Kelly LeVeque first created her famous shakes for an exhausted customer who didn’t cook. “We were having a hard time getting it up and running. So I said, ‘Let me show you the simplest food that has everything your body needs to feel full, turn off your hunger hormones, and achieve a healthy weight,'” shares the bestselling author of body love Y Body love every day. LeVeque grabbed a blender and started adding what she calls the Fab Four: protein, fat, fiber, and vegetables.
“Those are the four components that I recommend in any meal. For a smoothie, it will be things like chocolate protein powder, nut butter, chia seeds, and spinach.” Fill them with a little nut milk for a creamy treat. “My client started drinking one a day and his body composition changed with little effort.” She spread the word quickly. But why do shakes work so well? LeVeque says they’re a shortcut that works magic with blood sugar…
why do we yearn
Most of us tend to overdo processed, sugary, starchy carbohydrates, “and that causes a blood sugar spike, which triggers the release of large amounts of the hormone insulin,” says LeVeque. She is endorsed by Cleveland Clinic functional medicine authority Mark Hyman, MD. He explains: “Insulin stores excess sugar as fat, locks fat in fat cells, reduces fat burning, and slows metabolism.”
The craving connection? It turns out that insulin reduces blood sugar spikes so quickly that “you have a blood sugar crash,” says LeVeque. And when your blood sugar plummets, your hormones trigger food cravings to bring it back up. He gives in to the cravings and “the peak-crash-craving cycle starts all over again.”
Feel satisfied, get slim
To end cravings once and for all, you need to know a little about how your body works. Every time you eat, you produce at least a little sugar in your blood. It is natural and provides fuel for our brain and muscles, says Dr. Hyman. But depending on what you eat, your blood sugar can rise in a matter of minutes, or alternatively rise in a long, smooth arc over four to six hours.
After much experimentation, LeVeque realized that making her Fab Four the foundation of every meal provides the perfect dose of the nutrient: amino acids. Fatty acids, antioxidants and more, to ensure a smooth and steady rise in blood sugar. He eats the Fab Four in every session, and he doesn’t have to ban any food. “Naturally, you get rid of excess carbs and you get that long blood sugar curve,” says LeVeque. The long curve is key. Leads to hours free from cravings and thoughts about food. Bonus: “Our bodies do their best to burn fat between meals, so as you lengthen your blood sugar curve and eat less often, fat burning increases.”
The main feedback LeVeque gets: “Women say, ‘Wow, I’ve never felt so calm and relaxed about food, and I’m losing weight.’ People can live their lives, eat whatever they want and look and feel amazing!”
The Secret Ingredients Way to Reduce Appetite
BREAKFAST: Blitz 1⁄4 cup chocolate protein powder, 1 tbsp. nut butter, 1 tbsp. flax, 1⁄2 cup spinach, 1⁄4 cup frozen berries, and 1–2 cups almond milk.
MEAL: Layer 6 cups high-fiber mixed greens and salad greens, 5 oz. tuna, 2 tbsp. olives and 1⁄4 cup olive oil vinaigrette.
DINNER: Serve grilled chicken over vegetables and 1⁄2 cup quinoa; add olive oil and seasonings or a guacamole garnish.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine, women’s world.
