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Meal Replacement Shakes

Posts: 14 Member
edited February 2024 in Getting Started
Tomorrow I start my journey with meal replacement shakes. Is there anyone on this path to weight loss? And how's it going? I'm shooting for 6 months to a year.
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  • Posts: 5,760 Member
    Is this doctor suggested / monitored? Or is this by choice? A little bit more info would help. The only time I've ever used protein shakes as meal replacements were during and after a couple serious illnesses, so I'm curious as to your intention.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    These meal replacements shakes are by choice and for weight loss. I'm trying to cut back on calories and at the same time receive all the nutrients from the meal replacement that regular protein shakes do not have.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you so much. I love food and I would not tell anyone to steer off from that. I want to try something different and see if it works for me. With food it was very difficult for me to lose the weight. And this is true, when your emotions come in to play; you get all anxious and all other kinds of emotions. I tried a lot of diets with food and all failed. But just maybe combining both might just do the trick.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you springlering... big help.
  • Posts: 35,497 Member
    raccdt468 wrote: »
    Thank you so much. I love food and I would not tell anyone to steer off from that. I want to try something different and see if it works for me. With food it was very difficult for me to lose the weight. And this is true, when your emotions come in to play; you get all anxious and all other kinds of emotions. I tried a lot of diets with food and all failed. But just maybe combining both might just do the trick.

    If you'd been considering only eating meal replacement shakes for months, I'd encourage you to consider eating nutrient-dense regular foods for at least one meal daily, on theoretical grounds.

    The theoretical grounds: Nutrition is still a very active area for scientific research, with important new discoveries still happening. I'm old, 68. Over the course of my life, many "new" essential and beneficial nutrients have been "discovered" scientifically. Once those discoveries are confirmed, the nutrients may be included in good-brand meal replacement shakes. But they were in real foods all along, even before "discovery". I'm pretty sure science isn't through discovering good stuff.

    I think eating real, nutrient-dense food is a bet hedge for getting closer to optimal nutrition. You may not agree, and that's your call, of course.

    As an aside, I don't know what type/brand of meal replacements you're considering. I feel especially skeptical of those that claim they have 17 (or 33, or 45 or whatever) different herbs, veggies, fruits, adaptogens, supplements, etc., in a small scoop or two of green powder. There isn't much of any one useful thing in those, often not the quantities that may've been tested and found beneficial in relevant research on the individual components. It's gee-whiz marketing in those cases, more than a "complete nutrition" solution in reality. I'm not saying all brands do that, but it's not a super unusual strategy, either.

    Wishing you success, whatever route you choose! The results are for sure worth the effort.

    P.S. As context: Everyone who's commented on this thread has been successful here at weight loss, and most of the bunch successful at maintenance, too. You're hearing voice of experience with weight management, even where there may not be - as in my case - a track record of long-term meal replacement use.



  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you for your advice. Yes, this is my first try at meal replacement shakes. I'm just trying out of curiosity and because I've the weight loss results in a friend's personal life. If it doesn't work out, then back to two full or three full whole meals a day and figure that out.
  • Posts: 4,279 Member
    raccdt468 wrote: »
    Thank you for your advice. Yes, this is my first try at meal replacement shakes. I'm just trying out of curiosity and because I've the weight loss results in a friend's personal life. If it doesn't work out, then back to two full or three full whole meals a day and figure that out.

    I think it's great to be curious and open to new possibilities. If you do go back to regular meals, I would bet there will still be times those shakes will come in handy, if you stay open.

    My personal experience--great for supper with lots of crushed ice on hot summer nights of mowing and yard work--just too hot and tired to cook or eat.
  • Posts: 2,921 Member
    Corina1143 wrote: »

    I think it's great to be curious and open to new possibilities. If you do go back to regular meals, I would bet there will still be times those shakes will come in handy, if you stay open.

    My personal experience--great for supper with lots of crushed ice on hot summer nights of mowing and yard work--just too hot and tired to cook or eat.


    Unfortunately my go-to meal in that situation would probably be a couple of cold ciders 🙄
  • Posts: 20 Member
    In my experience, I used 4 total meal replacement shakes daily for 3 months and no exercise, under a doctors monitoring, looking at losing between 5-15% of my body weight (I lost 8%).
    I then introduced healthy low fat balanced meals one a fortnight swapping out the shakes while walking 5-10,000 steps a day.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Interesting sonbird. You actually went to the doctor and they gave you that prescription. I just started and am having a mild laxative effect, but will continue to see what happens.
  • Posts: 166 Member
    If you are having a mild laxative effect try different brands. I know that several do not agree with me so it was a learning curve. There are so many choices now.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thnx pony 4us
  • Posts: 9,109 Member
    edited February 2024
    It could be the artificial sweetener. I discovered I reacted really bad to the sweetener used in One bars. I was upset for a couple of days. Heated a few and tried again to be sure, same reaction.

    I took all that were left and left them on the counter at the gym with “free” stuck to the boxes. You can bet they disappeared.

    Try a different one and see if you have the same reaction.

    I only eat Nugo bars now. Delicious, not artificial sweeteners. I just got some of their new protein powders in but haven’t tried them yet. They aren’t crazy high protein like some, but still useful for the few times I use powders.

    Also if you’re drinking them for protein purposes, check out corelife. I make a smoothie with a bottle of core life, a serving of cottage cheese, a few grams cocoa powder and a lot of ice. About 270 calories, tasty, and about 40gr protein. Thats my go-to when I’m unusually low.

    A couple drops of peppermint or coconut extract makes them….magical.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Good advice sprinlering.. thank you
  • Posts: 1,821 Member
    edited February 2024
    I like doing shakes for breakfast or lunch. I get all my daily greens in with omega 3 mix ins and at least 20-25 grams of protein.

    Good luck! 🍀
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks for your advice ninerbuff
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks safari
  • Posts: 1 Member
    For me the attraction of the ready made shakes would be not having to make potentially bad choices about what to eat, no cooking and no measuring. These things can be especially hard first thing in the morning which is why I have the same thing every day for breakfast except for 2 days a month when we go out for brunch. Knowing I’ve started the day off great with my goals in mind makes the rest of the day go better. The app actually encourages this by having a “swipe right” to add yesterday’s breakfast feature. I get enough variety at lunch and dinner so I don’t get bored. Whatever you choose I think establishing some kind of routine that works for you will help you succeed. Consistency is key.
  • Posts: 1 Member
    I’m trying the same tomorrow, wishing you the best of luck!!
  • Posts: 14 Member
    Thank u ccalles
  • Posts: 9,109 Member
    Two weeks in, right? How’s it going?
  • Posts: 69 Member
    Good luck! Just be mindful of learning healthy habits too - a shake isn't the ultimate solution to weight loss. Most find themselves gaining weight (sometimes even worse than before) because they didn't develop healthy eating habits or learn about nutrition.
  • Posts: 85 Member
    I've tried doing shakes and healthy smoothies. They just don't fill me up enough. They're delcious, but I still end up eating after drinking one.
  • Posts: 4,279 Member
    edited March 2024
    @raccdt468 & ccalles39
    time for an update?
  • Posts: 10,473 Member
    edited March 2024
    :) Yeah, it's mostly a mental thing why people can't maintain weight loss and it's generally associated with the type of food people eat, and we know what the vast majority eat and have a hard time controlling. By going meal replacement for a year your still going to have to battle the same situation you have now while not learning a thing about what foods facilitate better satiety, kind of a waste of time imo. Good luck, I have a feeling your going to need it. :#

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