I’ve read half of the book and then gave it away, I’m waiting for a new copy to be delivered! What I have read so far has interested me.

I am not diabetic, or pre-diabetic but I do have a BMI of 40, just over. I think I will do better on meal replacement shakes rather than having to cook 3 low calorie meals and carefully measure out etc, I have 2 young children who are not yet at school and time is short.

My thoughts are to have 1 coffee in the morning and 3x shakes throughout the day, and 1x bowl veg. I think this would be manageable.

Does anyone know if I can just use Slimfast at 200 calories a drink or would I have to go to Lighter Life or Cambridge meal plan etc. I figure Slimfast would be cheaper.

Hi Emmie.

I have just started week 3. I’m not diabetic or pre-diabetic either. I’ve tried load of diets in the past, including Slim Fast and Cambridge. I did lose just over 4 stone with Cambridge actually, but this was about 6 years ago.

I googled ‘Low Carb/Low Calorie Diet’ and found this website. I bought the book, read it from cover to cover, and started the following day. Its been the best diet I’ve ever been on …so far! And in a fortnight I’ve lost 11lbs. I’m never hungry, which is usually the cause of me giving in with other diets, and I’m eating some delicious food.

I tried meal replacements again earlier this year, and found myself completely unable to stick to them. I was constantly hungry, and because the thought of only having a milkshake for dinner wasn’t really something to look forward to, I’d find myself reaching for the nearest biscuit! I found it very anti-social too.

I have 5 children, ranging from 3 years to 16 years of age, plus a husband. They are all quite fussy eaters, and the thought of cooking for them AND cooking for myself was very daunting at first. But I found that by planning all my meals for the week ahead I then only had them to think about. Once you get into the swing of it its easy. I weigh absolutely everything, and stick to 800 calories and 30-50g carbs per day. I have not followed the menu plan in the book as I found it contained foods that I wouldn’t normally eat, so I just devise my own week by week. I’m also realising that this way of eating can become a way of life, and not just a ‘diet’.

I bought lots of plastic containers and spend a hour or so once a week making cauliflower rice, soups, lollies (greek yogurt blitzed together with frozen berries) etc., so that I can just reach into the freezer for my food.

It is much cheaper than Cambridge; not sure about the price of Slimfast these days though.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

To cut a long story short, you cannot beat real food. I have never had a meal shake and never would, but that’s me. If you are allowing a house full of fussy eaters then you have identified a need that might be tackled by a gentle move to more Mediterranean eating styles and foods?

I’m with SkyWalker with this query. I have used meal replacement shakes (many years ago) – I did lose weight but it’s not a lifestyle. I think you are better off retraining yourself to eat the right foods – proper foods – and then it becomes a way of life. I’m not T2 (nor pre-diabetic) – I just wanted to lose weight to head off those kind of problems. I haven’t calorie counted at all, just cut out the extras, kept an eye on portions, made sure I drank enough, and tried to extend my overnight fasting, as well as eating the foodstuffs allowed on the BSD. I read a magazine recently featuring people who had used Lighter Life – that seemed rather expensive to me, as well as being for people who didn’t want to have to think. Proper food, and think about what you are eating, I think is best for the long-term. Ultimately, you have to follow a course that suits your life. Good luck.

I did lighterlife a number of years ago, spent an absolute fortune. I did lose weight but here we are, I didn’t quite regain all that I lost but I did regain a lot. I regret spending all that money. It wasn’t worth it.

Then when trying to get pregnant with my son a few years ago I tried cambridge – I credit this diet with my pregnancy however I’m sure it was because it was low carb, this diet with food would have done the same.

Fast forward to now, I’m having such an amazing time creating new foods, and even my kids are begging for some of it. It’s great. I’m not just losing weight and feeling well, I know I am changing my habits. shakes don’t do that.

There are a few recipes for shakes kicking around I think one is in the book and those are the only ones I would try regularly. I see no harm in ocassionally using these shake type meal replacements for occasional breakfasts etc but having ‘been there and done that’ and wore the t-shirt only to have to get a bigger t-shirt again I’ve decided this time it isn’t for me. It’s proper food, and smaller t-shirts.

Hi Emmie,
In the book, one of the case studies is MP Colin Beattie, who lost 44lbs in 8 weeks using meal replacement shakes – he also had a busy lifestyle.. As for which plan to choose, there does not seem to be ‘one right way’. The main rules in the book seem to be (correct me if I’m wrong):
– average of 800 calories/day
– avoid simple carbs
– drink lots of water
– fibre is good

Slimfast shakes would fit within those rules, I think? I say give it a try, and don’t forget to post and let us know how you go.

I use a meal replacement shake for breakfast because it suits my lifestyle and I’ve never been a fan of breakfast. In Australia we have a brand called Optifast VLCD which is believe was designed for people to lose weight quickly prior to surgery. They are low carb/low cal and great. There is no way I could have one for dinner though, I need real food!! Good luck.

I once tried one of those diet ‘shakes’ where you mixed the powder with diet lemonade. After one of those I couldn’t eat for days and had to force drinks corn my throat. Never again.

When I heard about the Newcastle Diet, I investigated meal replacement shakes and found that most of them have high amounts of sugar in them. Not good for me as I was diabetic.

I have a busy life and have just finished 21 weeks on the BSD, just using real food. Keeping easily prepared foods in the fridge helps. Boiled eggs, cooked meat, salad, even cheese. When I get home too tired to cook something like that keeps me on track.

For your information SkyWalker, I do not “allow a house full of fussy eaters.” They all eat very healthily, and have a varied diet full of fresh produce. They just have different tastes, that’s all.
Thank you.

OK, but that’s not what you wrote, sounds like you are well aware of the way to eat healthily, so Good luck, & Happy eating

No, I did not say I allow it at all. I said they are all quite fussy eaters. That does not mean I pander to their every whim.

Hello,

My husband and I have been having Aussielent shakes for a while. I am going to start using them in smaller doses on five days a week to try and get low calorie for the blood sugar diet.

http://aussiesoylent.com.au/

We mostly have vanilla and they taste like not much. Which is what I want from something I am going to have a lot of.

Thanks,
Emily