Faster internet, faster cooking times, faster delivery times, faster cars, faster computers, faster printers – everyone wants everything fast, and that includes weight loss! Forget the fact that it can take years to gain weight; most people want to lose their excess baggage as soon as possible. That’s why so many diets promise things like “lose 20 pounds in two weeks.”
The trouble is, some things are better done slowly – like making wine, eating a good meal, and losing weight too.
Slow and steady weight loss ensures you don’t have to starve yourself, and nor will you regain the weight you have lost almost as soon as your diet is finished.
To achieve rapid weight loss, many people go to extremes. They stop eating altogether, they exercise for hours on end, they try and sweat it off by wearing sauna suits, or they take a good diet like meal replacement shakes and use them to replace all their meals.
As you know, I am a HUGE advocate of meal replacement diets but even I, their biggest fat, only recommending using one or two meal replacement shakes a day. Why? Let me tell you!
1) Nutrition – even the best meal replacement shake can only contain so many essential nutrients. For a balanced, healthy diet, you need to include solid meals in your eating plan. Learn more about nutrition with my nutrition guide called Nutrition Facts.
2) Digestive health – most meal replacement products contain fiber, but you need more than just fiber to keep your digestive system healthy. Eating solids gives your digestive system a much-needed workout. If you only consume liquids, your digestive system can become lazy and weak. Also don’t forget about probiotics, How Probiotics Have Helped Me.
3) Enjoyment – the best diet for weight loss is the one you can stick to until you reach your target weight and beyond. After all, you’ll want to maintain your new, lower weight, won’t you? Drinking all your meals can make meal times very dull, and that increases the chances of blowing your diet.
With all those points in mind, I recommend that you only replace one or two meals per day with a meal replacement shake. Start out with two, e.g. breakfast and lunch, and eat a solid meal and a couple of light snacks per day.
Healthy ideas for your meals. Different recipes for different people and moments. All my recipes together here.
Then, as you get closer to your target weight, drop down to just one shake per day and maintain your weight by having a shake every day or two in place of a regular meal.
You can find my favorite meal replacement shakes here and how you can lose weight using my own personal plan here.
Conclusion
Meal replacement shake diets work, but there is no need to abuse them. You can, after all, have too much of a good thing! One or two shakes per day will get you to your ideal weight easily and painlessly. Don’t rush the process; instead, take it slow.
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