The Skinny on Diet Shakes for Weight Loss

by Alisha Smith | Monday, October 31, 2011

Shane Warne has a serious case of the shakes. The diet shakes. Having previously tipped the scales at a sizable 92kg, the now trim 78kg Warne credits diet shakes as a key intervention in the continued expansion of his hefty waistline. Football player Brendan Fevola and AFL star Steven Baker are also among the sportspeople who are turning to meal replacements in a bid to trim the fat. Shouldn’t they know better?

Maybe they do.

In the fitness industry, we’re taught to spurn the use of the myriad “get slim quick” gadgets and gizmos on the market- with shakes and bars often placing high up the list. Yet, I’m starting to wonder?

Sure, the vast majority of the shakes don’t contain any significant nutrients and the typically unsubstantiated promises of ‘a new you in 30 days’ leave a lot to be desired, but I’m starting to wonder if there is actually a valid place for the use of such replacements? I’m usually the first to launch into a diatribe of the undoubtedly ‘evil’ aspects of shake-based diets- from their lack of nutritional value, to the fact that they don’t educate a person on how to make educated dietary decisions. However, what if the simplicity of the shake, the convenience of simply adding milk or water and the calorie controlled servings help to remove the diet angst that weight management clients face multiple times a day?

What if the combination of those factors in the short term allows a client to lose some weight? To get and stay motivated to continue to lose weight and, ultimately, to take an interest in fueling their bodies in the best way they can- by learning how to use whole foods as the foundation of their diet?

As a trainer, I certainly won’t be espousing just any shake to any client as I’m not a dietitian and I’m not certain that there’s a shake on the market that meets all the nutritional needs of an individual. But maybe I’ll be a little less critical of those who choose to use them.

What do you think? Are you pro- or anti-shake? Why?

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