Protein shake diet work?

Stick to a calorie deficit eating real foods.

This.

Never go on a fad diet that you will never be able to do for the rest of your life. Yes, they'll get you to 135, but as soon as you return to your food, you will gain it all right back. I, too, was on a medication that caused increased weight gain, I went from 126-178 in a matter of a year. I was taken off the medication in March, but was getting frustrated that I could not lose the weight. I calculated my TDEE (helpful sources here on these forums) and measured out all of my servings via a digital scale (best purchase you can get yourself). I was so surprised by what I was finding out by actually weighing my food. Many times when a package says "about 10 chips" it's really only 6-8 to get to that weight on the digital scale? So, I was OVEREATING without even knowing it. Needless to say I am now down to 160, and only started doing this in June.

Good luck, you can do it without depriving yourself.

I love my protein shakes. However I drink them for my body to recover from my work outs and to gain muscle since I lift weights. I dont use them as a supplemental meal.

I'd stay away from any lose weight fast "diets" and just practice portion control and eating in moderation. You can't go wrong with eating more protein, less bad for you carbs and more veggies and fruit.

But its so hard counting calories... And what has protein and what has carbs. Its so confusing. So for breakfast... I eat an egg... And lunch I eat a salad, and dinner I eat a piece of chicken? I need something that is going to fill my stomach. For example today I ate no breakfast, two pieces of pizza for lunch, and for dinner a large salad and a bagel. I had a soda and two tiny pieces of chocolate. That's nothing... I'm still hungry. So pretty much I really only ate four things. And I still went over my goal calorie intake. I need help lol.

There are plenty of resources for food nutrition info. No lie it takes work but anything does. True you ate 4 things but what I see are lots of carbs (which aren't filling), salad (also not filling).

I try to get in 130 gr. of protein a day & I try to split that between the 3 meals. Breakfast will be 1-2 eggs, egg whites, veggies & diced ham (or bacon etc). That keeps me full until lunch & then I'll have some other foods with protein (salad with grilled chicken, hard boiled egg etc) I'm full until dinner & then I'll get in the rest of my protein. I do have carbs but I don't have them at all meals. If I'm having pasta for dinner then I'll skip toast with my eggs or I'll have the pasta but not the bread. It's all moderation.

where do people get this salad/starvation idea about losing weight? it's neither healthy nor sustainable.

for dinner i just had a scramble with 3 egg beaters, hash browns, orange bell peppers and parmesan cheese. i have sandwiches, cereal and milk, and oats are one of my favorites, made with non-fat milk, cinnamon and stevia (yum!).

btw, if you're hungry - actually hungry, not just wanting to eat - after 2 slices of pizza, i suggest you get your doctor to do some blood work.

But its so hard counting calories... And what has protein and what has carbs. Its so confusing. So for breakfast... I eat an egg... And lunch I eat a salad, and dinner I eat a piece of chicken? I need something that is going to fill my stomach. For example today I ate no breakfast, two pieces of pizza for lunch, and for dinner a large salad and a bagel. I had a soda and two tiny pieces of chocolate. That's nothing... I'm still hungry. So pretty much I really only ate four things. And I still went over my goal calorie intake. I need help lol.

where do people get this salad/starvation idea about losing weight? it's neither healthy nor sustainable.

for dinner i just had a scramble with 3 egg beaters, hash browns, orange bell peppers and parmesan cheese. i have sandwiches, cereal and milk, and oats are one of my favorites, made with non-fat milk, cinnamon and stevia (yum!).

btw, if you're hungry - actually hungry, not just wanting to eat - after 2 slices of pizza, i suggest you get your doctor to do some blood work.

^^ This.

Now I like salad, actually I really like salad lol But there's chicken, eggs and other yummy stuff mixed in with it. Hell I'm sitting here at lunch eating a big bowl of leftover beef stirfry noodles (homemade, 450-ish cal and insanely good). I am a small person (well under 5ft) and have a lower TDEE even at a very active level, and am definitely not starving.

Add more lean meat, nuts, eggs and slow down on the heavy processed carbs, they'll just make you more hungry. Steamed vegies are brilliant, more filling than just a salad and you can buy them pre-packed and portioned to cook in the microwave.

As for counting calories, there are heaps of recipe books and online resources that will provide nutritional information for good, delicious food that you can make yourself.

Just eat real food.

Protein shakes are to help repair your muscles, they are not food. If you are hungry, EAT real food!

There's a lot of talk about macros and such but I only concern myself with eating protein at every meal (Greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, beans, cheese) and fruit and veggies. I like to add celery, cukes, and radishes daily to fill up. I try to stay away from processed carbs (the bagel AND pizza would be to many processed carbs in one day for me). Think eating healthy and you will be fine.

I didn't know anything about counting calories when I started either. Start logging your foods, make healthy choices, and you learn. I can pretty accurately estimate how many calories are in a meal/snack, can eyeball weights and measurements fairly accurately as well, because I put in the time and effort. Drinking protein shakes won't help you lose weight, in fact they can help you gain weight if you don't know what you are doing with them (which it sounds like you don't. ) No offense, just protein calories add up quickly with shakes, specially after adding milk and fruits/veggies, which is what I usually do to get all my nutrients, not just protein if I make it a meal. Trust the people who have been at this a long time and have had success, they all know what they are talking about.

You can eat plenty of food, for one thing I bet your calorie goal is too low, what you listed for the day shouldn't be over your calories already. For another thing, if you eat healthier foods, you get significantly more calories!! For breakfast, I had a burrito with eggs, cheese, bacon, and soy chorizo. I had a protein shake (as a snack after a workout). I had a turkey and ham sandwich for lunch with yogurt. Had 2 dinners because I was actually short on my calories! Add in some fruits throughout the day, and I am actually 100 calories under my goal still for today. And According to my totals, I would still lose 10 lbs in five weeks if I were to do this everyday. fueling your body helps lose weight, not starving it with salads and one macronutrient only.

Take the time, learn the basics. Use the app, log foods, prelog foods for the day even so you can see where your at and adjust meals in order to fit everything. Some people need bfast, some don't, figure out what kind of person you are. For me, a good hearty breakfast does help me do better the rest of the day, I binge otherwise. For others, skipping bfast allows them more calories for their other meals and they are happier with this. Choose foods more nutritious and filling than pizza and I assure you you will eat your fill. Salads for me are not satisfying. Protein shakes can be satisfying, but aren't meant to be a meal and can make you gain weight if your not careful as well.
Good luck!!

I've tried slim fast in the past and it really didn't work for me. I was completely unsatisfied and ended up giving up within a day or two. I like the taste, but it just wasn't food. This was back when I was young and never had more than 5-10 pounds to lose. I never stuck with it long enough to ever hit my goal (often eating more than I should have during the non-shake meal times and then feeling like I blew it so why bother sticking with it). I always just did better when I kept track of what I ate rather than trying to follow a specific plan--even if I wasn't counting calories. I remember that the T-factor diet was big back then (counting fat not calories) and that worked for me. I always thought it was because fat was the problem but now I realize it was more just the mindfulness of knowing what I was eating (and naturally cutting fat cuts calories--what a relief because I am naturally drawn to a high-fat diet).

I still have the shakes sometimes. I really like the taste and for times when I am running around and don't have time for a proper meal, or after a workout when I need some extra carbs and protein I will have one (but I scan the barcode and log the calories just like with any other meal or snack). Slimfast now has a higher protein formula and I know it is not highly recommended but it is the only one that tastes good enough to be worth it for me ( sometimes I will do a carnation breakfast essential because those aren't so bad either).

Counting calories is really not that hard to do, especially now with the technology available. I can just scan a barcode on my phone before (or after or during) a snack attack for a quick record of what I am noshing on. I am not much of a planner so this allows for a flexible plan that works with my life and all of its surprises. I plan when I can (pack my lunch for work, input my recipes for what I plan to make for dinner) I weigh and measure when it is convenient. But if plans change and I can't be completely accurate for whatever reason, I can still record what ate and do my best to find a good approximation of calories. Also there is no way to fail on a calorie counting plan. If you go over calories one day, you can make up for it the next day by either eating less or exercising more. I don't get so obsessed over my daily success, but rather keep an eye on my weekly averages. That change off mindset was probably the biggest contributor to my success this time around.

Now, 2 slices of pizza (not sure about your pizza but I live in the NYC area and around here one slice of pizza is about 500 calories), so 2 slices is 1000--more than half my daily allowance while I was losing and pretty close to half now that I am maintaining. That should fill you up, but will make you feel like you didn't eat much that day because it was all in one meal. Having 1 slice and a green salad with oil and vinegar would be a more reasonable lunch portion and just as filling. These kind of changes in your diet can only come from awareness and logging your food as accurately as possible is the only way to know for sure where changes need to be made.

So my advice (because it works for me) is to start with small habits--increasing water intake and developing a logging habit should come first. Even if you are going over your caloric intake, what you are doing is getting information and with that information you can make changes. If you realize you aren't that hungry in the morning but then end up over doing it in the afternoon, then maybe you might want to incorporate a shake, or a hard boiled egg, or something high in protein but low in calories to just get your day going and keeping you from being run down by mid day. Maybe you notice that you start feeling hungry around 10 am and a snack might be helpful--an apple or a handful of nuts or a yogurt might help. When i was a stay at home mom I was never hungry for breakfast so instead I broke up my breakfast meal into 2 or 3 small snacks instead. Often times (as a mom I found this to be true) dinner is the only real meal that is planned ahead of time so I try to plan the rest of my day around that meal. It is usually the highest calorie meal, so I try to keep the rest of my day low but satisfying so I am never hungry. I also noticed that the days that I skip meals I always think I ate less but it turns out the I consumed more calories just in fewer meals. Being hungry led to poor choices, like doubling up on servings or craving things like a big mac. I like having this data to refer back to when I things aren't working and I need to make changes.

I recently had two babies back to back, they will be turning one and two next month.... So its been a year. So no excuse right? Well I was put on birth control, which messed me up more... And recently was told I had a thyroid problem. So obviously my hormones play a big role in my weight problem. I've dieted... My weight has been changing up and down up and down... Now I've gained 10lbs. I also was exercising. So now... I'm fed up and want to know more about these protein shake diets? My goal weight loss is 50lbs. I am now 185... So that would make me a healthy 135lb at 5"5. How do you start them off? Do you gradually add on a shake a week? Or just take one in the morning and night, and for lunch eat a salad? How does this work? I'm determined, and I read this diet is not good for people that aren't devoted. Because, I am about this close to just start eating salads... And that won't be good lol... Just because I'm not sure how much meat is good and what foods are good or this or that... I just want a simple diet to follow. So any success stories on these protein shake diets? Please let me know the exact time you drank one, exact time you ate meals, etc. Thank you!

I think protein shakes are a good idea for someone who:

1. Prefers carbs to other foods
2. Has continual cravings for carbs
3. Doesn't like to eat meat
4. Wants to curb appetite
5. Is still building a diet "repertoire" of whole foods

I've had the most amazing 3 weeks since I started adding one protein shake a day to my diet. After decades of high carb dieting and yo-yoing, I decided to take Dr. Daniel Amen's advise and increase protein, as well as give up sugar and empty carbs.

The first week was insanely hard with some serious hunger pangs and restlessness, but I made it!

Now, I have more energy and mental clarity, my obsession over food is gone, and I eat three meals a day with no snacks. I don't need snacks now because I'm satisfied.

My usual breakfast is whole grain cereal and almond milk

My lunch is a blended drink including:
MRM Veggie Protein Powder, which is sugar free
1 T Almond Butter
1 T Cacao Powder
1/2 Cup frozen Raspberries
2 cups Spinach
100 grams Banana
1 cup water or Almond Milk

Dinner tonight was teriaki chicken breast, steamed kale with garlic and olive oil, salad with oil and vinegar, brown rice and some pineapple.

You have to find what works for you. I'm glad I made the diet changes I did. I was so afraid I'd feel deprived, but the only thing I feel is grateful to be feeling so good in mind, body and spirit! Good luck to you with your thyroid issues and dieting.

I have done a lot of research on the protein drinks. They can be a good filler if your foods are not high in protein. You also need to watch the sodium and surgar in these items. I hate eating breakfast, so a protein drink is my breakfast. Then I fill in the day with healthy snaks and meals every three hours or so. The increase in water is also a must. I believe protein drinks have their place but is not the answer to long time weight loss.

I have been a long time yo yo dieter, at the end of June I made a committment to lose 100 lbs by next July. MFP was my first start and logging the food and making better choices. Has it been difficult,darn right, but I have lost 10 lbs. I have also went from a size 24 to a size 20 as of today. I swim for one hour every day and two hours on Saturday. This includes water jogging, water cardio and laps.

It worked for me! I lost 35 lbs in (90 days) about two years ago on a protein shake (meal replacement) diet. Of course I also stopped eating bread and cut back on beer and sweets. If you eat right and use the shakes as (mp) you can drop the weight fast!