Best weight loss shakes

May 16, 2009 8:35 PM

What are the best/healthiest weight loss shakes and where to purchase online?

I know that weight loss programs like Weight Watchers can be very successful, but for various reasons, right now I'd like to use meal replacement shakes for either most or all of my daily meals. Is there a reasonably healthy way to do this? What should I be looking for in a meal replacement shake? Can you recommend a particular brand?

I've heard good things about Optifast, but I haven't had an easy time finding it to purchase. Is it actually better in some way than other shakes?

posted by anonymous to health & fitness (11 comments total)

Shakes suck as a method unless you plan to live the rest of your life on them.

The best way to lose weight and keep it off is learning how to eat enough but not too much.

Having said that, I'm a big fan of the EAS vanilla protein powder. Tastes really good on Cheerios.
posted by toroi at 8:50 PM on May 16 [1 favorite]

Any high protein, low carb shake will work. Optifast doesn't taste very good.

I lost 20lbs in 3 weeks on a liquid protein diet prior to weight loss surgery in January. I used Pro Complex, Nectar Lemonade and Isopure Natural Vanilla.

Vitamin Shoppe carries a lot of them. Make sure you check the nutritional info on the side before you buy. Bodybuilding.com has the best online prices I've found. Bariatriceating.com has taste tested a ton of kinds and only stock those they think taste good (although I don't necessarily agree with their recommendations).
posted by elsietheeel at 8:51 PM on May 16

Muscle Milk tastes fantastic, curbs your appetite, and will help you build lean muscle mass. If you don't mind paying a little more, their ready to drink bottles couldn't be more convenient.
posted by aquafortis at 9:36 PM on May 16

You're not missing out on much from the Optifast. It's definitely, uh, an acquired taste. And by that I mean the RTD, *not* the powder, which is damn gross. BTW, I've bought mine from from the same Ebay person many times over.

Muscle Milk Light is almost identical to Optifast in terms of nutrients, with if I can recall, has slightly more protein (I held them side by side and had my surgeon OK the Muscle Milk when I was on a pre-op diet of Optifast for two weeks).

The RTD chocolate one is pretty tasty. It's sold by the case at Costco for about $28. You can try it in a smaller quantity of four 'boxes' for $7 from Target (same cost breakdown as Costco, just smaller increment). What's even cooler yet is that 7-11 now sells Muscle Milk in their stores, so if I'm running around, I can dash in there and grab one for lunch. Granted in 7-11 dollars they're almost $5 for 20oz, but still better than some of the other options in there.
posted by dancinglamb at 4:34 AM on May 17

I've used Slim-Fast shakes to lose weight with some success in the past. You have one proper meal and two shakes per day.

However, as others have said, this method's only really of use to drop a few pounds over a short period. More than a month or so and the monotony will drive you mad. And if you didn't have healthy habits beforehand, you don't acquire any this way and are likely to bounce back to your old weight afterwards. It's a handy way to drop a couple of pounds after a holiday or whatever though.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 7:14 AM on May 17

I'm probably an anomaly, but I happily drink Target's Rich Chocolate Royale Ultra Weight Loss Shake every morning for breakfast, and have done so for the past few years. I'm not overweight or on a diet; I drink them because I don't want to think about what to have for breakfast every day, or spend any time consuming it (I drink the shake on my walk to the metro), and it wakes up my brain and solves the animals-need-food-to-survive problem until lunch. These kinds of shakes are reasonably healthful and, honestly, I think they taste delicious.

I initially moved to the Target brand from Slim-Fast because it was a bit cheaper, but now I actually prefer the taste. Rich Chocolate Royale is the best of the flavors I've tried.

(FWIW, I also often eat Lean Cuisine lunches at work during the week, for many of the same reasons. I should say that I do appreciate good food; my girlfriend is a chef, and we frequently go out to eat or prepare appetizing meals at home. I just don't need a gourmet meal three times/day. Sometimes I just want to add fuel to the machine and move on.)
posted by medpt at 9:48 AM on May 17

Lean Dessert Protein is extremely tasty for a protein powder and comes in lots of flavors. It's also pretty substantial and filling.

Muscle Milk Light is good too and the easiest to find; I think the RTD bottles are a bit thinner and more drinkable than the powder.

The best tasting/most natural protein powder I've tried is Jay Robb's, but it's pure whey which might not stick to your ribs as much as casein-mix protein does. Mind you I've used these more as "after workout" or snack replacement as opposed to meal replacements.
posted by for_serious at 10:44 AM on May 17

I recently substituted a shake for lunch and it helped me lose weight. I used Myoplex Chocolate Shake. I found it tasted fine, and filled me up, surprisingly more than I'd have expected from powder and water mixed together.

A woman at work was at the same time on the Lighter Life programme (which is one where you have nothing but shakes for several months). We compared the nutritional content of our respective shakes and the Myoplex had way more protein, fewer calories and was overall far more nutritionally sound than the 'diet' shake.
posted by essexjan at 12:31 PM on May 17

The best weight loss shake has the same criteria that the "best" food of any kind has: one that doesn't do harm to your body and whose calories you can expend during the day. But you already knew that.

Make your own, and it'll be much, much healthier:

1 scoop of protein powder (I like chocolate)
1 TBS of dried green powder such as Trader Joe's Super Green (you won't taste it)
1-2 cups of frozen "wild" blueberries, no sugar added (wild = smaller, more skin, less flesh)
1 TBS flax seed oil (you won't taste it)
1/4 cup of water
handful of ice

Doesn't that ingredient list look way more attractive than the long list of unpronounceable stuff on the back of a can? This recipe will make a giant shake, so halve it if you want to. It's got fiber galore, protein to fill you up, phytonutrients, and antioxidants out the butt.

I stole the recipe from what Jackie Warner of the tv show Workout said she likes to drink. If you've never seen her body, go look her up and you will drink this shake (even though you know you won't get to looking that way by drinking anything).
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 2:00 PM on May 17 [4 favorites]

I prefer Biotest supplements. Grow or Metabolic Drive are great. I use much of the same ingredients as ImproviseOrDie does, although I commonly include yogurt and natural Peanut Butter.
posted by P.o.B. at 12:23 AM on May 18

Also keep in mind Strawberries last a heck of a lot longer in the freezer, than the fridge. Blackberries last forever in the freezer.
posted by P.o.B. at 12:24 AM on May 18