Meal replacement shakes.

MungBean

Do these actually exist or are they all dodgy money making scams that dont contain anywhere near the amount of stuff a human being needs ?

I'm not technically trying to lose weight with these more so just trying to get everything I need in the right amount as I'm pretty nutritional illiterate and rubbish at cooking.

If I could get rid of cooking altogether and at the same time get all the nutrients needed into me (which now I'm probably not getting half of what I should) then I think I'd be better off than living on frozen chips and fry ups and all the other packages crap I shove into me.

I know nothing will be an adequate replacement for fresh fruit and veg and all that but lets just say thats not an option and its between the frozen chips and burgers and the meal replacement shakes. Is it possible to live of these things and not dying a slow and painful death ?

Stench Blossoms

Whatever weight you lose you'll put back on plus more once you come off the shakes.

Don't go on a diet. Change your lifestyle.

Gummy Panda

MungBean wrote: »

Do these actually exist or are they all dodgy money making scams that dont contain anywhere near the amount of stuff a human being needs ?

I'm not technically trying to lose weight with these more so just trying to get everything I need in the right amount as I'm pretty nutritional illiterate and rubbish at cooking.

If I could get rid of cooking altogether and at the same time get all the nutrients needed into me (which now I'm probably not getting half of what I should) then I think I'd be better off than living on frozen chips and fry ups and all the other packages crap I shove into me.

I know nothing will be an adequate replacement for fresh fruit and veg and all that but lets just say thats not an option and its between the frozen chips and burgers and the meal replacement shakes. Is it possible to live of these things and not dying a slow and painful death ?

MRPs aren't designed to replace a healthy diet. They're decided to replace a meal when on the go or add an additional meal in liquid form

MungBean

Gummy Panda wrote: »

MRPs aren't designed to replace a healthy diet. They're decided to replace a meal when on the go or add an additional meal in liquid form

I see, so could they perhaps be used as the main meal of the day to ensure you get your nutrients and then have your chips and egg in the evening as usual ?

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Whatever weight you lose you'll put back on plus more once you come off the shakes.

Don't go on a diet. Change your lifestyle.

Well like I said I'm not specifically trying to lose weight just get a better diet as such as simply as possible. At the moment I'm living off dirt and doing shag all exercise and I wont be changing my lifestyle over night. So I'm thinking maybe these shakes would balance my diet, lead to being better health wise and over time help with weight loss as they will be replacing a meal of no real nutritional value.

I'm looking at it as perhaps being a catalyst for a lifestyle change rather than it being the change itself.

gud4u

Hi,

I'm a bit like you, when I do eat right I find it hard to get what I need due to lifestyle, job, etc.

I use shakes occasionally, that I used for a TFR programme and they are good, but they also conatain aspartame, but maybe that would be the lesser of two evils if the alternative is chips/burgers.

Don't know if i'm allowed to say brand names without being shot. But the two I use seem fine, i'm never hungry and my nails are always really strong as the alternative is pure junk for me.

Protein bars are also another thing I use, that said, this is something I'm phasing out as I really want to get to grips with eating right.

MungBean

gud4u wrote: »

Hi,

I'm a bit like you, when I do eat right I find it hard to get what I need due to lifestyle, job, etc.

I use shakes occasionally, that I used for a TFR programme and they are good, but they also conatain aspartame, but maybe that would be the lesser of two evils if the alternative is chips/burgers.

Don't know if i'm allowed to say brand names without being shot. But the two I use seem fine, i'm never hungry and my nails are always really strong as the alternative is pure junk for me.

Protein bars are also another thing I use, that said, this is something I'm phasing out as I really want to get to grips with eating right.

Thanks for the info, I'd appreciate it you could point me towards any particular brands or products, theres any amount of them out there and I havent a clue what I'd be buying. I think its ok to mention them here.

The alternative really is junk so replacing one junk meal with a shake a day cant be anything but good. Hopefully I'll get the healthy eating thing in future ones I manage to get a handle on my lifestyle. But for the moment I'll make do with damage limitation.

gud4u

PM sent.

syklops

MungBean wrote: »

I'm not technically trying to lose weight with these more so just trying to get everything I need in the right amount as I'm pretty nutritional illiterate and rubbish at cooking.

I love to cook so maybe I am biased, but why not learn to cook? Its never been easier to pick up. Now you can go on youtube and get lesson videos from top chefs. Jamie Oliver did a program where he taught a load of miners who had never cooked before simple nutricious meals and they went and taught other miners. One I remember was Chicken wrapped in bacon with Asparagus, and it was cheap, took like 15 minutes to prepare and very nutricious, and tastes great because I have done it.

There is also an app for android(maybe iPhone too) called 20 minute meals and it will give you everything you need and even give you videos on how to chop onions and stuff.

MungBean

syklops wrote: »

I love to cook so maybe I am biased, but why not learn to cook? Its never been easier to pick up. Now you can go on youtube and get lesson videos from top chefs. Jamie Oliver did a program where he taught a load of miners who had never cooked before simple nutricious meals and they went and taught other miners. One I remember was Chicken wrapped in bacon with Asparagus, and it was cheap, took like 15 minutes to prepare and very nutricious, and tastes great because I have done it.

There is also an app for android(maybe iPhone too) called 20 minute meals and it will give you everything you need and even give you videos on how to chop onions and stuff.

Its just not very convenient for me to do that. I dont have an Iphone or android, pretty sure I could manage to chop an onion without one anyway :P.

Like I said I wont be replacing all meals, I'll still be eating other meals, some healthy and Jamie Oliverish others chips and fish fingers. I know I wont be able to manage 100% proper daily meal plans and cooking and all the fiddling that goes with it. But if I can have one meal replacement shake it would make up for the poor intake on the others.

syklops

Well, the only people I know who use meal replacement shakes are people who are body builders and find it hard to get enough calories into them. That doesn't really seem to me conducive to a weight loss program or a lifestyle change.

Also, my mention of the video on chopping the onion was not for nothing. SInce I watched Jamie Olivers video on how to chop an onion I can dice an onion really small, really quickly. Useful if you are pushed for time which it sounds like you are.

I use a meal replacement shake now and again if I dont have time for breakfast, but I have found that sometimes because it is so heavy that it takes longer to drink it, then it would take to scramble a couple of eggs. Which is fine if I just need to be online from home, but if I need to go into the office, the shake isnt really convenient. Also if you are using them for weight loss, you should add water, not milk, which tends to give it a consistency similar to concrete mix. Remember the guy on the ad that says "the shakes tastes great!" is paid to say that.

MungBean

syklops wrote: »

Well, the only people I know who use meal replacement shakes are people who are body builders and find it hard to get enough calories into them. That doesn't really seem to me conducive to a weight loss program or a lifestyle change.

Also, my mention of the video on chopping the onion was not for nothing. SInce I watched Jamie Olivers video on how to chop an onion I can dice an onion really small, really quickly. Useful if you are pushed for time which it sounds like you are.

I use a meal replacement shake now and again if I dont have time for breakfast, but I have found that sometimes because it is so heavy that it takes longer to drink it, then it would take to scramble a couple of eggs. Which is fine if I just need to be online from home, but if I need to go into the office, the shake isnt really convenient. Also if you are using them for weight loss, you should add water, not milk, which tends to give it a consistency similar to concrete mix. Remember the guy on the ad that says "the shakes tastes great!" is paid to say that.

When the options are meal replacement shake and junk food is the meal replacement shake a better choice is what my OP asked.

I understand it wont taste good and healthy eating is infinity better but would the shakes add or detract from my diet ?

Stench Blossoms

MungBean wrote: »

When the options are meal replacement shake and junk food is the meal replacement shake a better choice is what my OP asked.

I understand it wont taste good and healthy eating is infinity better but would the shakes add or detract from my diet ?

I would almost guarantee that you'll still have the junk food after having the shake. The shakes are not 'meals'.

It seems your looking for an easy way out and want someone else to justify having shakes instead of junk food. You don't need the junk food. There is always a better food option.

syklops

When the options are meal replacement shake and junk food is the meal replacement shake a better choice is what my OP asked.

Usually having a shake instead of the junk food will be better, but you actually asked if they had enough nutrients in them to keep you healthy. I would argue a homemade pizza with a nice selection of vegetables on it would be much better for you than a shake.

I understand it wont taste good and healthy eating is infinity better but would the shakes add or detract from my diet ?

In my opinion it would detract from the diet, because while it has enough calories to substitute a meal, it doesnt fill you up, so a lot of times you would find yourself snacking later "Sure, I'll just have a small plate of chips", resulting you being hungry and ending up with twice the calories as you would have had if you had just had the burger.

syklops

MungBean wrote: »

I'm asking for opinions of the shakes themselves I'm not looking for an easy way out or asking anyone to justify it. So keep your nasty ignorant comments to yourself if you have nothing to offer on the topic I have raised.

That wasn't a nasty ignorant opinion. In fact if you read this forum you will notice Stench Blossoms has quite a bit of experience in this area and knows what she is talking about.

And she is right. You would end up eating something else, and you are looking for an easy way out. Well there is no silver bullet or magical formula. If you want to be slim and healthy you have to eat right and exercise. If you dont do either you wont be healthy. Simple as.

MungBean

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

I would almost guarantee that you'll still have the junk food after having the shake. The shakes are not 'meals'.

It seems your looking for an easy way out and want someone else to justify having shakes instead of junk food. You don't need the junk food. There is always a better food option.

Look it. It gets incredibly frustrating to constantly hear the same old lecture of "There is no easy way, and I wont justify this for you". I'm not looking for an easy way out I'm looking for advice on whether or not these shakes would offer something better than what I am currently eating.

I'm grateful for all advice given but I dont need another lecture.

MungBean

syklops wrote: »

That wasn't a nasty ignorant opinion. In fact if you read this forum you will notice Stench Blossoms has quite a bit of experience in this area and knows what she is talking about.

And she is right. You would end up eating something else, and you are looking for an easy way out. Well there is no silver bullet or magical formula. If you want to be slim and healthy you have to eat right and exercise. If you dont do either you wont be healthy. Simple as.

It was a frustrated heat of the moment reply which I deleted quickly after. But I dont need any more personal digs about trying to find an easy way out and asking others to justify it. This thread is about the shake not me personally trying to lose weight through the easiest way possible.

Stench Blossoms

syklops wrote: »

In my opinion it would detract from the diet, because while it has enough calories to substitute a meal, it doesnt fill you up, so a lot of times you would find yourself snacking later "Sure, I'll just have a small plate of chips", resulting you being hungry and ending up with twice the calories as you would have had if you had just had the burger.

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

I would almost guarantee that you'll still have the junk food after having the shake. The shakes are not 'meals'.

Both myself and syklops said basically the same thing.

If you really want to try them then go ahead. Weigh yourself before you start and see how you get on after 2/3 weeks. Make a diary of your food intake as well.

I've never come across a person who actually liked the shakes enough to not eat junk food on top of them.

MungBean

the problem is that you're asking about nutrients and saying "so then i can have a plate of chips later too?"
no, you can't have a plate of chips later too, not if you want to lose weight


they will give nutrients and calories if you are in a rush. they will not fix anything, they will not help you lose weight, they will not stop you eating junk

MungBean wrote: »

So I'm thinking maybe these shakes would balance my diet,

they won't

MungBean wrote: »

The alternative really is junk

Mungbean, if you're able to replace a meal with a shake, you're able to replace it with veg. it's that simple. The alternative is not junk.

MungBean

bluewolf wrote: »

the problem is that you're asking about nutrients and saying "so then i can have a plate of chips later too?"
no, you can't have a plate of chips later too, not if you want to lose weight


they will give nutrients and calories if you are in a rush. they will not fix anything, they will not help you lose weight, they will not stop you eating junk

The problem is that I'm not asking that at all. I'm asking about the nutrient content of the shake and whether it would be a better alternative to what I am currently eating. I have already stated several times that I'm not looking for a quick way to lose weight or stop eating junk food. I'm asking if these shakes added to my diet in the place of a non too healthy meal would be a better alternative.

MungBean

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Both myself and syklops said basically the same thing.

If you really want to try them then go ahead. Weigh yourself before you start and see how you get on after 2/3 weeks. Make a diary of your food intake as well.

I've never come across a person who actually liked the shakes enough to not eat junk food on top of them.

You did say essentially the same thing but you also included an opinion that you thought I was using these shakes as a quick fix and asking others to justify that. I didnt appreciate that would ask people to stick to discussing their opinion of the shakes rather than judging me.

MungBean

MungBean wrote: »

The problem is that I'm not asking that at all.

MungBean wrote: »

I see, so could they perhaps be used as the main meal of the day to ensure you get your nutrients and then have your chips and egg in the evening as usual ?

I'm asking about the nutrient content of the shake and whether it would be a better alternative to what I am currently eating. I have already stated several times that I'm not looking for a quick way to lose weight or stop eating junk food. I'm asking if these shakes added to my diet in the place of a non too healthy meal would be a better alternative.

Right, well veg would be a better alternative, so if you can sub one, you can sub the other. Plus actually eating it will be better mentally and have less chance of you reaching for anything else

Stench Blossoms

MungBean wrote: »

You did say essentially the same thing but you also included an opinion that you thought I was using these shakes as a quick fix and asking others to justify that. I didnt appreciate that would ask people to stick to discussing their opinion of the shakes rather than judging me.

Shakes are bad.

MungBean

bluewolf wrote: »

I'm not asking anything I was stating that I would be eating as normal in the other meals while replacing one with the shake. I have also stated several times that I'm not strictly trying to lose weight. Your arguing wrongly that I'm trying to lose weight and asking if by using the shakes I can still carry on eating junk.

Right, well veg would be a better alternative, so if you can sub one, you can sub the other. Plus actually eating it will be better mentally and have less chance of you reaching for anything else

I know that and I'm not disputing it but I'm not asking about veg, or the best alternative or how to lose weight or any of the other things your giving advice for. I'm asking about the shake and where I stand if I was to use it in place of one of my current meals.

Stench Blossoms

Homemade meal replacement shake

http://leanbodylifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/08/homemade-meal-replacement-shake-for.html

MungBean

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Homemade meal replacement shake

http://leanbodylifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/08/homemade-meal-replacement-shake-for.html

Thank you and apologies for my earlier comments.

syklops

IMO, when it comes to 'nutrients', you'd be as well off skipping a meal and having a pint of guinness

MungBean

syklops wrote: »

IMO, when it comes to 'nutrients', you'd be as well off skipping a meal and having a pint of guinness

Is that serious ? Your recommending I replace my meal with a pint of Guinness ? This would be healthier than a meal replacement shake ?

Stench Blossoms

It would leave you more satisfied.

MungBean

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

It would leave you more satisfied.

Meaning what exactly ?

gud4u

Mungbean,

I'm a rollercoaster meal replacer. I have used them when I was in situations where I literally had no cooker or means of cooking. I was still hungry and at times ate junk as well as MR.

Could you stock the freezer with the better frozen foods.

Is it lack of time and use of a cooker that's the problem. I only ask as if you're on shift work or something and find your eating pattern is erractic maybe there is a better alternative.

I used Sona Complete Nutrition in a fruit smoothie when I had to, Cully annd Sully products and some of Tescoes Light range. OK, not ideal, but better than egg and chips are McDs in my case.

I haven't used a shake in a while but they are my go to in stressful times, so I get why you might want them.

MungBean

Thanks for all the advice (gud4u in particular), from reading the thread I have concluded that although not the best option they may not be the worst. So I'm going to give them a shot and see how they work out.

If you dont hear from me again I have probably died of malnutrition. Or turned to alcoholism on the advice of syklops.

Gummy Panda

gud4u wrote: »

I used Sona Complete Nutrition in a fruit smoothie when I had to, Cully annd Sully products and some of Tescoes Light range. OK, not ideal, but better than egg and chips are McDs in my case.

They look like garbage. Better off with a whey & oats shake and having a multivitamin.

Orla K

Just read this whole thread today, to me it really seems like you just wanted someone to tell you using meal replacement shakes is alright.

I really can't see you getting 'everything I need in the right amount' on these shakes. This may sound harsh to you but cop on and cook, eat real food, it's not difficult and the more you cook the better you get it'll be stupid to get 'rid of cooking altogether'

gud4u

I know shakes ar not a replacement for food, nor is the Sona Nutrition, I used them when I was sleeping on a hospital floor for a few weeks as I had no means of cooking. I had just lost 3 stone and wasn't ready to trust myself with canteen/restaurant food. It was also a very stressful time and stress is a trigger for my eating faults. So shakes were a very short term solution.

Whatever the ops reasons, he is just looking for advice on the best of a bad lot, I would be the first to discourage using them, and I told OP why in a pm as I didn't fancy sharing my reasons here.