Meal Replacement Shakes

**mynameisace** · 25-04-2008 08:55 AM

Hey,

I'm looking to shed some more fat and pack on some more muscle.

I've heard people say that meal replacement powders are bad if you have so many and real food is better, etc.

What I was wondering is why are they better?

And also, as long as I ate, say once a day to keep my bowels working, could I basically live off 1 real meal a day and 4 or 5 meal replacements?

This seems like heaven if I can because the portions of each (carb, protein, etc) are measured out perfectly.

If I did that would I loose weight and put on muscle?

Thanks a lot for the help.

Ace Connell

**scotbloke** · 25-04-2008 10:34 AM

If you wanna lose weight and put on muscle you need to eat. Eat real food. There's no way you can get all the nutrients you need from a shake. A meal replacement can be used as an 'extra' meal during the day, so that you can up your calorie/protein intake. But they dont contain 'real' food or fruit and veg for that matter. Even if they did contain fruit and veg, they would still not have the 'total' nutrient package that a wholesome, healthy meal would have.

IMHO, eat proper meals and supplement them with MRPs. For example I have one in the morning at work when I get a bit peckish around 11am. But I still eat lunch.

'Tis my advice. Other's may have different thoughts.

**mynameisace** · 25-04-2008 10:55 AM

Thanks a lot,

I've lost 4 and a half stone already using 'real' food with protein shakes after my workout and I just want to drop maybe another 30 to get me down to around 165 lbs, but since I got to the sub-200 lb mark the fat is as hard as hell to shift and was looking for a decent way of shifting it.

Thanks again

**Powerlifter0** · 25-04-2008 01:23 PM

I feel bad if I replace ONE meal with one...

**k.jacko** · 25-04-2008 04:03 PM

They aint a permanent replacement for food, but decent mrp's will have almost all the nutrients you'd need if you wanted to do what it says on the tin, and replace the 'odd' meal or two.
Having said that, it may be more your training plan than your diet that you need to revise. Now that your hitting the stubborn fat, up the cardio and maybe slightly reduce your carbs if you feel the need to.

**Shicky** · 25-04-2008 05:38 PM

No fat burning from food being broken down and the act of eating. As has been already said you aren't gonna get all the proper nutrients you need. I had one this afternoon in a rush and i feel like death. Had a protein flapjack before footy yesterday and felt sick for like the next 3 hours after the footy, couldnt get anything down me till like 10! Clearly aint made for me, proper food all the way

**Amritos** · 25-04-2008 11:14 PM

Sorry if I can't provide anything in terms of a comprehensive answer, because I'm currently revising, but I always feel under nutritioned and feel as though I've just been lazy if I have a MRP. Very good on the go and in a major rush, but with time, eat whole, eat real and eat good!

**AMAC** · 07-07-2008 11:56 PM

was just wonderin,

atm im taking S**mfast shakes between meals just coz my mum tryed the diet but never used it and that i need to pack on alot of weight for football, is using s**mfast doing the oposite to what i want, after all it is designed for slimming....????

o and i read the MP recovery XS page and it says take asap after work out but i do that with MP whey protein so is XS pointless

Ta

**k.jacko** · 08-07-2008 08:07 AM

Dude, with respect you really need to bone up on your subject. There is no miracle 'slimming agent' in slimfast. Its a meal replacement but as such contains fewer calories than the 'average' meal, whilst allegedly containing a right balance of macro-nutrients, vits and mins, thus helping you to lose weight.
If you want to 'pack on a lot of weight for football', then use them as a supplement to your meals only, not ever as a replacement. There's plenty of sugar in slimfast shakes, so you should put some weight on.
Good luck buddy.