Why weight loss shakes are working for me

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DamienRiceFan
DamienRiceFan Posts: 30
in Health and Weight Loss
I have never really been a fan of meal replacements, I love to cook & I love to eat real food. But for the past week now I have decided at Dinner instead of eating real food I would have a weight loss shake blended with a banana, peanut butter & some ice. It's been hard but at the same time it's been easy. I've been a stay at home mom for the past 18 years & the part of the day I most look forward to is Dinner-time. My kids, my husband, our cats & I sit down to eat almost every night together, it's a rare occasion when we're not all together for this meal. We talk, we laugh, we tell jokes, we act absolutely crazy but we love it. It's our time to be ourselves & we truly enjoy it. But last night at Dinner it hit me while I was drinking my shake watching my family eat yummy homemade pizza that while we're all having fun we're also mindlessly eating. I think I do a pretty good job making healthy meals for my family but the truth is picking at any of the leftovers whether it's pasta, bean patties or salad it is added calories and we all know it's the calories that cause us to gain or lose weight. I know I don't want to watch my family enjoy their real food at Dinner forever (while I'm drinking my meal) but for right now until I lose some of this weight I'm ok with it. We're all still together, having a great time & really that is what matters most.

Replies

  • dmags
    dmags Posts: 303
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    I have a weight loss shake every morning. I don't get a lot of time to eat breakfast. I am a teacher, so no matter what I eat or do in the am I am rushed. I realized that the bagel and cream cheese I was eating every day (before MFP) was not worth it, because I was so rushed I could not enjoy it. Why waste the calories when you cannot enjoy it? I like to eat real food at night, because I am more satisfied and am not as tempted to snack during the unstructured time I have at night. I guess my point is ... whatever works!
  • mzmoonlight
    mzmoonlight Posts: 160
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    I'm not a fan of meal replacement either and avoided shakes initially because of this but now I am a big fan. I usually have one as my first meal and that sets me up for the day. Replacing the big meal is a good idea though, a lot of room for saving calories if you need to.
  • Behavior_Modification
    Behavior_Modification Posts: 24,482 Member
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    Hi Laura,

    I'm reading a book called "Overcoming Overeating" right now and that is one of the topics. Dinner w/ your family. Many people feel the need to eat with and what their family is and end up overeating instead of really concentrating on their own hunger. I think what you're doing is a wonderful step in helping you get healthier. It allows you to be in complete control of how many calories are going into your mouth at that time and you still get the enjoyment of spending that beloved time w/ your family.

    Diane
  • DamienRiceFan
    DamienRiceFan Posts: 30
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    Hi Laura,

    I'm reading a book called "Overcoming Overeating" right now and that is one of the topics. Dinner w/ your family. Many people feel the need to eat with and what their family is and end up overeating instead of really concentrating on their own hunger. I think what you're doing is a wonderful step in helping you get healthier. It allows you to be in complete control of how many calories are going into your mouth at that time and you still get the enjoyment of spending that beloved time w/ your family.

    Diane
    And this is why I adore you Diane. :smile:
  • lvfunandfit
    lvfunandfit Posts: 654 Member
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    I have a weight loss shake every morning. I don't get a lot of time to eat breakfast. I am a teacher, so no matter what I eat or do in the am I am rushed. I realized that the bagel and cream cheese I was eating every day (before MFP) was not worth it, because I was so rushed I could not enjoy it. Why waste the calories when you cannot enjoy it? I like to eat real food at night, because I am more satisfied and am not as tempted to snack during the unstructured time I have at night. I guess my point is ... whatever works!


    HA HA! I'm a teacher also and always rushed early in the AM. I drink a protein shake first thing as well!
  • sgodbe
    sgodbe Posts: 2
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    What shakes does everyone use? Or do you make your own? My biggest issue is the time piece as well. I love smoothies - we've made them in our magic bullet with plain non-fat yogurt, banana, frozen strawberries, a little peanut butter. They are healthy and delicious. But honestly, it's faster and easier to eat a bowl of cereal for me (and there's less dishes - the magic bullet or blender are a real pain to clean!). So is there a specific shake pre-packaged that works well?
  • DamienRiceFan
    DamienRiceFan Posts: 30
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    I just buy the WalMart Equate brand. I add a banana, 1 T of peanut butter & a couple handfuls of ice.
  • lvfunandfit
    lvfunandfit Posts: 654 Member
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    I drink the Muscle Milk Shakes. I buy the powder and mix with 1/2 c of nf milk and 1/2 c of water. Sometimes I add fruit or almond butter.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I say if it helps you control your eating I am all for it. Once you get to where you want to be, you can change things up. Best of luck to ya!

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