10 Breakfast Smoothies That Will Help You Lose Weight

If you're looking to sip away the pounds, juice cleanses may not be the best idea. Smoothies, however, could be your best-kept weight-loss secret; the blended beverage offers you tons of nutrition as well as protein and fiber to help keep you full until your next meal. Whipping up a smoothie for breakfast will further help you rev up your metabolism first thing in the morning, so here are seven smoothies to make in the morning to fill you up as the scale ticks down.

Metabolism-Boosting Smoothie

Source: Jenny Sugar

Start your day right with a glass of fat-burning ingredients, like calcium-rich Greek yogurt, almonds, and broccoli; high-fiber strawberries; and spicy cinnamon, among other metabolism-boosting ingredients.

Vegan Milkshake Smoothie

Source: Jenny Sugar

This high-protein vegan vanilla milkshake smoothie seems like an indulgence, but it's not — you'll be excited to know that in this case, having dessert for breakfast is actually an excellent idea.

Sweet Spinach Smoothie

Source: Leta Shy

Protein, fiber, and calcium make this sweet green smoothie a filling, fat-burning meal. From celeb trainer Harley Pasternak, it's a favorite among starlets looking to reset after an indulgent period.

Apple Flaxseed Cinnamon Smoothie

Source: Leta Shy

Adding ground flaxseed to this apple cinnamon smoothie bulks up what's in your cup, making you feel more satisfied. The extra fiber will also keep you feeling full until lunch rolls around. Added bonus: you can make the smoothie the night before to thicken in your fridge overnight.

Chia Berry Smoothie

Source: Lizzie Fuhr

For more fiber, protein, and thickness, add chia seeds to your next smoothie. They'll keep you full without the need to make a midmorning pastry run. This chia berry smoothie is also packed with antioxidants for your health.

Flat-Belly Smoothie

Source: Jenny Sugar

Had a big night? Start today right with a debloating smoothie that helps you depuff and reenergize. This filling flat-belly smoothie is a great way to kick off your morning after a few too many evening indulgences.

Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie

Source: Michele Foley

This thick, tasty apple-cinnamon smoothie is a favorite of celebs for keeping them satisfied for hours. It blends up quickly, so you can make it on a busy morning and feel full until lunch.

Berry Breakfast Smoothie

Source: Lizzie Fuhr

For a fiber-rich smoothie without all the fuss, opt for this berry breakfast smoothie that supermodel Karlie Kloss loves. Made with just a few ingredients, it's a cinch to make and will keep you full for hours.

Banana Bread Smoothie

Source: Lizzie Fuhr

Skip the pastries, and opt for something lower in calories and better for you instead. Luckily, this banana bread smoothie tastes like what you crave with a healthy dose of protein, fiber, good fats, and more. It's perfect for when you need to fuel up before a hectic morning.

Debloating Papaya Smoothie

Source: Jenny Sugar

Become a Healthy Baker With These Surprising Butter Substitutes

Baking calms the mind and feeds the soul, but all that buttery goodness can pack on the pounds. If you're looking to make healthier baked goods, omitting some or all of the butter from your favorite recipes can greatly reduce the calories, fat, and cholesterol. There are countless ways to replace eggs in recipes, and here are healthier alternatives to using butter (great for vegan bakers, too).

• Applesauce: Often used to replace oil in recipes, applesauce can also be used as a butter alternative, and it works best in cake-like recipes (like this vegan banana apple chunk bread). Replace half the amount of butter in your recipe with applesauce; if the recipe calls for one cup of butter, use half a cup of butter and half a cup of applesauce. If you don't mind a denser, more moist bread, replace all the butter with applesauce to cut even more calories and fat.
• Avocado: Substitute half the amount of butter in a baking recipe with mashed avocado (it works well with cookies); use the same method as you would when using applesauce. Using avocado not only lowers the calorie content but also creates a softer, chewier baked good, and is perfect if you want to omit the dairy.
• Earth Balance: Replace all the butter with Earth Balance to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol. Using Smart Balance rather than Earth Balance will also save some calories, but note that Original Smart Balance contains whey, so it's not vegan.
• Canola oil: In certain recipes, replacing butter with oil works well, especially if the recipe calls for melted butter. Fiddle with your favorite recipes to figure out when canola works instead of butter; when baking chocolate chip cookies, I've had success substituting half a cup of canola oil for half a cup of unsalted butter. Although slightly higher in calories, canola is much lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
• Greek yogurt: Replace half the amount of butter in your cookie recipes with half the amount of full-fat plain Greek yogurt. For example, if the recipe calls for one cup of butter, use half a cup of butter and one quarter cup of yogurt. You'll reduce the calories and the saturated fat. Play around with using more yogurt and less butter to see if you still like the taste and consistency. Here are more ways to use Greek yogurt in baking recipes. If you're avoiding dairy, use soy yogurt instead.
• Prune purée: Often used to help little ones stay regular, prune purée also makes a low-calorie and low-fat alternative to butter. Whatever amount of butter the recipe calls for, replace it completely with store-bought baby food prune purée (unless you have time to make your own; just purée prunes in the food processor). This option works well in recipes that involve chocolate and cinnamon.