No time to cook again? Protein shakes are quick to prepare, should fill you up and, on top of that, support muscle building, so the manufacturers promise. The products are low in calories, so it makes sense to use them to help you lose weight. Also in the social networks you can see pictures of people who want to lose weight quickly with the help of diet shakes. Can this really work, or is there a risk of the yo-yo effect, as with most diets, depending on how long it has been taken?
What is meant by “formula diet”?
With formula diets, entire meals are replaced with a product such as a protein shake. It is mainly a powder that is mixed with water or milk to make a drink. The shakes are therefore quickly ready to eat and can be consumed anywhere – at home, in the office, in the gym or on the go. They consist mostly of protein and are low in calories: a maximum of 400 calories are included per meal. So that promises a quick weight loss. According to the manufacturers, the diet drinks provide many important nutrients and vitamins in compressed form, and they primarily rely on protein, which prevents muscle breakdown during the diet.
What products are there?
The Sheko Banana Shake (see Amazon here)* contains around 21 grams of protein and 202 kilocalories per serving. This saves excess and empty calories. The manufacturer recommends replacing two meals with one shake for weight loss and replacing one meal with one shake for weight control.
The Meal replacement from Layenberger (view here on Amazon)* is the best selling shake powder on Amazon. On the one hand, this is probably due to the variety of flavors – there is something for most people when it comes to vanilla, salted caramel & co. – as long as sweet drinks taste good. On the other hand, a pack with 12 servings only costs around six euros. That means: A meal with the weight loss drink only costs about 50 cents. Amazon customers agree – the product has a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The taste and the rapid customer success are rated particularly positively.
If it should be one of the well-known branded products, they are Drinks by Yokebe (view here on Amazon)* first choice. Almost a classic, this diet shake is one of those brands along with Almased and SlimFast that most people have heard of. The weight loss shake also performs well in diet shake tests. Another advantage: the protein content comes from soy protein – the drink comes in many variants without any animal substances. This means that Yokebe’s diet drink is also suitable for a vegan diet. But be careful: honey is used in some flavors.
This is the test winner of Stiftung Warentest Protein 90 by Power System (see Amazon here)*. The protein content and quality, as well as the taste, were rated positively. Nevertheless, it was noted that the daily requirement for protein can also be covered by the daily diet. Foods such as legumes, eggs and meat have a comparatively high protein content.
You should keep this in mind with a formula diet
If you want to lose weight and then maintain your weight, you should not rely solely on formula diets. If you have only or partially eaten protein shakes for days or weeks and then eat as before, the yo-yo effect is programmed. If you want to stay slim permanently, you should change your diet.
Diet counseling can help you learn to distinguish nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods from foods high in calories, sugar, and fat. Everyone has different eating habits. This can also be addressed as part of a coaching session. It is important that you find the eating rhythm and diet that meets your needs and that you find it easy to implement them.
Alternatives to the formula diet
The fact is, that a high-protein diet helps you lose weight is nothing new. The Atkins or Stone Age diets, for example, also rely on this principle. Anyone who often eats lean fish and meat, integrates many low-fat dairy products such as yoghurt into their diet and significantly reduces carbohydrates in favor of protein will also lose weight. If you want to permanently lose weight and keep it off, you should switch to a diet with more protein, regular exercise and fewer calories. Intermittent fasting can also be a way to lose weight permanently.
But if you don’t want to grab pizza, doner kebab & co. on stressful days, you have a low-calorie alternative at hand with a shake.
Book tips on the topic of changing your diet:
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