Do Meal Replacements Really Work? Things You Need to Know

Meal replacement products have been staples in the weight loss market for decades. Thanks to NASA who figured out a way to give astronauts in space a low-residue diet, the idea of MRPs actually started long before Slim Fast commercialized the idea in the seventies.

Now, meal replacements come in shakes, bars, cookies or soups that are used to replace one or two meals a day to facilitate weight loss. Typically holding an average of 200 calories, MRPs also contain proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals to ensure that dieters meet all the nutritional requirements that they would otherwise get on solid food while on a meal replacement program.

For as long as MRPs have also been on the market, the debate has raged as to whether these are quick fixes or not for those seeking to shed the pounds. Critics have lambasted these weight loss aids as band-aid solutions that only lead to yo-yo dieting and excessive weight gain after weaning off the program.

This view, however, has been disproved by current studies. For as long as they are used they way they should be used, research from the United States and Britain all point to the fact that MRPs can and do initiate weight loss. And debunking the idea of MRPs being quick fixes, these studies have shown that individuals who have weaned themselves off these shakes and bars are able to keep the weight off for life by simply following the proven weight loss strategies of a well-balanced diet and regular exercise.

For example, the National Obesity Forum, the British Dietetic Association and Dietitians in Obesity Management UK are one in saying that meal replacement products give an alternative to regular diets. They did point out, however, that those using MRPs need to be educated about changing their unhealthy ways of eating so that they can prevent another round of weight gain.

In 2009, the American Dietetic Association also acknowledged that drinking or eating replacement shakes or bars is effective in initial weight loss and in the maintenance of the weight initially lost. Later studies done by different groups in 2010 also upheld this view.

Lisa M. Davis and her colleagues published their findings in The Nutrition Journal where they closely monitored two groups of obese individuals for 16 weeks. One group was given a traditional diet while the other used MRPs to lose the pounds. A period of 24 weeks was also added to observe if both groups could sustain the weight they had initially lost. Those on meal replacements were able to register a bigger amount of weight lost and fight oxidative stress and reduced inflammation more effectively than the traditional dieters.

The conclusion that can be gleaned from this is that meal replacement products do not give band-aid solutions. Rather, these aids help an individual begin the process of losing weight correctly.

Since most of the MRPs today are readily available online or in health food stores, it’s essential that users take personal responsibility as to how they will use the product. Instructions must be followed to the letter and once off the MRP, a healthy diet and cardiovascular and strength-training program must be observed to keep the weight off for life.

Want to learn about the top ranked meal replacement shake? Check out Shakeology and don’t forget to look at this post about Shakeology health benefits.