adding nutritional supplements

tndejong
tndejong Posts: 463
in Food and Nutrition
im looking for a little advice as to how to cut some calories from my everyday routine and still being healthy about it. im thinking about trying to sub breakfast or lunch with some type of supplement drink. i want opinions from people who actually do this and what types of products people use and recommend. i am currently eating about 1500 calories a day and exercise an hour or more a day. i have been doing pretty good at this. i have lost 20 pounds since January 1st. i have had a few slips here and there. but over all doing really well. i would also like to add a multivitamin. any suggestions there? i dont want to turn into those crazy people who take a million vitamins and tons of fitness drinks and powders. but i would like to improve my health to a point. i have also found that by cutting a lot of dairy products out of my diet that i have no stomach issues anymore. would just a multivitamin be ok? should i add more calcium?

Replies

  • kevinholton
    kevinholton Posts: 2 Member
    In my opinion whole foods will always be better than supplements, as supplements are suppose to do just that - supplement your diet. The cons of substituting a real meal with a quick shake or drink can be costly, lacking in some nutrients, less filling and made with artificial ingredients (depending on the supplement). That's not to say I don't have the odd protein shake throughout the day, but I only do this in times of need when I need to hit my macronutrients. I definitely notice that it is does have the same satiety affect as food as i'm usually wanting to eat shortly after it.

    If you really do not like eating breakfast or lunch as it's too time consuming or you just rather have a shake, then by all means you can do that. Some meal replacement supplements tend have higher calories - similar to that of consuming a normal meal. If you want lower calorie recipe meals there are plenty in that forum to help you with ideas.

    By all means you can substitute a shake for a meal but ultimately i think the cost will be more and nutrients may be lacking in comparison. (That's just my thought - you could try it and see how it works in your diet) Hope this helps!
  • AprilRN10
    AprilRN10 Posts: 548 Member
    Go here:

    http://www.mealreplacementshakereviews.com/?gclid=CN25087T-bQCFYYWMgod_BkAqA
  • BlackTimber
    BlackTimber Posts: 230 Member
    Some good advice so far. Most multi-vitamins are a waste of money IMO. If there is one vitamin that you should take it would have to be Vitamin "D". Nearly everyone in the northern hemisphere is low. The next time you have your blood checked, remember to have our doctor ask for the vitamin "D" to be tested as well and get a recommendation as to how much you should take. As far as all other supplements or meal replacements, they are never as healthy as what you make for yourself. I however do supplement with different protein powders just to make sure I am getting enough protein and calories. I have used a number of different brands, typically buying what is on sale. The difference between one brand and another will be mostly they hype that goes along with their marketing campaign. Good job so far and good luck making that wedding dress look huge on you!
  • Tevtpos
    Tevtpos Posts: 4
    Taking supplements should follow biological principles. For example, since the body requires many different micronutrients it is best to have a comprehensive, science-based multivitamin supplements as the core of your program, rather than taking one or a few single-agent products. The latter approach increases your chance of experiencing side effects from supplements and decreases health benefits (see http://www.supplements-and-health.com/side-effects-of-dietary-supplements.html ). Taking vitamin D supplements, for instance, will increase the need for magnesium and vitamin K2 because vitamin D will lead to better calcium utilization (i.e., taking vitamin D may lead to a magnesium deficiency).

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