Only meal replacement shakes. Is it possible?

freespirit427
freespirit427 Posts: 65 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was thinking about trying out doing 3 meal shakes daily and that's it.

Thoughts? Pros? Cons?
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Replies

  • freespirit427
    freespirit427 Posts: 65 Member
    I'm having a horrible time with portion control. Even with my veggies, fibers and proteins. I am constantly over eating. Which I know is all me.

    I know the food scald game and use it but always go back for more even though I shouldn't.

    I was hoping to use meal shakes as a reset for a week or two.
  • freespirit427
    freespirit427 Posts: 65 Member
    Great advice. Thank you everyone!
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Aside from a little booze at night, drinking my calories in the form of shakes or juices just doesn't work for me. My main concern with my food is that I enjoy it and that it makes me feel full till my next meal as far as possible. This is never going to happen with a shake. Also think about your long term eating goals and start those now, the time has come.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Possible and inadvisable. If you go that route consider https://www.soylent.com/

    It at least has all the micronutrients you might miss out otherwise.

    You might try slow/mindful eating. A great deal of my pleasure from eating comes from the tactile pleasure from chewing. If I eat too fast or don't pay attention while I eat I may try and repeat the experience even though I am already full.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    What are you making that you're going back for extra helpings? I make/serve only enough for that meal. That's all that goes on the plate or table. If it's part of a bigger batch, the rest gets refrigerated. But honestly, it's really hard to each too many calories from veggies unless you slather them in sauces or butter.
    Are you weighing your food on a scale and logging calories? Usually that process becomes a mental warning sign that helps us manage our portions better. One shake a day as a snack is fine, but they're not the answer you're looking for.
  • chelseavrb
    chelseavrb Posts: 10 Member
    I think substituting maybe one a day is enough for me. I notice I get cranky if I don't eat solid food!
  • jordan_bowden
    jordan_bowden Posts: 90 Member
    Definitely not recommended.. I know a lady who did this for a while and she ended up in ICU for weeks! If your goal is to control portion sizes then best work on that in the most manageable approach for you. You can't live of meal replacements for the rest of your life, self control is definitely more applicable!:)
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    If you can't cook just one portion of something, then after you've weighed and measured your food, put the rest away. Portion out the leftovers, pack them up, and stick them in the fridge/freezer/pantry right that minute. It will be less tempting to get more than you planned to eat if it's not right there in front of you, if you've already gone to the trouble of making individual portions of it, and if it's more work to get to it.

    If you're eating up to your calorie goal and still are hungry, try eating more protein and less sugar/white carbs. Sugar and white carbs don't fill me up because they're quickly broken down by the body. Many people here find that protein and fiber help them feel full.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    The thing is you will lose weight, but you have to go back to eating normal food at some point. So you really do need to learn portion control.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    freespirit427 wrote: »
    I'm having a horrible time with portion control. Even with my veggies, fibers and proteins. I am constantly over eating. Which I know is all me.

    I know the food scald game and use it but always go back for more even though I shouldn't.

    I was hoping to use meal shakes as a reset for a week or two.

    What's your weekly weight loss goal and how many pounds do you have to lose total?

    If your meals have a good mix of protein, fat, and fiber and you are still hungry, you may be trying to create too large a deficit.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Unfortunately we don't come equipped with a reset switch.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Say you manage to lose weight with meal replacements - those real food portion control issues aren't going to get resolved so regain of weight lost is highly likely outcome.
    Make some small changes, learn to cook (appropriate quantities only) and learn to stop eating when you have had enough would be my suggestion.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    You could instead try cooking only one portion of food, so there are no second helpings to go back for. Or even buying lean cuisine or other prepackaged, single serving meals.
  • krazyk_18
    krazyk_18 Posts: 1 Member
    I have had a problem of going back for seconds, i ordered a book called 'paul mckennas hypnotic gastric band' from ebay and although I'm not exactly convinced about the hypnotic part the 4 rules are great and in my first week,( this week) i lost 3pounds. I eat what i want when i want but get full quicker. And always leave food on my plate.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited February 2017
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Possible and inadvisable. If you go that route consider https://www.soylent.com/

    It at least has all the micronutrients you might miss out otherwise.

    You might try slow/mindful eating. A great deal of my pleasure from eating comes from the tactile pleasure from chewing. If I eat too fast or don't pay attention while I eat I may try and repeat the experience even though I am already full.


    It's incredible what this alone is doing for me lately! I am used to just shoveling my food down quickly and getting back to work, etc...but I notice that since I've tried eating more slowly (putting the fork down between each bite and not taking another until I am finished with the previous bite), it makes the portion on the plate seem much bigger, and I am satiated on less. That would be my advice - try eating more slowly!
  • Hensonator1084
    Hensonator1084 Posts: 195 Member
    Also if you eat solids mainly protein your body burns a lot more calories trying to digest it
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,956 Member
    freespirit427 wrote: »
    I'm having a horrible time with portion control. Even with my veggies, fibers and proteins. I am constantly over eating. Which I know is all me.

    I know the food scald game and use it but always go back for more even though I shouldn't.

    I was hoping to use meal shakes as a reset for a week or two.
    The shakes aren't going to change your habitual behavior. That's entirely something you have to do yourself.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Hensonator1084 wrote: »
    Also if you eat solids mainly protein your body burns a lot more calories trying to digest it

    Not enough to make much of a difference. TEF is a thing, a thing that is worth considering when making dietary choices? No.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,956 Member
    dragon_girl26 wrote: »
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Possible and inadvisable. If you go that route consider https://www.soylent.com/

    It at least has all the micronutrients you might miss out otherwise.

    You might try slow/mindful eating. A great deal of my pleasure from eating comes from the tactile pleasure from chewing. If I eat too fast or don't pay attention while I eat I may try and repeat the experience even though I am already full.


    It's incredible what this alone is doing for me lately! I am used to just shoveling my food down quickly and getting back to work, etc...but I notice that since I've tried eating more slowly (putting the fork down between each bite and not taking another until I am finished with the previous bite), it makes the portion on the plate seem much bigger, and I am satiated on less. That would be my advice - try eating more slowly!
    This is good advice. Another would be to eat off 9" plates.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    If a person was going in for a gastric by-pass or a gastric sleeve, many docs tell you to only have shakes the week or two before surgery. With that said though, think maybe you might get low-blood sugar from such low calories.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    I was part of a specialized weight loss program maybe 15 yrs ago, it was DR supervised and included weekly meetings with a dietitian to review all your food intake, plus a trainer. Everyone there started out completely on shakes and then started introducing more regular food as the program progressed.

    Shakes are a good way to gain some initial control and sorta shock your system or mind. The shakes were powder blended with fruit etc so they were better than canned ones.

    I guess I'm saying it won't hurt you to do only shakes for a short period, if you have an objective. But you soon need to start including other healthy foods that you will adopt for your normal diet.

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