Diet shakes have become one of the most common methods of dieting. You can buy pre-mixed meal replacement drinks in cans. You can choose powder mixes to stir-up your own shakes. You can discover a dizzying array of flavors and brands on the market. The real question, are they an effective way to lose weight and improve your body?
The Research Is In on the Shake Diet Craze In several interesting studies meal replacements, particularly the meal replacement shake, has been shown to be highly effective. The studies include:
- Dr. Heymsfield's Study at the University of Columbia
- A Study Composed of US Army Volunteers
- Dr. Dana Rothacker's Study of Long Term Effectiveness
In all three studies the meal replacement diets exceeded the results of traditional low fat diets. In Dr. Rothacker's study the results were virtually identical for the shake users and low calorie dieters through the early stages of the diet. At the end of one year the story changed. The users of meal replacement shakes retained their weight loss, while other dieters regained their weight.
Why Are Diet Shakes Effective? A meal replacement program takes the guess work out of dieting. Instead of measuring or guessing at the proper amount of food for each meal you have a pre-measured meal.
The secondary benefit comes in the balance of nutrition. A meal replacement shake contains a balance of calories, fiber, and nutrients to fit your life. The amount of vitamins and minerals contained in the diet shake normally exceeds the nutritional content of comparable meals of equal calories.
Choosing the Proper Diet Shakes Can Make All the Difference The success of a shake diet can be dependent on your choice of shakes. It is not necessarily an issue of brands, but more an issue of choosing a shake to meet your nutritional needs. Common styles of shake diets include:
- Diet Shakes for Losing Weight
- Meal Replacement Shakes for Higher Energy
- Protein Shake Diet
In the case of someone doing hard physical exercise, including weight training, you would need to consider higher protein shakes. Your body will require the additional protein to rebuild muscle from your intensive workouts. You may need to consider shakes with higher amounts of calories to fuel your workouts instead of leaving you feeling weak.
Athletes commonly add protein enriched diet shakes to their days. They increased protein, vitamins, and energy gives them an intensive boost and helps rebuild their bodies without adding extra pounds of fat.
The Pros and Cons of the Diet Shakes The pros of meal replacement shakes can be easily summarized:
- Ease of Dieting
- Adequate Source of Vitamins and Minerals
- Good Source of Protein
- Effective sustainable weight loss.
The cons of using a meal replacement program are even shorter:
- Lack of high quality fiber.
- Some shakes are high in sugar content.
- Does not retrain your normal eating patterns.
If you choose to use diet shakes as part of your weight loss plan evaluate different brands and types of shakes carefully. You can find shakes from a wide range of companies including:
- Slim Fast
- Atkins Diet
- Herbalife
- Muscle Milk
- Dr. Siegal
- South Beach Diet
This is just a short list of popular companies. Compare their ingredients, prices, and value to choose the best diet shakes for you. By choosing the right shake to match your lifestyle and nutritional needs you can start a successful diet. It is one diet option you should consider.
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