Meal Replacement – Eat Yourself Skinny

Table of Contents

What is a meal replacement?

Meal replacement are nutritionally–balanced foods in which the constituent portion are controlled, with the sole aim of reducing the quantity of energy consumption and with the eventual purpose is aimed at ensuring that you lose weight. Meal replacements are available in different preparations such as; shakes bars, powders and soups. Functionally, these items are formulated to be taken as a substitute for some of the daily meals, they are quite effective in enhancing weight loss, but they cannot serve as substitute for eating well and taking adequate exercise.

Not everyone needs to take meal replacements, since there are inherent dangers associated with their usage; therefore you need to consult your doctor and a dietitian to know if you need one, and to get an expert recommendation if you actually do.

What is the typical nutritional breakdown?

The main ingredients component of meal replacement is skim milk powder, its fibre and protein content is very good for your body; meal replacements also have low fat content. The energy component of a good number of them is between 800kj-900kj/servings. The HFG regulations stipulated that a main meal can be said to have a low kilojoules if the energy content is around 1200kj-1600kj.

Are meal replacements nutritionally complete?

Nutritionally, meal replacements are not complete. The nutrients requirement for the proper functioning of the body are not fully provided by meal replacements, which means you are exposed to the possibility of having deficient or incomplete vitamins and minerals. Your doctor or dietitian should monitor your diets and make recommendation of supplements that will be helpful to you.

Based on you product preference, your weight loss plans as well as the suggestion of your dietitian or doctor, one or two of your meals may be substituted every day. In addition, a good number of meal replacements programme makes it mandatory that you eat some other foods in the course of the day so that unpleasant issues like dehydration and constipation are averted. For instance, it is recommended by the biggest loser plan to take three snacks like vegetables, fruit, low-fat yoghurt etc. with a minimum of two litres of water per day.

There are certain products which are fit to be used for complete meal replacement (i.e. three meals daily), but these needs the recommendation and supervision of your dietitian or doctor.

Immediately your weight loss goals are achieved, there is a need for you to revert to a regular good eating plan, and it is strongly advised that you consult your dietitian for a personal dieting advice so that the weight lost already is not regained.

Do they work and are they safe?

No meal replacement is meant for permanent use, notwithstanding this, findings from research has shown that meal replacements are safer and having more potency or effectiveness over a long period of time in comparison to weight loss programmes that are food-based. According to the report of WMCA “research has proven that they are safe, and are equally as effective, and in some circumstances even a more effective weight loss remedy in comparison to the conventional weight-loss diets”.

But ultimately, you have to know the right procedure for preparing a healthy and balanced meal and then,including regular exercise in your daily routine to keep in shape.

Do they have a long shelf-life?

All products are not the same; however, most meal replacements have a validity of between three to twelve months

Where can they be purchased?

When you take a walk to your neighborhood pharmacy or supermarket, meal replacements are available, just check through the health food section.

The advantages of meal replacements

Their constituent portions are controlled; hence your energy consumption is restricted.
They are produced to be more filling, therefore they last longer in the stomach and you don’t feel often hungry.
They are time-efficient; you don’t need to waste time fixing them.
Online support programmes are available to provide you with assistance.
The meals are already choice made for you, hence no need to bother yourself with meal planning.

The disadvantages

Meal replacements don’t have the nutritional values as obtained in whole foods; they have incomplete nutrition this may ultimately lead to vitamin deficiencies if left unattended to.
Immediately you stop making use of the products, you are on your own. You don’t get to receive support from them on the ways you can create and maintain a healthy meal.
They are not cheap (cost US$3.00–$7.00 per serve).
They are lacking in varieties, and because of this, most people are often bored after using them for a while and tend to discard the programme.
For people diagnosed with kidney and liver problems, meal replacements can have serious adverse effects. Rapid weight loss has been linked to be the causal factor of kidney stones.
Meal replacements affect medications in diabetic patients, they could cause their blood sugar level to be low, therefore, you need to have your doctor or dietitian monitored you if you are diabetic.

Who are they suitable for?

Meal replacements are suitable for:

People who have bad time management and can’t cook or eat home-made healthy foods;
People struggling with reducing weights;
People who are mandated to lose a large proportion of their weight in preparation for surgery.

Who are they not suitable for?

People who have a BMI that is not up to 25;
People of who have a record of eating disorder;
Breast-feeding and pregnant women;
Adolescents and children (except they are under close supervision of their dietitian and doctor);
People who have kidney or liver problems;
Diabetic people (except they are under close supervision of their dietitian and doctor); and
People who are allergic to Lactose; meal replacements usually contain wheat soy and dairy, hence people allergic to these substances will have to make careful selection.

What about total meal replacements?

Total or whole meal replacements are also known as VLCDs (Very Low Calories Diets)

This involves changing, replacing, or substituting all the meals with a bar, shake or soup. Total meal replacements works by inhibiting or lessening the quantity of carbohydrate taken in by the body. This makes the body to resort to the burning of its stored fats for fuel in a process known as ketosis. It brings about low appetite and guides against losing the lean tissue of the muscle.

Total meal replacements are suitable only for obese or extremely overweight people, nutritionally, they are complete and their energy output is not up to 3300kj per day, this leads to quick weight loss a minimum of 1.5kg to 2.5kg every week. However, this does not make them any better when compared to other weight loss programmes except when they are combined with healthy dieting.

You may experience some side effects in the first three days which include headaches, hunger, nausea and lack of concentration. You may also experience temporary loss of hair, diarrhoea, fatigue, constipation, bad breath, irritability as well as menstrual disturbances.

When using this kind of regime, your dietitian and your doctor must provide adequate superticularly when you have a pre-existing medical condition, e.g. diabetes.

Verdict

Meal replacements can be very effective and are safe weight loss catalyst; however, it is important that you consult your dietitian or doctor before usage, during usage and after usage to make sure you get the best results, to ensure that you are making use of the right one for you and to avert any health complications that may ensue.