# Which meal replacement shakes and other suggestions please?



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 9, 2021)

I have given up sugar and white carbs, reduced bread intake to part of a slice (rounded bit at the top goes to the birds) of Vogel linseed once or twice a day. Tried eating breakfast which I really don't want, and my diet is fish, green veg, cauliflower, avocado, salads, hummus and nuts. Just gave up apples, I have lost just 1lb and am still as wobbly as when I began. I use full fat milk as reduced fat gives me digestive problems, have reduced my cheese intake to very little. I don't eat meat and am happy to live on salads & veg. Tea with milk has always kept me going, it's the one thing I find difficult to give up.

I am just prediabetic (42) my cholesterol is just below 5 and my thyroid is also a bit low, so everything is borderline and I want to stop it getting any worse. Osteo arthritis has also been mentioned but not looked into yet.

I think it is time to try something else, have read on here that Slimfast are to be avoided, looked at Tesco ones but am confused as to which ones to try.


----------



## travellor (Jun 9, 2021)

Why avoid Slimfast?
I did the Newcastle diet with Tesco shakes, mainly strawberry and vanilla, based on the cost though.
Tesco also have some good 3 for 2 offers.
(Although the shakes I had were mixed with skimmed milk)


----------



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 9, 2021)

_Why avoid Slimfast?_
I don't know, I read it on here, maybe someone could explain why they avoided them?

I think they all work best with skimmed milk. Would need to check the ingredients in case of any other potential problems, but do they all include gum of some kind to fill you up? It's many years since I looked at them.


----------



## travellor (Jun 9, 2021)

OhDearyDearyMe said:


> _Why avoid Slimfast?_
> I don't know, I read it on here, maybe someone could explain why they avoided them?
> 
> I think they all work best with skimmed milk. Would need to check the ingredients in case of any other potential problems, but do they all include gum of some kind to fill you up? It's many years since I looked at them.


I can't say on the gum.
The Tesco one comes out like a flavoured milk shake, I wouldn't say it was overly thick though.


----------



## Feathers (Jun 10, 2021)

I'm using Exante because I wanted something made up with water rather than milk (for convenience). Have found quite a few flavours I like.


----------



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 10, 2021)

Exante sounds like a good option, thank you Feathers.


----------



## Feathers (Jun 10, 2021)

I should come back to this and mention that I just tried their vegan carrot cake option and . . . no. You may be safer sticking with more "normal" flavours from their range, unless you like incredible sweetness.


----------



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 11, 2021)

I have been trying to find an option that doesn't contains artificial sweeteners, with no joy. I have enough problems without aspartame, sucralose etc. side effects. And the other stuff that is in them is quite an unpleasant read if you like to ingest healthy stuff.

The answer would be to make them myself I suppose, at least I would be able to ensure they weren't going to cause more problems than they fix.


----------



## BlueArmy (Jun 11, 2021)

I've tried shakes once when I was much younger, like 25 years ago, but for me I am not overly convinced by it although clearly it's very successful for many others.

My concern is the feeling hungry all the time and also feeling like I am being punished in some form. Mentally I link it with the same extreme sub-conscious behaviours that probably got me in trouble in the first place - binge eating and drinking and then complete swing to the opposite binge starvation.

For a short burst of say 8 weeks, I get it and see the benefit, however, I've managed to shift over 2 stone since the beginning of April just switching to low carb, low fat and high protein based diet and making sure I walk an hour a day, every day. I enjoy the food I am eating now both preparing and consuming, and think I can sustain this over the long term which is important as since being diagnosed I initially lost 5 stone, then put on 4 stone, lost another 3, put on another 4 stone etc (mostly as above through binge then starve - and, my weight gain/loss pattern has been intrinsically tied to lockdowns, I was diagnosed 3 months before the pandamic struck - gained in lockdowns shifted when eased).

I am feeling like I have a good sustainable balance at the moment and I have managed to shift my attitude towards food in my head and return the weight to pre-lockdown levels which is about 4 stone lower than peak. I eat a well balanced diet and we now have two fridges, one that is basically mine and full of fresh produce. The only thing I take from the freezer these days is peas and perhaps low fat mince if I am in a hurry.

Be interested to know how people get on in the longer term when they go for a shake based diet, and how they maintain the loss when the shakes give way to a more normal diet. I think I would end up going straight from shakes to cakes - feeling like I had nailed it and then waking up 3 months later back where I was.


----------



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 11, 2021)

I agree with most of your post, BlueArmy. I think I would find it easier to have something to hand as a 'meal' rather than to stand in the kitchen wondering what I could eat, and how long it would take to get ready, more than once a day, although I have always liked salads and veg, a sandwich was so easy, and lots of fruit which I am now avoiding, in large quantities.

I tried Puriton shakes a while ago as people were saying how good they were, they are foul, like trying to drink a glass of grit, and at the time there was very little information on the site about ingredients (actually none, just nutritional information which almost zero) so I chucked them out, and was feeling very ripped off. I tried them for supposed health benefits, nothing to do with blood sugar at the time.

I have never, in my whole life, wanted breakfast and struggle to eat until lunchtime, so have given up on trying and thought a shake might do the job. But not if it is packed with potentially harmful sweeteners or stevia which is nasty and tastes weird. I was looking for something easy but not if it will give me headaches and gut wrenching pains as a side effect. Sweeteners are in so many things these days, in place of sugar but it's a trade off, lose weight and gain insomnia, headaches, intestinal pain. Why not just make stuff unsweetened...

Googling shakes without sweeteners gives me pages of whey powders. 

I also find it difficult to walk far which doesn't help.


----------



## Leadinglights (Jun 11, 2021)

OhDearyDearyMe said:


> I agree with most of your post, BlueArmy. I think I would find it easier to have something to hand as a 'meal' rather than to stand in the kitchen wondering what I could eat, and how long it would take to get ready, more than once a day, although I have always liked salads and veg, a sandwich was so easy, and lots of fruit which I am now avoiding, in large quantities.
> 
> I tried Puriton shakes a while ago as people were saying how good they were, they are foul, like trying to drink a glass of grit, and at the time there was very little information on the site about ingredients (actually none, just nutritional information which almost zero) so I chucked them out, and was feeling very ripped off. I tried them for supposed health benefits, nothing to do with blood sugar at the time.
> 
> ...


What about making batches of soups with fresh ingredients and have them in the freezer, some are designed to be eaten chilled for the hotter weather. 
I think most of these shakes taste revolting but some people do like them.


----------



## Paulines7 (Jun 11, 2021)

I lost 16 lbs at the beginning of 2020 by using Simply Go Whey Protein shakes and home made soups.
I felt so much better for losing the weight.

The whey powder has to be mixed with water and there are 30 servings per jar which costs £15.99. See the link for ingredients etc:  https://www.simplysupplements.co.uk/simplygo/chocolate-whey-protein-powder

Unfortunately I started putting all the weight back on from November 2020 to date, so I started back on the whey shakes two days ago.  The chocolate and strawberry shakes are lovely but I dislike the banana one.  The vanilla one is okay but I mix some instant coffee granules in it to give it an alternative flavour.


----------



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 11, 2021)

Thank you Paulines7, just had a look at the strawberry one and it contains both stevia and sucrolose unfortunately.


----------



## OhDearyDearyMe (Jun 11, 2021)

Leadinglights said:


> What about making batches of soups with fresh ingredients and have them in the freezer, some are designed to be eaten chilled for the hotter weather.
> I think most of these shakes taste revolting but some people do like them.


I do make soups sometimes, will look for some new recipes. I think I will also have to make my own shakes because what is marketed as healthy by companies that just want our money is really not healthy, they rely on people not checking ingredients or not having time to make stuff from scratch. 

If they taste anything like the stuff that is in them, they will be revolting .


----------



## Paulines7 (Jun 15, 2021)

OhDearyDearyMe, I am surprised that you are allergic to Stevia which is a natural product derived from plants, the same as sugar which is derived from sugar cane or beet.  Maybe soups or eggs are the way ahead for you rather than shakes of any kind.  

Have you tried the low carb Waitrose LivLife bread?  See: 








						Waitrose & Partners
					

Buy quality groceries and wine from Waitrose & Partners




					www.waitrose.com
				



It is lovely for sandwiches and also good for cheese or eggs on toast.  If kept in the fridge it lasts for several weeks and it can also be frozen.


----------



## Ratbag (Jun 23, 2021)

Slimfast keto are the lowest sugar. I ended up on rapid insulin injections using the own brand shakes. Too much sugar. The chocolate slimfast keto one is yummy and I've spotted it in Home Bargains for 6.99.  You can also add flavdrop to the vanilla one for variety.


----------



## travellor (Jun 23, 2021)

Ratbag said:


> Slimfast keto are the lowest sugar. I ended up on rapid insulin injections using the own brand shakes. Too much sugar. The chocolate slimfast keto one is yummy and I've spotted it in Home Bargains for 6.99.  You can also add flavdrop to the vanilla one for variety.


That's rough going.
If 18g of carbs a meal (Tesco shakes) put you on insulin, compared to the 4g in the Slimfast keto, what diet do you do now?
Do you still stick to a diet of 15g or less of carbs a day, or can you cope with the 50g or so in the equivalent of the shakes now?
It must be difficult.


----------



## Ratbag (Jun 23, 2021)

I'm off waggon at mo. Trying to just eat healthily and really reduce carbs. I have slimfast keto shake for breakie sometimes. I love the choc one but I freeze 150 water and 150ml semi skimmed milk until partially frozen then I zap it in a blender sonics like a proper thick milkshake.


----------



## diatribe (Jul 3, 2021)

A friend of mine recently recommended the shakes below, along with some others with similar carb/sugar levels. He is pre-diabetic.






						Kinetica Protein Powder Chocolate Mint 2.27 kg, Whey Protein, 23 g Protein, 76 Servings Including Measuring Cup, Protein Powder, Whey Protein Powder from EU Pasture Preservation, Super Solubility and Pure Taste : Amazon.de: Health & Personal Care
					

Kinetica Protein Powder Chocolate Mint 2.27 kg, Whey Protein, 23 g Protein, 76 Servings Including Measuring Cup, Protein Powder, Whey Protein Powder from EU Pasture Preservation, Super Solubility and Pure Taste : Amazon.de: Health & Personal Care



					www.amazon.de
				




He is not using them for weight loss or as a meal substitute, but would people generally recommend doing so? I am about 2-3kg over the healthy weight recommendation for my height.  I see from above the some of you here have had success with such things.


----------

