Lose 10 Pounds a Week on This Micronutrient Smoothie Diet

An exciting new eating plan promises to leave our body’s cells spick-and-span, ridding us of toxins, bloat, inflammation, and lots of fat. And it’s as easy as filling up on fresh juice, smoothies, and no-fuss veggie dishes!

Created by mega-selling Eat to Live ($9.98, Amazon) and The End of Dieting ($8.98, Amazon) author Joel Fuhrman, MD, the approach floods our systems with micronutrients that literally work magic. “You can transform in a very short time,” insists the Ivy League–trained physician, one of the world’s foremost nutrition experts. Within days, energy soars, brain fog lifts, immunity skyrockets, and existing illness and disease begin to fade. Not to mention, weight pours off! “We see losses of 10, 15, even 20 pounds in a week.” That’s just how the body responds when you set it up for lifelong health!

Sandra McClanahan had sky-high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, heart palpitations, frequent migraines, and severe leg pain when a Google search led her to Dr. Fuhrman. His micronutrient approach “made perfect sense,” recalls the Florida grandmother, 57. Once iffy about plant-based meals, she was soon a fan of micronutrient-packed berry-kale drinks and veggie-bean soups. Pounds poured off. “You don’t have to white-knuckle it. Your tastes really change, and eating well is what you want to do,” she says. “My health has turned around — and I’m down from a size 5X to an 8!”

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Dr. Fuhrman says we eat far too many empty calories in today’s world — and it’s the number-one reason we struggle with health and weight problems. His antidote: Get a whole lot more of your calories from nutrient-dense sources, especially those rich in micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

He’s become a fan of juice and smoothies because they help make the switch easy, but he says the ingredients are the key. His top micronutrient picks are all plants, including leafy greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and seeds, “which deliver up to 1,000 different micronutrient compounds for as few as 25 calories.” By contrast, beef and cheese have about 50 times fewer micronutrients per calorie, and processed foods may have no micronutrients at all.

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The doc notes that recent studies link high micronutrient intake to a slashed risk of diabetes, breast cancer, age-related brain shrinkage, and more. Micronutrients in his juice-and-smoothie plan are also proven to do a number on your waistline.

Micronutrients for Weight Loss

Not long ago, British scientists found that consuming more micronutrients is often the only significant factor that sets a lean woman apart from her overweight identical twin. Why?

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For starters, antioxidants clear cells of toxins that interfere with fat burning. There’s additional evidence that certain plant compounds accelerate fat metabolism while others are angiogenesis inhibitors — or “micronutrients that block blood supply to fat cells so fat cells shrink,” says Dr. Fuhrman. Antioxidants also soothe thyroid-stalling inflammation. Bonus: Dr. Fuhrman’s way of eating decreases inflammation so rapidly, you’ll release pounds of fluid that your body retained to buffer irritation! There’s more:

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“A person who eats low-nutrient foods develops an unrelenting desire to eat too much in a futile attempt to make up for the deficit,” Dr. Fuhrman says. “As micronutrient intake improves, the problem disappears. You’re able to eat until you feel content while losing weight aggressively. Your taste buds are strengthened too, and you begin to prefer micronutrient-rich food. It gets easier the longer you do it! ”

To learn more, check out Eat to Live or go to DrFuhrman.com

Micronutrient Miracle Drinks — Sample Day

Dr. Fuhrman wants at least 90 percent of your calories to be rich in micronutrients. His detox calls for two daily servings of juice or smoothies with mega-doses of micronutrients to help get motivating initial results.

But the key is to eat your fill of veggies, fruit, beans, nuts/seeds, and unprocessed whole grains (like oats and quinoa). Occasional servings of foods like whole-grain bread, eggs or fish is fine, but the doc cautions that sugar, oil, and salt are appetite stimulants and can be easier to avoid entirely. As always, get a doctor’s okay to try any new plan.

Breakfast

Sip a 12 oz. juice or smoothie. Use one of the recipes below, create your own blend, or pick up a juice bar offering. Tip: More veggie ingredients maximize micronutrients per calorie and amp results.

Lunch

Veggie Bowl — Top 3 cups veggies (like greens, bell peppers, steamed Brussels sprouts) with ½ cup beans or quinoa; serve with fat-free, low-sodium dressing or hummus.

Snack

Enjoy 12 oz. juice or smoothie. To make a smoothie bowl, blitz 1 cup frozen berries, 1 cup greens, ½ cup frozen cauliflower, and ½ cup nut milk. Serve with ¼ cup almonds, ½ Tbsp. chia seeds, and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Dinner

Detox Tacos — Fill lettuce leaves with your choice of beans, avocado, and veggies (such as tomato, onion, bell pepper, radish, cilantro); top with salsa.