Ladies, wish to burn some calories and get back in shape? You have been undergoing a strict weight loss regime but still could not lose an iota of weight and have drained energy levels. It is time that you switch to better and more delicious ways of losing weight that help you burn calories without affecting your energy level.
Try protein shakes for weight loss and get back in shape. Protein shakes? Yes, woman, you are reading it correctly, protein shakes accelerate weight loss. Protein is an essential nutrient that increases body metabolism, reduces your appetite and improves muscle strength. These can be taken as meal replacements to aid in weight loss.
What Are Protein Shakes?
Protein shakes or protein powders are supplements of protein meant to meet the adequate protein requirement of the body. Studies have shown the average intake of protein in humans is less than that required by the body. It may be due to the modern lifestyle wherein one relies more on instant food that lacks the necessary nutrients. Protein shakes are thus a convenient way to increase your protein intake.
How Does Protein Help to Shed Weight?
Usually associated with muscle gain and body growth, protein is also an essential nutrient for weight loss. Yes, dieticians recommend protein shakes(1) for weight loss for the role of protein in reducing body weight.
Increased intake of protein keeps you full for longer thus decreasing the cravings that make you indulge in unhealthy snacking. It helps in reducing the hunger hormone in your body and increase the satiety hormones signally your brain that you are fuller, lessening the hunger pangs. With fewer hunger cravings you will eat less that will automatically control your calorie intake.
Another thing to note is that compared to carbs and fats, proteins require much more energy for digestion which means that the body can burn much more calories in digesting proteins. You tend to gain weight when your calorie intake is more than what gets consumed. Proteins use-up more calories, maintaining the calorie balance, thus keeping you in shape. Increased metabolism helps easy weight loss without you cutting consciously on food.
What Is the Best Time to Drink Protein Shakes for Weight Loss?
To be honest, there is no specific time to drink protein shakes to aid weight loss. So when to drink protein shakes for weight loss? Well, the best time to drink protein shakes for weight loss would be when you are more prone to snacking. You can take them during the evening or between the breakfast or lunch when you are more prone to snacking.
Protein shakes can also be taken after rigorous workouts when you tend to feel hungrier. These replenish the protein loss during the exercise and also make you feel fuller with less calorie intake. The best way would be to try them as meal replacements as this would directly cut down your food intake.
Homemade Weight Loss Shakes For Women
The protein shakes available in the market are loaded with much sugar and can hamper your weight loss regime. Instead, try homemade protein shakes for weight loss. These amazingly reduce your hunger cravings, increase body metabolism and reduce body weight.
Below are provided some of the best meal replacement and DIY Protein Shake Recipes for weight loss.
[Also Read: Natural Remedies To Lose Weight]
1. Soy Milk Strawberry Shake
Vegans are going to love this protein shake recipe. Perfectly suitable for all age groups, it is a lip-smacking recipe that you must try.
What do you need?
- Two cups of soy milk
- Half a cup of Strawberries
- A Few Almonds
- Some melon seeds
- Cocoa Powder
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Add to it soy milk, chopped strawberries, one tablespoon each of ground almonds and ground melon seeds, and one teaspoon of cocoa powder
- Blend them into a thick smoothie
- Pour it into a glass. You can add ice if you wish to.
Soy milk is the favorite of those trying to lose weight. Add to it the nutrition of almonds and melon seeds make it a powerful protein drink.
[Read: 15 Proven Soy Milk Benefits]
2. Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake
This frozen banana and peanut butter protein shake healthily carry all the sweetness. Give your mornings a protein-packed start with this rich shake which has natural sugar of banana and the power of peanut and unsweetened almond milk.
What do you need?
- 2 Ripe Bananas (if you do not require more sugar overripe bananas will be better)
- ¼ cup Peanut Butter
- A cup of unsweetened Almond Milk
- Two tablespoons of Cocoa Powder
- A half teaspoon of Vanilla extract
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Add to it sliced bananas, almond milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract
- You can add ice if you wish
- Blend them to get a creamy consistency
- Pour in the glass
- The recipe is ready to be savored
3. Almond Coconut Shake
Almond Coconut Protein Shake is another excellent recipe full of proteins. Milk is a rich source of protein. Almonds enrich it further making it a great shake for weight loss. So, what are you waiting for, give it a try!
What do you need?
- 20 Almonds
- Two cups of milk
- One tablespoon honey
- Half a cup of unsweetened dried coconut
- Two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds
- One teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Two and a half cup of water
[Read: Almonds For Weight Loss ]
How to prepare?
- Soak the dried coconut and the almonds in water and leave overnight
- Add the soaked almonds and coconut in a blender
- Blend them till you get a coarse powder
- To the powder add milk and blend again
- After that add honey, ground flaxseed and cinnamon powder
- Mix the contents well
- Pour them in a glass
The presence of flaxseeds provides you a dose of omega-3 which is quite healthy for your body.
4. Oatmeal, Blueberry and Chia Seeds Shake
This oatmeal, blueberry and chia seeds shake an excellent meal replacement recipe that gives you the necessary protein without too many calories. The presence of oatmeal and chia seeds which are a rich source of protein make it highly beneficial.
What do you need?
- One cup of milk
- Half a cup of blueberries
- One tablespoon of chia seeds
- Two tablespoons of oatmeal
- One tablespoon honey
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Add to it milk, blueberries, oatmeal, chia seeds, honey
- Blend well to obtain a smooth shake
- You can add crushed ice if you want
- Pour the contents in a glass
[Read: Oatmeal For Weight Loss ]
5. Alphonso Mango Almond Milk Shake
Reading the name of the recipe might have excited you. Not only delicious but this Alphonso Mango Almond Milk Protein Shake. It is a great drink to enjoy post workout as the chia seeds, and milk replenishes your protein levels while the carbs of mango will supply with instant energy.
What do you need?
- Alphonso mangoes
- One cup of milk
- One tablespoon of chia seeds
- Half a cup of Greek yogurt
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Toss in it a cup of chopped mangoes
- After that add milk and yogurt
- Blend well to obtain a creamy consistency
- Pour the contents in a glass
- Add to it chia seeds and mix well
- Your protein shake is ready to be served
6. Raw Banana Bread Shake with Walnut Milk
Bored of the same breakfast recipes? Try something new and much more nutritious like Raw Banana Bread Shake. This banana protein shake serves as a rich source of protein and fiber which will keep you fuller for longer. Enjoy it in your breakfast and head for a power-packed day full of energy and zeal.
What do you need?
- One cup walnuts
- Two cups of sliced bananas
- Three cups of filtered water
- One tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- Half teaspoon vanilla powder
- Two tablespoons of cacao nibs
- Fresh nutmeg
How to Prepare?
- Take walnuts and soak them for at least four hours
- Strain the nuts and add them to a blender
- Add filtered water
- Blend the mixture to obtain a creamy liquid
- Pour it over a strainer and push it with a spoon to obtain milk
- Refrigerate the milk
- For preparing the shake, take a blender
- Add to it three cups of walnut milk, sliced banana, cinnamon, cacao nibs, vanilla powder and a pinch of fresh nutmeg
- You can add a tablespoon of maple syrup if you want
- Blend the contents to obtain a creamy mixture
- Pour the mixture in a glass
7. Chocolate Shake
This bitter chocolate shake has a rich protein content and is an instant mood booster. It is a must-try recipe for all chocolate lovers. Make your weight loss regime tastier with this delicious chocolate protein shake recipe.
What do you need?
- One cup milk
- One apple
- Half a cup of yogurt
- One tablespoon of almond butter
- One tablespoon of grated dark chocolate
- One tablespoon of cocoa powder
- Two pitted dates
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Add to it milk, chopped apple, yogurt, cocoa powder, almond butter and pitted dates
- Blend it to obtain a thick mixture
- Pour the content in a glass
- Garnish it with grated dark chocolate
- Your protein shake is ready to be served and relished
8. Vegan Shake
If you wish to lose weight but are allergic to dairy products or avoid them, then this protein shake is just for you. This delicious recipe is a solution to your every worry.
What do you need?
- One cup of almond cashew milk
- A banana
- Three-fourth cup of silken tofu
- One-fourth cup of cooked oats
- One teaspoon honey
- One teaspoon vanilla essence
How to prepare?
- Soak cashew and almonds overnight
- Strain the water and add the nuts to a blender
- Blend them to obtain a creamy mixture
- Strain the mixture to obtain almond and cashew milk
- Refrigerate it
- To prepare the shake, toss all the ingredients along with refrigerated milk to the blender
- Blend them to get a creamy consistency
- Empty the contents in a glass
- Your shake is ready to be savored
9. Peanut Butter Cup
This fantastic peanut butter cup packed with the goodness of almond milk and peanut butter is worth a try. It gets loaded with proteins thus serves to be an excellent replacement meal. Enjoy it in your breakfast or after the workout. It will give you the required protein content for a busy day.
What do you need?
- Half a cup of unsweetened almond milk
- A half frozen banana
- One tablespoon of cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- Half a tablespoon of organic unsalted peanut butter
- One scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder
How to prepare?
- Soak the almonds overnight and the next day blend them to obtain a creamy mixture
- Strain the mixture to get the almond milk
- Add this almond milk (one cup) to the blender along with sliced banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and protein powder
- Blend the mixture to obtain a fluid consistency
- You can add water to lessen the thickness of the shake
- Pour the contents in a glass
[Read: Home Remedies for Weight Loss]
10. Banana, Chia Seeds, and Finger Millets Shake
This fantastic shake is great for your appetite and health. Further, it also helps improve the hemoglobin level in the blood. Chia seeds and ragi (finger millets) are an excellent source of protein and fiber making this shake an excellent choice as or reducing weight and maintaining digestive health.
What do you need?
- One cup milk
- One tablespoon of chia seeds
- Two bananas (small)
- Three tablespoons of sprouted finger millet powder
- Six almonds
- One tablespoon of powdered jaggery
- One-fourth cup of warm water
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- First, add to it almonds and chia seeds and blend them to get a smooth powder
- After that, combine the remaining ingredients to the blender
- Blend them to obtain a thick, creamy mixture
- Pour this mixture in your glass
- Relish the delicious shake
11. Key Lime Pie Shake
Not only tasty, but this heavenly shake is also nutritious and healthy. It has a high amount of protein around 42 grams which makes it great for the lazy ones and even better for those who go to the gym religiously as it decreases your food intake by half. The recipe is worth a try.
What do you need?
- One tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- Half a cup of fat-free cottage cheese
- One scoop of vanilla protein powder
- A cup of water
- Stevia or any other sweetener
- Green coloring or a better option would be to add spinach
- Ice for consistency
- Half tablespoon of Xanthum gum (optional)
- One tablespoon of vanilla instant pudding mix (optional)
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Toss to it all the ingredients
- Blend to get a creamy consistency
- Pour the shake in a glass and relish it
Please note that xanthan gum and pudding mix are optional. For a healthier recipe try not including them.
12. Spinach Flax shake
Who doesn’t know about the nutritious value of protein? It is an excellent source of protein pople loved spinach for its protein content, and you should enjoy it too. Further, the delicious recipe that you are going to learn now will make you fall in love with it more.
What do you need?
- Spinach leaves
- One cup of unsweetened almond milk
- Half a cup of chopped mango
- Half a cup of chopped pineapple
- Half sliced banana
- One tablespoon of chia seeds
- One tablespoon of flax seeds
How to prepare?
- Take a blender
- Add to it all the ingredients
- Blend them to obtain a mixture of smooth consistency
- Pour it in a glass and enjoy immediately
Bottom Line
These were some of the best meal replacement shakes for weight loss. The DIY Protein shake recipes mentioned above are quick and healthy. You can quickly prepare them at home. Add them to your weight loss regime and get back in shape quickly and most deliciously.
These not only serve to fulfill the daily protein requirement of your body but also help prevent unhealthy snacking and increase body metabolism which benefits those who are trying to lose weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will a High Protein Diet Affect My Health?
Excess of anything is not good for health, not even proteins. Your body’s protein requirement is limited; hence you should take protein in moderation. High protein diet does not pose grave threats but maintains balance. The imbalance in nutrients can affect your body functioning.
2. How Much Protein Do I Need?
The daily protein requirement may vary from individual to individual. For an average human being who is healthy, the daily protein requirement is from 46 to 56 grams.
3. What Will Happen If I Take Protein Shakes but Do Not Exercise?
Protein shakes work great to lose weight. But if you take the shakes loaded with protein and do not exercise, they may oppositely affect your body causing weight gain. If you add them to your diet without cutting down on your original food intake or burning the calories, then they may cause weight gain.
