Smoothie recipes

Rebooting your system could be just what the doctor ordered for your health. The Body Reset Diet: Power Your Metabolism, Blast Fat and Shed Pounds in 15 Days (£12.99, Rodale Press) is a new diet and exercise plan that could help you do just that. Devised by celeb fitness trainer and nutritionist Harley Pasternak (the US guru behind some of Hollywood’s most enviable bodies including Megan Fox and Katy Perry), it’s designed to help you build the lean muscle ncecssary to keep your metabolic rate at its optimum. Results are practically guaranteed, as the plan is so easy to follow. ‘All the meals in the diet are nutritious and wholesome, and they take just five minutes, from preparation to clean-up,’ says Harley.

Why it works

While quick-fix diets usually spell disaster, the great thing about the Body Reset Diet is that you’ll change your body for good. The Body Reset plan includes delicious food and moderate exercise to help you feel energised while nourishing your body from within – and unlike other diet plans, you’ll also be giving your body tons of TLC along the way. The secret behind it is in eating around the clock to keep your metabolism ticking over while regulating insulin levels and nipping cravings in the bud. ‘Your metabolism is like a windmill. When you eat frequently, you’re continually turning the windmill and keeping your metabolism stimulated,’ explains Harley. This involves consuming a selection of smoothies and solid meals with high amounts of veggies and fruits at specific intervals to overload your body with nutrients without having to count a single calorie.

The results

You can expect safe and effective weight loss within the first five days as a result of a healthy metabolism boost. By the end of the diet you should feel the benefits of more energy, a flat tum and unbelievably glowing skin. Let’s get started!

Phase 1

Between days one and five you’ll be drinking three smoothies a day and eating two snacks. Meals are high volume, so you should never feel hungry.
Fitness: During this phase you’ll need to walk a minimum of 10,000 steps a day.
Top tip: Track your progress with a pedometer.

Phase 2

Between days six and 10 you’ll still be eating five times a day, to provide your body with adequate fuel. You’ll be drinking two smoothies a day, and eating one solid meal and two snacks between meals.
Fitness: You’ll be continuing your 10,000 steps per day along with a simple five-minute at-home fitness routine performed three days a week. The moves are designed to train the posterior muscles of your body to help align your body and make your arms and middle look longer and leaner.
Top tip: Try to eat your solid meals while sitting down, with no distractions.

Phase 3

You’ll have just one smoothie a day, plus two meals and two snacks.
Fitness: You’ll still be sticking to your 10,000 steps and you’ll be alternating between two sets of five-minute circuits of resistance training five days a week. The phase 3 programme consists of two different circuits which work the anterior muscles, such as your chest, obliques and quads.
Top tip: Plan your meals well in advance and make sure you chew your food properly.

After the reset

Once you’ve completed the three phases, you’ll still need to stick to eating five times a day – one smoothie, two snacks and two solid meals. Twice a week you’re allowed ‘free meals’ when you eat whatever you want. You’ll need to keep walking no less than 10,000 steps a day every day and do a 10-minute resistance training circuit five days a week to help increase lean muscle tissue. ‘Walking is a simple fat-burning activity that doesn’t require any skill or equipment, while super-short resistance workouts five times a week get great results,’ explains Harley.

The recipes

Smoothies are a part of each phase of The Body Reset plan as they’re good for your body and taste amazing, too. Each smoothie has a liquid base with lean protein, healthy fat and carbs from fruit or veggies to make sure you don’t miss out on any important food groups or nutrients. The solid food recipes are also really tasty and chock full of nutrients. Here’s our favourites…

White Smoothie

5 raw almonds (whole or chopped)
1 red apple, unpeeled, cored and chopped
1 small banana, frozen and cut into chunks
125ml fat-free natural Greek yoghurt
185g skimmed milk
1/2tsp ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

Red Smoothie

125g frozen raspberries
35g frozen blueberries
½ orange, peeled
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1tbsp ground linseeds

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

Green Smoothie

60g spinach leaves
1 ripe pear, unpeeled, cored and chopped
15 green or red grapes
185g fat-free natural Greek yoghurt
2tbsp chopped avocado
1-2tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

Snacks

You’re allowed a number of snacks during each phase of the plan. Each snack is around 150 calories and contains a minimum of 5g of fibre.

Tasty Snacks

85g raspberries and 225g fat-free Greek yoghurt
1 cucumber with 85g smoked salmon and 1 tomato
1 apple and 3 turkey slices
115g edamame beans
85g lean roast beef and 11/2 sliced red bell peppers

Meal ideas

Creamy Spinach and Chickpea Stir-Fry

1tsp olive oil
125g canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
½tsp ground cumin
225g baby spinach, roughly chopped
125ml reduced-fat buttermilk
Salt and black pepper
2tbsp feta cheese, crumbled

1 Put the olive oil in a frying pan and place over a medium-low heat. Cook the chickpeas, garlic and cumin for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the spinach, cover and let sit for 30 seconds. Uncover and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted.
2 Stir in the buttermilk and cook until the liquid evaporates. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and garnish with the feta.

Coconut Chicken Curry

1tsp olive oil
1tbsp curry powder
½tsp ground cumin
200g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
1 large apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks
250ml reduced-sodium chicken stock
125ml light coconut milk
300g cooked barley or brown rice

1 Heat the olive oil in a non-stick saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Stir-fry the curry and cumin for 10 seconds.
2 Add the chicken and apple and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until they are browned and coated with the spices. Add the stock and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Serve over the barley or brown rice.