Diet - Meal replacement shakes - Which one?

FletcherSymons
FletcherSymons Posts: 18
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys i am going to start taking meal replacement shakes. I won't bore you with the details but this is something i want to try. I was looking at the different types (Slim fast, Juice Plus, Diet Whey etc etc .. The problem i have is that i don't know which one to get?

I know people will say that you want a shake that helps you lose a max of 2lb a week but i want a better one. I would rather be losing 5lb a week min .. Any help would be appreciated.

P.S - I don't even mind if the shakes replace all my meals or all except tea?

NOTE: This is for weight loss.

Replies

  • richtala
    richtala Posts: 10
    I will pray for your metabolism
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    There is no need for it when you have a website like this. It's free and you get to eat real food. That is sustainable, shakes aren't unless you plan to drink them the rest of your life and that'd be rather boring right?
  • FletcherSymons
    FletcherSymons Posts: 18
    I understand that there are lots of people that want to eat food instead of shakes, however i do not. I feel that this may help me as i am unable to control eating when i get hungry. I know that if i have Shakes i will not want anything else (its psychological) - and like everyone else that diets, if it doesnt work i will go back to the drawing board. So although i know your only trying to help please only reply if you have genuine advise on which shakes work best :)

    Thanks,
  • Rhayahana
    Rhayahana Posts: 57 Member
    If you really want shakes (which hardly anyone on here will recommend because once you lose the weight and eat 'normally' again you'll most likely struggle with balancing your food) I suggest looking for a good protein powder rather than the expensive shakes.

    Roughly the same amount of calories, more protein (will help you feel fuller longer and preserve muscle a bit better while you're losing) same available flavors (ok not entirely true but still a wide range available) and they cost a lot less than the stupidly expensive shakes.

    Plus it can be added to different foods as well, rather than just the meal replacement shake stuff.

    Good luck on your journey!
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    You want a shake that works best... at what? At helping you lose 5 pounds a week? A diet shake is generally a low calorie meal replacement drink. You could toss a plain cheeseburger from McDonalds in the blender with some water and call that a "meal replacement" if you wanted. It would be high protein too. And about as effective in helping you lose 5 lbs a week.
  • FletcherSymons
    FletcherSymons Posts: 18
    If you really want shakes (which hardly anyone on here will recommend because once you lose the weight and eat 'normally' again you'll most likely struggle with balancing your food) I suggest looking for a good protein powder rather than the expensive shakes.

    Roughly the same amount of calories, more protein (will help you feel fuller longer and preserve muscle a bit better while you're losing) same available flavors (ok not entirely true but still a wide range available) and they cost a lot less than the stupidly expensive shakes.

    Plus it can be added to different foods as well, rather than just the meal replacement shake stuff.

    Good luck on your journey!

    Thanks for the reply .. I was heading toward Juice plus but your looking at £25 a week!
  • FletcherSymons
    FletcherSymons Posts: 18
    You want a shake that works best... at what? At helping you lose 5 pounds a week? A diet shake is generally a low calorie meal replacement drink. You could toss a plain cheeseburger from McDonalds in the blender with some water and call that a "meal replacement" if you wanted. It would be high protein too. And about as effective in helping you lose 5 lbs a week.

    Feel free to read my second post in this thread before replying again. Thanks :)
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
    You want a shake that works best... at what? At helping you lose 5 pounds a week? A diet shake is generally a low calorie meal replacement drink. You could toss a plain cheeseburger from McDonalds in the blender with some water and call that a "meal replacement" if you wanted. It would be high protein too. And about as effective in helping you lose 5 lbs a week.

    Feel free to read my second post in this thread before replying again. Thanks :)

    I read that post. What you want doesn't make sense (i.e. shake that will help you lose 5 lbs a week.. as opposed to one that will help you lose 2 lbs a week... as if any shake possesses the power in itself to accomplish either goal). Even on a psychological level it doesn't make sense for you to ask this question since you're off in make-believe land and wanting others to play along with you and recommend the best shakes to achieve your goal irrespective of the reality that shakes can't do what you want.

    If more protein and fiber is what you're after, there are easy ways to narrow down what shake will provide more bang for your buck: Look at the label.
  • michikade
    michikade Posts: 313 Member
    5 lbs / week is way, way high and not really sustainable over a long period of time.

    That being said, if you have a deficit of 17,500 calories / week - or 2500 calories per day - you'll lose 5 lbs / week. The ONLY way this is can occur (and not just be water weight in the first week or two) is if the difference between your total daily energy expenditure and your basal metabolic rate is better than 2500 calories and I'm not exactly sure that's physically possible unless you are doing tons and tons of exercise and not eating back the cals. (If it is, cool, but I'm not sure it is without starving yourself)

    If you want the biggest bang for your buck in regards to shakes, just make sure your shake is 100% balanced in regards to the protein, carbs, fats, and micronutrients your body needs, and has enough calories for your body to function. You may have to actually frankenstein a shake yourself from a couple different supplement powders to do this if it's even possible.
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
    Yeah, I'm gonna come right out and say you're setting yourself up for failure. Even morbidly obese people shouldn't try to lose more than 2 pounds a week. Why? Because those 5 pounds won't be just fat, they'll also be lean muscle. Instead of starving yourself and being miserable, losing the weight way too fast and then being unhappy when you reach whatever arbitrary goal you have in mind, why not be patient and do it the healthy, sustainable way? You probably didn't gain 5 pounds a week, so why are you trying to lose it so fast? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to take things slow and see better results?
  • yummymummy2be20
    yummymummy2be20 Posts: 3
    i understand what you mean in regards to the physcological effects when you have been over eating for so long. I also find a shake useful for when im not at home, say at a friends house and they are eating takeaway aha

    As said above, a protein shake is best as Slim Fast etc are very carb heavy x
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    i haves used slimfast cafe latte(yukky), superdrug own brand. okish but best for me is asda meal replacement shake as i can mix it with water for least cals.
    cant eat in morning or pre workout so these are superb for me.
  • loiscoles
    loiscoles Posts: 39 Member
    For me a meal replacement never worked. I had a slimming world shake and 1 evening meal a day and I never lost anything in a few weeks!
  • MommySparkle
    MommySparkle Posts: 2 Member
    total soy is a great shake goggle the reviews on youtube. I drink them 1-2 times a day depending on what im doing and also eat healthy with it. I exercise 4 times a week for 45-60 minutes a day and am averaging a 2-3lb drop a week.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    How about none of them, and instead working on your relationship with food?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    5 lbs is far too aggressive with only 13 lbs to lose. You're looking at a recipe for muscle loss.

    Be patient. Doing this properly takes time.

    As for the shakes-- the only one I've ever tried was Slim Fast back in high school. I lost weight when I stopped using it. Shakes don't do anything magic. Any of them will work if they help you create a calorie deficit. None of them will work if they don't.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
    I like to put salad veggies in a mason jar and shake it up before eating. It's so good!

    I make a protein shake for after workouts but it's not a meal replacement. You could do something like that for breakfast maybe and eat a normal lunch and dinner. Mine is soy protein, Greek yogurt, milk, cocoa and truvia. Sometimes half a banana.

    SlimFast didn't work for me. Hopefully you find something that works for you :)
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    5lbs a week is not a logical or safe amount to lose. So what you are asking is for advice to do something that is not healthy. Not exactly something they support on this site. I think your first step is to rethink things in general.... not look for a shake.
  • kendalslimmer
    kendalslimmer Posts: 579 Member
    edited October 2014
    You might lose 5lb in your first week - as water weight (if you start drinking 8+ cups of water a day, which you should) - but after that... stick to a maximum of 2+lb. Lose anymore than that and as others have said you will lose muscle and muscle is what burns calories!! So if you want to slow down your metabolism, lose hair, damage your muscles (e.g. heart) go ahead a live on 230calories shakes three times a day, otherwise... DON'T.

    I sometimes have a shake for breakfast - Slimfast (lots of vitamins) - and that helps keep my calories under control for the day. At lunchtime I have a small meal, leaving room for an afternoon snack or two. Then I have a big dinner. It all comes in at about 1210+ calories a day, plus whatever my exercising gives me by way of extra food. This morning I didn't have a shake, I had a boiled egg and toast instead for less calories and a heck of a lot less sugar (Slimfast shakes have quite a bit of sugar in) - because I had the time to cook it and because I knew it would be better for me. Shakes are for when you have to run out the door, but they're not perfect in terms of nutrition and they don't teach you portion control.

    Good luck!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    OP started thread July 31st, I wonder if he was successful? He needs to let us know :)
  • sydneydeb
    sydneydeb Posts: 93 Member
    I've been using Isowhey banana and I really like it. I have it for breakfast and sometimes lunch if I've not packed anything (budget doesn't always stretch to 3 meals a day) and have a light meal at night. I don't intend to be on it forever just to give myself a kick start. I also snack on fruit or veggie sticks through the day.
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    I've had Slim Fast shakes ... and I'm hungry less than an hour later. If your goal is to curb overeating that is SO not the way to go about it. Log your food, allow for snacks throughout the day. It's pretty simple really.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    FletcherSymons wrote: »
    I understand that there are lots of people that want to eat food instead of shakes, however i do not. I feel that this may help me as i am unable to control eating when i get hungry. I know that if i have Shakes i will not want anything else (its psychological) - and like everyone else that diets, if it doesnt work i will go back to the drawing board. So although i know your only trying to help please only reply if you have genuine advise on which shakes work best :)

    Thanks,

    what happens when you drinks shakes and are still hungry? Are you just going to keep drinking shakes..?

    my advice - shakes don't work, period. Eating real food in a deficit will lead to long term success.
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    edited October 2014
    I like the Slim Fast High Protein (it's low carb, opposed to the regular one which has almost 30g of carbs per serving). But, I try to only use it when I'm in a pinch.

    I think you might be hungry on a liquid diet, that'll probably be low fat. But, to each their own. When I was depressed I didn't want to bother with feeding myself and just drank shakes all the time. So, if that's what you think you need, no judgement here. Just, be prepared it probably won't give you -5lb losses in a week.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Actually, 5 pound a week is physically impossible for most people, if you do the math. As has been pointed out, 1 lb = 3500 calories. So 5 pounds = 17500 calories. This is the amount of deficit you would need per week in order to lose 5 pounds. That breaks down to 2500 calories per day...deficit. That means you would have to expend 2500 calories per day more than you consume.

    Now, I'm a 5'3 1/2" female, and weight less than 150 lbs. My TDEE, as calculated by my BodyMedia, even on an active day, is around 2400 calories. So, if I wanted to have a 2500 calorie deficit and wanted to keep to a minimum 1200 calorie diet, I would still have to find a way to burn an additional 1300 calories on top of what I already do. Every day. While eating only 1200 calories.

    Unless a person is very, very obese, a 2500 calorie deficit just isn't physically possible.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    OP started thread July 31st, I wonder if he was successful? He needs to let us know :)

    I was wondering the same thing. I hope the OP can let us know how the shakes worked out.

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