© Specialist Supplements Ltd 2011  0845 094 3627 Shape and Weight Management Shape and Weight Management [Home] [Health Information] [Exercise] [Detoxification] [Colon Cleansing] [About Us] [Contact Details] [Sitemap] [HTML Sitemap] This is an information site only! How can meal replacement shakes support slimming? During any weight management programme, and following successful weight loss (as part of ongoing maintenance and permanent lifestyle change), it can be helpful to have a little added support in terms of: • a readily available source of nutrients • a tasty snack to stave off cravings and keep blood sugar levels stable • a means of keeping you fuller for longer • supporting your digestive system. Many people find this support in the form of high quality, dairy free and sugar free meal replacement shakes. Meal replacements and protein shakes can be a really useful slimming aid, because (provided you choose the right one), they can assist you to lose weight in a healthy way and for the long-term - read on to find out how. A balanced diet Losing weight in a healthy and sensible way and for the long-term hinges on eating a well-balanced diet (in conjunction with a sensible exercise regime). If you fail to give your body the broad spectrum of nutrients that it needs on a daily basis, you are likely to become nutrient-deficient and suffer cravings as a result. This will often lead to binging or eating of the wrong types of foods, ultimately resulting in failure to reach your weight loss goals.  However, eating a balanced diet can be a challenge for slimmers in a number of ways. For instance, not everyone is clear on precisely what a “balanced diet” is. Secondly, it can be difficult to ensure optimum nutrient intake when you are on a restricted diet or have limited food choice. Luckily, there are easy ways around these two common obstacles. • If you have questions relating to diet or food intake, talk to an expert (such as a dietitian, nutritionist or your doctor). They will be able to offer you guidance and point you in the right direction in the early stages. We also supply a quality free meal plan on our main website, which offers suggested meals on a simple, step-by-step basis to get you started. • Rather than following “a diet” in the traditional sense, healthy weight loss should be about variety and moderation - not drastically reduced food choice or calorie intake. Having said that, you will of course be required to cut down on certain foods (particularly those high in fat, sugar or refined carbohydrates). Similarly, it is likely that your calorie intake will need to be lowered to reflect your personal metabolism and physical characteristics. As such, it may be that (initially at least) you have more limited food choice than would normally be the case. In order to ensure appropriate nutrient intake, whilst still keeping calories down, many people find that meal replacements and protein shakes are the perfect solution. Convenience Convenience is another key factor in sticking to a healthy eating plan, both during a weight management programme and going forwards in keeping the weight off for good. If a balanced diet and healthy eating cannot be easily integrated into your daily living routine and/or become too time consuming or a hassle, it is easy to fall back into old ways and habits - hence the popularity of ready meals and fast foods. We are all more than aware of the time constraints on modern living.  Meal replacement shakes are a quick and convenient way to ensure that (i) you don’t skip meals and (ii) to continually ensure a healthy intake of nutrients, whilst still keeping calories down. With a high quality meal replacement, you can fuel up on the go in a healthy way and there is no longer any excuse to skip meals or to turn to junk food! Cravings and blood sugar level? As mentioned above, a nutrient-deficient diet can lead to cravings, because your body is trying to tell you that it is missing something that it needs. Cravings can be a major obstacle to weight loss, because you are tempted to eat the wrong foods or to binge. Similarly, if you skip meals or drastically reduce your calorie intake in an attempt to lose weight more quickly, not only are you putting your health at risk, but your blood sugar level will drop and will also lead to cravings and binging. This, in turn, usually leads to weight gain rather than weight loss. It is therefore important to eat little and often (refer to our free meal plan) and to keep your blood sugar level stable. If you have suffered with severe weight problems or obesity for a prolonged period of time, it may be that you also suffer from type 2 diabetes. In this case, you will be more than familiar with the need to keep your blood sugar within normal ranges. Eating frequently and ensuring a high intake of varied nutrients helps to stabilise blood sugar levels and a sugar free meal replacement shake is an easy way to achieve this. * Before changing your diet or taking health supplements, it is recommended to consult your doctor or qualified health practitioner (particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medications).       Our vanilla-flavoured MEALtime is: • dairy free • wheat free • additive free • sugar free • gluten free  It is also: naturally low in fat rich in quality protein high in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and nutritious herbs contains psyllium husks to support detoxification and colon cleansing suitable for coeliacs, diabetics, vegetarians, vegans and those with sensitive stomachs helps to keep blood sugar levels stable quick, convenient and easy to take. [Diet] [Dietary Fibre] [Fat Burner] [Metabolism] [Slimming] [Slimming Pills] [Weight Loss] [Meal Replacements] [Blog] [Slimming Products]