Blend my day team - 28/01/2021
By Justine Marie, Registered Dietitian
We get a lot of questions about weight loss and whether our product can help you reach this specific goal.
At blend my day, our primary mission is to help you achieve any of your nutrition, health and fitness goals by using our products in an optimal way, whether it’s moving to a clean whole food diet, boosting your nutrient intake, incorporating more plant-based meals and of course, losing weight.
The first thing to know is that our products are not originally designed as weigh-loss products. They are neither low calorie nor sold as cures or programmes. This is not the philosophy of our brand at all. Our obsession is to offer you the most nutrient-dense and clean breakfasts and meals in a convenient format.
LOSE WEIGHT? SURE, BUT LET’S DO IT RIGHT
First of all, it seems useful to remind you of the key principles for healthy and sustainable weight loss.
| RULES | RECOMMENDATIONS |
|---|---|
| Don't get frustrated. | For weight loss to work without the yoyo effect, you will need to eat with pleasure and above all not feel deprived to avoid rushing into your closets. |
| Focus on the quality of your meals | That is to say meals with quality nutrients, rich in vitamins, minerals and macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) that will help maximise your health and vitality. |
| Do not limit any macronutrients | Each has a critical role to play: - proteins help you renew and build muscle tissue - the “good” fats they are the major constituent of your cell membranes and the cells of your nervous system - Carbohydrates are there to provide you with the energy you need throughout the day. |
| Ideally take 3 meals a day | Get a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner. - If you have a habit of skipping breakfast (or another meal) by lack of time or to lose weight faster, this is counterproductive. It's not good for your health and you’ll be at higher risk of a yoyo effect. - If you skip breakfast because you’re not hungry when you wake up, make sure you always have quality snacks to get enough nutrients for your day and meet your needs.. |
| Hydrate sufficiently | Aim for 1.5L per day. And by the way, water is the only essential drink ;) |
| Practice regular physical activity | For lasting weight loss with a toned body, physical activity is critical. This can be 10min of skipping rope, 30min of active walking, or 2 workout sessions per week. The key here is to keep moving. |
| Set reasonable goals | As a dietician, I recommend that you set a weight loss goal of -2 to -3kg per month. Anything faster would not be a healthy and sustainable pace. |
BLEND MY DAY VS DIET PRODUCTS
At blend my day we’re all about REAL food (= whole foods). We have carefully selected our ingredient to provide you with a nutritionally complete breakfast or meal, from grains to fruits and vegs or nuts and seeds.
Here is a quick comparison of our products vs existing “diet” products on the market.
| BLEND MY DAY | Diet / Weight-loss products (powder / shakes) |
|---|---|
| Whole / unprocessed foods. No additives, preservatives or sweeteners. | Ultra-processed preparations, packed with additives, preservatives and sweeteners. |
| Quality nutrients and clearly displayed list of ingredients (“clean label”). | Nutrients of low quality and not clearly expressed like the ingredients. |
| Feeling of fullness and chews present (even in smoothies). | Little or no fiber, less feeling of fullness. |
As you can see, we have designed our products with quality whole food and nutrient-dense ingredients while striking the perfect nutritional balance of quality plant protein, fibre and healthy fats.
Another advantage: quick-freeze. Our fruits and vegetables are quickly frozen after they are harvested at peak maturity so they retain all their vitamins and minerals.
HOW TO USE BLEND MY DAY WHEN TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT?
To begin with, it is useful to know our 2 ranges and their specificities well.
| SMOOTHIES | PORRIDGE BOWLS |
|---|---|
| Liquid but with a dense texture. Easier to digest. | More consistent (more chews) and more "Satiating |
| Medium / low glycemic index | Low glycemic index (if prepared in overnight / uncooked) |
| 1 cup = 1 serving = 1 portion | 1 cup = 2 servings (of 325Kcal on average) |
| Higher proportion of fruits and vegetables therefore higher% of fiber per kcal | Higher proportion of grains and carbohydrates. |
| Should be consumed quickly and in one go. | Once prepared, keeps up to 2 days in the fridge. Consumption can be split over time. |
The principle is simple: just replace One of your daily meals with one of our smoothies or porridge bowl.
The secret is to choose them wisely so you feel full and avoid an excessive calorie deficit which is a typical outcome when you go for a juice cleanse or protein powder. You can do this daily (or every 2 days) until you reach your goal.
| Product / portion size | Nutritional Values | When/how to consume |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothie “breakfast” 1 cup | 350-450 Kcal 12-13g Protein 8-14g Fibre | Breakfast or dinner |
| Smoothie “snack” 1 cup | 150-250 Kcal 5-7g Protein 6-12g Fibre | Breakfast or snack |
| Porridge Bowl XL 1 cup | 560-710 Kcal 18-26g Protein 18-24g Fibre 70g whole grains | Full Lunch or dinner |
| Porridge Bowl XL ½ cup | 280-300 Kcal 9-13g Protein 9-12g Fibre 35g+ whole grains | Breakfast or light dinner |
Important:
We do not recommend replacing more than one meal per day with our products because you risk causing too much calorie deficit, leading to fatigue, difficulty concentrating and ultimately a yoyo effect.
On the other hand, it is a good idea to alternate between smoothies and porridge bowls according to your tastes but above all on the meal you want to replace (see table above). For example, a “snack” smoothie will not be enough in terms of energy intake to replace a meal such as dinner or lunch.
Here are some examples of typical menus:
| Meals | Example 1 VEGAN MENU | Example 2 VEGGIE MENU | Example 3 STANDARD MENU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1 “snack” smoothie or ½ porridge bowl or 1 “breakfast” smoothie. | 1 “snack” smoothie or ½ porridge bowl or 1 “breakfast” smoothie. | Tea or coffee, muesli with cottage cheese and a piece of fruit. |
| Lunch | 2/3 to 1 porridge bowl or 1 breakfast smoothie | Mixed salad, grilled chickpeas, wholemeal pasta, tomatoes, cucumber, feta and a piece of fruit. | Ratatouille, brown rice and grilled chicken fillet and yogurt. |
| Dinner | Fried vegetables and quinoa with seitan and a fruit. | Vegetable omelette, a piece of bread with cheese. | 2/3 to 1 porridge bowl or 1 “breakfast” smoothie |
Obviously, consuming our products cannot alone guarantee a weight loss. They have to go with a healthy lifestyle, in particular balanced meals, good hydration and regular physical activity.
With our products, you can easily control portion sizes without frustrations and avoid mid-morning cravings. That’s the best recipe for healthy and sustainable weight loss!
If you have any questions about this, please write to us at: hello@blendmyday.co.uk. We can't wait to see your experiences sharing on Instagram or Facebook (think of tagging @blendmydayuk)