Meal replacement shakes

lbcbeachbum77

Hi all.

I love Slim Fast. I eat a shake almost every day in lieu of a meal. I blend it in the blender with light soy milk and ice, often adding fruit or peanut butter. I love the flavor, that it quenches my sweet tooth, and how easy it is. I suspect that there are other powder shake products out there that may be nutritionally better and before I go spend any money I wonder if you all have any thoughts/recommendations. I am on a very tight budget so can't afford to spend much more than what Slim Fast costs. Would love to hear what you think...

~m

Nighthawk4

I tried them recently. The shakes are not bad but don't really replace a full meal - not do the chocolate crunch bars. I tend to eat a snack as well.

However, the most difficult part with their plan is having a main meal of 600 calories. I haven't eaten 600 calories in one meal since I gave up fried food in February. I tend to have a normal meal and then eat one of their meal replacement bars as well.

The other odd thing with the Slim Fast plan is that it doesn't seem to have any adjustment for people's different requirements.

NoxDineen

I'm not sure the nutritional breakdown of a SlimFast shake (the last time I tried one I was a teenager and it tasted so bad I spit it out immediately) but you could try something like my 2 "go-to" smoothies. The cost per smoothie is ridiculously cheap and they're super simple.

"Snack" or pre-workout smoothie:
- 1 cup frozen raspberries ($9 for a huge bag at Costco)
- 1 cup water (or milk)
- chocolate whey powder
- (optional) 1/4 to 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- (optional) if using water rather than milk trade 1/2 cup water for 1/2 cup juice (I like Acai & Pomegranate, $10 for 2 medium bottles at Costco)
- (optional) Greens+ powder

Post-workout or meal replacement smoothie:
- 1 cup 1% or soy milk
- chocolate whey
- ice
- plain Greek yogurt

These work out to between 200 and 300 calories, and they all have at least 35 grams of protein. (Chocolate whey isolate, 4.4 kg $50 at -- you guessed it -- Costco)

SARgirl

I use MuscleTech and like it! It's $35 at SAMs club for a 5 pound bag. I usually will use a scoop of powder, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup silk lite chocolate milk, and a tablespoon of peanut butter and blend it in a blender with some ice. It's about 350 calories or so.

carebear7951

IDK, I love Slim Fast too (taste and filling me up wise) but after my OB told me that it has the equivalent of aspartame as a diet coke...which I never drink b/c I don't "do" fake sweeteners. Ugh. I never thought about it having that. I still have some that I will finish but I hope you can find something that's better for you and still tastes yummy to you.

Good luck on the smothies. I have not had any luck!? Every one I try tastes "off" to me. Very frustrating.

Heather_Rider

I use body by vi. Its a little pricy, starting at $49.00 for 30 shakes, however i use one scoop as opposed to the 2 they recommend and it lasts me 2 months... so thats not too bad!

The nutrition in the body by vi shakes is UNBELIEVEABLE and its only 90 calories for a full shake (45 cals for one scoop per shake!) I have a picture of what all it contains if you would like to see it.. you can message me your emal & ill send it to you.

**just for the record, NO I do NOT sell the stuff, i just use it.

I have one scoop of powder in a smoothie in the morning, one at lunch and another before bed to help repair my muscles, when i have worked out.

I really love the shakes, and since being on them, i have stopped taking ALL medications except the occasional round of predisone for my COPD, and inhalers. (i was on pain medication, anxiety medication and medication for crohns disease)

Good luck to you!

lbcbeachbum77

Thanks everyone for your input. I have heard of Body by Vi and thought about trying it, but the big upfront cost deters me. So, if slim fast uses aspartame, which I didn't know, I wonder what other products use. As for the homemade blend, I honestly like the ease of just scooping a scoop, adding my soy milk and peanut butter and that is that... I have never liked fruit or juice in my smoothies (weird, I know) I will look into the muscle tech. I never followed the slim-fast "plan" and just used them as part of my daily calories.

Thanks again

~m

pink_butterfly

I drnk Ensure every morning for Breakfast. I normally buy them when they are on sale, so when I find hem on sale I'm only spending about $45CDN /month.

I tried the body by Vi and hubby and I both found it very powdery and didn't really like it.