Can Smoothies Really Make you Fat?

Author: Todd Scott

| Posted: 06-11-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 14 | Rating: (53)

(?)

The Fat Burning Formula For Women - Week 2

Not long ago I did a bit of research on the biggest smoothie retailers in the country. Most of you who know me understand that I’m not a low carb advocate in any sense of the word. However, I am not high carb promoter either.

As you may know, your body needs carbohydrates to function. It’s our body’s preferred fuel source. Secondly, they give us energy to complete everyday tasks. Carbohydrates aren’t the enemy. The enemy is misinformation. For example, in the late 80’s and early 90’s the FDA began promoting that fat was the cause of obesity. The next thing you know, everything from keebler elves to snack wells began placing low or fat free on their labels. This was the key, less fat equals less FAT. So to keep the taste consistent, food manufacturers replaced the fat in their foods with sugar. Then about 7 years later after examining the state of our nation’s health and realizing that America is fatter than its ever been before, the FDA made a U-Turn. They concluded that fat in foods must not be the real cause of obesity, it’s got to be the sugar! Here come the promotions, low carb ketchup, low carb spaghetti sauce (gotta love that one-what exactly do you use spaghetti sauce for?), low carb popsicles, low carb cheese, low carb cookies, low carb chips, low carb bread, low carb pizza, and I just heard on the radio that a popular pizza chain is promoting “pizza in a bucket”: all the pizza toppings mixed in a metal bucket, Whamo! Low carb, low carb, low carb. . . .

Here’s the new statistics: America is STILL getting fatter despite the ‘low carb’ craze!

This is not exactly a healthy lifestyle and it will only be around for a short period. Mark my word.

Now, the information I’m about to share with you is based on carbohydrate count. I don’t want you to think that I’m actually anti-carb, that’s not the case. When you consume the things you are about to discover, your body can only do three things, STORE IT AS FAT, use it to replenish glycogen stores, or use it for immediate energy.

I have recently researched {over|}}} 57 different types of smoothie drinks from one of the largest smoothie retailers in the country that promote their product to help you lose fat. Of those 57 smoothies Thirty (30) of them contained more than 80 grams of carbohydrates (mostly simple sugar) and only Four (4) contained less than 41 grams of carbohydrates!

This is calculated using a 20 oz. serving. To calculate 32 and 40 oz. servings multiply by 1.5 and 2 respectively. Ok. ready? . . .

32 oz serving- 30 smoothies with 120+ grams of carbohydrates!

40 oz serving- 30 smoothies with 160+ grams of carbohydrates!

How many times do you actually order the smallest size, especially when it’s perceived as a fat loss aid?

Now, let’s say that you don’t already know this and you begin on a path to a Lean Life. Smoothie promotions catch your eye and you think, “Hey, I can just drink a few of those a day and my problems will be solved.” Nuh uh. Now let’s say you decide to drink 3 per day and you unknowingly choose one of the 30 smoothies that contain 80+ grams of carbohydrates. When you consume this drink all three things we talked about earlier will happen: Assuming you are in somewhat of a glycogen depleted state, muscle tissue and organs will be replenished first. The next thing that happens will be for your body to use them for immediate energy requirements, and the left overs will be (you guessed it!) stored as FAT! Now there are only 2 meals per day that you should even come close to consuming 80+ grams of carbohydrates, assuming that you live an active lifestyle. Those meals are the first meal of the day and your post workout meal with the post workout meal containing a higher percentage of carbs than your first meal. The reason for this is that these are the times that your body is in its most severe state of glycogen depletion.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking, “I thought you weren’t anti-carb.” Again, I’m not anti-carb. If you have read any of my previous articles, I explain what high consummation of carbohydrates does to your fat burning capability. The insulin output in turn shuts down your fat releasing hormone. So no matter what you do, your body is temporarily prevented from burning fat!

It sounds like you are saying to stay away from carbs? Nope, not at all. It isn’t the carbohydrates that make us fat, it’s the shutting down of the fat burning capability that is caused by not consuming them with protein or some type of good fat as this slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream preventing a surge of insulin from being released.

The key is to stabilize your insulin levels You can do this by consuming moderate amounts of carbohydrates combined with a lean protein every 3-3.5 hours. The frequent eating keeps your insulin levels stable by giving it consistent amounts of food. Adding a lean protein or a good fat to the mix slows the absorption of glucose into your blood stream preventing a tremendous spike in insulin levels and a dramatic consequence: Shutting down fat burning capability.

So please be weary of propaganda, just because a product insinuates it can help aid in fat burning, it doesn't always mean it will

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Body Fat, Six Pack Abs, How To Lose Weight, How To Burn Fat, Stomach Fat, Belly Fat, How To Lose Fat

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/can-smoothies-really-make-you-fat-253191.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

Todd Scott is a writer for Men’s Fitness magazine and creator of the internet’s best selling book http://AbStomper.com. To learn more go to the fat loss exercises for 6 pack abs homepage.

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Rapid Fat Loss Using 60:2 Rule
By: Todd Scott | 21/12/2007 | Fitness
Losing Stubborn fat can be frustrating. Use these advanced strategies to melt fat fast.

Accelerate your Weight Loss Efforts With the Top Weight Loss Foods
By: Todd Scott | 22/12/2007 | Fitness
Losing weight starts in your kitchen. If you don’t have the right foods to fight fat, your chances of accelerating fat loss efforts will be severely hindered.

Ab Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
By: Todd Scott | 16/02/2008 | Fitness
Top Abs Exercises for Six Pack Abs

Can Cardio Make you Gain Weight?
By: Todd Scott | 31/12/2007 | Fitness
Number 1 weight loss mistake that can sabatoge your weight loss efforts.

The Top Ab Exercises to Stomach Fat|get a Lean Midsection
By: Todd Scott | 31/12/2007 | Fitness
The top Ab Exercises for a flat stomach

Eight Rules of Fat Loss to Finally Get Six Pack Abs
By: Todd Scott | 26/02/2008 | Fitness
Eight Sure-Fire Secrets to Finally Lose Your Love Handles

Blueprint to Losing 13 Pounds Off your Tummy in 15 Days
By: Todd Scott | 03/01/2008 | Fitness
How to lose 13 pounds off your belly in 2 weeks with a step by step blueprint.

How to Know if a Gym is Right for you
By: Todd Scott | 26/11/2007 | Fitness
Choosing the right gym can mean the difference between fitnesssuccess and failure. Here are the best 8 tips to consider before making a final decision.

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get stretch marks down alittle and
By: ready willing and able | 29-05-2008
how do you get stretch marks down alittle and loose the belly fat

I cannot exercise due to painfull arthritis ...
By: cmcelveen | 29-05-2008
I cannot exercise due to painfull arthritis;medications only cause severe stomach problems.I eat a healthy diet of fruits and veggies minimum meat and bread. How can I lose that belly fat that just seems to be so permanent.

How can you get motivated & stay motivated????? I ...
By: JAW | 07-05-2008
How can you get motivated & stay motivated????? I am so sick & tired of trying every diet just to lose a few pounds & gain back 10 pounds.....please can someone help me....I need to lose at least 95 pounds....!!!!!! HELP

Hi all, i would like to walking exercise a good ...
By: plvpjr52303 | 16-04-2008
hi all, i would like to walking exercise a good way to lose weight. just wanted to ask you guys for a opinion.

Need to Lose 20 pounds in 9 months!
By: 1rldiva | 07-04-2008
Does anyone have any tips on how to get rid of belly/waist fat, I have kids and I'm a size 18 and I wear it well but I would like to get down to a size 9/10 HELP!!!!

How can i lose weight and feel and look good again ...
By: greygoose08 | 22-03-2008
how can i lose weight and feel and look good again? i want to lose all my belly fat and have ripped abs.

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Fitness Articles

Different Type of Exercises
By: prabakar | 26/07/2008
People who suffer from sciatica will often feel pain in their leg which can travel from the back of their thigh up to the thigh and in some cases up to the hip or down towards the foot. Exercise is actually extremely important to our spine especially in order to keep the discs within the spine healthy. However the actual sciatica exercises a person will use to treat the problem will depend on what the actual cause of the pain is.

Asthma and the Stomach
By: Alien | 26/07/2008
More and more clearly there seems to be some relationship between bronchial asthma and stomach function. Asthmatics often suffer from digestive problems, frequently complaining about excess stomach acid.

Asthma and Related Illnesses
By: Alien | 26/07/2008
Althought asthma is a disease of the lungs, it may be influenced by illnesses that affect other parts of the body. In many asthma patients, treating these related illnesses even may improve their bronchial asthma condition.

Lower Body Exercise Secrets of the Stars
By: Lyla Feldman | 25/07/2008
There are many celebrities who are famous for their body parts and even get them insured for pricey amounts of money. For example, when you think of Jennifer Lopez or Kim Kardashian what comes to mind? Besides the fact that they are extremely talented and wealthy what do they have in common? Everyone wishes they had their behinds. The million dollar question is how do you get a nice, round attractive bottom without resorting to implants or butt pads?

Strength Training Exercise
By: prabakar | 25/07/2008
Take your time when toning your body. You can maximize the benefit of a biceps strength training exercise, a back strength training exercise, a chest strength training exercise, and so on, by doing them in small blocks of time every day. Don't be discouraged from your fitness walking regimen.

Best Workouts for Your Health
By: prabakar | 25/07/2008
Workouts For You custom designs each program based on individual needs, lifestyle and goals to ensure that each client is working out using exercises that are most efficient for them. Plus, if you ever have any questions about any part of your WFY training program, you can e-mail your trainer and you'll receive a quick response. Many workplaces now have showers, so you can freshen up afterwards.

Using Information From Testing
By: Alien | 25/07/2008
Perhaps clearer explanations of management methods are needed. There are several methods of managing insulin, as follows: Method 1: Complete Management by the Physician. The physician mayor may not have the patient do self-blood-sugar monitoring.

Diabetes - Gaining Their Support
By: Alien | 25/07/2008
You can help your family in many ways, some of which may be quite subtle. One way is to see that your family receives diabetes education. This gives them some understanding of how they can be of assistance.

More from Todd Scott

Eight Rules of Fat Loss to Finally Get Six Pack Abs
By: Todd Scott | 26/02/2008 | Fitness
Eight Sure-Fire Secrets to Finally Lose Your Love Handles

Ab Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
By: Todd Scott | 16/02/2008 | Fitness
Top Abs Exercises for Six Pack Abs

Blueprint to Losing 13 Pounds Off your Tummy in 15 Days
By: Todd Scott | 03/01/2008 | Fitness
How to lose 13 pounds off your belly in 2 weeks with a step by step blueprint.

The Top Ab Exercises to Stomach Fat|get a Lean Midsection
By: Todd Scott | 31/12/2007 | Fitness
The top Ab Exercises for a flat stomach

Can Cardio Make you Gain Weight?
By: Todd Scott | 31/12/2007 | Fitness
Number 1 weight loss mistake that can sabatoge your weight loss efforts.

Rapid Fat Loss Using 60:2 Rule
By: Todd Scott | 21/12/2007 | Fitness
Losing Stubborn fat can be frustrating. Use these advanced strategies to melt fat fast.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (2.82, 17)

Can Smoothies Really Make you Fat?

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Fitness Articles

More from Todd Scott

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter