Shakeology vs. Vega One - Unbiased opinion

hww51
hww51 Posts: 17 Member
edited November 6 in Food and Nutrition
Hi. I don't work for either company that makes Shakeology or Vega One. I tried Shakeology based on a referral from a friend - for a month (vanilla flavour) and really found it great. Mixed with fruit, almond or coconut milk or Greek yogurt it made a really great satisfying breakfast that kept me going. In conjunction with counting calories and 3-4 dates with the elliptical each week I lost 8 lbs over the month which I was very happy with. The downside is that this is am American product available only on-line, and it's costly to buy it, particularly now with the exchange rate. So, I tried a sample pack of Vega One - a Canadian product which has good reviews. I can't say that I was impressed, I found the taste quite cloying and it didn't seem to satisfy me the same as Shakeology, although the price is less and its easy to find in Toronto at the grocery or health food store. I've decided to make my own version of shakes and juices for a month and see how it goes, but if I return to a meal replacement it will be Shakeology. If your decision is on price alone - Vega One is the way to go, but Shakeology tastes better and keeps you fuller longer.

Replies

  • peebeebs
    peebeebs Posts: 25
    A friend of mine uses Shakeology and absolutely loves it. I have tried Body By Vi as well as Whey Isolate; both of which I really enjoy, but I don't know a lot about this stuff, the only thing I know is that I am extremely picky when it comes to taste and I liked both of these a lot.
  • marypatmccue
    marypatmccue Posts: 521 Member
    There isn't a need for shakes or anything, and there is nothing magical about any of those shakes... I'd rather spend the $100+ on an actual cart of groceries. You only need to eat at a deficit to lose the weight...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    my unbiased opinion - ditch the shakes, eat real food, and stay in a calorie deficit....

    the only thing these "meal replacement shakes" lighten is your wallet.
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
    my unbiased opinion - ditch the shakes, eat real food, and stay in a calorie deficit....

    the only thing these "meal replacement shakes" lighten is your wallet.

    THIS ^^^^
  • sparkellet
    sparkellet Posts: 6
    I agree. I hate reading the ingredients list. I want to eat as pure and clean as possible but I am in need of some serious protein in the AM when I am on the go (leaving the gym and rushing to work). Any suggestions? A bar or shake would be great and convenient but I really don't want to put chemicals and crap in my body.
  • cinderoosky
    cinderoosky Posts: 7 Member
    Sorry for the delayed response...

    Sparkellet:

    I started with just a regular protein powder that was called "Slimming Smoothie" from Bulu Box to mix with a cup of frozen berries and almond milk in the morning. I recently started using Shakeology just to see if I could tell the difference. They have the same amount of protein but Shakeology has more vitamins than my normal shake.

    In any case, I didn't take the shake way just to "lose weight". It's a good meal alternative when I'm in a rush and can't make something if I lose track of time in the gym in the morning. You should check both out. The one from Bulu Box is only $49 usually-- you can catch a sale with it also that usually saves you $10ish.

    Good luck! :)
  • funmaof2
    funmaof2 Posts: 4
    sparkellet,
    There are some great, wholesome recipes on SkinnyMs.com and allrecipes.com. Both sites have breakfast ideas that you can prepare ahead of time for grab and go.
  • Unknown
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  • brosis85
    brosis85 Posts: 114 Member
    If you are using it for a protein boost ... ditch the vega one and move on to Vega-One Sport. It is very good tasting and has double the protein of vega-one for the same price. It is equally as clean (no allergens) and way more satisfying.

    I have never tried shakeology but I have used a ton of different protein shakes for a pre/post workout protein boost and vega sport is by far one of my favourites!
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    my unbiased opinion - ditch the shakes, eat real food, and stay in a calorie deficit....

    the only thing these "meal replacement shakes" lighten is your wallet.

    Yup, this, epic quantities of this. Shakes are for those days when you need the extra protein but cant bring yourself to eat anything, and even then it's pushing it.

    Rigger
  • ashleighjoy2007
    ashleighjoy2007 Posts: 150 Member
    Personally, I've been using Shakeology for 3 years and love it. If you read the ingredients, you'll see why it costs more than others. (Plus the ingredients are all around the world so they need to be shipped, etc.) With all of the nutrients in it, it keeps me from craving bad stuff, and it keeps me full, so I actually end up breaking even because I no longer have the urge to buy that bag of chips or snack when I don't really need it. As a bonus, it's also improved my hair and nails, obviously not the main reason to get it, but a nice side effect. ;)

    Whatever you do, just make sure you compare the ingredient list on both. These can be great additions to a healthy diet because of the dense nutrients, just compare the nutrition labels to see the differences, and then weigh whether the pros/cons are worth the additional/lower price for each one.
  • kari574
    kari574 Posts: 99 Member
    Just eat food.
  • Gabbysmom23
    Gabbysmom23 Posts: 11 Member
    Yes, I agree eat food. But when you are a busy full time working single mom on the go, when you are hungry when out and about, I think grabbing a healthy protein shake is a better option than grabbing mc Donald's, dontcha think?

    I've been known to skip the gym because It's a choice between the gym and cooking. I've become hypoglycemic while running around because I didn't want to eat something unhealthy, but couldn't get to food.

    So, before we bash protein shakes, it's a healthy lifestyle option for is really trying hard to maintain a healthy like while barely having time to pee most days.
  • BradWI
    BradWI Posts: 20 Member
    Less than 20 grams of protein AND $4 per serving? NO THANKS!
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    Whenever I see an MLM product and the words "unbiased opinion" I always think....that sounds legit.
  • Helpmegetaname
    Helpmegetaname Posts: 1 Member
    I hate it how people say, "just eat food" or "as long as you eat a calorie deficit then you will lose weight so eat food not protein shakes". This is one thing that is harder said then done. Yes, I agree that as long as your eating a calories deficit you will lose weight, but you also should combat that with healthy exercise. And while some people say "just eat food" it can be extremely hard for some people to contain the portion sizes or eat the right kinds of food. I bought Shakeology and I love it. Shakeology has helped me curve me food cravings so I won't break my diet plan. I combined Shakeology with a workout plan and diet that helps me figure out my serving sizes, and helps me figure out what types of foods I should be eating and in what quantity.

    Another thing people complain about is how it tastes nasty. Umm, hello? It's a protein shake. I have never had a protein shake that tasted good on its own. But most of the time you can make smoothies or recipes with the powder and they actually taste really good! I hate how people just expect the shake to taste like a sugar loaded milkshake or smoothie. It doesn't work that way.

    I am not promoting that everybody should drink Shakeology and have my same diet plan. What works for one person, may not work for another, but it is extremely negative for people to bash others for not following the diet plan that they believe is the best. As long as the person is making healthier life choices than they were before it should be supportive. :smile:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    I hate it how people say, "just eat food" or "as long as you eat a calorie deficit then you will lose weight so eat food not protein shakes". This is one thing that is harder said then done. Yes, I agree that as long as your eating a calories deficit you will lose weight, but you also should combat that with healthy exercise. And while some people say "just eat food" it can be extremely hard for some people to contain the portion sizes or eat the right kinds of food. I bought Shakeology and I love it. Shakeology has helped me curve me food cravings so I won't break my diet plan. I combined Shakeology with a workout plan and diet that helps me figure out my serving sizes, and helps me figure out what types of foods I should be eating and in what quantity.

    Another thing people complain about is how it tastes nasty. Umm, hello? It's a protein shake. I have never had a protein shake that tasted good on its own. But most of the time you can make smoothies or recipes with the powder and they actually taste really good! I hate how people just expect the shake to taste like a sugar loaded milkshake or smoothie. It doesn't work that way.

    I am not promoting that everybody should drink Shakeology and have my same diet plan. What works for one person, may not work for another, but it is extremely negative for people to bash others for not following the diet plan that they believe is the best. As long as the person is making healthier life choices than they were before it should be supportive. :smile:

    I have had plenty of protein shakes that taste good on itself. Shakeology taste like chalk. So why would anyone want to spend $100 per bag on a supplement that you have to then spend more money to make it taste good?
  • Frazzle441
    Frazzle441 Posts: 5
    I'm going to check out Vega Sport as a previous poster said. I tried Shakeology for a few months a couple years back and I do really like it but it's just not in my budget. I'd like something cheaper (but still good) that I can whip up in the morning for myself and my teen daughter. She's super picky but would enjoy a smoothie and this gets in some good protein and some vitamins. Otherwise, she'll go with nothing some mornings. For me, I need more protein so this is a fast and easy way to get it in. Not saying I'll do this everyday because I abhor routine but it's a great option. I do wish I could afford Shakeology as it tastes great but I can't.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Helpmegetaname wrote: »
    I agree that as long as your eating a calories deficit you will lose weight, but you also should combat that with healthy exercise. And while some people say "just eat food" it can be extremely hard for some people to contain the portion sizes or eat the right kinds of food.
    Extremely hard to contain portion sizes?
    Put aside a tiny portion of the money required for a month of Shakeology and buy a food scale. Also, learning proper nutrition isn't difficult. It's not a secret, the information is free and accessible to everyone.

    Eat real food + maintain a calorie deficit. Expensive shakes are not required.
  • regodwin_33
    regodwin_33 Posts: 1 Member
    Frazzle441 wrote: »
    I'm going to check out Vega Sport as a previous poster said. I tried Shakeology for a few months a couple years back and I do really like it but it's just not in my budget. I'd like something cheaper (but still good) that I can whip up in the morning for myself and my teen daughter. She's super picky but would enjoy a smoothie and this gets in some good protein and some vitamins. Otherwise, she'll go with nothing some mornings. For me, I need more protein so this is a fast and easy way to get it in. Not saying I'll do this everyday because I abhor routine but it's a great option. I do wish I could afford Shakeology as it tastes great but I can't.

    Vega sport recently reformulated. I hate shakes. I work for Central Market and we sell vega products. I was walking by a sale display and saw the newly formulated vega sport. I thought i'd give it a shoot. I got the vanilla. I tried it yesterday on my way to work i was running low on time and needed something quick and easy. I put a frozen banana in it and went on my way. It was better than others i have tried in the past. I didn't take a lunch until over 5 hours into my shift. I was only hungry the last 30mins leading up to my luch break. I will be buying this again and next time i will be adding strawberries, just because it's how i like my shakes.
  • kmoser83
    kmoser83 Posts: 51 Member
    I bought a nutribullet and make my own. I use fruits and greens with water, almond milk, or coconut milk. There's a ton of recipes on Pinterest, and the recipe book that comes with the nutribullet is good too.
  • iruninpink
    iruninpink Posts: 3 Member
    I have had both. Shakeology is great, but the price is crazy. I am currently using Vega Sport Accelerator after I run and Vega Protein and Greens, Chocolate for my breakfast along with a banana. I love Vega.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    edited May 2016
    1405d1414808353-age-difference-between-men-women-necrothread.jpg

    ETA: It would have been so much better if the spell was written as a haiku...
  • mostein
    mostein Posts: 200 Member
    I love vega. True, it is not as tasty as some protein powders but the Vega One has probiotics in it which are great for you. For Vega One I like the coconut almond flavour. I also really like the new formula of the Vega Sport in mocha. I live in Canada and lean meat is pretty pricey. Supplementing with 1-2 shakes makes making my protein goals more affordable not less and it certainly doesn't cost $4 per shake, more like $1 if that.
  • Acidique
    Acidique Posts: 119 Member
    Not a fan of Vega. The taste is not my favorite. I am really hesitant to use protein powders because so many of them have terrible additives. While Vega is a great brand, I just couldn't force myself to drink it. I now rotate between Orgain protein powders and Thorne Research protein powders. Orgain tends to blend better, and it has no additives, is vegan, etc. Same with Thorne Research. In the end, it's really about knowing what you're putting in your body as well as how much it helps you. Sure, eating "real food" is just as good, but in the end if your eating something with great ingredients and nutrients and it helps you, go for it. Just make sure you know what's in it. :)
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