Only meal replacement shakes. Is it possible?

freespirit427

I was thinking about trying out doing 3 meal shakes daily and that's it.

Thoughts? Pros? Cons?

VintageFeline

My first question is why?

FreyasRebirth

You can lose weight that way. Then you can gain it all back when you start eating solid food again. Any diet that restricts calories can cause weight loss but not all of them help you with how to eat afterward.

freespirit427

I'm having a horrible time with portion control. Even with my veggies, fibers and proteins. I am constantly over eating. Which I know is all me.

I know the food scald game and use it but always go back for more even though I shouldn't.

I was hoping to use meal shakes as a reset for a week or two.

FreyasRebirth

If you feel you need enforced portion sizes, maybe something like NutriSystem could help to mentally get used to smaller portions. Also, get smaller dishes and don't cook enough for you to easily go back for seconds.

VintageFeline

If you're struggling to control your intake now, only drinking your calories is going to amplify that 1000 fold. I think you'll end up bingeing in all honesty. You'd be better really addressing why you can't stop going back for seconds and developing strategies to deal with that, whether it be only ever cooking one portion so there is nothing else to go back for (I live alone so this is basically what I do anyway).

Francl27

Unless you're planning on never eating real food again, you're just not going to learn how to eat properly by doing that... Really not a good long term plan.

freespirit427

Great advice. Thank you everyone!

MelanieCN77

Aside from a little booze at night, drinking my calories in the form of shakes or juices just doesn't work for me. My main concern with my food is that I enjoy it and that it makes me feel full till my next meal as far as possible. This is never going to happen with a shake. Also think about your long term eating goals and start those now, the time has come.

jgnatca

Possible and inadvisable. If you go that route consider https://www.soylent.com/

It at least has all the micronutrients you might miss out otherwise.

You might try slow/mindful eating. A great deal of my pleasure from eating comes from the tactile pleasure from chewing. If I eat too fast or don't pay attention while I eat I may try and repeat the experience even though I am already full.

lorrpb

What are you making that you're going back for extra helpings? I make/serve only enough for that meal. That's all that goes on the plate or table. If it's part of a bigger batch, the rest gets refrigerated. But honestly, it's really hard to each too many calories from veggies unless you slather them in sauces or butter.
Are you weighing your food on a scale and logging calories? Usually that process becomes a mental warning sign that helps us manage our portions better. One shake a day as a snack is fine, but they're not the answer you're looking for.

chelseavrb

I think substituting maybe one a day is enough for me. I notice I get cranky if I don't eat solid food!

jordan_bowden

Definitely not recommended.. I know a lady who did this for a while and she ended up in ICU for weeks! If your goal is to control portion sizes then best work on that in the most manageable approach for you. You can't live of meal replacements for the rest of your life, self control is definitely more applicable!:)

apullum

If you can't cook just one portion of something, then after you've weighed and measured your food, put the rest away. Portion out the leftovers, pack them up, and stick them in the fridge/freezer/pantry right that minute. It will be less tempting to get more than you planned to eat if it's not right there in front of you, if you've already gone to the trouble of making individual portions of it, and if it's more work to get to it.

If you're eating up to your calorie goal and still are hungry, try eating more protein and less sugar/white carbs. Sugar and white carbs don't fill me up because they're quickly broken down by the body. Many people here find that protein and fiber help them feel full.

emdeesea

The thing is you will lose weight, but you have to go back to eating normal food at some point. So you really do need to learn portion control.

kshama2001

freespirit427 wrote: »

I'm having a horrible time with portion control. Even with my veggies, fibers and proteins. I am constantly over eating. Which I know is all me.

I know the food scald game and use it but always go back for more even though I shouldn't.

I was hoping to use meal shakes as a reset for a week or two.

What's your weekly weight loss goal and how many pounds do you have to lose total?

If your meals have a good mix of protein, fat, and fiber and you are still hungry, you may be trying to create too large a deficit.

cityruss

Unfortunately we don't come equipped with a reset switch.

sijomial

Say you manage to lose weight with meal replacements - those real food portion control issues aren't going to get resolved so regain of weight lost is highly likely outcome.
Make some small changes, learn to cook (appropriate quantities only) and learn to stop eating when you have had enough would be my suggestion.

H_Ock12

You could instead try cooking only one portion of food, so there are no second helpings to go back for. Or even buying lean cuisine or other prepackaged, single serving meals.

krazyk_18

I have had a problem of going back for seconds, i ordered a book called 'paul mckennas hypnotic gastric band' from ebay and although I'm not exactly convinced about the hypnotic part the 4 rules are great and in my first week,( this week) i lost 3pounds. I eat what i want when i want but get full quicker. And always leave food on my plate.

dragon_girl26

jgnatca wrote: »

Possible and inadvisable. If you go that route consider https://www.soylent.com/

It at least has all the micronutrients you might miss out otherwise.

You might try slow/mindful eating. A great deal of my pleasure from eating comes from the tactile pleasure from chewing. If I eat too fast or don't pay attention while I eat I may try and repeat the experience even though I am already full.

It's incredible what this alone is doing for me lately! I am used to just shoveling my food down quickly and getting back to work, etc...but I notice that since I've tried eating more slowly (putting the fork down between each bite and not taking another until I am finished with the previous bite), it makes the portion on the plate seem much bigger, and I am satiated on less. That would be my advice - try eating more slowly!