Question:
What are your thoughts on meal replacements, such as shakes you can buy at chemists to help with weight loss?

Answer:

Meal replacement shakes have certainly taken off in the past few years. Most of them are pretty similar in terms of their nutrient content and calories, and aim to provide balanced nutrition. In the past, they were often overlooked due to the belief they didn't help you develop healthy lifestyle habits. I think the consensus now has shifted and with recognition that meal replacement shakes can be part of a successful weight-loss and maintenance program. They are often used by weight-loss experts to help accelerate early weight loss and increase motivation.

If people are interested in meal replacements, my recommendation would be to consider them for some, but not all. meals. While they can be great for lowering overall energy intake, it's still important to establish other healthy lifestyle habits to help you maintain any fat losses. Food choices, your relationship with food, portion size, stress management, exercise and even healthy sleep patterns will help you keep weight off long term.

If you are overweight, even small amounts of weight loss can lead to great advantages in health. Even a five percent weight loss can lead to a 35 percent reduction in health risk factors, such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke. The key is to aim for small achievable amounts of weight loss through lifestyle changes that can be maintained for life. Radical, sudden weight loss through dramatic calorie restrictions can lead to a rebound in weight later on. And yoyo weight loss and gain is the last thing anyone needs.