Faith Wellness Center

Hands down, one of the biggest complaints from individuals who are trying to lose weight is hunger….constant hunger. It’s also one of the fears people have that keep them from getting on a weight loss plan in the first place!

And even though there are no magic tricks or quick fixes when it comes to losing weight, there are some very real tips that can ease the struggle and keep you going strong on your weight loss journey.

That being said, here are four great appetite-suppressing foods, that can help kick the hunger and keep you to feeling full longer. And when eaten in conjunction with an overall healthy diet plan, they can help contribute to greater weight loss.

Avocado

We started the list with avocado because we think that it’s one of the best superfoods on the entire planet. You probably already know that avocados are rich in heart-healthy fats, but it’s a certain type of fat, called oleic acid, that packs the true appetite-suppressing punch.

Oleic acid is classified as an omega-9 fatty acid. When you eat oleic acid, which is also found in olive oil, your body converts it to a compound called oleoylethanolamide, or OEA. Studies show that OEA travels to the gut lining, where it sends signals of satiety to the brain. That means you’ll feel full and satisfied longer!

Avocado is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of ways like topping a crisp salad, mixed in a delicious weeknight dinner, or blended in a breakfast smoothie.

A word of warning though: while avocados can help suppress appetite, they also contain a lot of calories due to their high fat content. When including avocados in your meal, pay attention to the proper serving size, which is one-third of a medium-sized avocado.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is made by straining out the liquid whey from regular yogurt. This process not only makes the yogurt thicker, it also makes it higher in protein per ounce. According to research, protein keeps you feeling fuller than fat or carbohydrates; so any food that is high in protein has appetite-suppressing effects. Research shows that when people increase protein intake to 30 percent of calories from just 15 percent of calories, they report feeling less hungry and typically eat fewer calories throughout the day.

Greek yogurt can be eaten as a snack or a breakfast by itself, but is also a wonderful substitute for mayo and sour cream in a variety of dips and sauces.

A single 5.3-ounce container of Greek yogurt contains around 15 grams of protein, compared to just 7 grams for regular varieties; but be choosy when choosing yogurt. Flavored Greek yogurts still have the protein, but they can also contain as much sugar as a can of soda. Plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt is best.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed packs a one-two punch when it comes to appetite suppression. It’s rich in both omega-3 fats and fiber, two nutrients that keep you feeling full. Fiber is especially beneficial because it has a “bulking” effect. It expands and pulls water into the digestive tract, which leads to feelings of satiety, and doesn’t contribute any calories. The fat in flaxseed can also slow increases in blood sugar levels, which not only reduces hunger, but irritability as well which is super important when reducing calories.

One tablespoon of whole flaxseed contains 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of fat; but make sure to grind your flaxseed before consuming it because your body can’t properly digest whole flaxseed.

Spinach

Spinach contains compounds called thylakoids, which can contribute to appetite suppression and a reduced food intake. According to research, when thylakoids are eaten with a high-fat meal, levels of Cholecystokinin, or CCK, and leptin, two hormones that signal to your brain that you’re full and to stop eating, are increased. However, thylakoids can also reduce ghrelin, the hormone that tells your body that you’re hungry. When combined with healthy carbohydrates, thylakoids can also help reduce cravings for sugar and sweets.

Each one of these foods can be used so many delicious ways to keep you full and satisfied along your weight loss journey.

Let us know your favorite ways to eat these foods. Share in the comments below!

Smoothies are all the rage right now and we need to take notice. And not just because they are everywhere. But because they can be an effective tooling to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

But not all smoothies were created equal, so drinker beware. Many of the pre-made smoothies on the grocery store shelves and freezer aisles are loaded with sugar, fat, artificial ingredients, or all of the above.

This also goes for the smoothies you can get custom blended in a smoothie shop. All smoothies in a shop are not for every customer. Many have just as many calories as a milk shake. So asking questions and understanding all the ingredients in a smoothie is really important – before simply ordering the smoothie that sounds good.

The only real way to ensure you get all the great benefits of smoothies is to make them yourself. And they are much cheaper to make them yourself. All you need is a decent blender, a few natural ingredients, and a couple minutes of your time.

Trust me, it’s worth it. To read more on how to make a nutritious and yummy smoothies, check out my post: “9 Super Foods you Must Add to Your Smoothie Today.”

For now, we are going to cover the 7 reasons why smoothies can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Reason #1: Smoothies are Super Simple to Make

All it takes to make a smoothie is a few yummy ingredients dropped in your blender and voila – an instant breakfast, snack, or any meal replacement. Add ice for a milk shake consistency.  To make it even more flavorful; freeze your fruit and leave out the ice. You’ll get the milk shake texture without watering down your smoothie.

Reason #2:  Smoothies are Perfect for On-The-Go Meals

Most healthy meals require a few minutes to sit down and eat. But not a smoothie. This power-packed meal is perfect to pour into your favorite on-to-go cup and sip on the way to work, the gym, or even at your desk. There are no excuses for not having time to get in good nutrition.

Smoothies, are also a great on-to-go snack to give to your kids. If you add fruits to naturally sweeten the smoothie; they’ll think they just got a milk shake.

Reason #3:  Smoothies Hold Tons of Nutrition in One Glass

One smoothie can easily hold more nutritious ingredients in one glass than in a typical meal because you can put so much in one smoothie and have it still taste great.

You can add fiber and protein by adding seeds, nuts, and oats to the base of your smoothie.  Just drop some oatmeal or raw cashews to your blender (you’ll need a high-powered blender for this) first and pulse nuts until smooth and oats to a fine powder. Then add your other ingredients.

Now for the fun part; you can add endless combinations of fruits and veggies to keep it interesting. Try adding a cup of dark greens like kale or spinach to every smoothie. You will hardly notice the flavor of the greens and it’s a great way to ensure you get your greens in everyday even if they never find their way on to your plate at dinner time.

Just be sure to look up the nutritional information of the individual ingredients you add in. For example, be sure to balance the higher sugar fruits with the lower ones. And try to limit any added sweeteners, if possible. You don’t want to spike your blood sugar, or have too much sugar converting to fat unnecessarily.

 Reason #4:   Smoothies Can be Pre-Made

With a little preplanning, anyone can enjoy the easy nutrition of smoothies everyday. Simply blend up your smoothies the night before and store in a BPA-free plastic or glass container and enjoy for the next few days in the refrigerator.

 Reason #5:  Smoothies are Perfect Sweet Cravings Busters

The evenings are tough for many sweet cravers who just want something sweet and a little dangerous; but don’t want to throw away all their weight loss progress. One way to “give in” to these cravings is to whip up a sweet smoothie. Frozen bananas are great to add the sweetness and a little chocolate almond milk adds the chocolate indulgence so many crave. This smoothie won’t bust your waist line in the least; but it will bust those cravings.

 Reason #6:  Smoothies Super-Charge Energy

When you drink smoothies every day; you are getting more whole foods in your body than the average person in their day. Because of these whole foods; you get a free by-product – Energy! The more whole fruits and veggies we eat the better we feel.

Reason #7:  Smoothies can be Anti-Inflammatory

Now this benefit depends on the type of smoothie consumed. Smoothies rich in greens, fruits, and veggies have an alkalizing effect on the body. This helps to reduce the harmful and inflammatory effects of our typically acidic diets. Any reduction of inflammation in our bodies is beneficial in fighting disease.

As you can see, smoothies are a super tasty and easy way to add nutrition to your die; aiding in weight loss and overall good health. Although, smoothies are just part of a successful weight loss plan. Daily exercise and sometimes medical intervention and guidance can all come together to help you live your very best life today!

Love is the powerful force that compels us as humans to do the unbelievable and even the impossible for those we love. It has been shown throughout history what one person will do for love.

Prince Edward VIII became King of England in 1936 and later gave up his throne to be with his American love; Wallis Simpson.

The magnificent Taj Mahal was built out of Shah Jahan’s mourning for the loss of his wife Mumtaz Mahal during the birth of their 14th child.  This massive project was so huge it almost bankrupt the nation. An enormous risk for love.

Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison because of the undying love for his country; helping to reshape our world.

We all have our own stories, too. Things we did for our spouses, children, friends, and parents. Things we never would or could do for anyone else.

Love is powerful.

It fuels the impossible.

We need love.

And we all know this deep inside ourselves. We can and will do great things for those we love. Love gives us focus and the ability to keep going and not give up. We don’t want to let them down. We can’t look them in the eye after we failed. No. We won’t because failure is not an option.

Failure is not an option.  Sooo, if failure’s not an option – why do we fail at so much in our own lives?

“Why can’t I seem to drop this weight? It’s so overwhelming … so impossible,” you may have said to yourself over and over again.

You may be trying to lose the baby weight from your last child, or two … or three. Or you might be the person who’s living a lifelong struggle with weight. In any case, you may be missing the most powerful force known to man – LOVE.

You see, overweight people in our society tend to fall into the unlovable category. And the person who is least likely to love you is – YOU.

In order to conquer, once and for all, your battle with weight is to love yourself. Before, you achieve your goals.

Too many people are trying to change themselves by losing weight, getting plastic surgery, or wearing designer clothes in order to finally love themselves. And unfortunately that doesn’t work.

What would you think if your significant other told you they can’t really love you until you change a few things to their satisfaction? You wouldn’t believe in their love for you.  Would you?

It’s the same with the love we have for ourselves. If you say to yourself, “the only way I can love you is you must change this and that first” – you don’t believe it. Love loses its powerful effect.

 It’s only when we finally learn to look in the mirror and say “I love you no matter what” do you unleash the power of love.

 Love is a decision; not a feeling. And when you decide to love yourself unconditionally – you step into a place of power. You turn into the Prince who will not fail to rescue his true love.

 There are so many weight loss success stories out there, and they have one thing in common. Each person decided to finally love themselves – first. Before the transformation ever took place.

Love believes the best … it never gives up … never loses faith … is always hopeful … and endures through every circumstance.

Love is your greatest ally. Make a quality decision to love yourself today. No matter where you are.

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Allow love to transform yourself into your own friend instead of a lifelong enemy. 

Decide to tap into the impossible things you’ll do for the one you love – YOU! Failure is no longer an option; nor is it a possibility.

 With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world. –The Dalai Lama

In a single smoothie, holds endless possibilities of flavors and nutritious combinations. So many ingredients can be easily blended up in a quick smoothie; offering power-packed nutrition in a glass.

Here are seven super foods that can be added to your smoothie recipes today.

Super Food #1: Dark Leafy Greens

These vegetables are packed with vitamins A, C, E and K, minerals, and an abundance of phytochemicals so vast that nutrition professionals are still trying to uncover all of their goodness. All the dark leafy greens top the list of the most nutrient-rich vegetables.

They are also rich in fiber which help keep you full and satisfied between meals.

If you are new to green smoothies, I would recommend starting with spinach which has a lighter, slightly sweet flavor when blended.

Super Food #2:  Oats

Oatmeal can be easily be pulverized into a fine powder with a few pulses of your blender. Adding oats to your smoothie provides you with more fiber and bulk in your smoothie helping to keep you full and satisfied.

Oats are what’s being called a Resistant Starch; which is a kind of carbohydrate that shifts your body into fat-melting mode. This helps you burn nearly 25% more calories a day. Meanwhile, you’ll eat about 10% fewer calories—simply because you’re not as hungry (foods containing Resistant Starch are quite filling)—so you end up eating less overall.

Super Food #3:  Healthy Fats

One of the best examples of healthy fats that can be blended in a smoothie is avocados. There’s no reason to be afraid of eating fats—as long as they’re the right fats.

Oleic acid, a compound in avocados’ healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), may trigger your body to actually quiet hunger. Stick to a quarter or a half of an avocado per smoothie and watch that belly fat melt away. The creamy fruit is also packed with fiber and protein. Blending avocados in a smoothie can add a pleasant, velvety texture to any smoothie recipe.

Nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachios are also a good source of healthy fats. Just add the nuts to an empty blender and grind until smooth. Then add your other favorite ingredients.

Super Food #4:  Berries

There’s a huge punch packed into these tiny berries.  They contain antioxidants which fight oxidative stress caused by free radicals that can lead to illness. These antioxidants including anthocyanin and quercetin give berries their vibrant color and help reduce inflammation in the body.

Berries are also mostly water so they are very effective in weight loss by bumping up the volume with less calories. They also contain vitamin C which improves immunity function.  Vitamin C is also largely responsible for the health of collagen, which helps maintain cartilage stores and aids in joint flexibility. Eating vitamin C–rich berries will contribute to radiant skin and healthy hair, and may reduce the risk of arthritis, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Super Food #5:  Bananas

Bananas are truly a super food and are perfect for smoothies. They add bulk and sweetness to any smoothie. They also add 12.5 grams of that good Resistant Starch as long as they are newly ripened. They longer they ripen; the less Resistant Starch remains.

Bananas are great mood-boosters that contain high levels of tryptophan which is converted to serotonin in the brain.

They also aid in digestion by acting as a prebiotic stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria in the bowel. In addition, they can provide relief from acid reflux symptoms by working as a natural antacid.

Super Food #6:  Citrus Fruits

There’s an entire family of tasty citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, and limes.  These fiber-rich foods (especially grapefruit) might even control appetite and aid in weight loss. No doubt, that’s a powerful combination…especially for such a low-calorie food.

Australian studies have shown that citrus fruits are some of the most filling foods; further aiding in weight loss. And we haven’t even covered the enormous amounts of vitamin C to aid in disease prevention.

Super Food #7: Seeds

Three of the most popular seeds today are chia, flax, and hemp. Each have there own amazing benefits.  But what they have in common is their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.  

Each seed can be easily blended in a smoothie and actually acts as a natural thickener giving them a nice texture. But this thickening property also works to bind to and remove toxins and fat from the body.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list of super foods but these are especially easy to blend in a smoothie and get you started. And to get you started even faster; try this delicious super food smoothie recipe today.

Banana and Kale Super food Smoothie

Servings: 1 • Size: 1 smoothie

Calories: 220 • Fat: 10 g • Carb: 30 g • Fiber: 8 g • Protein: 8 g • Sugar: 14 g

Sodium: 158 mg • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (Almond Breeze)
• 1 pitted date (as a sweetener)
• 1 tbsp raw shelled hemp seeds (or seeds of your choice)
• 1/2 ripe medium banana
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 3/4 cup baby kale (or spinach)
• 1 cup ice

 Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Enjoy!