Meal replacement shakes provide the advantage of a calorie-controlled meal to help you cut calories for weight loss. Their effectiveness depends on whether you stick to a reasonable level of calorie reduction to lose weight. Preliminary studies report success with using meal replacement shakes for weight loss, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Consult a doctor before using meal replacement shakes, and include exercise as part of any diet program.
About Meal Replacement Shakes
The theory of meal replacement shakes for weight loss is that a calorie-controlled shake takes the guesswork out of cutting calories. If you normally consume 700 calories for lunch and you consume a 200-calorie weight loss shake instead, you save 500 calories a day. Cutting 500 calories a day below your maintenance level gives you 3,500-calorie weekly deficit, which can promote a healthy rate of weight loss of 1 lb. a week. The catch is that you need to control your calorie intake on everything else you eat and drink to achieve that calorie deficit.
Pointers
Commercial meal replacement shakes usually contain 200 to 250 calories and major nutrients needed to fulfill your daily requirements, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
A low-calorie meal replacement may not be a sufficient meal, especially if you exercise or have a physically active job. A very low calorie meal could make it difficult to concentrate or leave you low on energy. Consuming foods rich in fiber with your shake can help you feel satisfied longer and help to keep your blood sugar stable. For example, eat an apple or two high-fiber crackers with your shake.
Drawbacks
One factor of whether a diet is something you can stick with is satiety -- whether you feel full and satisfied on the food plan. A meal replacement shake isn't as satisfying as a regular meal. This can set you up for becoming overly hungry and compensating later for the calories you saved by consuming a liquid meal. Taking the meal replacement concept to excess poses a health risk. Liquid diets or fasting, unless supervised by a doctor, can harm your health. Common side effects on medically supervised very low-calorie meal replacement diets include fatigue, constipation, nausea or diarrhea, and weight regain is common, the Weight-control Information Network notes.
Considerations
Extreme calorie restriction can backfire on you. If you don't get enough calories to support your activity level, your body breaks down muscle for fuel. Muscle loss from diet and aging slow down your metabolism and change your body composition so you have a higher ratio of body fat to lean tissue. Up to 30 percent of the weight loss from an extreme diet of below 1,100 calories a day may come from muscle, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. Regular exercise -- especially strength training, such as lifting weights -- helps to elevate your metabolism and maintain your muscles.
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