SUGAR FREE PUMPKIN SHAKE
SECRETS TO A HEALTHY METABOLISM
Here is a small piece from my book: SECRETS TO A HEALTHY METABOLISM.
The most important piece of our thermic effect of food metabolism is the amount of quality protein in our diets; which influences weight loss. Protein helps us sustain muscle during weight loss, improve muscle strength and endurance, improve immunity, enhance antioxidant function, build HDL cholesterol, and helps insulin and leptin functions; all of which will help maximize our metabolism.
A higher-protein diet also has a natural diuretic effect. People with extra weight are often sluggish and holding extra water; which can cause blood pressure go up and causes our heart to push harder to move the stagnation. The extra water in connective tissues directly gets in the way of fat burning. When you eat a higher protein diet, an important blood protein called albumin increases; which, draws water back out of your connective tissues and helps you get rid of fluid retention. If you have too much inflammation, your kidneys may leak albumin into your urine, provoking fluid retention, weight problems, and considerable cardiovascular risk.
When we eat too many carbohydrates, the opposite happens; we retain more fluids. It also stimulates too much leptin; provoking leptin resistance and an intense desire for more carbohydrates. Too many carbohydrates cause your willpower to be in a constant battle with out-of-balance leptin. It is pretty obvious from the amount of yo-yo dieting in our culture that misguided leptin usually wins. The best way to win the battle is to not have it in the first place, meaning don’t eat too many carbohydrates and more importantly, not by themselves.
I see a lot of clients come to me after trying a well-known popular diet, (which I won’t name, but they count points) which worked for a while, but they are stuck at a weight they are still uncomfortable at. Counting points isn’t helpful for our biochemistry…they concentrate on calories. Saving up all your points for a Blizzard isn’t going to enhance your physique; even if you only eat 800 calories a day…it is 800 calories of trans-fat filled sugar!
Culver’s has a Pumpkin Cheesecake Concrete Mixer with a medium size carrying just a smidge under 1,000 calories and over 100g of carbs! Yikes, I will make mine at home!
FOR NUTRITIONAL BENEFIT add a few tablespoons Unflavored Collagen! Click HERE to order the collagen I love that has 0 carbs! Use coupon code: MARIAMINDBODY for 5% off
SUGAR FREE PUMPKIN SHAKE
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 ounces cream cheese or coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons Natural Sweetener or more to taste, or 1 tsp stevia glycerite
- 1 scoop Vanilla Equip Protein Powder use code Maria15 to save
- 1 cup crushed ice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender, blend until very smooth and enjoy! Makes 1 serving.
Nutrition
Testimony of the Day
Hi Maria,
I just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you how much your nutrition and exercise philosophy has changed the way I approach a healthy lifestyle. When I first picked up your book “Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism” a few years ago I was strictly a long distance runner who fueled those runs with a lot of pasta and pancakes! What I struggled with on a daily basis was intense cravings for sugar- it was miserable! While reading your book everything started to click- I was craving sugar because I was feeding my body sugar around the clock! I soon began to turn my nutrition around. I traded out pancakes for eggs, sausage, and veggies, and pasta for salads loaded with veggies, chicken, and healthy fats. I can now say that I live craving free… I never thought that was possible!I was also stunned when I read in your book that exercise does not equal weight loss. What? I felt that all my years of running was a waste of time! I started to incorporate weight lifting and HIIT training. The combination of these exercises along with proper nutrition started to bring about change in my body composition that running on a high sugar diet never did. I still do some longer runs, but I do them because I enjoy them!Thank you for giving me the gift of fantastic health and freedom Maria! Keep up all the great work you do! You touch so many lives! -Nicole”
To get started on your path to health, click HERE.
Wow, that looks really good!
Thank you thank you thank you!! I’m currently unable to eat fruit and I’ve been missing having smoothies. This is a great substitute… though I think I might skip the ice, add an egg and have it as a warm beverage instead…
Love your recipe. I posted it on my community foodie blog…hope you can come check it out http://www.facebook.com/thefrenchiefoodie
C
Thanks for the shout out Charolette! I love your site!
This tastes just like the pumpkin ice cream at Baskin-Robbins! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for all your support and kind words;)))
This looks amazing! I think that it’s really important to develop less calorie recipes for some of these things that we enjoy but really shouldn’t ever consume. Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome! I hope you like it!
This will be my lunch today!
Can’t wait!! All of your recipes are awesome and have made our transition so so easy! I’d make it right now, but just had leftover moussaka for breakfast so I am not hungry!
Oh! I love my Moussaka recipe! I need to make that again soon;)
Happy eating!
Hey Maria, was going to make this..wondering what brand cream cheese to look for…would this be a good choice:http://www.kraftbrands.com/philly/products/Pages/philadelphia-brick-cream-cheese.aspx
Thanks!!
Hi Maria, was planning on making this recipe..but was unsure what type/brand of cream-cheese would be best. Would this work:http://www.kraftbrands.com/philly/products/Pages/philadelphia-brick-cream-cheese.aspx
Thanks!
Yep! That brand would work great!
Happy eating;)
Awe, thanks Maria
..you’re the best!
BTW: Would this recipe work if I wanted to make a rich chocolate shake? Maybe sub out vanilla for chocolate protein powder..and get rid of the pumpkin..and add 2tbsp unsweetened coco powder?? Or do you have a better rich chocolate smoothie idea?
Yes! Trixie, this is my chocolate shake recipe:
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 ounces cream cheese OR coconut cream
2 TBS Just Like Sugar or 1 tsp stevia glycerite (or more to taste)
1 scoop Jay Robb chocolate whey or egg white protein
1 cup crushed ice
ENJOY!
Thanks so much, this looks great!
This is OUTRAGEOUSLY delicious! I skipped the ice (to reduce the amount) and used fresh pumpkin. Crazy good!
Thanks Dasha! You totally made my night;)))
Maria one more question, is it 2oz cream cheese or 2 tbsp? I ask becuase I thought you mentioned the cream cheese adding 100 cals to the recipe.
Nope, 2 ounces is closer to 4 TBS.
Happy eating!
Okay, thanks!
I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am that I found your site, via Pinterest,and I just want to say thank you…I really am looking forward to reading your entire blog!
Thanks Adele! You totally made my day!
Oh gosh, just saw someone mention the name of this recipe on your facebook page and I just had to look it up! Must buy pumpkins — can’t find canned ones here, I usually make my own, usually by roasting them in the oven. I hope that’s “Maria-Legal”! 😀
That is a great option. 🙂
I just happened to find this recipe and holy smokes!! I am a huge fan of culver’s pumpkin mixer and can’t believe how close this resembles it!! Would never know the difference!! You rock Maria!!
Thank you! Glad you liked it. 🙂
We just bought a couple of your recipe books and wanted to try this one from The Art Of Eating Healthy Sweets, but wanted to clarify – is it unsweetened or regular almond milk? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of your recipes with regular almond milk, so we just wanted to make sure.
Yes, always unsweetened. Thanks for your support! 🙂
Maria… I just tried this and almost cried… It is one of the tastiest things I’ve ever put in my mouth, and the though that it’s also guilt free makes it even better! I can’t even thank you enough for the inspiration, help, advice and input into our health and eventually life. Since I’ve discovered low carb lifestyle, your website became my number 1 source, I check it everyday and will totally buy your books. It’s a whole new world, seriously! 🙂 Can’t wait to explore it more. Thank you thank you thank you!!! 🙂
You are so cute! Thank you! 🙂
Could you use this as a meal?
Yes, this could be a breakfast in a pinch. 🙂
What are your thoughts on the ingredients in Shakeology? I’d rather eat my calories as well, but a friend is selling this… So here I am! =) http://www.shakenutrition.com/chocolate-shakeology-ingredients.pdf
Sorry I am not a fan. Too much sugar and ingredients I stay away from (like Methylsulfonyl-methane, Coconut Nectar Raw). I look for protein powder with no added sugar and natural sweeteners (like stevia). 🙂
This looks amazing, Maria! I love your header photo. ♥
Thanks!
This is WONDERFUL!!! The whole family loves it. It makes a great breakfast. : ) Thank you!
Thanks!
Could I use Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese – I like the flavor of it a bit better (because my mom always bought it instead of cream cheese because it’s lower in fat, but now I don’t actually care for “real” cream cheese).
Yes, that should work. 🙂
Just made this and it is super delicious!!! Had left over pumpkin as the pumpkin muffins are in the oven now!
Thanks!
This is so delicious! You’re right, it really does taste like a Culver’s pumpkin concrete – – add a few sprinkles of pumpkin pie spice to it and it LOOKS like a pumpkin concrete, too! Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Thanks!
OMGosh. Just made this for breakfast. It is so delicious and decadent. Thank you for such a wonderful treat!
Thank you! 🙂
Maria,
Instead of using whey protein, could I use the Great Lakes collagen/gelatin instead with the same results? If so, would I also need to add vanilla extract? And would it be better to use the green can? Thanks.
That would gel it up more so I don’t think the results would be similar.
do you ever add xanthan gum to your shakes? I find that it holds the ice molecules so that there aren’t any chips of ice in the shakes. This sounds fantastic. Totally allergic to dairy so I will have to modify it with my coconut cream and vegan powder……this looks fantastic
I haven’t tried it, no. Thanks! 🙂
How many servings does this recipe make? Thanks!
It is 1 serving. 🙂
This is fantastic !! Thank-you Maria!! Can’t wait to try the chocolate version!
I just made this and it’s delicious. I’m recovering from surgery related to a broken bone and the high protein content while getting a delicious dessert is a double winner to speed healing. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
Awesome!
Heal fast❤️❤️❤️
I have a large Jarrow plain protein powder container so I was wondering if it were possible to use this and what changes to flavoring should I make?
I’m not sure. I would add more sweetener and vanilla according to your liking❤