Shakeology vs. GNC Total Lean 25

Don't get sold by the hype. Eat well. Supplements are only needed if you are lacking in micronutrients and most foods have what you need.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

you can buy some baby spinach and blend it in with some berries and the vanilla lean shake

I drink Shakeology too, but I'm starting to think that ninerbuff has a point. It's been great for me when I have to run out the door and have fed everyone in the house except myself (world's smallest violin lol.) Otherwise, I hate drinking it. Maybe it's because I have a bad flavor, strawberry. My SIL has the chocolate and it's actually yummy. If I have the choice and the time, solid food wins for me. I never ever drink it at home unless I'm feeling REALLY lazy and don't want to cook.

Amber, if you don't like the taste and you don't want to pay the price. Send it back. They have a bottom of the bag guarantee.

It's a money sink IMO. You should go with real food and if you are running late just pack your breakfast the night before.

I just started using Shakeology a couple of weeks ago and am IN LOVE!! Yes, it is pricey in bulk...but if you break the price down per day (roughly $4.33), it's no more than a meal (which is what you are getting). And my beachbody coach sent me several samples and I am a Vanilla FREAK all the way!! And the calendar of recipes you get...HOLY COWSERS...this is one HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY chick! Honestly, I think you are looking at it differently than I. NOTHING in life that is good for you is cheap (ie, ORGANIC items), the sooner you accept that the better off you will be. This product is 100% NATURAL (no bi-products or preservatives) and the absorbtion rate is insane!! Each 'supplement' you take generally has a different absorbtion rate. Hope this helps!!

Can't be natural if it's processed. Using a shake as a meal isn't teaching people how to eat correctly. A 5lb tub of ON's Gold Standard Whey is $53.99 (0.74 cents per serving) and if you combine it with Essential Greens at $22.70 per can(0.75 per day serving), you're looking at $1.50 a day or $45 per month. That's almost a 3rd of the cost of Shakeology with essentially the same nutrition (albeit a better protein profile and amount from my suggestion). So yes, one DOESN'T have to pay out the wazoo to obtain decent supplementation. You just got sold on the pitch.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Can't be natural if it's processed. Using a shake as a meal isn't teaching people how to eat correctly. A 5lb tub of ON's Gold Standard Whey is $53.99 (0.74 cents per serving) and if you combine it with Essential Greens at $22.70 per can(0.75 per day serving), you're looking at $1.50 a day or $45 per month. That's almost a 3rd of the cost of Shakeology with essentially the same nutrition (albeit a better protein profile and amount from my suggestion). So yes, one DOESN'T have to pay out the wazoo to obtain decent supplementation. You just got sold on the pitch. Ninerbuff,

It as natural as any processed food can be, compare these labels and you tell me what you see...
Gold Standard
Serving Size 1 Rounded Scoop
Servings Per Container 77
Amount Per Serving % DV
Calories 120.00
Calories from Fat 10.00
Total Fat 1.00 g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.50 g 3%
Cholesterol 30.00 mg 10%
Sodium 60.00 mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 3.00 g 1%
Sugars 1.00 g
Protein 24.00 g 0%
Vitamin A 0.00 0%
Calcium 0.00 10%
Vitamin C 0.00 0%
Iron 0.00 2%
Other Ingredients: Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Peptides), Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Peptides), Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Artificial Flavor, Artificial Flavor, Lecithin, Lecithin, Acesulfame Potassium, Acesulfame Potassium

Essential Greens
Serving Size:1Scoop(16.6g)
Servings Per Container:30
Amount Per Serving
Calories 50
Calories From Fat 0
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0g 0%*
Saturated Fat 0g 0%*
Cholesterol 0g 0%*
Sodium 0mg 0%*
Potassium 0mg 0%*
Total Carbohydrate 13g 4%*
Dietary Fiber 6g 24%*
Sugars 6g †
Protein 0g 0%*
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%
Other Ingredients:
Greens Blend [(Aloe Vera Leaf (Source Of Mucopolysaccharides, Plant Sterols And Anthraquinones), Hawaiian Blue-Green Algae (Source Of Phycocyanins And Beta Carotene), Barely Grass (Source Of Bioflavonoids), Wheat Grass, Alfalfa (Source Of Beta Carotene), Chlorella (Source Of Oceanic Trace Minerals), Dulse (Source Of Oceanic Trace Minerals), Green Tea Extract (Source Of Polyphenols)], Kombu Seaweed (Source Of Trace Minerals), Nori Seaweed (Source Of Trace Minerals) And Wakame Seaweed (Source Of Trace Minerals)], Prebiotic Fiber Blend (Gum Acacia, Beet Fiber, Oat Fiber, Soy Fiber, Apple Pectin), Sweetener Blend (Fructose, Cherry Juice Crystals, Orange Juice Crystals), Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Super ORAC Vegetable Blend [(Brocoli (Source Of Indole-3-Carbinol, Sulphoraphane And Beta Carotene), Ilberry Fruit Extract (Source Of Anthocyanosides), Blueberry (Source Of Anthocyanins And Ellagic Aclid), Elderberry (Souce Of Flavonoids) And Raspberry (Source Of Beta Carotene, Ellagic Acid, Catechins And Monoterpenes)], Citric Acid, Super ORAC Vegetable Blend (Broccoli (Source Of Beta Carotene), Carrots (Source Of Beta Carotene), Tomato (Source Of Lycopene, Coumaric Acid And Chlorogenic Acid), Brussels Sprouts (Source Of Indole-3-Carbinol And Sulphoraphane), Cauliflower (Source Of Sulphoraphane), Beet, Celery, Kale (Source Of Indole-3-Carbinol. Sulphoraphane And Beta Carotene), Spinach (Source Of Beta Carotene Lutein And Quercetin), Radish, Leek Or Yellow Pepper, Onion (Allyl Sulfides, Quercitins And Saponins), Cabbage (Source Of Indole-3-Carbinol And Sulphoraphane), Garlic (Source Of Allyl Sulfides)], Lo Han Guo Extract, Malic Acid, Silica And Plant Based Enzyme Blend (Amylase, Lactase, Neutral Protease, Lipase And Cellulose).

Shakeology
http://images.beachbody.com/tbb/shakeology/PDFs/Chocolate/shakeology_supplement_facts_chocolate.pdf
(I couldn't get the picture to download.) Compare the natural to to artificial ingredients, The daily values of vitamin, and tell me it is the same nutrition...

Don't get sold by the hype. Eat well. Supplements are only needed if you are lacking in micronutrients and most foods have what you need.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

^this

Seriously a waste of money.

I maybe have a protein shake once a month or two, when I can't fulfill my protein macro otherwise.

You should maybe also consider idealshape, it's apparently better than lean 25 and the price is not ridiculous. It is a meal replacement so perfect when you're running out the door in the morning. I just googled reviews on meal replacements and most of them have quite similar results. So I'd say do your own research, I just personally prefer idealshape over shakeology and total lean.

Shakes on the whole are an unnecessary expense. Just eat healthy and stay within your calorie/macronutrient goal.

There are some good reasons to have protein shakes. Sometimes, depending on where you live, the price per gram of protein in chicken may be a lot more expensive than in protein powder, but seriously, don't buy shakeology. You don't need it. I've found Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard to be the best protein powder in quality, ingredients, and price so far.

Thats not true

From https://www.consumerlab.com/reviews/Protein_Powders_Shakes_Drinks_Sports_ Meal_Diet/NutritionDrinks/ you can see the results that Shakeology has lead in it. Regardless of the source lead can be held in the body for extended periods of time and should not be used at all by pregnant women, women of childberaing age, or children. Children are at increased risk of lead poisoning with an amount of 6 mcg per day from all sources. Greenberry had 12.7 mcg of lead in it. Whole food based or not, lead is lead and is harmful. Because lead can be held in the body for extended periods of time it can accumulate over time to harmful amounts. Bottom line - know your products if you chose to supplement and know that whole organic foods are a great choice for health.

http://www.fda.gov/food/dietarysupplements/qadietarysupplements/#responsible

Who has the responsibility for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe?

By law (DSHEA), the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that its dietary supplement products are safe before they are marketed. Unlike drug products that must be proven safe and effective for their intended use before marketing, there are no provisions in the law for FDA to "approve" dietary supplements for safety or effectiveness before they reach the consumer.


Do manufacturers or distributors of dietary supplements have to tell FDA or consumers what evidence they have about their product's safety or what evidence they have to back up the claims they are making for them?

No, except for rules described above that govern "new dietary ingredients," there is no provision under any law or regulation that FDA enforces that requires a firm to disclose to FDA or consumers the information they have about the safety or purported benefits of their dietary supplement products. Likewise, there is no prohibition against them making this information available either to FDA or to their customers. It is up to each firm to set its own policy on disclosure of such information


Also: NATURAL IS NOT THE SAME AS ORGANIC. the organic label does have a very specific process in order for a product to be able to be labeled as such.