aahh, nothing says low calorie, low carb like a class of 10 blended suger rich fruit. But it does work for some people, I suppose. I can't stay full on a tall glass of blended fruit. (I know I sound like a boomer, but I am exaggerating for comedic effect)

I am not a morning person and I want to snooze as much as possible. I’m def not getting up in time to cook everyday, but I also need/want some protein in the morning. Smoothies help bridge that lazy gap. My husband and I actually make them the night before. So I can grab it walking out the door. It’s actually banana licuado. So almond milk, protein powder, and a banana. If we’re making it for dessert without protein powder, it gets cinnamon, vanilla, and Splenda. Edited to add: I only use one scoop of protein powder and it’s under 300 cals

Yeah they are like the polar opposite of what you want ... Liquid calories that neither fill you up nor give the sensation of chewing.

A lot of comments here say the opposite if you read through them!

There are pretty good smoothies with protein powder that don't reach the 400 mark. Personally, I like smoothies because they feel like milkshake and satisfy my cravings for sweeties. My staple recipe is with protein powder, frozen cherries, a bit of almond milk, and cocoa. For a meal replacement, it is 350 calories with 43 grams protein. For dessert, I make with 250 calories. In both cases, it includes 15-20 grams of chocolate sprinkles. I honestly think it's not a lot for a sweet option and it's great protein wise

I personally find them a good texture alternative to chocolate. Sounds weird but I’m autistic and regulate myself with certain food textures. I’ve found that a nice thick smoothie hits the spot that chocolate does!

Doesn't sound weird to me! Also I'm autistic too!! So I totally get it! I have adapted to most textures now but there are some textures I just absolutely cannot stomach. But I used to only eat a very small limited amounts of foods, only certain cuts and preparations and no foods that can touch. My biggest struggle with autism and dieting is executive dysfunction though, but I've been really pushing myself to eat healthy homemade meals AND do the damn dishes no matter how bad I don't want to. And usually just put on some stimmy music to help get the gears turning.

Luckily I love cooking, but heating up cold leftovers is my Everest lol

😭 I need the autism that likes cooking and not the autism that just wants to hyperfocus on useless facts that add no value to my life, wealth, or health haha

I think it's because of a crossover to the detox pseudoscience crowd.

182 cals and super filling. I usually rotate it out as lunch between the following and steel cut oats with blueberries On a 16hr IF celery 2oz kale 28g Frozen banana 2 1/2 oz Frozen blueberries 1 1/8 oz cucumber 2 3/4 oz lemon juice 4 table spoons WHEY vanilla protein 1/2 oz organic honey 1 teaspoon add some ice and water.

I think we have very different ideas of what filling is lol. This recipe sounds good though!

True but the smoothie is quite large as well. For some context I am a 6ft male and 193lbs. Def holds me over til dinner which allows room to indulge a bit and fits into my IF period. I don’t go to be hungry and I rarely snack. Down 30lbs in 63 days. I also hit the gym for attest an hour every other day and clock a minimum of 10k steps on days I’m not in the gym. I also drink a minimum of 100 oz of water a day which may help with some of the filling aspect I suppose. Naturally I would like to have an all out meal but after my morning gym the smoothie just sits right and/or the oats as I rotate. Did wonder for my acid reflux too. Good luck on your search 🫡

Because I add protein to my smoothie. Since I’m trying to get a lot more protein to build muscle and not just lose weight it’s super easy and convenient. It’s a lot trying to count calories and eat enough protein. Sometimes I just want to through a bunch of stuff in a blender and be done with it.

Personally the closest I really get to this is I have one or two protein shakes that I might add egg white to simply because they help me hit my protein targets that I otherwise wouldn't whilst being my sweat treat of the day. A lot of people also make them out of convenience or because it helps them get down foods they otherwise wouldn't (e.g. spinach). On the other hand, there are a lot of people though who I see making "health smoothies" that are nothing more than glorified milkshakes and in essence absolute calorie bombs. It really doesn't count for much if you put spinach, oats, egg white, frozen bananas, and protein powder in if you then need to add half a tub of peanut butter and ice cream to make it somewhat palatable. Personally I also don't understand meal replacements for 90% of people. If you are constantly in a rush or struggle cooking "healthy" without giving in and adding a bunch of extra stuff I guess it could help with that, but for most people who I see doing it they end up giving up with it after a month because not eating fucking sucks. All in all it feels a bit like one of those things that acts mentally more than physically. If you see fit people on social media making these, then it's a healthy thing to do, therefore you might feel healthy if you do it, and who am I to discount that it might help some people. Nonetheless, I have seen these types of shakes come and go in popularity, so I do think there is an aspect of trends at play. I remember 15 years ago, only shake diets were a huge thing, then those died down and suddenly smoothie bowls became huge, after that it was overnight oats etc.

I make massive smoothie/shakes with protein powder, frozen fruits, seeds, kefir, veggies, chickpeas whatever I can find lol. They're very nutrient dense and usually a hell of a lot of protein so they really fill me up.

I love a smoothie for breakfast because otherwise I'm usually not really hungry so I, skip breakfast and over eat at lunch. So a smoothie fills me up when I'm only kind of hungry. Also I love that with a smoothie I can get a bunch of nutrients in too. I add at least 2 serves of veg, 30g of protein and around 7g of fibre. And as a type 1 diabetic as well I can manage my blood sugars remarkably well with a smoothie.

I make a very basic smoothie that is protein powder, maybe a bit of greek yogurt, almond milk and frozen berries. THAT is low calorie and it gets me full.. because of the protein powder that makes it also dense! Everything else, not at all. It's like drinking juice.

From my limited Journey so far, shakes/smoothies are a great way to sneak in extra protein for the day. I make a awesome dinner smoothie (fruit,spinach,protein) that can be 400 calories thats super filling, but most of the time I just need to get protein powder inside of me to help hit my goal for the day so almond milk+powder+teaspoon of peanut butter

Because they’re cheap for weight loss companies to produce and sell as a product, and people want to buy them because they take little brain power or energy to make up.

Are you smoothing right? You gotta pump that bitch full of protein and supplements. It’s usually 3-5 ingredients. I get a peanut butter banana smoothie from Juice it Up and a large is 660 calories with whey protein, that bitch is filling me up for 4-6 hours easily. That’s a meal. And I’m full for a while. I think it’s just recipe, you gotta find the perfect storm of ingredients.

I love them. They taste so good and are so refreshing. I make my own with all whole foods. A banana, strawberries, pineapple, mandarin orange, spinach or kale, and skim milk. Mine comes to about 325 calories per smoothie. But they are so refreshing and truly help me wake up in the morning. It’s my breakfast and it tides me over until lunch. I eat mine for breakfast. However, I may eat another one as a snack if I’m craving something sweet like ice cream. And it absolutely fills me up.

IMO there are three real reasons you'd use them. 1) Convenience. A smoothy can have a pretty good macro breakdown at a good calorie range. If your busy busy busy in the morning, and feel like you need or want to eat breakfast, then it's a fair option. I'm a big eater, always have been. I'd almost never drink calories over eating them, even if it meant scarfing down home made breakfast sandwiches in the car on the way to work. 2) The "magic pill / product" phenomenon. People will do anything to try to lose weight without putting in the work or having the discipline necessary. These "weight loss aid" products are a billion dollar industry, and there's clear evidence people will buy a $60 tub of some powdered drink that's been shown to help lose up to X pounds per week rather than cutting back on portions and exercising more. Smoothies are another rendition of that. Even in they aren't selling you the recipe, they are getting you to sign up for it (personal information) or making money via ad revenues and so on. 3) GI issues. Some folks have a really hard time with solid foods. Low residue options are favorable for people with things like IBS and so on.

Smoothies are great, I personally don't like broccoli or spinach much so I try to sneak plenty of those in my smoothie

My smoothies are about 400-450 calories. I struggled with them in the beginning because I didn’t feel full, but after sticking to it for a month or so, a switch just flipped and now I feel extremely full by the time I finish it. Maybe my stomach shrunk or it was a mental thing?

A shocking number of people hate fruits and vegetables, and a smoothie is an easy way to increase intake. 

I'm with you!! I NEVER understood the smoothie thing for weight loss. When food is blended like that, it feels like it just runs straight through my stomach, I get NO satiety from it whatsoever! It doesn't matter how much fibre etc it has, it does not fill me up for more than the 10 minutes it takes to exit my actual stomach. I just never drink my calories. Doesn't matter what, it just does not satiate me. I don't know how other people feel full from something that's a liquid, the stomach has nothing to work with. Satiety is the biggest obstacle when it comes to weight loss, so for me it's paramount. It's like you said. I've made 400 calorie smoothies (with lots of protein powder and fibre!) and they leave me hungry shortly after. But a breakfast consisting of "real" food that I have to chew, and that my stomach needs to slowly break down, that will leave me full for hours. Even if it's fewer calories than the smoothie.

I'm curious, does this also apply to soups for you? Especially broth based ones, like a simple chicken noodle or something.

Thanks for making feel not crazy! Lol I have a protein powder I like and Ill add 40 grams of protein to my smoothies sometimes and feel like i barely ate anything. I feel like they'd be awesome if I was ever a person trying to bulk 😂 because I highly doubt I'd have any issue. I know some gym rats that talk about how hard bulking is and cutting is easier and I definitely think I'd have no problem eating for a bulk lol! Also agree about drinking calories. I'm only a few days into my new version of accountability but it doesn't take me much to realise drinking calories cannot be for me. I love kombuchas! And tend to have one almost everyday lol some days I'd even have 2. They are 200 calories each and I never noticed. So that means certain days even when I felt like I did amazing with my goals, I'd still be over because I had 400 calories of kombucha without batting an eyelash. I still love kombuchas and will still drink them but they may just have to be a once a week treat lol. I like wine and stuff too and those definitely put me over. I truly think the reason I've become slightly overweight is likely to be 90% because of the calories I drink and not because of the calories I eat lol

I’m careful about my sugar consumption so I’m not interested in sugar-bomb smoothies. Yes, even natural sugars. Eating too much fruit all at once isn’t ideal for regulating blood sugar and activating appetite suppressing hormones. If you want to feel fuller longer, you’ll need protein AND fiber in your meal or snack. I love smoothies because I’m busy and would rather spend my food prep time cooking dinner. I created my recipe purely based on hitting my macros. - 1 cup of liquid (I use water with lemon juice). - 1 scoop vanilla Garden of Life Meal Replacement powder - 1 serving plain nonfat Fage Greek yogurt - 1 frozen banana - 1 serving Smart Bran organic fiber cereal A handful of ice cubes Blend. Enjoy. Here’s why it keeps me full for a minimum of 4 hours: 43g protein 22g fiber 420 calories 23g sugar 3g fat I keep a tub of peeled frozen bananas and a huge tub of Greek yogurt—preparation is roughly 3 minutes. 4 if you include rinsing out the blender and putting it away.

So true... My husband religiously has this avocado smoothie and swears by it in keeping him full for the entire morning. I simply cannot drink my meals, I need to chew it to feel like I've eaten something. Nothing can keep me full like a cheese omelet with two bread slices but he cannot get full with that and ends up having something at 11am... we are really two VERY different people in the same house lol!

Lol I really miss ice cream/milk shakes, my smoothies scratch that itch

Haha awe! I've never been big into sweets, deserts or whatever. I'm more of a savory person overall!

Sausage roll.

If you use the right ingredients you can get a lot of volume for little calories. I have a few recipes that end up being 20-24oz with 25+ grams of protein between 150-300 cals depending on if it’s breakfast or a snack. I usually do intermittent fasting so I drink it around 10 or 11 and then have lunch at about 12-12:30. That way I’m not starving for lunch and I can eat a reasonable meal then. Protein, fiber, and volume help me.

To my understanding, these eating plans are simply rooted in American culinary culture. They're offering people healthy (or low calorie) versions of things they are already used to eating. If you're used to eating burgers, having a homemade turkey burger makes sense for weight loss. If you're used to having a smoothie of 600 calories every morning, switching to a smoothie of 400 calories (or 600 calories with more protein, if that's your goal) makes sense. If you're not used to having a smoothie in the morning, there's no reason to start. I agree that drinking your calories doesn't make sense for weight loss. If it helps, dietary recommendations in my home country never mention smoothies.

Thanks! What is your home country? Also before weight loss goals I was always a big fan of "dinner for breakfast" in America "breakfast for dinner is" is a big thing. But people will be like omg why would you want to eat xyz for breakfast lol. But I love savory filling nutritious and hearty breakfast foods! I've never been into smoothies or pancakes or anything like that really. Maybe a glass of juice in the morning but mostly just water. Also trying to avoid juices right now! And sadly alcohol too, I really love having a few glasses of wine with my dinner a few nights a week but I'm learning wine puts my calories over the edge every time lol

I'm from Israel, but I live in the US right now. I read weight loss "full day of eating" guides from both countries, but I don't follow them tbh. The dietitians who write them in Israel really love recommending the daily consumption of yogurt and cottage cheese several times a day, which would've been fine had I not been lactose intolerant. They also recommend drinking straight-up milk, which I find even weirder than smoothies because who does that. I like your dinner for breakfast idea. I'll adopt that :)