Meal replacement shakes

dazzymc

I'm looking to lose a bit of weight so was considering meal replacement shakes for lunch. I'll have porridge for breakfast and a healthy dinner but these sound like they could be good for lunch. Can anyone recommend a good brand?

Mars Bar

What's wrong with a proper healthy meal for lunch?

You won't be able to sustain the shakes forever.

dazzymc

Mars Bar wrote: »

What's wrong with a proper healthy meal for lunch?

You won't be able to sustain the shakes forever.

I never said that there was anything wrong with a proper meal. Also never said I would sustain the shakes forever. I'm looking for recommendations not judgements!

The Real Ramona

I have used the Slim Fast ones with great success.

dazzymc

The Real Ramona wrote: »

I have used the Slim Fast ones with great success.

Thanks a million. I'll check them out.

molly09

I have used meal replacement shakes in the past. I liked the slim fast ones but as they are high enough in sugar , i felt they did not fill me up for long. I sometimes eat protein bars (approx 200 calories) or a protein shake for lunch as I find this fills me up more than the meal replacements shakes. I eat a normal breakfast and dinner.

dazzymc

molly09 wrote: »

I have used meal replacement shakes in the past. I liked the slim fast ones but as they are high enough in sugar , i felt they did not fill me up for long. I sometimes eat protein bars (approx 200 calories) or a protein shake for lunch as I find this fills me up more than the meal replacements shakes. I eat a normal breakfast and dinner.

Thanks Molly. Did you see good results by replacing one meal with a meal replacement shake?

molly09

I have lost a good bit of weight ( nearly three stone) in the past year or so. I found the best thing was tracking my calories using my fitness pal. I used the protein bars/shakes on days I was stuck, as in, forgot to bring my lunch to work or in a rush or something. I find them handy in that I know what calories are in them and to be fair I find them quiet filling .

But if you replace one meal with the like of a protein bar, you will automatically reduce your daily calorie intake so you should see results.
My friend has been doing this the last few weeks and is getting good results.

SuperRabbit

Slim fast is almost entirely sugar, totally empty calories. if you are going to be cutting down your total number of calories do you really want to waste some on something with no nutritional value?

High protein things tend to make us feel full, some protein shakes have very few calories, might keep you going without filling you with sugar? Not something i have tried, but whatever you do I wouldn't make it slim fast, if you're going to eat that much sugar it should be enjoyable!

SozBbz

Yeah OP, I'm a bit skeptical about shakes. They can work because its all about calorie deficit and its an easy way of having a low calorie meal.
I did a shakes based diet myself a few years ago (can't remember the name, some Australian brand that was available in Boots and was designed as shakes for breakfast and lunch).
My concern is now that most shakes lack protein and fiber. You could use a protein shake (there are lower cal ones available) rather than shakes that are targeted at weight loss specifically like slimfast. I'd also recommend a fiber supplement too - they can be unpleasant but its worth it to ensure you keep things moving so to speak, and also low fiber diets carry their own longer term health risks.

The_Honeybadger

I make my own breakfast shakes with a banana and frozen tropical fruit from Aldi, I also add in wheatgerm and chia seeds and sometimes avocado if I have it. I use water and a splash of almond milk to mix it. Takes no longer really than the powdered ones and it’s delicious and packed full of fibre. You could add a scoop of protein or other supplements as well but I don’t bother.

SozBbz

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

I make my own breakfast shakes with a banana and frozen tropical fruit from Aldi, I also add in wheatgerm and chia seeds and sometimes avocado if I have it. I use water and a splash of almond milk to mix it. Takes no longer really than the powdered ones and it’s delicious and packed full of fibre. You could add a scoop of protein or other supplements as well but I don’t bother.

While I think what you've described sounds delicious (and nutritious) but could easily be higher in calories than most meal replacement shakes, which would probably defeat the purpose for the OP.

The_Honeybadger

SozBbz wrote: »

While I think what you've described sounds delicious (and nutritious) but could easily be higher in calories than most meal replacement shakes, which would probably defeat the purpose for the OP.

Yes but the chia seeds and avocado are optional, that’s where the calories are added. I throw them in because I like them and my goals are different to the OP’s.

I don’t think there are many calories at all in a banana, handful of mixed fruit and a scoop of wheatgerm (also optional). I prefer it to a powdered shake anyway, at least I know what is in it.

SuperRabbit

Without the avocado, chia and wheatgerm that shake sounds like it is mostly sugar too, but if it works for you and you enjoy it then I'm not saying it's bad!

I wouldn't personally make an all fruit shake, when you blend or juice fruit you make it less healthy as you get a lot of sugar in a short time, which doesn't happen if you just eat the fruit as it's locked in so to speak. i use fruit to hide the taste of vegetables or other healthy stuff that i hate!

SuperRabbit

Saw this product "Purition" while i was doing the shopping (supervalu), seemed like a better option than slim fast, being low sugar but having more nutrients.
Good old fashioned soup also tends to be low calorie and filling

Macy0161

Whatever works for you, but I've come around to the fact that eating is more satiating. I've swapped out my recovery shakes for protein and yogurt fruit salads for that reason - I generally still wanted to eat after the shake.

fwiw, my lunch today was baked chicken breast, mixed salad, with chilli sauce, followed by an apple and brew, and it's coming in at around 250 calories. My protein shake made with low fat milk would be 200 calories and gone in seconds.

mathie

Macy0161 wrote: »

Whatever works for you, but I've come around to the fact that eating is more satiating. I've swapped out my recovery shakes for protein and yogurt fruit salads for that reason - I generally still wanted to eat after the shake.

fwiw, my lunch today was baked chicken breast, mixed salad, with chilli sauce, followed by an apple and brew, and it's coming in at around 250 calories. My protein shake made with low fat milk would be 200 calories and gone in seconds.

Wouldnt the chicken breast alone be nearly 300 calories?

The_Honeybadger

mathie wrote: »

Wouldnt the chicken breast alone be nearly 300 calories?

Was thinking that too when I read it. Portion must be microscopic

Alf Veedersane

Let me know the butcher that sells chicken breasts that have 300 kcals. I'll have me some of that

Zymurgist

You could try Huel or Queal. They offer high protein balanced meal replacement shakes.

A better option than slim fast or a traditional protein shake for replacing your lunch

The_Honeybadger

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Let me know the butcher that sells chicken breasts that have 300 kcals. I'll have me some of that

Chicken breast should be around 170-180g with 165 kcals per 100g. Is that not 300 kcals? Unless they are very small of course

Alf Veedersane

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Chicken breast should be around 170-180g with 165 kcals per 100g. Is that not 300 kcals? Unless they are very small of course

165kcals per 100g cooked or uncooked? Sounds pretty high to me, tbh.

A fairly standard chicken breast sold is ~150g. Smaller ones ~120g.

Edit: I've read about the poster's weight loss and they have a fairly good handle on the content of what they eat and while there may not be a full big chicken breast, that doesn't mean there was no volume in the lunch that sated their appetite.

Macy0161

I said with chicken breast, not a chicken breast (I generally use diced breast as it's cheaper and I will be cutting it up in a salad anyway). It's was a cooked weight of 125g fwiw. Frank's hot sauce is only 5 calories per 20g (on half a bag of aldi Italian salad)

I just use the calories that a pack of sliced roast chicken breast gives, usually the lidl/ glensallagh figure of 113 calories per 100g. The Cajun ones are down as 128 calories, so not enough difference to be critical to me tbh.

The_Honeybadger

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

165kcals per 100g cooked or uncooked? Sounds pretty high to me, tbh.

A fairly standard chicken breast sold is ~150g. Smaller ones ~120g.

Edit: I've read about the poster's weight loss and they have a fairly good handle on the content of what they eat and while there may not be a full big chicken breast, that doesn't mean there was no volume in the lunch that sated their appetite.

I buy 500g in Aldi and that’s three breasts so roughly 165g each @165kcal per 100g uncooked according to google. I work that out at 270 kcal, add oils / sauces and it could easily be 300. I know you can get smaller ones so it depends.

I know the poster has since clarified and it does look like there lunch is around 300

Mellor

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

I buy 500g in Aldi and that’s three breasts so roughly 165g each @165kcal per 100g uncooked according to google. I work that out at 270 kcal, add oils / sauces and it could easily be 300. I know you can get smaller ones so it depends.

I know the poster has since clarified and it does look like there lunch is around 300

Raw breast fillets are about 125 calories/100g
Which puts a 120-160g breast 150-200 cals


The breasts I buy are much bigger. Easily 375 -450 calories

Macy0161

No oils for cooking, just seasoning. And as I said, 125g cooked rather than a full breast.

Regardless, taking everyone else's figures, I'd still say probably not that different from a shake or smoothie.

Edit: The meal replacement shakes appear to be around 200 calories. I don't know would they be that more filling as standard whey shake made with low fat milk, or that nutritionally better either. Even taking Honeybadgers take on my lunch, still only a 100 calories in it. Again, whatever works for the OP, but for me, I'd get more satisfaction from eating than necking a shake.

ShauntaMetzel

You can use Beachbody if it is mainly for the purpose to lose weight. However, I recently purchased a meal shake from here https://ambronite.com/collections/complete-meal-shake-400-kcal/products/complete-meal-shake-400-kcal-berries-flavor on the suggestion of my friend. Ambronite meal shake is satisfying the hunger, but if you are looking at the best flavours, then NutriSystem’s Chocolate flavour is my damn favourite. Another option could also be Herbalife’s Formula 1 with Gluten-free features.