protein shakes as meal substitutes..

Rhondaburgan
Rhondaburgan Posts: 2
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hello.. I am new at this.. but I was wondering if anyone uses the protein shakes as meal substitute and if so .. What results have you got and How many meals do you subsitute ? Whats a good protein supplement out there that is tasteful and affordable? I started doing the slim fast protein shakes and I actually lost weight but ran out of them.. was wondering if it was more affordable to get a big tub of some sort and an actual weightloss routine.. can anyone offer some assistance??
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Replies

  • jcmk87
    jcmk87 Posts: 57
    Not very satiating unless you start adding fruit, oatmeal, peanut butter, shot of olive oil and then it can become a meal...but personally I would stay with whole foods and only use protein shakes as a supplement when you are unable to meet your daily protein requirements.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    I think its best to eat 'real' food with a mild deficit, and only use supplements to supplement missing nutrients.

    Plus, I think I would get the ****s drinking that many protein shakes.
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
    Protein shakes are designed as supplements to your diet. Keep track of everything you eat as there is no real substitute for food, then, see what you need to complete you nutrient goals. Just added protein shakes for the sake of it could be wasting money if you are already consuming your required amount.
  • Losemymanboobs
    Losemymanboobs Posts: 32
    I have found that substituting one of your big 3 a day (Breakfast, dinner, tea) just isn't worth it, you will feel hungry and grouchy. If however you are disciplined enough and organised enough to be eating 6 small meals a day you could substitute up too 2 of these meals with a protein shake. If you do this combined with a healthy diet and enough exercise you will feel yourself becoming leaner and meaner!
  • Rhondaburgan
    Rhondaburgan Posts: 2
    Thanks.. I will keep that in mind.. Some days are better than others.. but I thought if i cut one meal out .. I would do better at managing the calories .. I would not substitute every meal.. That would be bad... and I love food too much to do that anyways LOL
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I'd rather eat my calories.
  • Losemymanboobs
    Losemymanboobs Posts: 32
    I have found that substituting one of your big 3 a day (Breakfast, dinner, tea) just isn't worth it, you will feel hungry and grouchy. If however you are disciplined enough and organised enough to be eating 6 small meals a day you could substitute up too 2 of these meals with a protein shake. If you do this combined with a healthy diet and enough exercise you will feel yourself becoming leaner and meaner!

    I should add I weight train which is why I do this but im pretty sure some dieters go for the smaller meals to boost metabolism and burn fat, am I right?
  • rdavenp3
    rdavenp3 Posts: 1 Member
    I use protein shakes as one of my meals on days where I know I'll need one to get my calorie intake for the day, but I add fruit to them so it'll stick in my stomach for a while, otherwise I'm hungry again too quickly.
  • jcmk87
    jcmk87 Posts: 57
    I have found that substituting one of your big 3 a day (Breakfast, dinner, tea) just isn't worth it, you will feel hungry and grouchy. If however you are disciplined enough and organised enough to be eating 6 small meals a day you could substitute up too 2 of these meals with a protein shake. If you do this combined with a healthy diet and enough exercise you will feel yourself becoming leaner and meaner!

    I should add I weight train which is why I do this but im pretty sure some dieters go for the smaller meals to boost metabolism and burn fat, am I right?

    Meal frequency is irrelevant...
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    I have a protein shake for dinner sometimes, milk, choc protein, pb, and a banana. It works for me.
  • Losemymanboobs
    Losemymanboobs Posts: 32
    I have found that substituting one of your big 3 a day (Breakfast, dinner, tea) just isn't worth it, you will feel hungry and grouchy. If however you are disciplined enough and organised enough to be eating 6 small meals a day you could substitute up too 2 of these meals with a protein shake. If you do this combined with a healthy diet and enough exercise you will feel yourself becoming leaner and meaner!

    I should add I weight train which is why I do this but im pretty sure some dieters go for the smaller meals to boost metabolism and burn fat, am I right?

    Meal frequency is irrelevant...

    Haha yea good one. Meal frequency offers many benefits, from eating regularly to intermittently fasting. Learn your stuff before you post.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member


    Haha yea good one. Meal frequency offers many benefits, from eating regularly to intermittently fasting. Learn your stuff before you post.

    Not to put words in his mouth but he meant that meal frequency does not boost metabolism since that's what he was refuting with that statement, and he is absolutely correct.

    Meal frequency is entirely personal preference as it pertains to thermogenic effect. It absolutely can effect performance/mood/etc.
  • Samanthasteinagle26
    Samanthasteinagle26 Posts: 20 Member
    I always start my morning with a protein shake with a banana in it. It keeps me full and chocolate protein is yummy.
  • MissesJai
    MissesJai Posts: 48
    what about Shakeology?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    You've just joined, so this is new for you. Many people here on My Fitness Pal (MFP) are looking to make "lifestyle" changes, as opposed to "dieting."

    A "lifestyle" change is something you will use to maintain a healthy weight ....... AFTER you have met your weight loss goal. Think of a "diet" is a temporary fix, or a project. Once you are done with your weight loss "project," then you will have to learn how to keep the weight off. You can't just go back and eat "normally," the weight just comes back. "Lifestyle" changes help you learn how to keep weight off.

    Tweak your current eating plan, make small changes here & there. Don't try to change everything all at once.
  • Losemymanboobs
    Losemymanboobs Posts: 32


    Haha yea good one. Meal frequency offers many benefits, from eating regularly to intermittently fasting. Learn your stuff before you post.

    Not to put words in his mouth but he meant that meal frequency does not boost metabolism since that's what he was refuting with that statement, and he is absolutely correct.

    Meal frequency is entirely personal preference as it pertains to thermogenic effect. It absolutely can effect performance/mood/etc.

    Thermogenesis increases after eating and is a direct extension of your Basal Metabolic Rate. Hence eating little and often boosts your metabolism.
  • mrseelmerfudd
    mrseelmerfudd Posts: 506 Member
    i have a protein shake for breakfast. i wouldnt usually eat breakfast, but then id snack all morning. ive found it extremely helpful
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member


    Thermogenesis increases after eating and is a direct extension of your Basal Metabolic Rate. Hence eating little and often boosts your metabolism.

    This is false. Thermic effect increases based on caloric total and macronutrient composition. Please see here for a good explanation of why this is frequency independent. Myth #1, explained in detail.

    http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

    EDIT: Lyle's take on it:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

    Edit:
    Peer reviewed study:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985

    Steve Troutman's take:
    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/#frequency

    I would very much recommend that you read the above information. These are very solid sources and it might help to clear things up a bit.

    Good luck!
  • Losemymanboobs
    Losemymanboobs Posts: 32


    Thermogenesis increases after eating and is a direct extension of your Basal Metabolic Rate. Hence eating little and often boosts your metabolism.

    This is false. Thermic effect increases based on caloric total and macronutrient composition. Please see here for a good explanation of why this is frequency independent. Myth #1, explained in detail.

    http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

    EDIT: Lyle's take on it:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

    Edit:
    Peer reviewed study:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985

    Steve Troutman's take:
    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/#frequency

    I would very much recommend that you read the above information. These are very solid sources and it might help to clear things up a bit.

    Good luck!

    The very basic point you are refuting here is that eating increases metabolism..... Even your references agree that eating increases your metabolism they just debate the significance of the increase in TEF from MF. I think the crux of it is you have to find a groove that suits you and go with it. Lets face it a healthy balanced diet is still the way forward for most people who have real life commitments. Good luck!
  • antihillmoby
    antihillmoby Posts: 131 Member
    Hello.. I am new at this.. but I was wondering if anyone uses the protein shakes as meal substitute and if so .. What results have you got and How many meals do you subsitute ? Whats a good protein supplement out there that is tasteful and affordable? I started doing the slim fast protein shakes and I actually lost weight but ran out of them.. was wondering if it was more affordable to get a big tub of some sort and an actual weightloss routine.. can anyone offer some assistance??

    The Atkins Advantage Chocolate shake is nice, I mix it with 300ml of unsweetened soya milk. I have it for breakfast and its really filling, low on sugar and carbs!!
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    The very basic point you are refuting here is that eating increases metabolism....

    No, the point I am refuting is that the increase in metabolism is not frequency based. You can eat all of your food in 1 sitting and get the same net thermic effect from eating as you would having eaten the same quantity of food spread out over 6 meals.

    Do you understand what I am getting at? Also, every link I've provided suggests that the frequency of feeding does not have an impact on the total thermic effect. This is what I am trying to establish.

    The reason I am adamant about this is because the myth that you need to eat "small frequent meals" to "boost your metabolism" is exactly that, a myth. It needs to die because it can cause people to think they need to eat often to gain some sort of metabolic edge.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    Not sure about how effective they are?

    I use a whey protein powder and mix with yogurt and fruit. Usually 1x - 2x per week. My goal is to cut out meat altogether. Still trying to figure out how to do so in a healthy manner. And, how to train my body & mind to not crave meat!

    Best of luck!
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
    I eat 2 meals per day and one of those is a post work out protein shake. I've only done the protein shake thing for a week now, but I love it. I do two scoops of protein powder - 52 grams of protein( only one scoop on non-workout days)- and add any mixture of fruit, or plain Greek yogurt, or unsweetened almond milk, or peanut butter, etc. My second meal consists of usually red meat or chicken and veggies and or a small serving of carbs. The protein shake I make contributes to half my protein needs for the day and have the rest in food. So far, so good!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Not sure about how effective they are?

    I use a whey protein powder and mix with yogurt and fruit. Usually 1x - 2x per week. My goal is to cut out meat altogether. Still trying to figure out how to do so in a healthy manner. And, how to train my body & mind to not crave meat!

    Best of luck!

    I found a sure fire way to solve this problem.

    Whenever I crave meat...I eat meat...and then I don't crave it anymore. It's been working VERY well for me thus far. I just had a pound of chicken for lunch, tomorrow I'm eyeing a 20 oz steak. =)




    As for TEF, I think what it comes down to, whichever side you agree with (I'm personally on the side that frequency doesn't matter, as the studies I've read seem to support that), whatever makes it easier for you to meet your calorie/macro targets is probably the path you should take. If you're like me, and it's easier to eat 2 large meals and then not eat much at all for the rest of the day, you'd be more likely to overeat trying to force yourself to eat a whole bunch of mini-meals. Even if there was a TEF boost from having 20 small meals (and I'm not saying there is), it's not going to overcome the fact that trying to make myself eat so many meals I'd probably end up going over my cals by an easy 1000+. Likewise if you get light headed and dizzy and such if you don't eat often, multiple meals is probably going to keep you feeling good and more likely to stick with your diet. That, long term, will have a better impact than any minor gains you might derive from IF.

    Figure out what you need to eat and how much of it, then eat that throughout the day in whatever fashion is easiest for you. It's really not that complicated.
  • sedelagarza
    sedelagarza Posts: 96 Member
    I make a meal out of my protein shakes, I take one scoop of powder mix in 8oz chocolate almond milk, 1 small banana, and some peanut butter. All together it comes out to 303 calories which is about a meal. I drink for one meal a day but I do a lot of work outs that inculde strength training.
  • sedelagarza
    sedelagarza Posts: 96 Member
    I make a meal out of my protein shakes, I take one scoop of powder mix in 8oz chocolate almond milk, 1 small banana, and some peanut butter. All together it comes out to 303 calories which is about a meal. I drink for one meal a day but I do a lot of work outs that inculde strength training.
  • kateroot
    kateroot Posts: 435
    I have a protein shake every morning for breakfast. I agree that real food is the best way to go, but I absolutely love my protein shakes. I usually use a scoop of vanilla or chocolate whey protein, .5 cup to 6 oz. of unsweetened almond milk, 3 or 4 ice cubes, then either fruit, peanut butter, nutella, or even sugar free instant pudding mix once in a while. It usually comes out to about 300 calories and keeps me full till lunch. It's like having a milkshake for breakfast, so it feels like I'm treating myself every day.

    My new favorite is chocolate protein powder with 1 tbsp of nutella and a tsp or two of instant coffee (with almond milk and ice). It tastes like a coffee coolatta but is a million times healthier.
  • melg126
    melg126 Posts: 378
    bump to read later
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    I did slim fast for a long time (out of laziness more than anything) and I fared just fine (thought I didn't really gain or lose weight). In choosing a meal shake, you need to make sure it has the proper nutrients, not just protein, which is why real food is better. I do like making myself protein shakes as post workout snacks though. I use the Designer Whey from Trader Joe's, and add fruit, milk, peanut butter, etc to it. I also add it to oatmeal and other things to give me a little extra protein.
  • hdlb123
    hdlb123 Posts: 112 Member
    I use protein shakes (protein powder, strawberries,banana and soy milk) to make breakfast on days that I'm going to be lacking protein. But that's to supplement what I'm eating, not replace meals
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