Lose Weight with Tomato On The Tomato Diet vs By Drinking Tomato Smoothies vs By Adding Tomatoes to Your Daily Diet
Edited by Donna, Eng, VC
Tomatoes enable weight loss because:
- Tomatoes contain lycopene, a powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant that has long been linked to weight loss, heart health and anti-aging
- The lycopene content in tomatoes has also been known to regulate and reduce fats in the blood and lower cholesterol, which on turn improves the health of the liver and encourages efficient weight loss
- There are only 32 calories in one cup of raw tomatoes, which is makes them an ideal diet food, because they contain no fat and no cholesterol
- Tomatoes are a low glycemic food that helps keep blood sugar low, thus helping people who have metabolic disorders lose weight with less dieting and effort
- Tomatoes are rich in fiber, which helps clean your intestines of mucus and waste so that your body is better able to absorb nutrients from digested food, which in turn reduces your cravings for extra calories
- Tomatoes are very high in Vitamin C, which supports the thyroid and pancreas and helps reduce inflammation so that you can lose weight without dieting too severely
- Tomatoes contain 24% of your recommended daily requirement for biotin, which helps prevent hair loss while dieting and also help the carbohydrates that you consume into fuel instead of fat
- Tomatoes contain chromium, a mineral known to regulate blood sugar in diabetics and people with metabolic disorders, which in turn decreases insulin resistance and provokes natural weight loss
- Tomatoes are also high in several different minerals including molybdenum. manganese, iodine, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorus, which help regulates your metabolism by nourishing your thyroid, pituitary gland and pancreas and also prevents hair loss due to low-calorie dieting
- There is a broad spectrum of B vitamins in tomatoes that keep you healthy and energetic all day
- Tomatoes contain 3% protein, which helps you feel full and resist cravings for treats until it is time for you to eat the next meal
- Tomatoes contain scores of antioxidants that help the enzymes in your body operate more efficiently so that food is converted into fuel instead of fat
- Many of the phytonutrients in tomatoes thin out the blood, preventing the clumping of platelet cells that can cause problems with circulation, liver health and weight gain
- Tomatoes contain balance of sodium and potassium, which enriches the blood and keeps you feeling energetic, less bloated and well enough to exercise
- Tomatoes help prevent obesity by regulating hormones, promoting sleep and boosting your metabolism
- Tomatoes help your body to excrete excess hormones that may be the mid-life cause of obesity in women
Method 1: On The Tomato Diet
Like most diets, the tomato diet is a meal replacement diet, requiring you to replace your lunch or dinner with a meal of two sliced tomato's or an 8-ounce glass of tomato juice. This allows most people to save from 500 to 1500 calories a day, depending on what they were eating for dinner in the first place. The result is that most people lose between two and five pounds a week, simply by eating tomato's or drinking tomato juice, instead of eating a full meal.
One of the reasons that this diet works is because you are eating very few calories later on the day and nothing at all at night, which has also been found to facilitate weight loss. Try not to eat more than 1200 calories a day in total and do your very best to stick to the diet regimen below.
- 1Tomatoes are nightshade vegetables, which cause arthritis symptoms to become worse in some people. Tomato's contain constituents that also thin the blood and these may interfere with medication. This tomato meal replacement diet is also a low-calorie diet that limits your food choice that might be problematic for the health of some individuals, for instance, if you are diabetic or pregnant.Check with your doctor to make sure that the tomato diet is a safe weight loss regimen for you.
- 2Avoid dairy and do not add sugar of any kind to this meal. Good fruits to choose are apples, any berry, rhubarb, pears and any type of citrus. Choose unsweetened almond, cashew or coconut milk to avoid gaining weight. Choose steel-cut oats or flaked oats to benefit the most from the fiber that this breakfast has to offer.Eat oatmeal, fruit and a nut milk every day for breakfast.
- 3Steak, chicken, turkey and fish are the preferred animal sources. This is necessary because tomato's, although they do contain some protein, do not contain enough protein to sustain you throughout the day. No bread, pastas or potato's are allowed and avoid cheese, dairy and eggs. If you must give in to a craving for bread, you are allowed two Grissol bread sticks or two Melba toasts.For lunch, eat a good healthy source of low-fat protein with a green salad or roasted vegetables every day.
- 4If you find this really difficult, you can add a half a cup of cottage cheese to this regimen, but be aware that the extra carbohydrates that are in the cottage cheese may slow your weight loss.Every day, replace your dinner with two sliced tomatoes are a glass of tomato juice.
- 5Spring water may be consumed, but it is best to drink vapor-distilled water which does not have any sodium. You may also drink carbonated water, but choose varieties that are the lowest in sodium possible. This is because tomatoes are already rich in organic sodium and consuming too much, even from food sources, could cause weight gain.Drink at least eight glasses of cold water a day.
- 6These are diuretic fluids that help you flush out fluid and keep your metabolism in motion. Iced tea is allowed as long as it does not contain sugar or an artificial sweetener. Artificial sweeteners can cause bloating and weight gain.Drink all of the coffee and tea that you want all day.
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- 8This activity build lean muscle and the more lean muscle you have the more weight you will lose, even when you are not moving at all. It is helpful to consume a high protein meal before you exercise, preferably one that contains a meat protein.Do circuit training or weight lifting three times a week for an hour.
- 9A body that is trying to cleanse and repair itself requires at least eight hours of sleep a night. Going to bed early can help prevent you from indulging in late-night snacking.Get enough sleep at night and go to bed early.
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Method 2: By Drinking Tomato Smoothies
Tomato smoothies are also often green smoothies, making them very healthy and conducive to weight loss. To lose at least two pounds a week by drinking smoothies, replace at least one meal a day with a tomato smoothie below. To lose more than two pounds a week and possibly up to five pounds, replace two of your meals below with any of the smoothies. All of them are below 200 calories and many are below 100 calories, which should trigger a significant weight loss. You should also make sure that you are not eating more than 1000 calories a day when you consume your regular meals in order for you to optimize your weight loss.
Avoid the temptation to use canned juice or canned tomatoes in these smoothie recipes as they may be too salty or have a bit of a tinny taste. Use fresh, organic tomatoes whenever possible. If you must used canned tomatoes make sure they are not canned in sugar or sodium and that they are not preserved with citric acid.
Be sure to consult with your physician before going on a calorie-restricted weight loss regimen and be aware that this regimen may also not be suitable for you if you suffer from arthritis or have blood sugar issues.
- 1Combine 1 cup of water, a handful of packed black kale leaves, ½ cup of parsley, a cup of chopped tomato , a teaspoon of grated ginger and 1 tablespoon of wild blue green algae. Whirl this all together with a cup of ice. Note that you can get wild blue green algae in liquid or powder form. The more of it you use, the better because it supports the thyroid, which can govern the speed at which you lose weight. Blue algae is seaweed,. The kale is also a rich source of minerals, that along with the seaweed provides fiber, which in turn helps you lose weight by moving waste of your digestive system.Make a Tomato, Kale and Wild Blue Green Algae Smoothie at 60 calories a serving.
- 2Blend together 1 cup of ice , two chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of grated ginger, a clove of grated garlic and 2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice in a blender and blend until frothy and pourable. The ginger stimulates your circulation, which in turn boosts your metabolism. The cilantro and the lemon juice rich are both in Vitamin C which reduces inflammation and weight gain due to water retention. The garlic boosts your immunity and inflammation so that you are better able to exercise without soreness.Make a Tomato, Cilantro, and Ginger Smoothie at 65 calories.
- 3Blend together one chopped large tomato, 3 chopped small carrots, 1 chopped up large red radish, 2 organic garlic cloves and a large handful of parsley. Whirl all of the ingredients together in a blender with a cup of ice until smooth and season with iodized salt and a bit of pepper. The chopped radish radish in this drink stimulates your circulation and kick starts your metabolism and the carrot contains lots of Vitamin A, which supports the health of your liver. The parsley adds even more of a diuretic element and helps to eliminate weight gain due to water retention.Make a Tomato, Radish and Carrot smoothie at 70 calories per serving.
- 4Blend together ½ cup of fresh parsley, 1 cup of chopped tomato,1 cup of distilled water and 1 cup of ice cubes. Whirl everything together until the mixture smooth and frosty and serve. All of the ingredients in this smoothie are potent anti-inflammatories that also perform as diuretic agents. This help reducing bloat and inflammation, helping you look a lot slimmer, particularly in the abdominal area.Make a Tomato, Parsley and Cucumber Smoothie at 75 calories per servings.
- 5Blend together ½ a cup of chopped coriander, 1 cup of chopped raw tomatoes, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped small radish, two garlic cloves and a minced red chili pepper. Whirl all of the ingredients together in a blender with a cup of ice until smooth and season with iodized salt and ground pepper. The coriander and carrots are very high in Vitamin A, which helps support the function of the liver. The radish, garlic and hot chili boost your circulation, immune system and metabolism so that it is easier for you to lose weight.Make a Tomato ,Coriander and Carrot smoothie at 75 calories per serving.
- 6Pack two cups of fresh or frozen spinach into a blender. Add two chopped tomatoes, a red bell pepper, one whole lemon, a one-inch piece of ginger and blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a glass and season with salt and pepper. Spinach is a good source of iron, which supports liver and thyroid health and the extra Vitamin C in the orange juice fights inflammation so that all of the systems in your body work more efficiently.Make a Tomato, Spinach and Orange smoothie at 80 calories per serving.
- 7In a blender, process a cup of chopped tomato pieces, a cup of red cabbage and a whole sliced cucumber. Add a handful of dill or parsley and process until smooth and drinkable. You can also add a clove or two of smashed garlic to the mixture to boost your stamina and immunity. The red cabbage is rich in sulphuric compounds that stimulate your digestive system so that detoxification and weight loss is quick and efficient. The cucumber is a diuretic that helps to flush waste and toxins from your bloodstream and kidneys.Make a Tomato, Red Cabbage and Cucumber smoothie at 80 calories.
- 8Blend ¼ cup of parsley with a handful of kale, 1 small chopped beet, 2 chopped fresh, medium tomatoes, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and a handful. Fill with a cup of chilled water and blend together until smooth. Beet supplies your body with iron, which is needed for the proper functioning of your liver. Dill is a potent diuretic that helps cleanse the liver and kidneys. This particular green smoothie is a bit higher in sugar than most, because of the beets, making it an ideal smoothie for you to drink when you need a bit of energy for a work out.Make a Tomato, Beet and Dill smoothie at 80 calories a serving.
- 9Blend together a cup of chopped tomatoes, a handful of washed, preferably organic dandelion leaves, a whole sliced cucumber, a bunch of parsley, a chili pepper and two cloves of garlic until smooth. Add a dash of lemon and salt and pepper. Dandelion is an extreme diuretic that can quickly cleanse the kidneys and the liver. Cucumber is also a diuretic and a cleanser of the intestines. The garlic and the chili pepper in this smoothie also stimulate your circulation so that your metabolism is works more efficiently to help you lose the pounds.Make a Tomato, Dandelion and Cucumber smoothie at 80 calories a serving.
- 10Blend together one cup each of chopped kale, celery and parsley. Add the juice of one whole organic lemon plus a curl of it's peel, 1 cup of cool water, 1/2 cup of ice and two medium chopped tomato's. Whirl it all together until smooth and pourable. This smoothie is a powerful diuretic as all of the ingredients can help you eliminate water weight and make your tummy look flatter. Parsley is a potent cleanser of the liver and kidney and helps remove uric acid from the joints, thus making working out more comfortable.Make a Tomato, Parsley, Kale and Celery Smoothie at 85 calories.
- 11Blend together a cup of chopped tomatoes, half a cup of chopped dill, ½ of medium avocado, 1 cup water and 1/2 cup of ice and whirl it all together until smooth. The avocado is a source of essential fatty acids, which helps your pituitary glands function optimally and also helps to keep you feeling level and in a good mood while you diet. The dill is a potent diuretic that helps you lose weight due to water retention and make your belly look slimmer. If you don't enjoy the taste of dill, you can use parsley or coriander instead.Make a Tomato, Dill and Avocado smoothie at 90 calories per serving.
- 12Add one cup of ice to a blender. Add 1 chopped medium red pepper, ¼ cup chopped cucumber, , ½ medium avocado, a tablespoon of minced red onions, ¼ cup of chopped coriander and a dash of salt and pepper. You can also season this with a teaspoon of dill pickle juice, a bit of parsley or dill. Feel free to spice it up with a sprinkle of chilies or dash of hot sauce. Every ingredient in this tomato vegetable smoothie is rich in antioxidants and very rich in Vitamin C, helping to reduce inflammation in your body. The avocado adds a bit of healthy fat to your smoothie to support thyroid and brain function.Make a Tomato, Coriander and Red Pepper smoothie at 90 calories per serving.
- 13Blend together a cup of ice, two chopped tomatoes, a large handful of basil and the flesh of a whole avocado. Blend all of the ingredients together until smooth. If the mixture seems to thick, add a bit of water. Season this with salt and pepper and serve. The basil is full of antioxidants and minerals that support the health of the immune and endocrine systems, thus helping you to lose weight. The avocado supplies you with a healthy source of essential fatty acids, which in turn helps support the brain and the function of the pituitary gland.Make Tomato, Basil and Avocado smoothie at 110 calories per smoothie.
- 14In a blender, combine a handful of ice with a ½ cup of ice, six cherry tomatoes and ½ cup of Greek yogurt. Whirl it all together until smooth. This sweet, dessert like smoothie is very high in Vitamin C, which fights inflammation and boosts your immunity. The Greek yogurt adds protein to the smoothie, giving you the stamina to resist cravings until it is time for the next meal.Make a Tomato, Orange and Greek Yogurt smoothie at 140 calories.
- 15Blend together, with a cup of ice, a small chapped tomato,1 cup of fresh parsley, 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt, two fresh cloves of peeled garlic, and the juice of one whole lemon. The yogurt adds protein to the smoothie and helps you ignore hunger pangs. Garlic and cucumber are powerful diuretics that eliminate bloating and they are also both powerful anti-inflammatories that help purify the blood and reduce the amount of time that you spend recovering from exercise.Make a Tomato, Cucumber, Garlic and Yogurt smoothie at 150 calories per serving.
Method 3: By Adding Tomatoes to Your Daily Diet
Adding tomatoes to your daily menu helps you enjoy the weight loss benefits of eating this nutritious fruit, without having to diet much as well.
- 1You can also add a bit of olive oil, or even some grated garlic and herbs to add body and flavor. This is an easy, cheap and efficient weight loss snack that is also very hydrating. Tomatoes can also provide you with a source of quick energy.Eat sliced tomatoes raw with salt and pepper.
Tips and Tricks
- Tomatoes of all colors contain lycopene, not just the red ones and using the purple, brown, yellow and orange tomato's can add a bit of variety to your diet
- The lycopene in orange tomatoes is called trans-lycopene and is more easily absorbed by the body than the lycopene in red tomatoes
- It is a fallacy that brown tomatoes contain more lycopene than red, yellow or orange tomatoes
- Choose to firm, smooth tomatoes without cracks bruises or soft spots
- A hard netted looking blemish is fine and will not affect the quality o the tomato
- Canned tomato's contain even more lycopene than raw ones, but they can also contain a lot of sodium and sugar so check your labels before you buy them to
- Only buy canned tomato's that are sold in BPA free cans as BPA causes cancer
- Always store tomato's on the counter and out of direct exposure to sunlight
- Never store tomatoes in the refrigerator or the tender tissues in their flesh will rot
- To prepare tomatoes for cutting, rinse them under cool running water and pat dry
- Never cook tomatoes in aluminum cookware as the acids in tomato interact with the cookware and the aluminum may leach into your food
- Tomato's belong to the nightshade family of foods and if you have been known to be sensitive and suffer from arthritis after eating these foods, which also includes potatoes and eggplants, then avoid going on the tomato diet
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.