Wedding Diet Slim-Down Idea: Fresh Juices & Smoothies!

by Ana BelénMay 29, 2012 1

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Photo from Happy Dietitian

Trying to lose weight the healthy way for your wedding day? Don’t turn to preservative-packed fake diet foods and starvation deprivation. Slim down with renewed energy and a natural glow from fresh nutrient-rich juices and smoothies made at home!

As we all know, fresh fruits and vegetables have essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need to be strong and vibrant. Filling up on whole plant-based foods helps us eat less fatty foods and lose weight. And when you whir them up into delicious, refreshing juices and smoothies for weight loss, those nutrients get absorbed quickly into your bloodstream for a quick and healthy pick-me-up!

Author and juice enthusiast, Cherie Calbom, MS, says this of the healthy benefits of adding fresh juices to your diet - “Juice, which is rich in antioxidants, cleanses the body of stored wastes and toxins that interfere with the proper functioning of cells and organs. This garden-in-a-glass offers an abundance of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients and antioxidants – a cornucopia of nutrients that increase the mirco-electric potential of the cells.”

Drink fresh homemade (or fresh-made from a healthy juice bar) juices and smoothies in place of fast foods, fatty snacks, and sugary sweets. The fresher the better, for optimal benefit and wedding diet success!

Breville 700-Watt Compact Juicer

For most fresh juices you’ll probably want an electric juicer, which can range in price from $100 and up. For smoothies, you’ll need a good quality blender. We recommend that you get more out of your appliance investments by using your juicer and blender for fabulous wedding cocktail recipes, too.

Watermelon & Pineapple Juice from Sweet Potato Soul

Watermelon and Pineapple Juice – Recipe from Sweet Potato Soul

There’s nothing more refreshing than watermelon and pineapple in the summertime! This naturally sweet juice from Sweet Potato Soul makes a great replacement for desserts. Unlike many other fresh, raw juice recipes, this one calls for a blender instead of a juicer.

2 cups of diced watermelon
1 1/2 cups diced pineapple
1/2 cup Thai basil torn into small pieces (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a blender until well blended and liquefied.

Green Juice from Healthy and Fit Chic

Green Juice – Recipe from Healthy and Fit Chic

Does the sight of green juice make you wrinkle your nose with distaste? Well, it shouldn’t! Leafy greens – so great for healthy digestion and glowing skin – can actually be juiced and made quite palatable by adding other vegetables and apples. If you need a bit more sweetness in any vegetable-based juice, adding more apple usually does the trick. We hope you enjoy this green juice from Healthy and Fit Chic. You might try drinking a fresh green juice at lunchtime with a colorful green salad full of tomato, yellow pepper and red onion.

2 cups spinach
2 cups cucumber
1 head of celery
Juice of half a lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 apples

Either juice the lemon and lime by hand first, or peel these citrus fruits before putting through the juicer. Put all ingredients through the juicer and drink!

Micro Green Fruit & Veggie Juice (Purple Juice) from Epicurean Mom

Micro Green Fruit And Veggie Juice — Recipe from Epicurean Mom 

Brides and grooms-to-be will love drinking this sexy purple juice, made with blueberries and beets from Epicurean Mom. It’s also gorgeous as a wedding rehearsal or reception beverage, too.

A handful of spinach
1 bundle dandelion greens
1 bundle red chard
1/2 cup arugula
3 rinsed beets
2 pints fresh blueberries
3 apples

Rinse all ingredients and slice, if necessary, to feed through the juicer. Juice and enjoy!

Green Smoothie Ingredients from Raw Bart

Juices are great, but sometimes your body needs the extra fiber a delicious smoothie provides. Where juices are juiced, smoothies are blended – so get your blender fired up for healthy smoothie fun!

Chopped and ready to go in the blender above, from Raw Bart blog, are “green smoothie” (a smoothie that includes greens) ingredients of collard greens, celery, hemp seeds, banana and frozen strawberries. Frozen berries and bananas are great for super thick and chilled smoothies. Want your smoothie even thicker and colder? Add some ice cubes!

Smoothies are so fun to make for people of all ages, you might consider having a smoothie bar at your outdoor wedding reception, especially for a spring or summer afternoon affair.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie from Earth Foods

Strawberry Banana Smoothie – Recipe from Earth Foods

When you want a more traditional fruit-based smoothie, this one from Earth Foods has a bit of coconut oil for healthy fat and extra creaminess. We think this smoothie looks so pretty served in a wine glass, which makes you feel extra special when savoring it in the place of a fast food snack.

2 cups frozen strawberries (organic, when possible)
2 bananas
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil

Blend well and sip slowly while reading your favorite Zankyou articles!

Fresh Orange Smoothie from Gimme Some Oven

  Fresh Orange Smoothie – Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Craving some sweet citrus? Try this orange smoothie from Gimme Some Oven as a compliment to a light and healthy breakfast. This recipe calls for some milk, so if you have trouble with dairy try soy, rice, coconut or almond milk as a yummy substitute.

4 peeled oranges
Zest of one orange
1/3 cup milk or milk substitute
2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar or maple syrup) – optional
2 cups ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and serve. Ali, the blog author, suggests putting the 4 fresh oranges in the freezer for 30 minutes to make this smoothie extra frosty! By doing so, you can eliminate some of the ice, if desired.

Juice And Smoothie Helpful Hints: 

For juices, store any unused portions in lidded glass jars in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, for best nutrient value and freshness.

To avoid a lot of natural fruit sugar intake, use a higher percentage of vegetables than fruits in your blended and juiced beverages.

What are your favorite wedding weight loss juice and smoothie recipes? Please share with us in the comments section below!

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