4 Reasons Why You Need The Healthiest Meal Replacements For Weight Loss

Meal replacements are a product of our modern lives. How common is it to feel we have no time to eat? How many of us grab a light snack or junk food for breakfast or lunch because we were too busy to pack food?

Those of us trying to lose weight or gain muscle may have to keep count of the calories we get from whole foods. Having to weigh and measure can take up time that we don’t have.

That’s where meal replacements like USANA Nutrimeal Protein Shakes and USANA Active Nutrition Shakes can help.

Let’s take a small step back in time to see where meal replacement shakes originated from.

These smoothie-like meal replacement drinks weren’t always meant for everyone. The generic options were originally designed for people who were too sick to eat solid foods or for the obese – they tasted horrible but they worked extremely well and they continue to be used in hospitals and other clinical settings to assist with managing weight.

Today, meal replacements weight loss shakes are wide and varied but primarily are still used for supervised weight-loss programs for people grappling with obesity. But they taste way better. Professional Athletes also use high quality meal replacements  and additional vitamins to give them a nutritional boost and speed recovery times up.

The downside for these types of shakes – is most companies in a nutrition industry are making them. Thinking you’re taking a trusted weight loss shake to lose weight might be doing the complete opposite. This is where you need to spend some time asking the right questions to professionals who can point out the difference.

At times you can find hidden sugars and carbohydrates in your ‘supposedly healthy’ meal replacement shake than candy at a kids party!

Good quality meal replacements like USANA Nutrimeal and Active Nutrition Shakes are not the sugar laden options you may have had in the past and have several benefits to offer. Let’s take a look at these.

1.Complete meal to provide nutrients that may be lacking in your diet

Daily nutritional requirements can sometimes be hard to meet from whole cooked food. Do you think you get all the proteins, carbs, fats and minerals, and vitamins you need from the food you cook? If you take short-cuts for lack of time, and reach for the fast-food delivery number, then you know the answer to that.

Or maybe you’re too tired at the end of a long workday to even whip up a sandwich or a salad for yourself. That’s when meal replacement drink delivers the best nutritional options.

Measured amounts of macros can meet your daily per meal nutritional needs. If you do get hungry in a few hours, you can reach for a USANA Peanut Butter Snack or a USANA WholeBio Microbiome Nutrition Bar as well, with low-sugar, delicious and wholesome formulations.

Some meal replacement drinks, like the USANA Digestive Protein Drink, is a source of protein, fiber, and digestive enzymes that quicken digestion. These enzymes also speed up the processing and absorption of nutrients from these macros.

2.Quick to take, easy to digest

The biggest advantage of meal replacement drinks is that they’re easy to take and portable – you’ll often see trainers taking their shakes at the gyms after workouts. Simply mix into a glass of yogurt or low fat milk, dress up with your favorite berries and you’re good to go. They’re a safe alternative on busy days, when you just don’t have the time to grab a whole meal for breakfast or lunch.

The form in which the meals are delivered makes them easy to digest. You’re less likely to experience the bloating that can come with high-protein whole food meals. If a protein meal replacement drink is causing bloating, then you’re taking too much, or it’s cheap protein and incorrectly balanced.

You can avoid protein bloat by listening to your body.

The dietary fiber added to USANA Nutrimeal will help to balance easy digestion with a slower burn, so you feel full for longer. This is the key to effective and fast weight loss, finding the right balance of cards, fats and proteins in a calories controlled weight loss shake.

3. Proteins over heavy carb meals

Meal replacement shakes aren’t the same as energy drinks. Energy drinks typically have high carb content, in the form of sugars that will boost energy in the short term, for a quick fix.

Good quality meal replacement shakes are high-protein, low-carb shakes that can support keto diets. Added fibers work together with proteins to give you the benefits of these macros without the starch of carbs or added sugars.

Not all meal replacement drinks are made the same. When you choose one for yourself, it’s important to make sure there is little to no added sugar and other fillers like vegetable oils and thickeners in the drinks.

High-quality shake powders like USANA Nutrimeal contain simple ingredients such as soy, isolate whey, or pea protein, high quality dietary fiber, and small amounts of fructose. Whey, soy and pea proteins are sourced from plants and dairy.

Whey protein is a source of essential amino acids that can help build muscle strength and lose weight. It can help boost metabolism and manage appetite.

Protein-rich pea protein powders are rich in branched-chain amino acids, arginine, and iron. These powders are extracted from split peas. Pea protein is a great alternative for those who are allergic to soy or prefer non-dairy sources.

Soy protein is widely studied and known to help with weight loss, heart health, obesity and diabetes, menopausal symptoms, and even cancer prevention. It’s a traditional source of protein in eastern cultures, and popular with vegetarians and vegans.

4. Meals that keep you full for longer

Meal replacement shakes tend to keep you full between meals. USANA’s Active Nutrition lineup includes Nutrimeal pouches that contain servings with between 10 and 20 grams of protein, plus additional fibers. Foods and protein shakes rich in fibre help you maintain the feeling of being full for longer, plus high quality proteins keep you full for longer also. That’s why chicken breasts and fish are the preferred choice for those trying to lose weight. Lower in calories and higher in protein.

You’re less likely to snack on junk food or have cravings between meals if you’re satisfied.

The 8 to 10 grams of dietary fiber in each serving of the Nutrimeal meal replacement and active nutrition shakes gives you not only the feeling of being full, but the added benefits that fiber provides the digestive system. Additional nutrients in USANA Smoothie Shakes also pump steady energy through the day. When your body and mind are feeling energized, you are more likely to take on exercise – and start to metabolize more fat.

If you want to double-down the fat loss; take USANA Metabolism Plus with your meal replacements. You’ll notice an increased in weight loss when accompanied with daily exercise.

The Bottomline

Meal replacement drinks aren’t meant to replace all your daily meals. Ideally, we should prepare one or two whole-food meals in a day. The remaining meal can be supplemented by a meal replacement drink.

At the same time, there are many options when it comes to supporting your daily nutrition. USANA Fibergy Active with Prebiotic Fiber Blend is a product that can support gut health and promote cell signaling. Healthy snack bars like the WholeBio Bars and Peanut Butter Snack Bar can complement your diet. Detox tea drink mix can further support digestive health. Mid-afternoon pick-me-ups like Rev3 Energy Drink and Rev3 Energy Surge packs can complete your dietary requirements.

Don’t forget to also include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. There are few foods as wholesome and convenient as an apple or a banana grabbed on your way out.