Protein Shake Meal Replacements

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jbrooke17
jbrooke17 Posts: 16 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm interested in starting to use protein shakes as a meal replacement for weight loss. Has anyone had success with this or have any reccomendations of ones I should try? Thanks!

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  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    If you want to drink your calories, do that, by all means, but all you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit, and most people prefer to eat food.
  • AlyssaPetsDogs
    AlyssaPetsDogs Posts: 421 Member
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    I like ideal shakes (from idealshape). They aren't crazy high on protein but they have the nutrients for a balanced meal. I have one every morning for breakfast and then whenever I want a sweet snack!
    I blend with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and ice!
  • Cowenlaw1
    Cowenlaw1 Posts: 106 Member
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    I have been working with a medical doctor and a nutritionist to lose weight without surgery. They recommended replacing one meal a day with a protein shake. I typically drink a Muscle Milk 40g protein shake for breakfast.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    I often replace a meal with a protein shake or bar....usually when I'm saving my calories for later in the day. 3/4 scoop of isopure whey and 1 cup chocolate almond milk come to about 220 calories, but keeps me full for four to five hours.
  • ajnb88
    ajnb88 Posts: 339 Member
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    Yes, they can work. Don't get conned into spending a fortune on them though, most are pretty much the same thing and I've known people spend loads on something with average nutritional values.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
    edited October 2016
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    My wife makes her own breakfast smoothies during the week, very convenient. She mixes vanilla whey and fresh fruit (usually strawberry and banana) with ice and a little almond milk.

    I usually use it as a post workout snack but occasionally, I will have a shake with chocolate whey, PB2, and cashew milk for breakfast if I am short on time or don't have any meat thawed.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
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    The thing to keep in mind is that protein shakes are a supplement for those who aren't getting enough protein. They are not really designed to replace a meal. For that, you'd want to look into something more like Slimfast, Idealshape, etc..to get your nutrients.
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    Protein will not help you loose weight. Protein is a suplement to help reach your daily protein goal. It lacks nutrients your body needs. If you are dead set on a meal replacement, I would recommend Muscle Milk. It containes vitamins and minerals.
  • flagrantavidity
    flagrantavidity Posts: 218 Member
    edited October 2016
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    jbrooke17 wrote: »
    I'm interested in starting to use protein shakes as a meal replacement for weight loss. Has anyone had success with this or have any reccomendations of ones I should try? Thanks!


    I would recommend something with complete nutrition and counting calories to ensure that calories out exceed calories in.

    I lost 60 lbs by counting calories with the help of Soylent. https://www.soylent.com/product/powder/

    Soylent is not designed as a way to lose weight, it was designed as an easy way to get complete nutrition with a healthy balance of carbs, fat, protein and low glycemic index. At $1.93 per 500 calorie meal, it's very affordable.
  • Tlynn827
    Tlynn827 Posts: 1 Member
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    I like the Herbalife brand protein shakes. Lots of flavors. Keeps me full for 3-4 hours
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I ran out of my protein powder last Thursday, and i have to wait a few days for it to be delivered, so i bought a few sachets of a meal replacement powder to put in my smoothie in the interim, and they tasted revolting and didn't fill me up any more than my regular protein shake which has over twice the amount of protein as any of those meal replacement powders. Never again!!!
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
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    jbrooke17 wrote: »
    I'm interested in starting to use protein shakes as a meal replacement for weight loss. Has anyone had success with this or have any reccomendations of ones I should try? Thanks!

    You don't have to drink or eat any particular food to lose weight. If you like to drink smoothies then you could find a lot of interesting shake recipes on Pinterest.

    Personally I like eating protein bars rather than drinking a shake.
  • CaptainJoy
    CaptainJoy Posts: 257 Member
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    I don't use shakes as meal replacements but do love one a day as a snack. I drink the Premier Protein Strawberries and cream shakes. They are high protein and low fat and help me meet my calcium needs for the day. I believe they have enough nutrients to be used as a meal replacement.
  • MFPelr
    MFPelr Posts: 3 Member
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    I like the ease of a meal replacement shake for breakfast, rest of the day is usually real food.

    I keep coming back to Vega One
    https://myvega.com/vega-one-nutritional-shake

    Cause it is more than just protein and basic nutrients.

    Currently I'm trying to drink my way through my remaining Isagenix shakes (which taste darned good and are technically meal replacements as well but I lose more weight when I was simply using Vega One and CICO instead of all the crazy supplements on Isagenix, did a month, am done but am finishing up the shakes) but I want to get back to Vega One (I like chocolate and the chai versions).
  • 43501
    43501 Posts: 85 Member
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    jbrooke17 wrote: »
    I'm interested in starting to use protein shakes as a meal replacement for weight loss. Has anyone had success with this or have any reccomendations of ones I should try? Thanks!

    I feel like I'm going to just be reiterating what a lot of people here have already said, but okay, why not, because I feel like a lot of them have also sort of missed the point of what you're actually asking.

    I have (and sometimes still do) use protein shakes as meal replacements to great effect. Slamming down a shake completely murders my appetite and I have no urge to snack or "fill up" on more food afterward, so in addition to adding a source of high quality protein to my diet, it's also an effective appetite suppressant. Makes it much easier to stay within calorie targets and not overeat.

    I have no real recommendation on brands (though I view Muscle Milk favorably, as many people here do) because most protein powders are close to identical. Listen to ajnb88: don't be fooled into thinking you need to pay exorbitant amounts for "better" powders, they are all just powdered protein in different packaging with different claims.

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