Meal replacement diet
Incorporating meal replacements into the diet is often aimed at losing weight quickly. Be careful though, there are a very large number of substitutes on the market and not all are created equal.
Characteristics of the diet based on substitutes for weight loss
- Provides accurate and consistent feed intake
- The substitutes are consumed in parallel with a more or less complete diet
- Diet relatively low in fiber and high in sugars and saturated fats
- Download Croq’Kilos detox recipes for free
- Detox Croq’Kilos
- The main principles of the diet
- There are many meal replacement diets.
How does the meal replacement diet for weight loss work?
Meal replacements were originally designed to help hospitalized people whose illness interfered with the absorption of solid food and the desire to eat. This type of product still exists and is sold in pharmacies under different brands intended for the hospital world. But the food industry soon discovered that they could be used to control caloric intake in overweight and obese cases, which gave rise to a wide range of substitutes for weight loss. Today, you can find many in pharmacies and health food stores.
oil or soy lecithin) as well as vitamins and minerals. It also contains artificial and natural colors, flavors and preservatives. More natural meal replacements have appeared in recent years, however they are not the most popular or the most widespread. These products are sold in powder, liquid or bars. 0 g to 3 g of fiber per serving.
Most meal replacement weight loss programs recommend following a set menu (including meal replacements) that normally ranges in total caloric content from 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day, although some go as high as 2,200 calories. In these menus, some meals consist of food and others of meal replacements accompanied by fruits or vegetables. Some programs recommend, in addition, to follow the principle of “food combinations”, that is to say not to combine in the same meal meat and bread, for example. Once the desired degree of weight loss is achieved, it is generally recommended to maintain weight by replacing a meal with a substitute daily.
Strictly speaking, there are no prohibited foods in the meal replacement diet. It all depends on the chosen method and the context. However, it is known that, as with all diets, certain foods will help with weight loss. While others will be able to slow it down. Here is a list of foods to eat and those to avoid on the meal replacement diet:
Some meal replacements contain hydrogenated oil and trans fats which we absolutely must limit
Most meal replacements do not contain enough nutrients, such as antioxidants found in plants (phytonutrients)
Most meal replacement diets do not offer gender and size variations, which may create too large a calorie deficit for some people.
Promoting beauty more than health, many meal replacement weight loss programs promote cellulite treatments and other cures. These programs generate fairly high costs and the effectiveness of these treatments has never been demonstrated.
Meal replacements contain very little fiber, which can lead to gastrointestinal issues like constipation
Is this a diet for you?
Unless there are specific medical indications, the consumption of meal replacements is not recommended.
Is it a diet compatible with sport?
Playing sports can slow down the muscle wasting often induced by too rapid weight loss. It also allows you to feel better in your body and to support dietary efforts.
How not to regain weight?
It’s quite difficult to say since there is not one diet based on substitutes but a multitude. Overall, in order not to experience the yo-yo effect, it is preferable not to replace more than one meal per day with a substitute and to quickly return to a natural and balanced diet.
Organic, high-protein, sugar-free meal replacements: what is the best meal replacement?
The choice of meal replacement must be made according to the needs of the body and the context. In general, it is advisable to opt for organic substitutes and no added sugars. Also pay attention to the fiber content which is often very low and could cause digestive discomfort. For protein content, be careful not to exceed 25% of total energy intake from protein. Beyond that, it would be counter-productive and dangerous.
A few figures to go further
According to the conclusions of an analysis of six studies, diets with meal replacements are effective and safe for losing weight and for improving the risk factors for diseases related to excess weight. Based on the results of these studies, a meal replacement diet was found to be as effective as a calorie-restricted diet for weight loss. The participants in the substitute group even claimed to prefer this diet to the calorie-restricted one. It must be said, however, that psychological satisfaction and gustatory pleasure were not evaluated.. it is therefore very difficult not to see a certain link of cause and effect there.
