Meal Replacement Shakes

AllieMarie2244
AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone try doing these? How was your experience?

My friend and I were thinking about trying them... one for breakfast and lunch and then eating a "healthy dinner"
We have a friend who did it and lost about 25lbs for her wedding coming up


Mostly we want to do these b/c I personally wake up everyday at 3:30am to get ready and go to work (out the door by 4am at work by 5am) and rather then get any type of fast food in the morning or even starbucks is just out of the question. Calories are ridiculous and not worth it. I don't have time to make my breakfast in the mornings and i'm not waking up any earlier to do so. These shakes would be super convenient as i wouldn't have to think about breakfast or lunch it'd be a grab and go type of thing.

Replies

  • Veil5577
    Veil5577 Posts: 868 Member
    I thought about trying them, then I started thinking.

    My goal is a lifestyle change, not a quick diet to lose weight. So if I started on these to lose weight I'd have to keep drinking them for the rest of my life. Plus they are expensive.

    I'm not buying into any of the weight loss products this time. No pills, no shakes, no "healthy" low calorie meals. I'm changing the way I eat as a lifestyle change; for me, that is the only thing that will work.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
    i run out the door as well in the morning.
    i prepare my breakfast the night before and grab and go
    faster than prepping a shake =)
  • YorriaRaine
    YorriaRaine Posts: 370 Member
    Best thing you can do is to eat the foods you enjoy while keeping in mind your micros/macros.

    All those shakes do is give you a read-to-go drink that has a set amount of calories. Drinking a 170 calorie shake would be no different than eating any breakfast that matches the same amount of calories. The difference is you can enjoy the experience of actually eating something vs. drinking it.

    However, I actually hate eating most mornings and I do have a protein shake instead, because I legitimately enjoy making a chocolate protein smoothie that is a close cousin to a chocolate smoothie lol. So I guess if you legitimately enjoy something there isn't anything stopping you. However, at the end of the day weigh loss is about calories in vs out.
  • seismicmuffin
    seismicmuffin Posts: 160 Member
    it takes me 5 minutes or less to prepare my shake. I take 1 banana (a large is about 180g) and strawberries (usually 125-160g) and I use one scoop of my powder (chocolate flavored) and add ice. Occasionally I will add PB2 or try a different recipe but this is my favorite. I don't swear by my shakes but for me personally they are working and they are affordable at this point.

    Before I started using shakes I would prepare my meal the night before. Boil some eggs, get my oatmeal ready in one glass bowl and my raisins and brown sugar in another. Add water and microwave for 2 minutes then mix together. Very filling and quick. Hard boiled eggs are a great addition too.
  • MissMissle
    MissMissle Posts: 293 Member
    Love them! If they are used correctly - ie as a meal replacement, not as a cray beacon of hope that if you drink them you will magically loose weight (irony, I actually bought some ALDI brand shakes the other day that are called "weight loss shakes"...implying that if I drink them, I will loose weight??? Ohhh marketing....anyway, Iwill finish them cause I bought em...but they are gross - what was I expecting at under $1 each!)

    I also leave the house super early, and get home super late...and sometimes Im just lazy! The powdered one I use, with almond milk, is almost 300 calories - which is more than I generally eat for breakfast. Sometimes I have it for dinner...but again... it equals a 'good' amount of calories for one meal for me anyway, so I'm not selling myself short... I horse show alot on weekends which means 16 hour days with one tiny little cooler - these come in handy then, especially when it's really hot out so you might not feel like eating much.

    I don't think they've "helped" me lose weight, but, keeping a couple in my car helps me make better choices at horse shows, and allows me to be lazy when i get home and Im exhausted knowing Im eating a nutrient rich "shake" as opposed to like, golden grahams or something...
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Don't replace two meals with them. There is no reason for it. I can understand using one for breakfast based off of what you have posted. Though I would suggest prepping something ahead of time. You can make breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches, and mini omelets and freeze them on a day off and then just pull one out and toss it in the over while you get ready. Or premake some hardboiled eggs, biscuits, sausage balls, or a number of baked goods to grab out of the fridge and go in the morning. There are so many better options that are not that difficult to have on hand.
  • BAsInBevin
    BAsInBevin Posts: 23 Member
    I like oatmeal so I do the quick 1 minute oats and throw in some banana or blueberrys...or both. I also add chia seeds but it's your preference. Quick, easy, healthy, delicious.
  • AllieMarie2244
    AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
    I used to drink this carnation healthy essentials "shake" thing when I was in high school
    mostly b/c you just grab and go

    that is the only appeal there to me
    rather then worrying about cooking in the morning or at night etc

    and currently my living situation cooking at any time is just awful
    I'm an introvert and Id rather not make conversation with my random roommates (currently renting a room in a house with 5 other people)
    so when I do go out and cook (dinners at night) its quick, get in and out lol
    i always get stopped though "what are you making? ohhhhhhhh that sounds good" and im just like ugh leave me alone

    in a month im moving to my own place so cooking and packing lunches will be easier
    but even as a lifestyle change I do like the fact that I can grab and go for breakfast and lunch and I wouldn't mind doing that forever really
    Also never said i was thinking about doing this as a quick lose weight plan...
  • AllieMarie2244
    AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
    I like oatmeal so I do the quick 1 minute oats and throw in some banana or blueberrys...or both. I also add chia seeds but it's your preference. Quick, easy, healthy, delicious.

    sadly bananas and oatmeal will make me throw up lol
    ever since I was young the consistency of both of those are just awful to me
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,782 Member
    I'm not a big fan of meal replacement shakes, but in your situation, I would consider using one as breakfast. But I would def eat a real meal for lunch and dinner.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Prepare your breakfast and lunch the night before.
  • kconrad1712
    kconrad1712 Posts: 36 Member
    I like to make turkey sausage or chicken sausage the night before. They are quick and easy to heat up. Just throw them in the microwave or oven and let them bad boys heat while I get dressed. Then wrap in a paper towel and run out the door. When I want to mix it up, I'll have a Carnation Instant Breakfast shake. Those are awesome.
  • FrugalMomsRock75
    FrugalMomsRock75 Posts: 698 Member
    I would prefer a low sugar protein shake added with healthy snacks throughout the day to a "meal replacement" shake. Those things are loaded with sugar.

    I made a shake this morning after my workout with Lactaid fat free, 2% cottage cheese, peanut butter, and a scoop of vanilla protein (If I currently had some spinach, I'd have thrown that in too--it doesn't add any flavor, and it provides a lot of added vitamins). It was delish. I didn't feel deprived AT ALL--and I wasn't. It was quite calorific. I had some watermelon for a snack, and I've had plenty of water thus far.

    Before going completely loopy and getting off my exercise and healthy eating regiment, I lost 60+ pounds by eating a lot (usually had about 800-1000 calories in protein shakes in addition to eating meals). You don't have to starve yourself to do it...

    ;)
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
    Unlike some who may say that meal replacement shakes are a bad idea, I feel they could be an effective tool.

    Of course, it's all about calories at the end of the day. If the shakes help YOU keep the calories at goal, then they worked.

    It's about making a sustainable change. Do you plan on drinking these shakes for the rest of your life, in order to maintain your weight? Probably not.

    However, if you're able to lose the weight via the shakes, at least then you would have a head start on maintaining the "right" way.
  • leon0897
    leon0897 Posts: 35 Member
    I think most posters are missing the point. Some of these shake makers claim lose 5 pounds within a week or so. Its obvious that you can intake the same amount of calories of the shakes via food but is their something "special" about these shakes that promote weight loss? If so they could be the spark someone needs who has recently hit the wall and aren't currently losing despite their monitoring of their calories and or excerise.
  • AllieMarie2244
    AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
    Love them! If they are used correctly - ie as a meal replacement, not as a cray beacon of hope that if you drink them you will magically loose weight (irony, I actually bought some ALDI brand shakes the other day that are called "weight loss shakes"...implying that if I drink them, I will loose weight??? Ohhh marketing....anyway, Iwill finish them cause I bought em...but they are gross - what was I expecting at under $1 each!)

    I also leave the house super early, and get home super late...and sometimes Im just lazy! The powdered one I use, with almond milk, is almost 300 calories - which is more than I generally eat for breakfast. Sometimes I have it for dinner...but again... it equals a 'good' amount of calories for one meal for me anyway, so I'm not selling myself short... I horse show alot on weekends which means 16 hour days with one tiny little cooler - these come in handy then, especially when it's really hot out so you might not feel like eating much.

    I don't think they've "helped" me lose weight, but, keeping a couple in my car helps me make better choices at horse shows, and allows me to be lazy when i get home and Im exhausted knowing Im eating a nutrient rich "shake" as opposed to like, golden grahams or something...


    yes! agree with all this finally :)
    I dont look at it as "oh i can lose weight this way" this is more im so freaking lazy i dont want to pack my lunch or make breakfast foods that i can take
    the simplicity of just having a the calories and all that worked out in one drink and i just grab and go
  • AngelineTheBaker
    AngelineTheBaker Posts: 155 Member
    My husband and I both drink shakes in the morning. I prefer a morning shake to sitting down and eating.
    My husband drinks a scoop of Isopure protein powder and Nutrabolics Athlete's Food mixed with almond milk, and I'll just have the protein powder. For the same amount of calories it keeps me fuller until lunch than a regular breakfast of eggs and whatnot does, and it helps me hit my nutrition goals.
    Though I also agree that there is no "quick fix." Shakes are not means to weight loss. Just an alternative to use in a consistent healthy plan.
  • gclauson
    gclauson Posts: 26 Member
    I buy the chocolate Muscle Milk Powder and have it as a meal replacement probably 3-5 meals a week. The Ratio's are very balanced, i like the taste, you get 2 cups of water at the same time, and its quick and easy. Also, its a Meal that costs about $1.25 two scoops is 300 calories with 32 grams of protein.
  • abs0830
    abs0830 Posts: 319 Member
    I drink a meal replacement shake that's low in sugar daily. I was extremely picky in my selection of one because I didn't want a bunch of ingredients that weren't providing me nutrients. (Like some have corn syrup in them, seriously). Anyway, for me they aren't a magic type of supplement, but provide me with a lot of nutrients and have helped my body. I even bulk them up sometimes with fruit and veggies to get more from it. My daily dose in the morning helps me throughout the day. I'm also not a morning eater because of some health issues, so the shakes are great for me.
  • AllieMarie2244
    AllieMarie2244 Posts: 106 Member
    I buy the chocolate Muscle Milk Powder and have it as a meal replacement probably 3-5 meals a week. The Ratio's are very balanced, i like the taste, you get 2 cups of water at the same time, and its quick and easy. Also, its a Meal that costs about $1.25 two scoops is 300 calories with 32 grams of protein.

    my mother used to drink that but I thought it was too chalky
    but her doctor said she needed to because she needed to have more protein
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    1) they are not filling at all
    2) they don't teach you to eat properly
    3) two shakes plus a 'healthy dinner' = way too few calories

    Shakes are fine as part of a healthy diet, but what you're suggesting is not healthy. A shake a day is fine though, just make sure you're eating enough calories overall.
  • chiveny
    chiveny Posts: 1
    I wasn't, and I'm not a fan of meal replacements. But, I had weight to loose, I didn't have time, and even though I swim everyday, and go to the gym, and work hard on my body, I wasn't seeing enough changes. So I decided to start one quite controversial, but it has work wonders. My dad also, has lost 36 lbs in 3 months. However, meal replacements are not magic pills, or magic shakes. You have to put the best you have to learn to eat the correct portions, and exercise correctly.

    So, if you decide to take meal replacements, go ahead, enjoy, and learn! Good luck!
  • ItsJordanNicole
    ItsJordanNicole Posts: 110 Member
    I drink one for breakfast every morning. Takes me about 5 minutes to prepare. It's usually between 140 and 300 calories depending on what I choose to add. I know that no matter what I chose for breakfast, if it was in the same calorie range, I'd still lose around the same amt of weight, but this is quick and easy and keeps me full so it works for right now.
  • gclauson
    gclauson Posts: 26 Member
    Yeah, with a Blender bottle its not too bad. I shake it for probably a full minute. I think it tastes fantastic. Gonna try vanilla next. the 300 calories leaves me full for a few hours.

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