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Hi everyone. I am interested in everyone's opinions on shakes as meal replacements. I've always thought that they're not a fab idea, as they don't teach you about nutririon, or portion control or really changing your eating habits, oh, and they apparently generally taste very average! However, I AM, at the present time, considering using some sort of shake - I don't know what, as I haven't looked into it yet, as a short term measure to maybe help curb my appetite , and replace probably lunch for a couple of weeks.

I need to lose 10kg, so I'm obviously not doing it for any medical reason like a pre-op thing, just hoping it might give me a kick start, I guess. What has made me consider this is that I go to the gym with 2 friends, 1 of whom is about 5'8'', and weighs all of 62kg, if that. She's finely built, and slim, and constantly whingeing about her fat ar$e - which she doesn't have. The other friend is 5'10", and only slightly o/weight, but she can carry it b/c she's so tall!!! The thin one has decided to use shake type meal replacements because she saw how it worked for her b-in-law, who was very o/weight !!!!!!! She has started, and has lost weight .So now friend #2 has decided she should go down that road too. I'm not normally such a sheep, but I'm thinking I need to lose the most out of all 3 of us, so maybe I should give it a go! So, any thoughts, or experience  with them? If I do decide to use them, which one should I use? Thanks! Alison

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Nothing tastes as good as feeling slim & healthy.....not even chocolate!!!

Hi Alison,

It sounds as though you already understand the pros and cons. I have heard that Kickstart, and the Amway brand of shakes taste alright.

Ray

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My new book: Winners Do What Losers Don't

Tony Fergusson taste Ok, too! There is another one I heard about recently, Meditrim, and they have a much higher protein level in them, good for curbing the appetite I guess? OK, off to the couch again......

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Caution: Sarcastic and Cynical!!!

Alison, Please take this information on board: they are only of benefit if you have a good 20kg or more to lose. Below that, and it is a pointless exercise. Meal replacements such as optifast are used for dealing with a more overweight to obese category of people who need assistance. There will be a minor benefit to you as someone with 10kg or less to lose, but it's actually not designed for that. It's designed as a medical treatment for obesity, not a quick fix for a smaller amount to lose.

The main benefit you would gain from a shake kind of thing, with 10kg to lose, would be the extra protein. And that is basically it.

So as sh*tty as it might seem the best thing you can do is increase your protein by 10 grams and cut your calories by 10% and increase your activity a slight amount. Having met you a few times, I'd still like you to seriously think about what is a maintainable and realistic and comfortable weight for your age and level of activity. It might be a differenece of 6 or 8 kilos rather than 10, and if it means you maintain at a loss of 6 kilos for the next 20 years, then that must be better physically and psychologically than a loss of 10 kilos that you have to struggle for on a daily basis.

Don't ever compare yourself to anyone else. Learn to have confidence in your body, and what you feel, and how you feel, and understand that every single person is different. We all have different metabolisms and genetic pre-dispositions, and so your 5"8 friend will be different to you and your 5"10 friend will be different again. You're not as tall as them, and it's unrealistic to expect that you will be the same as them.

Yes, shake meal replacements will in the short term help you budge a couple of kilos. But you need to then do the entire program and follow through the transition and maintenance and basically the whole thing in entirety (which at the short end is 20 week so about 20 kilos) otherwise you will guaranteed have rebound weight plus GST, because it is NOT a fad thing, it is a medical treatment for obesity. This is why it's not recommended for 10kg or less.

I have a lot of experience - I was on optifast with medical guidance from my endocrinologist for 6 months and lost 24 kilos. I then had my hysterectomy and did not go through transition or maintenance. In the ensuing 2 & a half years, I've gradually regained about 19 kilos of that 24 despite doing all the traditionally correct things (and you know i'm a gym bunny)... so i do suggest you think about it, and i'm happy to catch up and talk about it. but i don't believe it is the correct program for you.

luv kaz x 

 

Thanks for your responses, and thanks esp Kaz. I didn't actually know that tey weren't recommended for people with a certain # of kgs to lose, so that's good to know. And good to hear from your experience, too ! As I said, I didn't have any experience with them, so I feel a bit better informed now! I don't think I'll bother....I CAN decrease my (bad) food intake, and I can't really do any more exercise, and I really don't think I need to, I'm happy with the amount I do already - and I don't have enough time!LOL! So, I think it's gonna be a bit of good old fashioned willpower for me. I think once I feel better (from being sick) I'll be able to work on that willpower, and hopefully feel more motivated again, too. Thanks again guys! Alison

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Nothing tastes as good as feeling slim & healthy.....not even chocolate!!!

My experience is that at about 400-500 calories per day you will lose weight using them.

Cleary why you need to lose 10 kg is a personal thing and only you can answer that question.

For people with a lot of weight to lose (20 Kg or more) I think they have their place.

Like any extreme diet they don’t address the long term management issue.

It seems the long term management is a problem for a lot of people.

If you need to consider body acceptance issues only you can decide.

They are also known as a VLCD or very low calorie diet.

If you wish to ask Google for more information

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Why I need to lose 10kg is b/c I've put abou 8 on in the last 12 mths - AGAIN. As for body acceptance issues - I'm frustrated b/c I know what I have previously achieved - and I know it is through laziness and a lack of self control with regards to what I eat that I've yo-yo'd back up to where I am, so I don't think I should accept the way I am now. The other thing is I have all these clothes that are a size smaller than my body currently is and I want to wear them again!!!!!!! Oh, and as for Google, it only gives me printed info, that's why I asked here, b/c I knew others had used them, and I'd rather gather info from peoplehose opininons I trust and respect. As I said, I think I'll give them a miss and work on my willpower! Alison

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Nothing tastes as good as feeling slim & healthy.....not even chocolate!!!

If you really feel you NEED to have a shake as an OCCASSIONAL meal replacement, then make your own from scratch. The meal-rplacements out there are full of SUGAR (read *EMPTY CALORIES!*), artificial flavours, & all kinds of chemicals. They add some vitamins in on top along with some junky forms of protein, and call it "healthy"

My dr. & I looked at the ingredients of all the major brands & then looked at making shakes from scratch. Saves a BUNDLE making your own as well.

My basic shake recipe is 1 banana, frozen; 1/4cup frozen berries or 1/2 fresh peach, 100 ml milk OR rice milk, 30 grams whey protein ISOLATE. The isloate form is much more digestible, and is more liver & kidney friendly. Whiz all the above together in the blender (or with a stick blender), & pour into a LARGE glass & enjoy. It makes a LOT, but it's really nice, and you get good carbs, vitamins, fibre & protein. And NO sugar (unless you add a LITTLE bit to adjust the sweetness). Sometimes I leave off the berries & add a tablespoon of cocoa (pure, nothing added) for a chokkie shake. For the added vitamins, if you're already taking a multi, then you're covered.

I don't have the shakes all the time. Just mostly for the occassional brekkie, or for lunch if it's really HOT outside. It's also pretty good if you've been ill & can't eat much.

Good luck with it.
 

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Sally

My sister lost 6 kilos- she wasnt heavily overwieght to begin with but she used celebrity slim and liked the taste compared to others she had tried. She also made her own soups to keep the wieght off and continue losing weight bit by bit. Her soups were just boiling a load of veges in vegetable stock and water then putting it in the blender. She made different variations as well and they were beautiful.

 After that my mother also joined in doing celebrity slim, she loved the taste and lost weight as well but did not manage to keep it up. I know when she gets back into losing weight again -after sorting a few other issues in her life out- she will get back onto celebrity slim.  

oh and the wieght they lost was in a short time - i think it was 6kilos in two weeks or something similar. I guess that depends on how hard core you want to follow the guidelines.