Best Meal Replacement Shake?

[carraway]

Hello

I'm looking for a low carb meal replacement shake but I am concerned about getting enough vitamins and fibre. I also want low carb.

Is this too much to ask?
I looked at Atkins shakes as they are low carb but have very little fibre and no iron as far as I can tell.

I am thinking of doing a very low calorie diet or a version of the Newcastle plan. I have 6 stones to lose (preferably by tomorrow

If anyone can suggest anything or has tried a similar diet I'd welcome comments.

Thanks

 

[WhitbyJet]

Why do you need to drink a chemical shake to lose weight? You wont be losing any faster, eat some healthy veg/fruit, add protein and you got the nutrients and fibre you need, all natural, nothing artificial, but its low carb and same calories as a shake would be?!
And no, you wont lose 6st by tomorrow, you need to learn to face up to facts and know there are no quick answers, how long did it take you to put on the extra 6st? I bet it wasnt overnight, huh?

 

[carraway]

Hi Whitby Jet

A meal replacement shake would be a really useful thing for my lifestyle.

Some people are impatient and I am one of them.

 

[pickledpepper2]

I have been using USN Pure Protein GF1 lately.

It's bloody expensive so shop around.

Each serving (2 scoops) has 40 g protein, and 2.2 g carbs. It has 2 g of fibre in that and a bunch of other vitamins and minerals.

I only use 1 and a half scoops as it is enough, and it helps when I have to rush out and don't have time to make something from scratch which is usually in the morning i.e. breakfast. But don't get it confused because I love cooking and make my own food from scratch as often as possible.

I've started training again so the extra protein helps. I have had an issue with losing muscle mass and the shakes help me in this.

 

[Tracyplum]

I lost 5 stone in 3 month on Lighterlife, I would NOT recommend it or any kind of similar thing.
Quick fix.......yes
Impressive lost......yes
Hair falling out....... Yes (my hair is so thin now)
Baggy skin.......yes ( my 80 year old mum had a better set of boobs and tummy than me when I'd finished, I was 40).
Gallstones...... Yes ( the pain can be soooo bad)
Bad skin...... Yes ( very dry and sensitive)
Once you start eating it goes back on unless you have rethought your lifestyle. I kept 3.5 stone off for about 18 month but it has all gone back on again.
Would I do it again..... Never.
That's just me though, I went back to eating the way I used to and not introduced any different exercise. I now have a good 7 stone to shift again, this time I have a focus ( due to diabetes) , I have lost a stone so far by changing little things, I still have wine and a small treat at weekends, also walking more and have just got a bike. I go out about 6/7 o'clock in the morning to the local small park and have started to build up my laps at the moment, my goal is to get to ride the local cycle greenway by Xmas (it's 10 miles each way). Hopefully by the time it is too dark that early I might not be a 'fat bird on a bike' hyperventilating at the park gates and have more confidence to go out at a more civil time. The shakes might work for some, and I would say for weight loss it did work, but the negatives were not so good for my body. Good luck with whatever you choose.


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[punto53]

Re: Best Meal Replacement Shakes

Tracyplum I so admire your honesty in telling all about lighter life a friend of mine did exactly the same diet lost loads of weight, and has now put it all back on and even more and is trying so hard too get this weight off .
Well good luck to you with your cycling and exercise you can do it!:grin:

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[Netty70]

I lost 5 stone in 3 month on Lighterlife, I would NOT recommend it or any kind of similar thing.
Quick fix.......yes
Impressive lost......yes
Hair falling out....... Yes (my hair is so thin now)
Baggy skin.......yes ( my 80 year old mum had a better set of boobs and tummy than me when I'd finished, I was 40).
Gallstones...... Yes ( the pain can be soooo bad)
Bad skin...... Yes ( very dry and sensitive)
Once you start eating it goes back on unless you have rethought your lifestyle. I kept 3.5 stone off for about 18 month but it has all gone back on again.
Would I do it again..... Never.
That's just me though, I went back to eating the way I used to and not introduced any different exercise. I now have a good 7 stone to shift again, this time I have a focus ( due to diabetes) , I have lost a stone so far by changing little things, I still have wine and a small treat at weekends, also walking more and have just got a bike. I go out about 6/7 o'clock in the morning to the local small park and have started to build up my laps at the moment, my goal is to get to ride the local cycle greenway by Xmas (it's 10 miles each way). Hopefully by the time it is too dark that early I might not be a 'fat bird on a bike' hyperventilating at the park gates and have more confidence to go out at a more civil time. The shakes might work for some, and I would say for weight loss it did work, but the negatives were not so good for my body. Good luck with whatever you choose.


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Well done on losing a stone the right way keep up the exercise you will be surprised by how quick you build up your fitness levels
Good luck on the bike


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[Tracyplum]

It is really hard to stick to, with events and the like cropping up. I didn't eat anything other than the shakes and just drank water for 12 weeks. Nothing else was eaten, I even tasted food when making for the family and spat it in the bin so not to eat it. For a few people who attended my session who did eat on occasions they felt really guilty, that doesn't help your confidence. All things to consider!


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[Yorksman]

I'm looking for a low carb meal replacement shake but I am concerned about getting enough vitamins and fibre.

Fibre contains a lot of carbohydrate which is either indigestible, cellulose based carbohydrate or is not broken down by enzymes but by bacteria in the intestine. Things like pulses are OK to eat even though the packet says they contain a lot of carbohydrate.

http://www.carbs-information.com/dietary-fiber.htm

 

[elaineadams]

Doctors and dieticians do not recommend the use of meal replacement shakes because their weight loss is based on muscle reduction, which apparently weakens the muscles of the heart. You are better off being extremely strict with your eating habits, and eating fresh fruit and veg. You need to cut out fizzy drinks as well....drink plenty of water, green tea and have a cup or two of rooibos tea each day. I think most of would love to lose 6 stone overnight but we all know that realistically this is an impossible dream, and settle for 2lb a week and treat it as an achievement.

 

[carraway]

Thank you Elaine but doctors also recommend carbohydrate for diabetics. I have no faith in them,

While it may not be for you, perhaps you should look at the Newcastle Diet, which is about rapid weight loss using meal replacement shakes. That is why I asked the question initially.

 

[WhitbyJet]

Yes but the Newcastle diet was done under medical supervision.

 

[Cricket Lover]

I have been on the Newcastle diet for just over 6 weeks using Otifast, I have so far lost 25 lbs & feel better than I have felt for several years, I also eat 250gms of vegetables a day, apart from feeling a bit achy & some headaches over the first few days I have felt fine, energy levels excellent can cope with a hard 1hr workout in the gym mix of cardio & weights & now doing mile long swims a couple of times a week. I think there is a lot of scare mongering about medical supervision, my GP was happy for me to manage it myself, just proviso if you feel unwell see your doctor.

I would probably be a little more concerned if it was longer than 8 weeks, but I see nothing wrong with meal replacement shakes provided you are eating vegetables for some solids & ruffage. Neither my consultant or doctor had any concerns about the diet, as they felt I would be getting all the essential nutrients & vitamins from the meal replacements & vegetables, my gp was going to prescribe vitamins initially but having looked at the content of the shakes felt it was not required. I do feel that the concerns people raise about these diets do vear towards scare mongering at times!

 

[carraway]

Thank you CricketLover, that is a good piece of news I am going to give it a try in September when the children go back to school and I'm going to do it until half term.

Can I ask how much you have to lose and how your BG levels are?

I will check out the shakes you use. I have an Atkins shake being delivered today but as far as I can tell it has no vitamins added, which will be ok for the odd meal replacement (when my family are having sandwiches etc) but not for my longer experiment.

Meanwhile I am low carb and exercise.

Thanks again
Cara

 

[Cricket Lover]

Hi Cara,

Within 2 weeks of starting the diet my bg was regularly below 5 it tends to be in the range of 4.1 to 5.2 either first thing in the morning or 2 hours after food, before I started the diet my bg was normally between 6 & 9 with occasional figues up to 13 The optifast is only mean't to be available via a medical professional but my local chemist has been quite happy to supply me, it is quite expensive £28 for a box of 9 shakes, but I like the taste of them & as I don't really buy much food wise other than probably £6 to £10 of veg a week & some fizzy water I'm probably spending less than I would normally, (no eating out or take aways!)

Good luck in September

Mark

 

[Tracyplum]

Cricket lover my post was fact for me and not intended to be scare mongering. The initial post asked for comments about experiences if you have used shake type produces - I have and had all the stated problems. I am sure hundreds of people use these with no problems, and to be fair at the stage you are at I did not have any either in fact my confidence was at an all time high. It was the following weeks/ months after finishing the program that, in hindsight I regretted doing it. The easy bit is sticking to the program, it's afterwards that you need your strength to keep the weight off. If anyone has decided to try this way to shift the pounds then nothing anyone says will probably stop them ( it did not stop me) and there is always positives and negatives about most unconventional ways. I just wanted to say I did not have a good experience but others will have good ones.


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[hanadr]

I've just started a few days of using Atkins shakes to break my weight loss stall. I don't intend to do it for long,[just one cannister!] Ihave a normal low carb lunch. I hope I get all my nutrients that way. Loads of fibre in veggies.
I have been eating SMALL portions and VLC for years and lost about 3 stone. Now it's refusing to come off any more. So I'm trying something different. Ideally I could do to lose another 3 stones. To get back to where Iwas at 25
Realistically 2 stones would do. after all I don't need to be a scrawny Grandma :lol:
Hana

 

[carraway]

Hi TracyPlum


I found your reply interesting and was grateful you wrote it, you spoke from experience.

I think the people who comment without experience don't add a lot.

I've found that in the week since I joined the forum people have very strong opinions on how others should behave,

On a different post I said I did not want to go to the doctors and several members virtually wanted to frogmarch me there.

I welcome the views who have been there before me.

Thanks

 

[WhitbyJet]

Hi TracyPlum


I found your reply interesting and was grateful you wrote it, you spoke from experience.

I think the people who comment without experience don't add a lot.

I've found that in the week since I joined the forum people have very strong opinions on how others should behave,

On a different post I said I did not want to go to the doctors and several members virtually wanted to frogmarch me there.

I welcome the views who have been there before me.

Thanks

In total agreement with what you say, nobody can force you to seek medical advice, you are in control of your body.

I have done fasting before, a 40 day fast, not to lose weight, but to detox 'body & mind', was heavily into yoga at the time, but I was checked out by my doctor.
The reason of my 'scare mongering' being that my neighbour's seemingly very fit, healthy daughter wanted to lose 2st quickly, embarked on a VLC diet and died during her sleep, she went to bed happy and healthy, pleased with herself, the weight was coming off, she wasnt giving in to the hunger pangs, her Dad found her dead next morning. The post mortem revealed electrolyte imbalance, these caused cardiac arrythmia.
During fasting or VLC dieting the body is losing lots of fluid, some people, in particular those with kidney disease are most at risk (there are many people with reduced kidney function, it may be so mild that they have no symptoms so remain undiagnosed) or mineral imbalance, we just dont know unless we have tests.
Optifast, etc is meant to be sold under medical licence there is a reason for that, Atkins recommends medical supervision as does Slimfast and Slim and Save, they all have this get out clause there for a reason. Sadly it seems that some pharmacists are willing to sell anything, even prescription only medicines.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/90607 ... -symptoms/

So no, I didnt want to frogmarch you to anywhere, I only wanted you to go into this with wide open eyes, I want you to be safe and healthy, thats all.

 

[Tracyplum]

I checked out by my doctor, you had to have a form signed before you was able to go on the lighter life diet. You also had to drink 4 litres of water a day.


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