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The great thing about smoothies [3] is that the recipe combinations are virtually endless. However, the ingredients you include can make a huge difference in terms of helping you reach your fitness goals. For example, if you're looking to build muscle, you'll want to use calorie-dense foods, like peanut butter, olive oil, and oats. If fat loss is your main objective [4], you may want to try an opposite approach and limit those ingredients instead.
Fitness coach Max Weber [5] posted an easy hack on Instagram, showing how you can customize your smoothie to fit your goals. The photo above features two smoothies that are nearly identical in ingredients but differ drastically in the number of calories they contain. See below.
For Muscle Gain
- 1 medium banana
- 150g strawberries
- 2oz baby spinach
- 1.5 scoops whey protein
- 1/2 cup oats
- 8oz orange juice
- 1tbsp olive oil
- Handful of ice
Total calories: 740 (47g protein, 100g carbs, 20g fat)
For Fat Loss
- 1 medium banana
- 100g stawberries
- 4oz baby spinach
- 1.5 scoops whey protein
- 4oz unsweetened almond milk
- 4oz water
- Handful of ice
Total calories: 360 (40g protein, 43g carbs, 3g fat)
As you can see, a slight tweak in portions and the addition or cutting of one or two ingredients can make all the difference!