One of the classics and favorite shakes is a delicious strawberry smoothie. Most recipes call for yogurt or ice cream however and so if you want to learn how to make strawberry smoothies without yogurt because you don’t have it on hand or maybe you are lactose intolerant or vegan it can be tricky!

Fortunately, here at Shake Weight Loss we are shake and smoothie pros and so of course we have some really easy and simple recipes you can make which are milk and yogurt free.

The key to making any type of smoothie or yogurt is having the right kitchen equipment. You don’t need anything elaborate or fancy or even expensive – you just need something that works and is comfortable for you to use. The right mixing equipment makes it much easier to do what you want to do without having to worry about which ingredients you want to use.

Most recipes need to have something that is liquid in it in order to blend – if you were to put just some strawberries and ice into a blender you would likely be very disappointed because the ice would not become crushed and the strawberries would just kind of spin around. This is why so many recipes require milk or yogurt because that type of liquid is necessary in order for it to mix well. But, don’t worry – there are plenty of great substitutions to make.

What can you use as a substitute for yogurt? Here are just a few ideas:

Orange Juice
Pineapple Juice
Coconut Milk
Water
Mashed Banana

And now for a really easy and simple strawberry Smoothie Recipe

1 cup ice cubes
6-7 whole strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water

Rinse the strawberries and cut the tops off and slice each strawberry in half. Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 1 serving. Remember you can experiment with different flavors by simply using a different juice in place of the orange juice/water. For example, you could use strawberry juice, grape juice, peach juice, soy milk, coconut milk, skim milk, and many others.

To make your strawberry smoothie even more nutritious, you may also want to consider adding in some spinach or other greens. (Adding in a banana will completely mask the greens!)

This is a great treat to have as an afternoon snack or enjoy as dessert after dinner! Hope you enjoy!

Making a diet smoothie is a great and refreshing way to get the fruits and vegetables we need to eat. 1 cup of veggies might seem like a lot to eat – but when you blend it with your other fruits and veggies it can be a delicious treat. These weight loss smoothies are also very satisfying and filling – which makes them perfect for an afternoon snack or some might even like them after their dinner.

Remember though, When you trying to lose weight, it’s important to know how to use smoothies and weight loss shakes properly. If you are not careful it can result in a lot of extra calories and sugar – which could also possibly mean you could be gaining weight instead of losing weight.

Here are some of our diet smoothie recipes that we enjoy below:

Cranberry Peach Splash Smoothie
This recipe uses cranberry juice, which promote excellent kidney and urinary tract health. Peaches contain lycopene and lutein, two nutrients that are believed to help in the prevention of heart disease and cancer.

You will need these ingredients:
1 cup white cranberry juice
1 peach, pitted and cut into slices {you can also peel, if desired)
1 cup ice

Directions: Blend ingredients together in a blender until ice is crushed and ingredients are mixed together.

Health Kick Orange
Oranges and pineapple are both excellent sources of vitamin C, making this smoothie a great one to drink if you may be prone to getting sick. Pineapple also contains manganese, which is believed to help strengthen bones. The kiwi fruit is also very helpful, as it also contains not only vitamin C but also potassium which gives you energy and beta-carotene.

You will need these ingredients:
1 cup orange juice (we prefer freshly squeezed, but from concentrate with no sugar added is okay too)
1 cup pineapple chunks
1 Kiwi, sliced and peeled
1 cup ice

Directions: Blend all ingredients in a blender until blended together.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
Don’t let the name fool you – just because this smoothie has a hint of chocolate that doesn’t mean it isn’t healthy for you. The milk provides vitamin D and protein, and the banana is loaded with potassium.

You Will Need the following ingredients:
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon honey
1 banana
1 cup ice

Directions: Combine milk, cocoa powder, and honey together until powder is disolved and honey is mixed in. (The honey may not mix completely – so don’t be worried if the chocolate is mixed in but not the honey yet.) Combine cocoa milk with banana and ice in blender – blend until ice is crushed and has a smooth texture.

Blue Raspberry Peach Smoothie
We bring peaches back in this simple to make diet smoothie recipe. In addition to the health benefits of the peaches, the blueberries are high in antioxidants that are believed to help slow down aging. Raspberries contribute a nice dose of maganese as well as the ever so important omega 3 fatty acids that do your body good. Who knew that such a delicious treat could be so good for you too?

Ingredients that you will need for this recipe:

1 peach, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup ice

Directions: To prepare this smoothie recipe, you will need to combine all of the ingredients into a blender and then blend until all of the ingredients are mixed together and the ice is crushed.

These are just a few of our favorite recipes that we decided to share with our readers of our website for now. Stay updated for more by subscribing to our

Drinking yogurt smoothies is a great way to lose weight and get important nutrients your body needs as well. The yogurt smoothie recipes we show below are easy to make and will help you get much of the nutrition you need in one simple drink.

There are many health benefits of eating yogurt. A cultured milk product, this is a food that has been known to be in existence for over 4500 years. Most varieties you see contain live active bacteria. While we think bacteria might be a bad thing, there are actually good bacteria that can help us fight off and resist infection and improve digestion. When looking at the massive selection of different cultured milk products in your grocery store’s refrigeration section, you’ll want to always make sure that the products you choose clearly state on the labels that it contains live cultures to see these types of benefits.  If you don’t drink milk or dairy products, don’t fret – thanks to a company called So Delicious you can now make these same smoothies using coconut milk yogurt, found in most health food grocery stores.

Remember if using dairy based yogurt to go for the organic, full fat, “raw” milk yogurt – the hormones, antibiotics, and processing makes milk very difficult to digest for some people. While people think “low fat” milk will help them lose weight, that is not actually the case!

Basic Yogurt Smoothie Recipe for 2-4 Servings:

2 Cups of Yogurt
1 cup frozen fruit
1 cup juice

You will then want to blend all of these items together in your blender until smooth and creamy. For thicker shakes, substitute 1/2 banana for 1/2 cup juice.

Once you know this simple formula, the possibilities are endless for creating your own unique recipes and shakes depending on your individual tastes and preferences.

Here are a few sample ideas you can try:

Flavored Yogurts: Strawberry, Lemon, Orange, Peach, Blueberry, Vanilla, Cherry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Mango, Pina Colada, Pineapple

Frozen Fruits: Melons, Grapes, Bananas, Watermelon, Canteloupe, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Pineapple, Pears, Kiwi

Juices: Grape Juice, Cranberry Juice, Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Lemon/Lime Juice, Pineapple

Depending on what tastes you are looking for, all you need to do is combine of of each from the above list. For example, to make a strawberry yogurt smoothie I might use plain yogurt and then mix it with orange juice and frozen strawberries. For a more tropical drink, I might consider using Mango flavored yogurt and mix it with orange and pineapple juice as well as frozen watermelon to make yogurt shakes.

Another thing you can try is to take your favorite regular milkshake recipe that calls for ice cream and instead of using ice cream substitute the frozen yogurt instead. This will give it a different texture than using non frozen varieties instead.

You really can’t go wrong with a frozen yogurt smoothie. They’re easy to make, fun to experiment with, and so very good for you too as a source of a weight loss shake!

Making Frozen Fruit Smoothies is an excellent way to get important vitamins and minerals in your diet. They can also help provide many antioxidants which help you fight disease and stay healthy. They can be an excellent snack as they are surprisingly filling or they can be a nice accompaniment to a light lunch or healthy breakfast. Using frozen fruit is especially nice in the winter months, since it is usually less expensive than fresh when not in season.

One of the worst mistakes when it comes to drinking smoothies is to not think about sugar content. Fruit naturally contains sugar – so you don’t want to ever add sugar or other sweets with it, since that will likely cause changes in your blood sugar levels. The sugar in fruits is usually absorbed more slowly, but sweeteners may leave you with a sugar crash and feeling tired or moody later.

You can find almost any frozen fruit available in your grocer’s freezer. Most commonly they usually all have blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Many also have frozen peaches or frozen melons which are more difficult to come by, but a nice unique treat. If you cannot find these foods already pre-frozen, you can always buy them fresh and then freeze them for later use. It is not a requirement that you use frozen foods – it will just ensure that the drink is cold when you serve it and will give it that “smoothie texture” that so many people love about these types of beverages in the first place! If using fresh ingredients, you may simply need to adjust the recipe by adding more ice.

A good blender is essential – if you do not want to spend all night cleaning parts and pieces or trying to find the right settings make sure the kind you are using is one that you are comfortable with. Many people prefer hand blenders or single serving styles over the standard run of your mill blender.

When you are creating your own frozen fruit smoothie recipe, you will want to make sure that you always include some sort of liquid, such as juice, in with the mixture. This is because as I learned the hard way one night the blender will not work without some sort of liquid inside of it.

Here are some of our favorite frozen fruit smoothie recipes:

Morning Blast Smoothie:

You Will Need:
1 Banana
1 cup Orange Juice
1 cup Frozen Strawberries

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a blender until thoroughly combined and smooth.

Peach Raspberry Smoothie

You Will Need:
1 cup frozen peaches
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup grape juice

Directions: Mix all ingredients together until smooth and serve.

Tropical Smoothie

You Will Need:
1 Kiwi, peeled (unless you want that furry stuff in your drink!)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 mango
1 banana
1 cup orange juice

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a blender and serve. This one makes about 2-3 servings.

Water Melon Smoothie

You Will Need:
1 cup frozen watermelon
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup grape or orange juice
1 cup crushed ice

Directions: Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Hopefully you will enjoy some of these frozen fruit smoothie recipes and use them as inspiration for making your own tasty creations. Learning how to make them yourself can ensure that you only put in the healthiest ingredients that will keep you on track with your diet plan.

Learning how to make diet shakes on your own can be a great way to have better control of your health. When you constantly rely on the pre-mixed drinks or powders for your nutrition, you are missing out on the benefits of having a shake or smoothie that is perfect for your own individual style and taste preferences. When you control the ingredients and the flavors, you will know exactly what is inside your shake and be able to monitor your weight loss plan more effectively.

To get started, it helps to first learn a little bit about nutrition if you haven’t done so already. Nutrition plays a very big part in your ability to lose weight and see the progress you are hoping for. As we’ve mentioned previously on the site, it’s not so much about how much or how little you eat – it’s all about what you eat. Different foods have different nutrients and components in them that can help you boost your metabolism, burn fat, and give you the energy that you need to make it through the day. The healthier you eat, the better your success will be. Making sure you have a well balanced meal plan will ensure the best results.

Our list of sample plans is a good place to start to learn the basics of the food groups and the daily recommended servings of what nutrients your body needs. Having a general idea of what good nutrition consists of will be a huge help in making it easier for you to determine what foods and ingredients you should use in your recipes.

Step 1: Choose Your Ingredients

The ingredients you choose will be one of the most important factors in what types of drinks you will make and how they will be prepared. If you’ve done a little research on nutrition, then you know that you need to get the right amount of protein and vegetables in your diet. Protein is usually not too difficult since it is abundant in meat and dairy products as well as whole grains. Vegetables however can be a little more tricky for some people to eat, especially if you’ve never been the type to like eating those veggies. This is why diet shakes are so great – you can throw a lot of veggies into them and probably not even know they are there!

In addition to thinking about what you should be putting into your shakes, you should also pay special attention to what you should NOT put in your shakes. For example, adding sugar is a terrible idea. Any benefit that you might get from your veggies or other foods would be negated by the added calories and the effect on blood sugar that adding sugar might have.

To get you started in choosing your ingredients, you’ll want to check out our list of protein shake recipes to get you started.

Step 2: Choose Your Blend Method

Now that you know what you’ll be putting into your drink, your next consideration will be to choose the method you will use to blend all of the ingredients together. There are all sorts of different types of products out there. Some are very convenient and easy to use, such as a portable hand held blender that will quickly mix the ingredients together without complication. There are also more advanced models of blenders that give you so many options to choose from you will likely never even use them all or find them necessary.

While it may not seem like a big deal to think about what kind of blender or fork or spoon you will be using for mixing your drinks up with, after time it does make a big difference. If you have a hunky blender that is a pain in the neck to clean and move and store, guess what? You’re not going to be motivated to use it at all. I used to keep my blender on the bottom shelf of a cabinet – it was hidden behind a lot of other things back there. It was your standard blender that has a blade and a couple of rings and a lid and a few other tiny little pieces. The canister was made out of glass which always made me nervous about washing it. How motivated do you think I was to pull and drag it out, mix up something, and then clean up all those little tiny parts and pieces? If your answer is “not at all” then you are correct.

What works for me might not be the best solution for you. I’ve tried a number of different products and tend to like hand blenders the most, though they can be somewhat limiting. I am intrinsically lazy though when it comes to cooking and cleaning, so that’s why I love it. No messes, no millions of pieces, no rings or gaskets or any of that stuff. Whatever you use and enjoy using is up to you. They key is – you have to enjoy using it. Otherwise, you probably won’t.

Step 3: Enjoy It!

Now that you have decided on your ingredients and mixed them together with your blender of choice, you are ready to enjoy your shake. Congratulations, you now know how to make diet shakes!

Protein shake recipes are easy to make and can be a great way to make sure that you get the proper amount of nutrition in your diet. Since the Shake Weight Loss diet relies on real food, you won’t see any protein powders or other things in these delicious smoothies and shakes – just real food. The trick to making nice protein shakes is using something that is naturally a good source of protein, such as almond milk, which can be found easily in most grocery stores.

Below we’ll give you some of our favorite free protein shake recipes that are homemade and simple to prepare.

Our recipes below do not contain any added sugar or other sweets. If you decide the mix you make needs a little more sweetness, then you may want to add either more fruit or honey or maple syrup. (Real maple syrup – not the fake stuff, that is way worse for you!)

Banana Peanut Butter Shake
This is one of the easiest shakes to make and pretty popular as well.

You will Need:
1 Banana, cut into slices or pieces
1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
8 ounces of  almond milk

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Cappuccino Shake
If you love iced coffee beverages sold at coffee shops, this is an affordable and healthy alternative.

You will Need:
6 Frozen Coffee Ice Cubes (simply save a cup of cold coffee and pour into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight)
1 cup of almond milk
Dash of vanilla

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve and enjoy.

Berry Cream Dream
This is a great shake when you’re in the mood for something sweet and fruity.

1/2 cup of raspberries
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced and with tops removed
1 cup of almond milk
3-4 ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in the blender until creamy.

Peaches and Cream
Peaches add a different taste for variety.

You will Need:
1 cup of frozen sliced peaches
1 cup almond milk

Blend ingredients together in a blender until mixed together.

Citrus Sunshine
Orange juice will give you vitamin C in this tasty shake.

You will need:
1/2 cup natural unsweetened orange juice
1 cup almond milk

Stir the above ingredients together in blender.

Spinach Protein Shake
Don’t let the spinach scare you – this is a tasty shake with a serving of vegetables!

You will Need:
1 cup frozen spinach
1 cup almond milk
1 cup strawberries with tops removed and cut up
1 Banana

Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth.

Carrot Cake Shake:
This is another surprising and tasty shake to enjoy.

You will need:
1 cup shredded carrots (some blenders do better with cooked carrots)
1 cup almond milk
1 cup crushed pineapple

Blend all ingredients together and serve and enjoy. You may also want to add Cinnamon or vanilla.

I hope you enjoy all of these free protein shake recipes we’ve collected and shared with you. These can be a great way to get the foods that you need in your balanced diet without having to worry about time constraints. Below are some of the highest reviewed portable and easy to use/clean blenders that make making homemade protein shakes a breeze:

Chances are you’ve probably seen a few of those late night infomercials for weight loss shakes “as seen on TV”. One of the most popular ones is the George Foreman Life Shake.

We all know George Foreman in one way or another, whether we were interested in his athletic career or love grilling up our favorites on a George Foreman grill. George Foreman is a household name to many, which is why the interest in his meal replacement shake product called Life Shakes undoubtedly sparks the interest and intrigue of many people.

Here is a quick breakdown of the nutritional information:
110 Calories, 3 grams of Fat, 10g Carbohydrates, 4 grams dietary fiber, 10 grams protein, 5000 IU Vitamin A, 300 mg Vitamin C.

With its debut in 2007, the Life Shake product claims to deliver all the nutrients and antioxidants your body needs. What is a little alarming however is that their website does not seem to list these actual ingredients or even what size the quantity is in when ordering. Manufactured by VitaQuest, there is relatively little information on their website as well, which consists mostly of one picture of the building’s headquarters.  For approximately $23.99 per canister, it is somewhat expensive but is also comparable in price to the many other different alternatives available out there. It is available in both Vanilla and Chocolate flavors.

Now, I want to ask you a very important question: Why on earth would you order something that does not even list what the ingredients are?  And do you really think a powder is going to offer the antioxidant and enzyme benefits of fresh shakes and smoothies? Of course not!

Making real food smoothies takes only about three minutes a day – and the nutritional benefits far supersede those you can expect to get out a can or jar. Why would anyone settle for a bland, vitamin tasting powder when you could instead enjoy a fresh and delicious smoothie and get all of the same health benefits without the artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or fillers?

Our recommendation: Stop wasting your money on terrible tasting powders and start drinking real shakes you make with your blender! You’ll feel amazing and be healthier than ever! Another bonus? It costs less, too.

Sorry George Foreman, we can’t recommend your life shake powder to anyone, no matter what it tastes like.

A lot of people are always excited to get started with the latest diet right away, especially when you are signing up for one that basically has you drinking milkshakes and smoothies all day!

However, before you get started, there are some important things you need to know and do. Your health and nutrition are important, which is why it is essential to do these things.

Talk With Your Doctor: You’re probably thinking we’re just saying talk to your doctor because that’s what everybody says. But there are actually a few very good reasons as to why you would want to talk to a doctor first. For starters, some weight gain for some people has nothing to do with their eating or fitness habits. Conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, sleep apnea, and many others can all contribute to why you could possibly be overweight. Most of these conditions if properly diagnosed and treated could help you get back on track. It’s also important to talk to your doctor if you have any existing problems and would need to take special dietary needs into consideration. For example, your doctor may want you to watch your sodium intake or cholesterol levels.

Know Why You Want to Lose Weight: Knowing why you want to lose weight is just as equally important as how you decide to do it. Make a list of all the different reasons you have decided that it is time for you to get on a diet. This will greatly help you stay focused and motivated. Maybe you want to fit into a smaller clothes size, maybe you want to look good for a certain upcoming event, or maybe you’ve just decided that it’s time to take control of your health. If you have several good reasons on why you need to go on a diet and start exercising, it will be a lot easier for you to actually follow through with the plan you choose.

Research the Different Programs and Plans: There are hundreds of diet plans and programs out there. Some of them are excellent, some of them are not nutritionally sound, and then there are even the few that are downright dangerous to try. This is why we can’t emphasize enough as to why you should do step #1 and talk to your doctor before committing to any method. In most cases, any well balanced meal plan combined with an exercise routine is a safe way to lose weight. Beware of anything promising you quick results or doesn’t consider nutrition or fitness as part of the way it works.

Realize You’re Making a Change for Life: A lot of people get caught up in the whole “lose x pounds in x days” way of thinking. However, most of the time this means you will end up gaining all of that weight back, if not more than you lost! Eating right and exercising needs to be something you are willing to commit to for life if you want to make sure that your results are lasting and the most beneficial to your health. Drinking a few diet shakes a week isn’t going to magically transform your body or your life. However, they can be an excellent tool in helping you get the nutrition you need when you are too busy to cook or worry about counting calories.

Now that you know what to do before you get started, you are ready to check out our sample meal plans and create a routine to work towards a happier and healthier you!

These sample weight loss shake diet meal plans are here to help you with knowing what types of things you can eat each day. It will greatly depend on what types of shakes you decide to try and use, but generally our plans will help you stay right on track.

When we created these plans we made sure that each day’s meal plans are well balanced. Once you become more familiar with nutrition and the things you eat each day, you’ll be able to customize the plan to make sure it tailors to your individual needs and preferences for the types of foods you like to eat.

Breakfast: 1-2 cups of of one of our green smoothies recipes, scrambled or over easy egg.

Lunch: For lunch it is excellent to have a smoothie, shake, or juice that can help you get your daily serving of vegetables. If you want “real food” healthy choices include a huge leafy green salad with chicken, black beans, and salsa or a cup of homemade vegetable soup.  (Not out of a can, they usually have too much salt, not to mention preservatives and who knows what else!)

Dinner: Dinner can be pretty much anything you like as long as it incorporates one serving of vegetables and one serving of protein. Some great ideas include chicken spinach salad, tacos made in whole grain tortillas, and whole grain rice stir fry, rice pasta with vegetables, chili, etc.

Snacks: It’s usually best to eat three meals at the same time each day, but sometimes you can hungry between or after meals. Having some snacks handy can greatly help – but you’ll want to make sure whatever you choose is not going to do more harm than good. You can always enjoy all the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that you’d like as a snack.

Now that you have a rough idea of some generic sample weight loss shake meal plans, you’re ready to start planning your meals and diet with the foods you enjoy. As long as you follow the basic recommendations for eating the right amounts from each food groups, you’ll likely be on track for losing weight quickly and easily with weight loss shakes and smoothies.

A lot of people say they don’t have time for exercise or feel so out of shape that they simply can’t find the motivation. However, if you want to truly make a lifestyle change to be healthier and get in shape, you must exercise. Not only will it ensure that you don’t gain any weight back in case you should not eat properly for a few days, but it will also help you to lose more weight that you can with diet alone. You’ll also be able to enjoy the many possible health benefits associated with exercising, such as improved lung and heart performance. While this site is mostly about weight loss shakes and smoothies, we also want you to “shake your body”!

There are many different types of exercise and fitness activities to do and try. Not everyone will enjoy the same types of activities. For example, one person may enjoy jogging while another may instead like to do swimming. In order to lose weight the most effectively, you’ll want to make sure that you are doing at least 30 minutes three times each week of cardio/aerobic activity. These types of activities include jogging, walking, swimming, dancing, and cycling. You can decide whether you want to do just one activity consistently or if you would rather mix it up with a wide variety of different activities.

Once you begin doing aerobic activities regularly, you will then want to start incorporating strength training into your routine. Strength training is the process of working out your muscles. This can be done with stretches using resistance bands, an exercise ball, or using small weights. There are a wide variety of different videos available that can give you an idea of what to do or if you join a fitness club you may even be able to enlist a personal trainer to help you focus on working out.

The key to staying motivated to exercise is to make it part of your regular schedule. You must treat your exercise time with the same importance and priority as you would other events in your life such as important meetings or appointments.

If you are very out of shape, it may be difficult at first to get started in creating a workout routine that works for you. If you are out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs then you will likely want to start off slowly so you do not become discouraged. There’s nothing worse than jumping into a high paced aerobics class only to realize that you’re very behind or not very coordinated. Doing simple exercises at first such as walking for 15 minutes and then gradually increasing the time and intensity will help you ease into a routine without feeling like you are hopeless or that it is too difficult to accomplish your goals.

When you are exercising to lose weight and burn fat, you will start seeing results much faster than you would than with diet alone. It will help boost your metabolism and make it so that your body doesn’t store any extra calories and fat but use them appropriately, resulting in a happier, thinner you.