Meal Replacement Smoothie

During the school year (college student here) I use protein smoothies as a breakfast replacement because I never wake up in time to fix myself a full meal before class. It doesn't help me lose weight, but it does keep me full throughout the day while in class. I just do whey protein + frozen fruit + milk.

I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure that when people lose weight when using meal replacement shakes/smoothies, it's not the actual shake that causes them to lose weight. It's just the fact that the shake/smoothie is so nutrient dense that it keeps them full and curbs their desire to snack. As long as you're eating at a deficit, and barring any medical conditions, you should losing weight with or without a special shake.

I agree with the other person that said it makes no difference, but I have a smoothie instead of breakfast often because I'm too lazy to prepare food in the morning - same thing > whey protein (optimum nutrition do nice flavours) , semi skimmed milk + frozen fruit (berries, bananas )

Oh gosh I just made up the most DELICIOUS smoothie for my dinner tonight. I have to share it.

Here's the recipe version:

Peanut Butter Banana Protein Smoothie

1 small banana cut into chunks, frozen
1/2 cup 1% milk
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tbs creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3 ice cubes

Blend. Freak out because it tastes like a liquid peanut butter cup. Enjoy!

Here's my copy/paste MFP entry version:

Bananas - Raw, 1 small (6" to 6-7/8" long) 90
Generic - Kroger 1% Low Fat Milk, 4 oz 50
Eas Lean 15 Protein Powder - Whey Vanilla Cream, 2 scoops (30g) 100
Kroger Value - Creamy Peanut Butter, 1 tbsp 90
Nestle - Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 0.17 Tbsp 3

Mine came to 333 calories, but depending on your ingredients you could lower the calorie count. (Next time I will use a little more cocoa - the chocolate taste is there, but subtle.) THAT WAS THE BEST PROTEIN SHAKE I'VE EVER TRIED.

Hi there,
I’m wondering if anyone has had any success with smoothies/shakes as a meal replacement? Were you able to lose weight?? Did you use your own recipe or a shake mix?

I’m interested in trying smoothies as a meal replacement, but would prefer to find a healthy homemade recipe rather than a mix like Shakeology(SO EXPENSIVE!). I even wouldn’t mind trying a green smoothie – just would prefer to go off a recipe than trying to wing it myself and end up with a liquid salad.

Thanks for your help!

Smoothies/shakes don't make you lose weight. If you use them as a meal replacement, they can help AID in weight loss because they are typically lower calorie than a sandwich. But simply replacing a meal with a smoothie and eating the same amount of calories you've been eating isn't going to cause weight loss. Replacing a meal with a smoothie and eating at a caloric deficit will cause weight loss.

I've also been doing breakfast smoothies, not as an intentional meal replacement, but because it is a huge time saver. I typically just use one scoop of Isopure Perfect Low Carb Dutch chocolate (25g of protein), either a few small strawberries or a few chunks of frozen banana, a few ice cubes, and water - blend for a few seconds in my Ninja blender in a single-serving cup, and enjoy. I have to say that the frozen banana with the Dutch Chocolate protein powder tastes like a milk shake you'd buy at a shop somewhere - its great! It takes about a minute to prepare, so it is nice and fast, too. Using water instead of milk still tastes fine by me, and the calories are a little over 100 which is great considering you're still getting 25g of protein.

I look forward to these on the weekends and they're filling:

1 scoop of high protein (15g) slimfast vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup fat-free mootopia (more protein)
1/2 cup fat-free plain greek yogurt
Ice

In the magic bullet, taste like orange julius.

I have had great success replacing breakfast and lunch with green smoothies - but mine are BIG, 32oz each. I usually use:

-3 cups of greens (spinach, chard, and kale mostly)
-1 cup veggies (cucumber, tomato, and celery are mild - sometimes I use broccoli but it has a strong flavor, not for the faint of heart)
-1 to 1.5 cups fruit (berries are the best)
- Some water to get the blender started (I use a Vitamix, so you may need more liquid if you have a standard blender)

This combo usually lands at about 200 calories. You can add milk rather than water for the liquid, or add protein powder scoops if that is part of your plan. All the fiber in these makes them very filling. It is certainly not a "dessert" style smoothie. It is mildly sweet from the fruit and you can taste the greens (not bad if you stick to the mild greens). I started with less greens and more fruit and worked my way up from there.

This has been the best way I've found for myself to get enough veggies (especially greens) into my diet, since I don't really like salad (unless it is covered in unhealthy things . After drinking two of these, I know I can basically eat whatever I want for dinner (within reason) since I already met my fruit and veggie intake for the day. Plus with all the water and fiber in them, I don't get hungry until about 5pm (right when I need to start cooking dinner).