Meal Replacement Shakes

blessed2336

I was thinking about trying this. I do have a protein powder drink once a day. I am always hungry though. Thoughts on MR Shakes? And do you just use the shake or put stuff in them? Does it keep you full?

smokinbluegrass

MR shakes don't work for me. I'd rather eat my calories. I do make a protein/milk shake up most days because I don't usually seem to eat enough protein. But it's a supplement, not a meal. Or I make a smoothie full of good stuff and throw some protein in that. Again, though, it's a supplement or a snack.

kommodevaran

Your calorie need depends on your gender, height, weight, age, and activity level. A good weekly loss, assuming you have excess fat, is around 1% of your body weight. Trying to lose faster, or aiming for a too low body weight, or not getting in good nutrition (despite eating enough, or even too many, calories), will make you starve. If you eat enough, quality and quantity, you're not starving. Hungry is not the same as starving. You are not supposed to feel full all the time, even though the diet industry and the food industry insist that even the slightest feeling of hunger is an emergency. You are supposed to get hungry before meals, and then be satisfied from that meal, and repeat, forever.

If you are overweight, you have made overeating a habit. To lose weight and maintain your loss, you have to change that habit. You can't just change a habit without changing the preference for that habit, and to change preference, you need to feel confident that you aren't hurting yourself by sticking to the new habit. This takes time and practice.

You can eat anything you want and lose weight. A wide variety of foods is the easiest way for most people to get in sufficient nutrition without too many calories, and to avoid the kind of boredom that triggers overeating.

Meal replacement shakes are developed to take money from the desperate and ignorant. Don't be desperate and ignorant. Educate yourself.

88olds

I tried that once, it didn't work.

What worked for me was the opposite, getting volume for my calories.

ABabilonia

kommodevaran wrote: »

Your calorie need depends on your gender, height, weight, age, and activity level. A good weekly loss, assuming you have excess fat, is around 1% of your body weight. Trying to lose faster, or aiming for a too low body weight, or not getting in good nutrition (despite eating enough, or even too many, calories), will make you starve. If you eat enough, quality and quantity, you're not starving. Hungry is not the same as starving. You are not supposed to feel full all the time, even though the diet industry and the food industry insist that even the slightest feeling of hunger is an emergency. You are supposed to get hungry before meals, and then be satisfied from that meal, and repeat, forever.

If you are overweight, you have made overeating a habit. To lose weight and maintain your loss, you have to change that habit. You can't just change a habit without changing the preference for that habit, and to change preference, you need to feel confident that you aren't hurting yourself by sticking to the new habit. This takes time and practice.

You can eat anything you want and lose weight. A wide variety of foods is the easiest way for most people to get in sufficient nutrition without too many calories, and to avoid the kind of boredom that triggers overeating.

Meal replacement shakes are developed to take money from the desperate and ignorant. Don't be desperate and ignorant. Educate yourself.

Excellent post!

canarysal

Its not sustainable, eating proper food will help educate for long term results.

TeaBea

I've done meal replacements in the past. I drank the shakes until I got sick of them. Yes, I lost a few pounds.....which I promptly gained back.

I agree with @kommodevaran - you need to LEARN about your eating habits, so you can make changes.

thechiopodist

Huel is a good meal replacement for busy people. It has all the nutrients you need to live and thrive. I have some which I can use when I'm busy and don't have access to healthy food. Some people live on it full time, but I like solid food to feel satisfied. I find when I do have it I have it thick, as it seems to fill me up better.

ZhivagosGirl

Did shakes in 2012 lost 100 lbs - then promptly gained it all back when I started eating food again. I also blew out my gall bladder in the process. My thoughts are generally not good.

manukahoneybadger

I love Huel- I make it thick as well, if you use the right savoury seasonings I think it's a lot like hummus

mumpuff

I like them, but I only use them when my alternative is not eating at all (I commute a lot and don't always have time or inclination to eat properly).

jondspen

Really depends on you. Some people can do it and be satisfied, some people just can't function on an empty stomach. I have started with protein supplements (BCAA and Whey Isolate) just b/c I am having trouble meeting my protein goals without going over on calories. I also don't have an appetite in the AM, so skipping breakfast isn't hard for me. BTW...I'm trying to lose weight by being on a 1500 calories a day diet, so pretty low calorie intake for me.