Anyone tried meal replacement shakes.

[harajukubabe]

As above, how did it go? I have put on 6kg in 1 year and feel fat. I want to lose weight but have not much time for exercise as I work long hrs.
I eat relatively healthy all day but once I get home, I tend to snack on lots of carbs.
I walk at weekends to stay active.

Any tips and what brand of meal replacements worked for you?

My logic is that if I get used to not snacking when i fancy it because i can only have the shakes and fruit, then I'll find it easier to not snack if i start Eating healthily .

I've tried no snacking rules before. It doesn't work for me. I tell myself I can't have a snack and then I fancy something and think " just once won't hurt" only it's not just once. It's all the time

I also work 15hour shifts so eat at weird times and need something I can manage quickly.

I don't know if shakes will work but I'm going to try and of they don't then no harm done really.

But if snacking is the downfull you need to focus on making yourself feel fuller for longer, you want to cut out carbs and sugar and increase fat which is entirely the opposite of what you're proposing to do.

I'm not a high fat/ low carber but I do this sometimes, I flit between this and carb loading but for example I will have roast beef with cucumber and feta for lunch and then will cook bacon in butter and have buttery scrambled eggs for dinner and am still not hungry by lunch time the next again day. Like I will have to remind myself to eat! If I started the day with a sugary caramel latte (which is what these shakes basically are) I'd be absolutely ravenous by 10am.

Would you not rather start setting yourself up now for a life where its NOT a constant battle to stop yourself from snacking?

Also fruit is one of the worst things to have on a diet as a snack, carbs and sugar only make you more hungry and it's pretty much just empty cals as you'd have to eat a lot of it to feel full.

I did Exante last year (so did my husband) and we lost 3 stone each in 3 months. We both felt well, not hungry (the first week is difficult) and I noticed that my skin and hair were in good condition.

We went on holiday, had the usual food and drinks, gained 6lb in a week. Straight back on the diet, but over time, we've both gained it all.

These VLC diets are great to lose weight quickly (I lost 12lbs in the first week) but they don't teach you about healthy eating or portion control, so in the long run, they're not effective.

Hamiltoes - snacking isn't only because of hunger. For most overweight people it's habit, not hunger. Shakes can help you break the snacking habit.

Thanks Penelope. That's exactly it, I snack because I'm bored and because it's something I've always done. I'm just trying to break the habits of a lifetime to start.

I'd say that tackling snacking when it's a habit (rather than because you're hungry) is best done completely away from food.

I'd start off with making sure your meals are nutritious and filling (done with whole, healthy foods imo, but that's not the point here). Then look at non-condensing ways to avoid snacking. For example:

• don't have any snack food in the house
• distraction and keeping busy
• having something to do with your hands
• leave the house. Walk the dog for example. Or do some exercise. Or pop to the shop, it doesn't matter what
• read or listen to audio books to distract your thoughts
• practice mindfulness. Try things like colouring in or yoga breathing.
• explore the reasons why you want to eat when you are not hungry
• challenge your own inner voice. Tell yourself you are not hungry, acknowledge it and tell yourself why you think you're feeling like this.

This is a good book that I saw recommended on MN.

I can understand the snacking due to habit/ boredom/ because you feel like something.

I always keep half a dozen trays of ice cubes in the freezer and i'll have a tray of those if i feel that urge like i need something. It's like sitting in front of the telly with a box of chocolates 😂.

Day 2 of slimfast and at least I can do it. Which gives it a chance to work! I'm surprised actually, because if I get hungry I get dizzy and light headed and as long as I dish the snacks out sensibly that doesn't seem to be a problem. Yay!

The make me fart. All diet foods and drinks make me fart. And consequently very unpopular 😀