ViSalus

fruitloop2

How good or bad is this stuff for you? I have a friend who recently started taking it (April 6 to be exact) and is basically starving herself. She has 1 of these shakes for breakfast, 1 for lunch and then she eats supper and has a snack (probably not a helthy one either) later in the evening. She is delusional about what this shake will do for her and won't listen to me. Her starting weight is 189 and she just posted on Facebook that she is now at 181lbs...that is only 4 days and she is down 8lbs! THAT can't be good for her!

fruitloop2

Anyone?

rekite2000

I am not a big fan of any of those products. They (people pushing the crap) say it is about being healthy and then say to eat 1200 calories. It is just sad. I will spend my money on real food- thanks! My husband tried another company's (same concept). He was doing insanity and running with just those shakes, couple snaks, and dinner- I finally showed him what he was doing to himself. He now counts his calories and eats way more than 1200.

WinnerVictorious

How good or bad is this stuff for you? I have a friend who recently started taking it (April 6 to be exact) and is basically starving herself. She has 1 of these shakes for breakfast, 1 for lunch and then she eats supper and has a snack (probably not a helthy one either) later in the evening. She is delusional about what this shake will do for her and won't listen to me. Her starting weight is 189 and she just posted on Facebook that she is now at 181lbs...that is only 4 days and she is down 8lbs! THAT can't be good for her!

she's losing water. meal replacement shakes are a gimmick. they are expensive and they don't teach anyone how to live for the rest of their lives. if your friend doesn't plan on drinking only those for the rest of her life, when she comes off of them and eats real food again, she's most likely going to put back all of the weight and more.

what she should be doing is learning how her body works and how/why it gains/loses fat. that's what calorie counting and IIFYM would do for her. tell her when she gets tired of the shakes, she should make an account here and start learning about the things she needs to know so that she can take the weight off and maintain it for the rest of her life while eating real foods.

theCarlton

I'd wager it has the same success as the Slimfast diet...none.

fotofreak01

I use Visalus but not the way the company tries to push it. I initially woul make them only to try to up my protein intake, as I was so busy that I would forget to eat and they were quick for me. Now, I drink them because I actually love the taste of them. I have a horrible sweet tooth so now, when I'm craving something sweet, I can make a strawberry v-shake and be done with it. It's better for me then the entire pint of Haagen Daaz I would typically eat....lol.

mockchoc

I use Visalus but not the way the company tries to push it. I initially woul make them only to try to up my protein intake, as I was so busy that I would forget to eat and they were quick for me. Now, I drink them because I actually love the taste of them. I have a horrible sweet tooth so now, when I'm craving something sweet, I can make a strawberry v-shake and be done with it. It's better for me then the entire pint of Haagen Daaz I would typically eat....lol.

You should be learning to deal with the ice cream because it's always going to be there and a serve of it can be a wonderful treat for you to enjoy every now and then for the rest of you life. Fit what you love into your calories and macros is how you stay slim long term.
Not diet shakes!

fayeonherway

One of the best articles I found. I also did my own independent research because I love to read : http://www.davidmodderman.com/blog/index.php/weight-loss/body-by-vi-is-it-all-hype/

I wish I could come up with something like this...I'd be rich!! The diet industry boasts multi-billion dollar profits since everyone is looking for a quick fix.

robsgurl

I have had people try to push that stuff on me so they could get their free month supply..I tell them no I am not interested and I would rather do it the way I have been doing it even tho my way might take a little longer but at least I am making changes by eating better and getting more active...=)

fotofreak01

I use Visalus but not the way the company tries to push it. I initially woul make them only to try to up my protein intake, as I was so busy that I would forget to eat and they were quick for me. Now, I drink them because I actually love the taste of them. I have a horrible sweet tooth so now, when I'm craving something sweet, I can make a strawberry v-shake and be done with it. It's better for me then the entire pint of Haagen Daaz I would typically eat....lol.

You should be learning to deal with the ice cream because it's always going to be there and a serve of it can be a wonderful treat for you to enjoy every now and then for the rest of you life. Fit what you love into your calories and macros is how you stay slim long term.
Not diet shakes!

Again, I don't use them as a "diet shake" or even a meal replacement. I drink them because I like the taste of them. I can drink one shake, and easily change the flavor if I want, and be more satisfied then when I do eat the ice cream. I don't ban anything from my diet. If I really, REALLY want something, I have it. I have found that the moment I tell myself I can't have something, that is all I can think about...lol

auntiesonya1970

Most North American diets are too high in protein anyway. I'm always over on my daily intake and I don't eat much meat. If I was on supplements, I'd be WAY over. I prefer to get my protein from things I can chew. But that's just me. If it works for you then all the power to you. This is a great conversation!

fruitloop2

I personally just think my friend is lazy and doesn't want to do the work it takes to lose the weight in a healthy way. It's sad really that she has been brainwashed by all of that crap.

shelliereneebug

I am currently using Body By Vi products and I LOVE THEM. It is not brainwashing, it is about the great success I have had with this product. It allowed me to loose the weight and get to the point where I could do physical activities. I work out and now and feel AMAZING. It is not laziness or poor nutrition. It is not brainwashed. It is simple facts. If you want to know real facts I would be happy to answer any questions without bias or pressure.... I feel that someone should do whatever works to help you loose the weight, but in a healthy manner. Dont take one persons opinion or thier option because you need to do what works for you. I found that BBV is the one product that helps me stay on track. <edited by moderator Guideline #14>

krissy_krossy

I lost almost 10 pounds my first week of changing my eating habits. It was water. That's probably how she's lost so much so quickly. It's not actual fat.

I think products like that are an amazing waste of money. I've never even so much as bought a slim fast shake and I'm doing pretty well. I guess I just like real food.

People are going to do what they're going to do, though. And they'll attribute weight loss to the "awesome amazing product full of vitamins and minerals and rainbows and love" instead of the fact that they're taking in fewer calories than they're burning.

People can spend ("waste," imo) their money on junk like that if they want and I'll enjoy my food and my extra spending money.

nicarey19

I use Visalus but not the way the company tries to push it. I initially woul make them only to try to up my protein intake, as I was so busy that I would forget to eat and they were quick for me. Now, I drink them because I actually love the taste of them. I have a horrible sweet tooth so now, when I'm craving something sweet, I can make a strawberry v-shake and be done with it. It's better for me then the entire pint of Haagen Daaz I would typically eat....lol.

^Agree I like them too. I don't use them as a diet shake. I just like the taste. And I also don't deny myself anything.

lesterfaye81

I use Zeal protein shakes as a meal replacement in a smoothie because it is better for me than eating out when I have to work through lucnh. I also use them to get in more fiber, and make a shake (with milk, yogurt, and frozen fruit) as a way to get more fruit in my diet. I'm single, so if I don't freeze the fruit it doesn't get eaten before it rots. They're a great idea for some people. I've been using the wellness formula for two months now as a supplement and I LOVE IT. I was pretty skeptical to begin with, and I'm still eating actual food, it just helps me work out more. If she's practical about it, it won't hurt might help. That's what you have to remember, use your brain. Zurvita (company that makes Zeal) actually encourgages people to eat real food. Heck, they even have a menu and it has more calories than I usually eat in a day. (1500-1800)

eboyas

Your friend is losing water weight. When you first go on a low carb, high protein diet, your body sheds glycogen. For each gram of glycogen, she will lose 2-3 grams of water. After a while, the weight loss will slow.

I don't think the diet shake in and of itself is horrible. It is just high protein, and if she doesn't add crap to the shakes (instant pudding etc.), it could be okay. I like the fact that they use non-GMO soy.

That being said, she can do the same thing with food. I lost eight pounds my first week on the South Beach diet (it starts with low carb, and then introduces whole grains and other low-glycemic carbs), and my weight loss, after the first month, slowed to an average of 1.3 pounds a week which is healthy and long-lasting weight loss (plus, you don't have saggy skin. This is my second time doing this after my second pregnancy.)






http://www.smallestloser.blogspot.com

Wetcoaster

Soy protein is a very cheap protein, also body by vi isn't a miracle, if you replace 2 meals a day with a whey isolate protein it would do essentially the same. In the end weight loss is calories in vs calories out. Over priced product which is full of questionable ingredients. No scientific research behind the product. Dont even get me started on the MLM part.....

http://fabulouslydomestic.com/2012/08/13/dangerous-visalus-ingredients/

http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/visalus-scam/

qswilliams

Tried it. Did not loose more than a couple of pounds. They are tasty. I was making a shake using choc soy milk with some peanut butter. Fills me up for a couple of hours. I did help my blood sugar. I am 6" 225 lbs and 51 years old if that helps.

fruitloop2

OMG, I can't even stand to read her posts about it on Facebook. Her momand a few others have now said they are good for you and have real food in them and are healthy. You only need to eat once a day, food diets don't work, we just gain weight on food etc. etc. Stupid stupid people! They will gain every pound back when they stop drinking the shakes.

I guess all of us on this form are dumb and we're all gaining weight (not losing it) because we eat FOOD. UGH...I think I need to block her.

Mokey41

My daughter in law sells the stuff. It's a ridiculous waste of money. She and her sister are bragging about how much they've lost but both of them are morbidly obese and have lost about 20 lbs in a few months which they could easily have done just backing away from the chip bag. She keeps trying to tell me how much nutrition the shakes have but you can get lots of nutrition from real food if you don't eat junk.

It's a huge MLM scheme and almost a cult. It's scarey how into it she is and how brainwashed about it being the "only" healthy way to lose weight.

oX_Vanessa_Xo

Im using the visalus shakes, one for lunch and one for breakfast, plus dinner and snacks in between. Im only using them because my cousin gave me 3 bags because she changed her mind about being commited to losing weight.
I kinda half assed them for a year but when I finally got serious about losing weight I started using it again, I just don't wanna throw the bags out.

I've lost 10 lbs since April 2nd but I'm sure its mostly from going to being quite inactive and not eating right to being very active, working out, going to the gym and completely eating healthy.

Wetcoaster

Soy Protein Isolate is a waste product marketed to the public as a health food so that the industry could use it as cheap cost-cutting filler in an assortment of foods in order to increase profits. A blended whey protein, without any form of soy, is better any day of the week in terms of protein synthesis, anti-catabolism, and lean muscle gain.

As for removing fat, lactose, and carbs, that's not a wise thing. In order for a person's body to properly function on a low carb diet, a higher fat content, including some saturate fat, is needed. Also, a much higher protein content than the measly 12 grams found in BBV shakes is advisable. In fact, the whole idea that a one-size-fits-all shake should be central to a weight loss program is ridiculous. Calories and macro-nutrient ratios needed in a person's diet differ from person to person not only based on their weight and age, but also on their gender, body composition, and training regiment.

This whole BBV concept is a play on people's longing to lose weight with a shortcut rather than doing the work required to achieve this goal the healthy way. It's the classic case of an inferior product hi-jacked by a bunch of professional, ex-AMWAY/MonaVie marketers, and fused with a 90 day challenge to give it kinship with legitimate programs like P90X in order to dupe the unwitting and uneducated people who just can't seem to find the motivation to get healthy.

sally_jeffswife

I have heard alot of people swearing by this product that is really works and is healthy and stuff but the thing that makes me unsure about it is how much nutrients are actually in it if the Protein in it is actually high enough or not and also the cost of it when I would still have to buy normal groceries for the rest of my family. Cuz my husband is the opposite of me where he has very very fast metabolism and could actually use to gain some weight cuz he's had dentures and then appendix and then gall bladder surgery where he hasn't been able to eat enough foods due to that. So he actually needs to gain weight some. So for me it would be justifying the cost of that on top of groceries and also if the protein and nutrients in it are actually enough or as much as you would get from food. And I like cooking really well also and so that is another reason it would be hard for me cuz I enjoy cooking. I guess its just whatever works best for your needs. I have heard some good stuff about it though and also some other opinions. I think it just depends on what is best for you.

fruitloop2

Oh, and she is giving it to her 10 year old son as a suppliment because he is a "picky easter". I'm very worried about her and what this id doing to her body...especially since she isn't even following the program properly...she has no food all day...just the 2 shakes...and then supper and an evening snack.