Meal Replacement Diets - Diets Demystified

What: Meal replacement products help people control calorie intake without having to count the calories themselves. Meal replacement plans can range from between 800 and 1,600 calories a day. It can be in the form of a reduced calorie food regimen, pre-packaged foods and snacks that are vitamin/mineral fortified, or vitamin/mineral fortified liquid meals.

Is it alright to replace one or two daily meals with a meal replacements?

This low calorie diet strategy is usually designed to lower calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories a day. While most programmes for weight reduction demonstrate promising short-term weight loss results, long-term observations of one year or greater show high rates of weight relapse probably due to compliance issues.

Who is suitable for this diet?

It is more suitable for individuals who are unsuccessful with first line therapies of a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Also, very low calorie diets (VLCDs) of less than 800 calories a day are typically prescribed for morbidly obese individuals or those where rapid weight loss is a medical necessity. Studies indicate that VLCDs are safe when used as recommended by health-care providers.

So what works?

Fad diets and quick methods like slimming pills or herbal teas usually have side effects and cannot be sustained in the long term.

The key to successful weight management is to eat fewer calories than you need and increase physical activity. Keeping track of your fat intake is a good way to lose weight because fat provides twice the calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein. Set sensible goals and try to exercise three to five times a week, for at least an hour each time. The recommended rate of weight loss is between 0.5 and one kilogram a week.

Aim for a healthy Body Mass Index rating (BMI) between 18.5 and 22.9. For someone with a BMI of over 23, losing five to 15 per cent of body weight may help reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases.