Quote:
Originally Posted by PhotoChick
All the questions about what brand of shake and how many and so forth are irrelevant. This is a HUGELY unhealthy and unsustainable way to lose weight. This isn't something any of us should be supporting.
Nor is a goal of 10 lbs in 3 weeks.
The honest and true answer to this question is that you will lose fat and muscle and water weight by drinking only protein shakes. What you will also do is deprive your body of needed nutrients that you simply cannot get by drinking 10 protein shakes a day.
And the minute you go back to eating real food, you will gain most of it back.
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Actually, there are physician-supported weight loss programs that do utilize protein type shakes, so for me (and it's just my opinion, YMMV), it's not something I would say shouldn't be supported (though I understand you saying that we shouldn't support someone saying they're going to drink only 10 protein shakes a day, that is why I suggested she also incorporate some fruits and vegetables...as well as a reallly good multi-vitamin). However, the program I'm referring to can be done safely, but only with the direction and close monitoring by a physician (and nurse). I went to a presentation at my health care center about such a program where I see my MD (and btw, people on the plan had to go in once a week to be checked and then bloodwork done on a periodic basis). There are reasons that some physicians put their patients on this type of eating plan (and then they gradually introduce the non-shake approach over a period of time ... then there is a period of maintaining that is monitored).
I know this is not what the OP was talking about, but I did want to mention that there are medically sound eating plans (temporary) that protein shakes can be utilized. Usually these patients are morbidly obese and cannot get the weight off themselves...and they are in greater danger staying at their weight than doing these types of programs (which are very expensive, but some insurance plans pay for them). They usually see very good results and it keeps them going because of seeing the results that they've never had before on their own.
Whenever possible, I support a long-term eating plan (not a "diet") that is healthy and utilizes regular food rather than protein shakes only. I am drinking a protein shake ("medical food") in the morning (or as a snack) at the advice of my doctor, that has a lot of great things in it...
http://www.metagenics.com/products/detail.asp?pid=244 It uses soy protein instead of whey protein. I get the vanilla flavor and add like a cup of blueberries in it, some flax seed oil, usually water, the powder and then mix it up in my Magic Bullet.