Can Meal Replacement Shakes Help You Lose Weight?

A question we are often asked is "Can Meal Replacement Shakes Help You Lose Weight?". Losing weight, as far as the science goes, is a relatively simple sounding process. Create a calorie deficit in your day as often as possible to make your body burn more energy than it is being given. Under these circumstances, the body is forced to find alternative sources of energy and calories. This means it is then likely the body will turn to your fat stores and burn that fat as needed.

There are two main overall methods for creating a calorie deficit:

• Reducing your food and overall calorie intake
• Increasing the calories your body requires each day through exercise and being more active

Most commonly, those serious about losing weight will adopt a dual approach and use both methods simultaneously. This often leads to faster results. In addition, the increased exercise and training will aid with body composition desires beyond simply losing fat - including toning and, provided you are consuming enough protein and not in too much of a calorie deficit, building some muscle along the way.

The area that most people struggle with is diet and nutrition. It is often said that "a body is built in the kitchen" and personal trainers will often tell you that 70% of your body transformation goals will be achieved through your diet and the other 30% through exercise. Cutting calories therefore will help you lose weight, but your body still needs essential nutrients and nourishment in order to stay healthy. This is especially true if you are exercising more regularly or becoming more active after a period of rest.

The mistake often made by those new to diet and nutrition is that they will cut calories without ensuring the intake they have is still balanced and giving the body the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs to function effectively. In many cases, an unhealthy body or an undernourished body may not have the reserves it needs to function and therefore it can actually struggle to lose weight and burn fat effectively. It can also leave you feeling lethargic and more prone to illness.

Meal replacement shakes are specifically designed to include a balanced breakdown of protein, carbohydrates and essential fats in a ratio that creates an optimised fat burning environment. They are also designed to be filling, reducing the need for snacking and binge-eating throughout the day. Using them is simple; just replace one or two of your daily meals with a quick and easy to mix shake. They are recommended for use at breakfast or lunch but suitable any time of the day. You should always aim to have at least one full, proper meal containing a healthy mix of whole foods and essential nutrients.

The shakes contain fewer calories than many snacks or on the go meals (especially fast food) and are far better value for money than the typical petrol station meal deal (which won’t benefit your weight loss goals). What’s more is that on top of the three major macros - protein, carbohydrates and fats - high quality meal replacement shakes will also be packed full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. These are all micro-nutrients that the majority of active people have some level of deficiency in.

If you’re taking a very mathematical approach to your fat loss, you may be tightly watching your macros and counting your calories throughout the day (we recommend using the myfitnesspal website and/or app). A traditional meal will require you to prepare and weigh your food or simply guess the calorie and macro content based on averages. With a meal replacement shake, you’re getting exactly what it says on the label per serving. So, you know precisely what calories and nutrients you’re putting into your body.

While it is always highly recommended to add in meal replacements gradually to a diet which also contains protein and mineral rich real foods, they provide a new level of convenience and great taste for those who don’t have all that much time to spend in the kitchen or simply want to keep things nice and straight forward while achieving the body they want.

Vegan Supplement Store offers a range of great-tasting plant-based meal replacement powders which can be used to make convenient, nutritious shakes. Each serving contains just over 200 calories (when mixed with water) and at least 30% of your recommended intake of essential vitamins and minerals. They can be easily mixed with water, milk or added to a smoothie. They can also be used to replace the protein powders in these delicious recipe ideas.