Meal Replacement?!

Shakes and bars can be good in a pinch on a busy day, but they don't teach you anything. The best tools for learning portion control are a kitchen scale and a nutrition label.

edit to fix my horrible grammar

A replacement shake or bar isn't teaching you portion control, it's only teaching you what a portion of meal replacement is. As the previous poster stated, you need to get a scale and a set of measuring spoons and start figuring out what a portion really is and learn to live within those boundaries.

This.

I use meal replacement shake powder now and again... but just to make my protein powder taste better. I would never rely on them long term for a meal. At most I have them two to three times per week when I'm in a pinch or am short on my protein goals.

Meal replacements teach you nothing.

I have shake powder as a backup at work, I use them when I don't have anything else or I have to stay longer than expected. Instead of grabbing something (usually not so good) in the cafeteria I just take a shake.

I think a week or two of only shakes is fine if you want to jump start your weigth loss, it might give you that push you need. It's not uncommon in Sweden and I know plenty of peole that have used it, some with success, some without.

I don't like to eat breakfast so I always have a protien shake for breakfast. I need the extra protien and it gives me something to get me going in the morning.

I'm using the Body Vi shakes 2 times a day and love the results I've gotten over the last 90 days (I think you could use any high quality protein shake and have the same results)! I also workout about 6 days a week so I'm sure that helps, but the shakes help me keep my protein levels up since I'm pescetarian it's hard to always get my protein levels where they should be. They also help me keep my calorie intake in line and let me splurge on a bigger meal once a day which works with my busy lifestyle.

Depending on what the meal replacement is, it can be as many calories as a meal. For example, a friend of mine was telling me about how they're drinking this meal replacement concoction. It's 2 cups 2% milk (140 calories), one scoop slim fast powder (90 something calories), 2 tbs wheat germ (90 calories) and 2 tbs of something else (but I remember it was 60 calories). So that's about 380 calories total. She could just eat some real food for that many calories!!!

I agree with the previous posters about portion control. However, I am always in a rush in the morning (I like sleep a little too much) so I always grab a slim fast shake. They are a bit high in sugar but I can honesty say they fill me up until lunch time! I had oatmeal yesterday and was starving until 10 am, but the shakes do the trick. I do drink them slowly though when I get to work so that may help as well

I've done Slimfast a couple of times and failed miserably both times. Apart from giving me horrendous wind (!) they never filled me up so I was grumpy, miserable, windy and never managed to shift more than a couple of pounds.

I heard Shakology and those workout specific shakes are really high in sugar. AVOID.

To answer you OP, I do have meal replacements.. daily. I have two active children, my oldest having special needs which both demand my attention. I have a high protein meal replacement by Ensure in the morning. It doesn't have a lot of sugar, carbs are reasonable for the morning and the protein is higher than anything I can get that doesn't involve going to the natural food store every week.

I'm a vegetarian and I lack a gall bladder. I use the body bi vi shakes because I'm not hungry in the morning before I work out. What else gives you 12 protein and only comes at the cost of 7 carbs? Nothing that I would eat. So I use one or two a day. What works for you is great, but the people saying they won't work in the long run is only their opinion. I see my nutritionist once every three months and she is proud of me. My doctor knows all the standard process supplements I'm taking and tells me to keep up the good work. You have to do what works for you. It's not a one size fits all plan that fits everyone's needs. Wish you the best of luck.

They're very good if you know which work best for your body. If you don't eat many carbs a day anyway, try Atkins shakes. If you prefer good old lasagna and garlic bread, try Special K shakes.:bigsmile:

Please stop with the 'I've heard this and that about shake x.... If you don't have facts, don't say anything. Or look it up.

I'm NOT a shakeology coach and I use it, because it fills me up and reduces my cravings (it's not a every day thing for me though). It has 6g of sugar in each scoop but has a low glucose index. When you consider that a cup of yogurt has the same amount of sugar or more, it's not such a big deal, IMO. I've tried other shakes and they didn't fill me up anywhere as much and at least I know this one has no artificial sweeteners.

I absolutely understand why some people think it doesn't teach you proper portion control etc. Personally I use protein/fiber bars and shakes to satisfy my sweet tooth without destroying my diet. When I feel like eating real food, I eat real food (which I do anyway most of the time!), but it really doesn't fill me as much for the calories. And if I have a bad chocolate craving, I can just have a bar or shake instead. Works every time.