For many people who want to lose weight, one of the most difficult parts about their body transformation is staying away from sweets. Besides the fact that sweet treats are delicious and tempting, they’re highly addictive.
As such, you have to find ways to overcome the urge to indulge. One of the best things you can do is replace bad, overly-processed treats with healthy substitutes – like protein shakes!
Protein shakes aren’t exactly something you find in a bakery or on a dessert menu. But, they can be incredibly tasty once you figure out the right recipe to use. Not to mention, they’re a good, healthy reward to treat yourself to after a tough workout.
Here are 7 super delicious protein smoothies for weight loss that will keep you on track to reach your goals while also satisfying your sweet tooth.
1. Get Up and Go
Having trouble finding the motivation to work out before work in the mornings?
Start making this protein shake and use it as an extra motivator to get out of bed and conquer your workout. The key ingredient to making a Get Up and Go is coffee. It blends beautifully with chocolate protein powder to make a mocha-like shake that you’ll love.
The main ingredients for this shake are:
- coffee
- ice
- banana
- chocolate protein
- cinnamon, optional
You can add peanut butter to the mix for an added boost of energy or keep it simple. Either way, the combination of coffee with a standard protein shake is sure to blow your mind.
2. Chunky Munky
Not only are Chunky Munky shakes delicious, but they’re also a great boost of energy. Between the carbs in the banana, the healthy fats in the peanut butter, and the protein you mix into this shake, you shouldn’t experience any cravings after drinking this treat.
You can play around with using almond butter or a mix of different nuts when making this smoothie. Don’t be shy to try various liquid bases or add a few sweet spices like cinnamon or pumpkin spice into the mix, either.
3. Cookies and Cream
If you’re a fan of Cookies and Cream ice cream, you need to try this shake right away. It’s a total game-changer when you’re trying to lose weight but still want to enjoy something sweet.
The ingredients for this shake are:
- yogurt (frozen or regular, non-fat and low-sugar are ideal)
- a bit of chocolate syrup
- standard milk or nut milk
- ice
The key to this recipe is to buy Cookies and Cream protein powder. That’s right, there are plenty of delicious options for protein beyond chocolate and vanilla. Stocking up on a few different kinds will give you all kinds of flavor combinations to play with while losing weight.
4. Peaches and Cream
This is one of the more interesting options on the list. It’s ideal for people who love orange creamsicles or those who just want to try something out of the norm when making a protein shake.
Here’s what you’re going to need to make this:
- peaches
- strawberries
- orange juice
- Greek yogurt
- frozen pineapple
The coolest thing about this recipe is that the Greek yogurt acts as the protein. Try to find one that is low in sugar and fats to get the most benefits out of this shake.
You can add protein powder to the mix if you’d like. But, it is a filling shake without the powder and it will come out a lot creamier and less grainy this way.
5. Tropical Blast
Up next on the list is the tropical blast.
This is similar to a Peaches and Cream shake, but it has more of a tang to it. The best fruits to use in this shake are:
- mangos
- pineapples
- orange
You can drop in a few strawberries to add sweetness or mix the smoothie with coconut water or dried coconut to cut back on the tang. The best protein to use with this mixture is a standard vanilla flavor.
6. Very Berry
Another refreshing protein shake worth trying is a Very Berry mixture. You can play around with this recipe in so many ways, but the classic ingredients to put in are:
- strawberries
- blueberries
- raspberries
You can find these in season pretty much all year, although you’ll get a better smoothie consistency if you use frozen fruits. Blackberries and pomegranate can add more flavor to this shake, too.
It’s so good, you may even want to use water as a base instead of milk! Just don’t forget to add the protein powder in.
7. Peanut Butter and Jelly
Last but not least, a Peanut Butter and Jelly protein shake. This is the recipe you didn’t know you needed to try; it’s such an interesting, well-blended mix that it may quickly become your new favorite weight loss snack.
You’ll need:
- frozen berries – strawberries or raspberries work best
- peanut butter
- vanilla protein
- milk base
- cinnamon and/or raw oats, optional
The “right” berries are more of a personal preference than anything. Adding cinnamon gives the shake a bit of extra flavor, whereas oats make it more of a well-rounded shake and create a nice consistency.
Recipe Tips for Protein Smoothies for Weight Loss
Keep in mind that you can make any recipe for protein smoothies for weight loss your own. You can bend the rules when it comes to what kind of base to use and you can add a few extra fruits to the mix, too.
Just keep in mind that some bases are going to have a higher sugar and/or fat content than others. The most important thing to figure out, though, is which protein powder you like best. Pay careful attention to all the ingredients and nutritional value in the powders you use, and notice the various consistencies in each one until you decide on a go-to.
For more weight loss recipes to help you reach your target weight, click here.
