Do weight loss shakes work?

Question

I need to lose weight, are meal replacement shakes safe? I’ve read if you don’t consume enough calories a day it won’t matter how much you workout if your body doesn’t have all the calories it needs you’ll stay were your at, is this true? I’m eating way less calories and working out 40 minutes a day and having no...

Answer 1

Temporarily. They may work for a fast weight loss but are you going to have meal replacement shakes the rest of your life? Probably not. I'd say they are fine once or twice a week but once you stop a strict routine the weight will come back

Answer 2

Most weight loss shakes have lots of sugar. My wife has been drinking them and hasn't lost any weight either. Personally, I won't touch them.

Answer 3

they work in that they have a specific amount of calories and you drink one for each meal and don't eat anything else.
Or you could eat a meal that had the same amount of calories the shake does..That would work the same way.

Answer 4

No, and you have your information backward.

There is nothing magical in weight loss shakes or any meal replacement drink. They can be convenient, but that's about it. One big issue is that they have a lot of sugar in them and sugar isn't going for you, for weight loss, or for hunger. As a result, many people drink these shakes and find they are starving in an hour and totally go off their diet.

When we eat too many calories, our body stores the extra "fuel" as fat. It doesn't matter what food was eaten, it will be stored as fat. To lose that fat, you must each fewer calories than your body needs. That is called a calorie deficit. To make up the missing calories, your body will take some fat out of storage and use it.

The reason you aren't seeing results could be due to several reasons:
1. You are eating too many carbohydrates.
2. You are eating too many of your calories late in the day.
3. You aren't eating as little as your think.
4. You are doing the "wrong" type of workout.

Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% activity. Download an app like MyFitnessPal or Lose It! Weight and measure everything you eat or drink (or scan the code on the food). Track what you are really eating. Check the BMR for your goal weight and then try to eat close to that number of calories. Mix up your exercise and go for intensity rather than duration.

Answer 5

Shakers based on protein powders are *inferior* to a genuine meal will an equivalent balance of macronutrients.
And they are mostly useful for weight gain (muscle building), where they become a mere supplement (ie. you already lot enough solid foods for micronutrients and fibres), rather than for weight loss, where they would be a very poor meal replacement.
On the other hand, it's true that a higher protein intake almost always helps. And protein shakes are a very easy and convenient way to increase that, for those who don't understand anything to nutrition or for those who don't have time to prepare their meals in advance (or can't travel with a cooler full of meat).

Answer 6

Unless you are weighing everything you eat you don't know how many calories you are eating and are probably eating more than you realize.

Weight loss shakes can work but its just by calorie restriction. Some people will eat less if one of their meals is a shake. For a lot of people it doesn't work because they just eat more food at other meals.

You don;t need to workout to lose weight. Weight loss is about diet. Exercise can help (and I would recommend you lift weights to maintain muscle mass) but its not necessary.

Answer 7

I would say no they do not. Nothing beats good old fashioned diet and exercise. What you need to do is start by eating fresh fruits veggies and lean meats. Cut out processed and sugary foods such as pizza and pasta. I will say though allow your self one day a week to indulge a bit but in moderation. it works! Also get active, take walks, go bike riding or find a gym. Last results take time.

Answer 8

They are disgusting glop. They work because you avoid them.

Answer 9

Yes if you significantly under consume calories your body will assume your starving and conserve as much fat as possible.
A better approach is to slightly under consume and eat low calorie/high volume foods.
As for meal replacement shakes I would NEVER recommend them. Always super artificial, lacking in vitamins/minerals/fiber, and very restrictive to your lifestyle/social life.
Just eat real, whole foods, and eat 15-20% less than your caloric maintenance each day for weight loss.

Answer 10

They worked for me

Answer 11

they work super well on me :)