#15MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Meal replacement foods and protein shakes do not have any special fat reducing or muscle building properties. They are simply powdered foods, supplementing an existing healthy diet – not replacing it. These products are not superior to whole foods. Your metabolism increases when processing and digesting whole foods, but does this to a much lesser degree when processing liquid foods.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKES

For maximum weight loss using meal replacements and for weight maintenance:

·     Unless you are the supervision of a doctor, limit the use of meal replacement shakes to no more than two meals (or one meal and one snack) per day.

·     Meal replacement shakes should contain at least 200 calories and good balance protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, the essential vitamins and minerals your body requires. This is important, as meeting your nutritional requirements will help avoid adverse effects to your health and prevent hunger.

·     Use meal replacement shakes for the most troublesome meals. For example, if you skip breakfast or worse indulge in donuts and alike, swap it for a meal replacement shakes. If you’re too busy and usually miss lunch or surrender to the convenience foods swap it for a meal replacement bar. If the thought of making a healthy dinner from scratch makes your head spin or you succumb to the munchies in the evening, try a meal replacement.

·     Use when convenient. Depending on how pressed you are for time, some days you might use two meal replacement shakes on others one or none. Try to limit meal replacements to those times when it’s either that, nothing or fast food. The point of meal replacement shakes is to ensure you stick to your calorie intake.

·     Avoid boredom by using different products. Try different meal replacement shakes and other meal replacement products to add variety.

·     Go for fresh fruit and vegetables when you can. Fruits make for great snacks and provide valuable natural nutrients and fibers in a way man-made foods can’t.

Maximize weight loss by ensuring your “normal” meals are nutritionally balanced. Your meals should consist of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates. This translates into vegetables, meat/ tofu/ legumes and starches such as potatoes (optional).