The Digest Diet utilizes groundbreaking science and collective wisdom to help you lose weight quickly and safely.  Reader’s Digest editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello expertly analyzes and condenses decades of research to select the best information to explain how eating, exercise and environment can be both FAT INCREASERS and FAT RELEASERS.

In the book, Liz provides two slimming shake recipes that are great for breakfast or even a pick me up for the afternoon.  The shakes are packed with FAT RELEASERS and are minimally sweet to keep you from getting hungry too soon.  Go ahead, pick your favorite shake and stick with it for simplicity, or if you’re feeling adventurous, plan a different flavor combo for every day.  Keep reading to learn more and sample two of these delicious recipes!

Fast Release Shake (Days 1–4)

Hands-on time: 10 minutes •  Total time: 10 minutes •  Makes: 1 shake

Fat Releasers:

Yogurt, coconut milk, fruit/fiber, healthy fats, honey

Master Recipe:

• 3⁄4 cup (6 ounces) nonfat yogurt
• 1⁄4 cup light coconut milk
• 3 tablespoonsnonfat milk powder
• FRUIT/FIBER HEALTHY FATS
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• FLAVORINGS (optional)
• ice cubes combine all the ingredients
• in a blender and blend until nice and frothy.

A typical shake:

• 395 calories • 16g protein

• 18g fat (5g saturated)

• 9.5g fiber • 430mg calcium

• 40mg vitamin C

• 50g carbohydrate

• 210mg sodium

FRUIT/FIBER (choose 1)

• 1 banana
• 1 apple (peeled and cored) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 8 strawberries (fresh or frozen) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 4 ounces mixed frozen berries* (3⁄4 to 1 cup,depending on the berries’ size) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 3⁄4 cup seedless red grapes* (10 large) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal. omit the honey.
• 1 tangerine or small orange* + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

HEALTHY FATS (choose 1)

• 1⁄2 avocado
• 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon raw or regular almond butter
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter

FLAVORINGS (choose none, 1, or both)

• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Fade Away Shake (Days 5–14)

Hands-on time: 10 minutes •  Total time: 10 minutes •  Makes: 1 shake

Fat Releasers:

Yogurt, coconut milk, fruit/fiber, healthy fats, honey

Master Recipe:

• 3⁄4 cup (6 ounces) nonfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons light coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons nonfat milk powder
• FRUIT/FIBER
• HEALTHY FATS
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• FLAVORINGS (optional)
• 4 ice cubes
• combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until nice and frothy.

A typical shake:

• 320 calories • 15g protein

• 11g fat (2.5g saturated)

• 7g fiber • 425mg calcium

• 40mg vitamin C

• 45g carbohydrate

• 205mg sodium

FRUIT/FIBER (choose 1)

• 1 banana
• 1 apple (peeled and cored) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 8 strawberries (fresh or frozen) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 4 ounces mixed frozen berries* (3⁄4 to 1 cup,depending on the berries’ size) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 3⁄4 cup seedless red grapes* (10 large) + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal. Omit the honey.
• 1 tangerine or small orange* + 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

HEALTHY FATS (choose 1)

• 1⁄4 avocado
• 1 teaspoon natural peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon raw or regular almond butter
• 1 teaspoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon sunflower seed butter

FLAVORINGS (choose none, 1, or both)

• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

TASTY TIPS:

• In the grape version, you can first wash and dry individual grapes, then freeze them. Add them to the blender frozen.
• If the berry mix includes blackberries, be prepared for their seeds (which are a good source of fiber).
• The tangerine/orange version tastes like a creamsicle, but you have to cut the segments out from between the membranes or you get big pieces of skin in the shake.