Chia Seeds Weight Loss
It is relatively easy to lose weight once you start using chia seeds. Many people find it happens naturally once they start using chia seeds regularly, but it is more effective if you understand how to use chia seeds for weight loss.
Chia seeds have been called a dieter’s dream. This is because they act as a natural appetite suppressant, but unlike many chemical appetite suppressants, which can have unpleasant side effects, these seeds are a nutritionally dense food and a healthy addition to anyone’s diet. They are also cheaper than appetite suppressants and meal replacement regimes.
Using chia seeds for weight loss can allow you to lose weight without hunger, give you all the health benefits of chia seeds and give you more energy while you lose weight. The gentle cleansing effect of chia seeds on your colon can also give you a noticeably flatter belly within days. I recommend “The Chia Seed Weight Loss Diet” available from Amazon in either paperback or Kindle format. (see below)
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“The Chia Seed Weight Loss Diet”
Available from Amazon
Kindle edition also available
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To use chia seeds for weight loss you will be taking advantage of four of the properties of chia seeds.
One is their ability to swell by up to 12 times their size when added to liquid. This makes you feel full quickly and you will want to eat less
The second is the nutritionally dense properties of chia seeds. You will be adding protein, calcium, b vitamins, folate, iron, antioxidants, omega 3 fats and other necessary nutrients to your diet with only a small calorie content. This will cut down on cravings.
The third property of chia seeds that helps with weight loss is that it digests slowly. This makes you feel full for longer and gives a slow release of energy. This will help prevent lack of energy often associated with dieting,
The fourth property is the increase in energy that most people feel when adding these seeds to their diet. You will feel more energetic, which will make it easier to add a half hour walk or other exercise to your daily routine. You may have to stop yourself skipping or dancing down the street.
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How to lose weight with chia seeds – quick tips
I have found that having whole chia seeds are more filling and keeps you feeling full for longer than if you use ground chia seeds .
Sipping chia fresca during the day can substantially reduce your appetite, especially in hot weather.
Substitute chia fresca for sodas and other sugary drinks. – so much healthier and more refreshing
If you have not used chia seeds before, start slowly by using one teaspoon to one dessert spoon per day for a few days. This makes sure that you do not have any adverse reactions to this food. As always, remember it is advisable to visit your doctor before starting any weight loss program.
More information on chia seeds and weight loss is available here.
Hi,
I’ve heard that we can not use more than 1 Tablespoon, because we can gain weight. Is that truth?
For weight loss, can i substitute my normal dinner for a chia seeds smoothie for exemple? Any ideas?
Thank you very much
It is very difficult to gain weight when eating chia seeds Marcia. They are relatively low in calories and very high in nutrients. You can use a smoothie with chia seeds as a meal replacement. 3 to 4 tablespoons of chia seeds per day is effective in helping weight loss, as it will make you feel full and satisfied. Just make sure you don’t add hidden calories with sodas, refined carbohydrates or fatty fried foods while dieting.
Hi i want to use Chia as part of my protien weight loss diet. how much Chia would be equivilent to 1 protein portion, when 1 egg is also considered 1 protein portion. thanks
Hi Angela. One ounce of chia seeds contains 4.4 grams of complete protein, a bit less than 1 egg which contains around 6 grams. Hope that helps.
My question is I have the lap-band, I can’t a ford a fill, I’ve plateaued on loosing weight. But recently I’ve quit smoking so I’ve started gaining weight and I want to try chia seed to loose weight. Once you make the smoothie or any of the food with chia seeds will it keep expanding after you drink it or eat it, because if I have to much of anything it comes back up.
Proceed with caution Diana. Chia seeds will absorb and expand for up to half an hour. After that they have absorbed all they are going to. In your case, always let your chia mixture stand for at least half an hour before eating/drinking.
Please tell me how to prepare chia seeds. Can they be soaked then cooked on the stove? I am trying to lose weight. These seeds are whole.
Thanks.
Linda Robinson
Just gradually adding up to 4 ablespoons of chia seeds to your every day eating will keep you feeling full and give you great nutrition Linda. The book “The Chia seed weight loss diet” is available on Amazon for more details. No need to soak chia seeds before cooking in liquid on the stove. The recipes on this site give many ways to prepare chia seeds for every day use. Good luck with your weight loss. It worked for me!
Hello,
So you are supposed to add a teaspoon to 8-10oz of water and drink but this doesnt really work all the seeds fall to the bottom and turn into a gel chunk i dont really want to eat is this the proper way or do i use the ground? Kind of confused about this process thanks!
Hi Kristi. You need to whisk the seeds into liquid and keep stirring on and off for about 10 minutes to prevent the seeds from clumping together in the bottom of the glass. The whole seeds are best to use in liquid. For weight loss you need to add a tablespoon of chia seeds to a glass of water 3 to 4 times a day. Alternatively, use some of the recipes on this site to add 3-4 tablespoons of chia seeds into your diet each day. Much more appetising! For more details, my book on Amazon gives simple ways to lose weight with chia seeds. (“The Chia seed weight loss diet”). Its based on my experience with weight loss using chia seeds.
Hi,
I got the Chia seeds and my question is can I take them with other liquid than water? (juice, milk)?
Yes, by all means Ban. If you are trying to lose weight, just add a little fruit juice to the water/chia mix as a way to add a little flavor.
I am from Scotland uk and have just purchased chai seeds from amazon. Thank you so much for clearing up all my confusion! Your website is very informative and interesting. I am looking forward to following your weight loss advice and recipes. Thanks again!
Hi, first of all, thank you for all the great info on chia seeds! I only have one question, is it possible to eat too many chia seeds? I´m just wondering, if I bake something with them, and still just eat 4 Tbs of raw seeds, can it be too much?
Thank you in advance!
Livy
There is no limit set on how much chia seeds you can eat Livy. The FDA classes chia seeds as a food. Let your own body be your guide, make sure you drink plenty of water and aim for a balanced diet. I have heard of runners having up to 7 tablespoons of chia seeds per day, but that seems a bit too extreme to me.
Im trying to understand this-
how much will 1 tablespoon dry seeds be equal to 1 tablespoon “gel” chai seeds?
Cuz if i got it rite,dry and “gel” seeds is not the same in amount?
Im asking cuz i make gel with the seeds,trying to find out how much/many tbs i should use per day….
Hope i mangaged to explain what i mean;)
Ellen
Many people seem to be confused by this Ellen. Chia gel can be made thick or thin, depending on how much liquid you add, so there is no real equivlent to how much gel is equal to an amount of seeds. Think of it this way — if you want to eat a tablespoon of seeds during the day in a gel form, then add your tablespoon of seeds to however much liquid you want to add and then consume the lot. Hope that’s clear.
My son just recently had a issue that landed him with an overnight stay in the hospital and a barrage of tests, which we are still going through. While having the tests done, we have found out that his blood pressure is high for a teenager and that he needs to get active and lose some weight to help lower his blood pressure to reduce the risk of being medicated for it. I have made changes in our diets, but he still has trouble with portion control. It makes me so sad to know how he struggles, and I want to do everything to help him. We are gradually changing our lifestyle and it can be hard getting everyone on board. Would it be beneficial for him to drink water with some seeds before his meals, and how long before to help him feel less hungry? Thank you !
Yes Nina, it would be beneficial for your son to drink water with some seeds about 10 to 15 minutes before a meal to make him less hungry. The book “The chia seed weight loss diet”, available on Amazon, gives more ways to add chia seeds to his diet for weight loss. Having a bit of variety will make it easier for him to be consistent in his weight loss efforts. Chia seeds are also known to have a beneficial effect on high blood pressure. Good luck Nina!
Is it safe to drink chia while pregnant or breast feeding?
Chia seeds are classed as a food by the FDA. To me, this indicates that its safe for consumption by pregnant or breast feeding women. If you are at all concerned, Elena, do consult a doctor, and remember that moderation in all foods is always best.
I use chia seeds to keep regular. I use 1 tlb. in 1 cup of water. Then I add 3 tbls chia gel to 16 oz.green tea or vit C water. After reading about weight loss when used as an appetite supressant, I will increase my intake if chia seeds to see if I can help with weight loss. Thanks to all who have written comments:-)
Hi I am new to taking chia seeds, actually I haven’t even started yet, but I wanted to know is it ok to still workout everyday?
Yes it is good to keep on working out Sharie. In fact you will probably find you have more energy to exercise once you start taking chia seeds.
I have been taking the seeds for a few weeks now and dont see any weight coming off.I have only been taking 2 teaspoons aday could this be why?Now I find this is helping me about my colon I had colon cancer and everything i eat comes right out. I was told I wouldnt be like i was (firm) this I have to say is helping me out making me firm again and it stop it from all coming out at once.so if I take 2 tablespoons or 4 aday is it going to make me run for the bathroom??????????????????????
Hi Doreen. I am glad to hear you are getting beneficial results from taking a small amount of chia seeds each day. You are right, 2 teaspoons is not enough to make you feel full and help with weight loss. 2 to 4 Tablespoons of chia per day seems to be the magic number for steady weight loss. I am not a doctor and can’t comment on how much you should take and what results you can expect. I feel you should discuss this with your doctor. When in doubt, its always wise to add chia seeds to your diet slowly, increasing one teaspoon at a time.
I just bought some chia seed but I got the ground ones, did I get the wrong ones or will they work.I got them for the weight lose but also for the colon cleanse.
Ground chia seeds are fine Tricia. I like to keep both ground chia and whole chia seeds on hand.
First off, thanks for such great info! Each day I drink 48 ozs of green smoothie for weight loss, and I add 4 tbsps of chia seed gel into it. Since gelled seeds are comprised of both the seeds and liquid, when measuring and adding to my smoothie, is one tbsp of dry seeds equivalent to one tbsp of gelled seeds? Or do I need to increase the amount of tbsps to account for the volume of water in the gel? I want to ensure that I’m using the full 4 tbsps and not less due to the addition of the water. Also, how many calories are in four tbsps of seeds that have been gelled in water? Thanks!
Hi Sharon. Whenever I make a smoothie I add the seeds straight to the smoothie and then blend. Try adding the seeds directly to your green smoothie. The chia seeds would gell up in your smoothie after about 10 minutes. Then you could add water if its too thick. Each tablespoon of chia seeds is around 75 calories – the water has no calories.
I have been using chia seeds for a few weeks with very good results. I also find the measurements confusing. The question about whether one Tbsp of dried seeds is equivalent to one Tbsp of gelled seeds was not answered. No, it is not the same. It would be helpful if people said whether the amounts they are listing are dry seeds or chia gel that they mixed up. For example, add 2 Tbsp of dry chia seeds, or add 2 Tbsp of chia gel, etc. Thanks for all the good info and answering all these questions.
Thanks for the feedback Don. Sorry for any confusion. In all my recipes, when I say to add a tablespoon of chia seeds, it always means the dry seeds. If I want the seeds to be soft, I will say add to the liquid in the recipe (eg, egg, milk, fruit juice, etc.) and allow 10 to 15 minuted for the seeds to soften and swell. One tablespoon of gelled chia seeds is not the same as one tablespoon of dry chia seeds, as you say. I’m so glad to hear you are having good results from using chia seeds.
Ok I want to use chia seeds for it’s nutrients and weight lost. Now I know for weight lost 2 tbsp per day is good but the thing I’m confuse about once I put 1 tbsp in my cup of water am I using / drinking that whole thing once it is gelled?
Also, can I drink a cup before eating my food ?
Hi Lady Raven. Your weight loss is likely to be slow (but steady) using 2 tbsp of chia a day. For better results try 3 or even 4 tbsp of the seeds per day. You drink the whole thing after putting the chia seeds in a cup of water – not need to wait for it to gel. A cup of water plus a tbsp of chia seeds before a meal is a very effective way to curb your appetite
I just started taking chia powder for weight loss and started right away with the suggested serving size of 2 1/2 tbsp. I was literally not hungry for the entire day though I made sure I was thoroughly hydrated. I’m thinking that the suggested serving size was a bit much for me to start out with and will reduce down to about 1/2 tbsp or less. Also, I have always had low blood pressure but never any of its negative sypmtoms (i.e. fainting, dizziness). I understand that chia seed lowers your blood pressure which is a boon for individuals with a history of high blood pressure. This side effect of chia seeds, however, may not be so beneficial for someone that already has low blood pressure.
Yes, it does sound as though you need less than the recommended dose. Its always best to listen to your own body, and, in your case, keep an eye on your blood pressure
I JUST BOUGHT CHIA SEEDS FOR THE FIRST TIME, SO I’M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THIS ALL OUT. I PUT THE SEEDS INTO WATER, AND THEY DID NOTHING. THEY DID NOT PLUMP UP OR GET SOFT. THEY SAT IN WATER FOR OVER A N HOUR. ALSO, I STILL GET REALLY HUNGRY AFTER I EAT THEM. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE SEEDS? OR MAYBE IT’S JUST ME. I WANT TO CONTINUE USING THEM…
It sounds very much like there is something wrong with the seeds you purchased Cynthia. I have never heard of this happening before. Yes, you would still feel hungry if the seeds are not swelling. Try another batch of chia seeds and make sure you buy a reputable brand. It only takes a few minutes for the seeds to start swelling in liquid.
Which brands are the ones to trust? I want to get started with chia seeds for weight loss and overall nutrition, and get my parents started on them because I’ve read that they can help with a variety of medical issues, including diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer. I just don’t want to waste time or money on substandard seeds.
Thanks!
Hi Mandy. I recommend the Azchia brand of chia products as they are first class seeds. They are available on the Azchia site or from Amazon. That brand and another couple of brands I trust are available on my site here
I’ve been taking Chia Powder 2Tbs a day is it okay to drink that much or even add to 8oz of liquid? I usually add 2Tbs to water.
Hi Terry. Most people just use the chia seeds in their natural state to lose weight. One to two tablespoons per day, either in liquid or in a recipe often results in weight loss over time. However for a better, quicker weight loss result, two to four tablspoons of chia seeds added to your daily food intake is recommended.