Vitamix users, or similar product users and juicers - HELP!

[ZiggyStardust]

God i want one!

...I will admit, I broke down and bought one... What the heck; we're getting money back from the IRS this year, and any way to get more veggies into all of our diets is a good thing.

Haven't used it yet, though--it was delivered last Friday, but the in-laws were around all weekend.  Goodness knows they don't need another thing to add to their ongoing commentary of complaints, so I was hesitant to start it up when they were around.  I can't wait to try it out this week!!  The recipe book (a Mitt Romney-esque binder!!) that came with it has SO MANY things to try.

[merigayle]

All the vitamxes one with different books (per model), did anyone get the raw and vegan one?

[moroccangirl]

All the vitamxes one with different books (per model), did anyone get the raw and vegan one?

I'll go look in mine. I haven't opened it yet.

[leggova]

Well, I calculated the calories this morning and it is a bit high - 430 calories ...

This is why I wouldn't buy one. Too easy to consume too many calories. I would much rather eat my calories. 

[cindyleigh]

This is why I wouldn't buy one. Too easy to consume too many calories. I would much rather eat my calories. 

.....at least they are "good calories".  The carrots alone are 70 cal. 

But I will need to be mindful of it!

[Run Amok]

This is why I wouldn't buy one. Too easy to consume too many calories. I would much rather eat my calories. 

I mostly agree with this. I have to be really careful about smoothies because it's easy to just keep throwing stuff in. I always wonder about the ones I see where people are adding peanut butter, and yogurt, and ground flax...and I'm thinking...uh... you knw that's like 1,000 calories, right? But, in the summer sometimes I need to seat something and nothing sounds appealing (like after a run)... or a banana, berries, and yogurt is what I would eat for my snack anyway, but it sounds more appealing blended up. But it's REALLY easy to go from 200 calories to 400 calories in a snap and I am always really careful about measuring everything.

Oh, another thing is that I buy 0% yogurt just for smoothies. I really dont notice the 2% vs 0% thing in a smoothie so that buys a few extra calories.

[onawhim]

If you are drinking them for veggies you don't have to put all that protein powder and almonds and stuff in them.  I drink them to get more greens because I find it a slog to eat so much salad and so I just put 4 cups of greens with half a cup of kefir some grated ginger and water as needed.  Sometimes half a cup of frozen berries if I am feeling wild.  That keeps it to less than 100 calories.   

[Ice Cream]

This is why I wouldn't buy one. Too easy to consume too many calories. I would much rather eat my calories. 

Same here.  And I do not have trouble eating veggies.

[Courtney]

I mostly agree with this. I have to be really careful about smoothies because it's easy to just keep throwing stuff in. I always wonder about the ones I see where people are adding peanut butter, and yogurt, and ground flax...and I'm thinking...uh... you knw that's like 1,000 calories, right? But, in the summer sometimes I need to seat something and nothing sounds appealing (like after a run)... or a banana, berries, and yogurt is what I would eat for my snack anyway, but it sounds more appealing blended up. But it's REALLY easy to go from 200 calories to 400 calories in a snap and I am always really careful about measuring everything.

Oh, another thing is that I buy 0% yogurt just for smoothies. I really dont notice the 2% vs 0% thing in a smoothie so that buys a few extra calories.

Yeah, adding in PB really gets you up there fast!! 

I sometimes do one (for breakfast) that is a banana (100ish calories), 1 T PB (90 cal), oats (120 or so?) and ice & water.  For 300ish calories it's pretty filling, actually. 

[cindyleigh]

This morning I did 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt instead of 1/2, so that reduced the cal. a bit but then I added a banana and some frozen pomegranate juice....so the fruit brought it back up to 450 cal.

2 medium carrots (70 cal)
2 cups mixed greens (20 cal)
2 tbls ground flax seed (80 cal)
1 scoop whey powder (80 cal)
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt (40 cal)
1 banana + 2 ice cubes frozen pomegranate juice (160 cal)
2 cups water

....which was discouraging until I read a study about breakfast calories and weight loss done in 2008 (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207133750.htm).  In the study, 193 obese non-diabetics (this would be me) were randomized to one of two groups.  In the female cohort, daily calories were 1400 which included either a 300 calorie breakfast (group 1) or a 600 calorie breakfast (group 2).  At the study end 32 weeks later, group 2 participants lost an average of 40 lbs more that group 1 participants!

Okay, and here is the kicker ....group 2 participants not only ate a big breakfast (high in protein and carbs) but it always included a dessert item (like chocolate!).

So you may be wondering ...how come they didn't lose the same amount if they were each restricted to 1400 calories per day?  Apparently the group 1 dieters cheated more.

So I'm not going to stress about a 450 calorie breakfast smoothie.  I may even top it off with a couple pieces of dark chocolate!

[merigayle]

Caito's nutritionist (nancy clark) told her to be heavier on the calories in the beginning of the day vs the end (dinner) esp if you exercise in the morning.

My smoothie-
1/2 cup soymilk (40)
1/2 cup silken tofu (45)
1 cup berries (85)
1/2 banana (50)
1.5 cups spinach (20)
2/3 cup mango (75)

315cals total.

probably not the most nutritious breakfast i can eat, but i am so sick of oatmeal and scrambled tofu and not really keen on bready breakfasts like pancakes, muffins, etc.

[Run Amok]

I would definitely not stress about a 450 calorie smoothie as long as it fits into your overall caloric consumption and keeps you as full as you need to be. 450 calories that carries you well through to your next meal time is not a problem at all! Satiety is a huge part of sucessful weightloss. So, whatever gets you there is what matters.

If I'm restricting calories, I'm typically eating 500 calories or so before lunch. I just do it as a 300 calorie breakfast and then a 200 calorie mid-morning snack rather than all at once.

[Ice Cream]

I thought I was the only one who believed that calorie intake mattered... I remember someone posted that a calorie was not a calorie in reply to a comment I made.

[Run Amok]

I thought I was the only one who believed that calorie intake mattered... I remember someone posted that a calorie was not a calorie in reply to a comment I made.

All I can say is that when I got my caloric intake under control... suddenly my weight took care of itself. Now... getting the calories under control is much easier to do if I'm eating mostly from behind door a (eggs, veggies, limited quantities of specific whole grains) rather than mostly from behind door b (candy, french fries, pizza). But all I can say is that is me... others have different experiences.

[RioG]

If I'm going to eat too many calories then I guess I'd rather they came from fruits and yogurt then from the bag of chocolate I'd otherwise be reaching for.

[Courtney]

If I'm going to eat too many calories then I guess I'd rather they came from fruits and yogurt then from the bag of chocolate I'd otherwise be reaching for.

There is a frickin' bag of easter candy hollering at me from my boss's office.   

[RioG]

There is a frickin' bag of easter candy hollering at me from my boss's office.   

exactly.  My new plan is just to eat whenever I want,  but just make sure it's healthy.  When I restrict calories I end up eating the whole bag of chocolate covered almonds.  I'm starting to look into the whole micronutrients thing to see if that helps.

[Run Amok]

exactly.  My new plan is just to eat whenever I want,  but just make sure it's healthy.  When I restrict calories I end up eating the whole bag of chocolate covered almonds.  I'm starting to look into the whole micronutrients thing to see if that helps.

You might do well with one of those "eat all you want of these things" diet. I can still get fat on "healthy" food. At some point, I need to put portion control into effect.

[onawhim]

I thought I was the only one who believed that calorie intake mattered... I remember someone posted that a calorie was not a calorie in reply to a comment I made.

I do.  I think many people find it easier to stick to their goals when they eat a certain way though. 

[cindyleigh]

I thought I was the only one who believed that calorie intake mattered... I remember someone posted that a calorie was not a calorie in reply to a comment I made.

I don't know of any weight loss program that doesn't, in some way, count calories.  They may call them "points" or something else ....but in the end, its energy in vs. energy out and that energy is measured in kcal.