Hey everyone! So I am extremely overweight and I am seriously considering WLS. I just had a baby 6 weeks ago, so IDK if I'm ready to take that big step just yet. I want to lose about 130-145 lbs. I was thinking about using a protein drink such as Isopure, or Unjury as a meal replacement for breakfast and lunch and then eat a low cal/low carb dinner, and see how this goes. I don't even know if this is recommended, but I was hoping it would work. Does anyone have advice for me? Is it safe to do this? Has anyone done anything similar and lost a large amount of weight? If so what was your plan like? Also can anyone recommend a good protein to use. I want to get a good chocolate shake type and also an unflavored to mix with crystal lite and such. Thanks for reading... I hope I get some feedback?

If you really are sold on meal replacements, check out the simple diet (3 shakes, 2 meal replacement meals, and 5+ vegs/fruit a day). I'm doing it currently just because of the ease and lack of worry. There are many ways to lose weight, you can start with counting calories, nixing basic bad foods (pop, candy bars, chips, etc), or more. Although i would check with your doctor if it is advisable to start losing weight, especially if you are breastfeeding. Either way you cut it, you can do it. Don't give up!

I would start with counting calories. It's one of the simplest ways to "diet". Download the app "my fitness pal" to start". It's a lot easier to think about what you're eating when you have to see the calories add up. What do you plan on doing for working out? Cut out junk food, soda, etc. I would stay away from the crystal light or any of the water mixes and just stick with water. If you HAVE to have it flavored get some frozen fruit or small fruit like blackberries, blueberries, etc and throw them in your water to flavor it up a bit. There are little tips and tricks you can do to start the weight loss journey. Once you start getting used to it, it just becomes habit.

I see many guys at the gym drinking protein shakes and eating protein bars right after workout, I'm not sure if that's a sensible thing to do or not.

I do know one thing, though: I tried a protein shake recently and I wasn't losing any weight at all; I stopped taking it and started losing weight again. I can't really say if there's a causal relationship between the two, though.

I love protein shakes but wouldn't want to be tied down to a pattern such as a shake for breakfast & lunch & a meal. But these diets work for many people & there are sections on 3FC devoted to them that you could check out (like Ideal Protein or Medifast).

Personally I calorie count & use the My Net Diary app, which is like My Fitness Pal.

Weight Watcher's is another diet plan (they don't call it a diet) that has a section on 3Fc & also a free forum.

I am against two shakes + a sensible dinner approach.

First of all, shakes are not satiating. Dispite what the commercials say you won't feel full by drinking a couple hundred kcals.

Second, and more importantly, you won't be establishing new dietary habits. This type of dieting is by it's very nature temporary.

Bad news is that it is going to take a while to lose 100+ lbs. You didn't gain it over night and you're not going to lose it over night.

The good news is that this site has a fairly high signal to noise ratio with lots of supportive people so you're in the right place.

My personal suggestion would be to only use shakes to supplement protein intake if you're having trouble getting in enough protein.

Finally, while I wouldn't suggest it if you're breastfeeding, you may want to consider a PSMF type of plan at least initially to help move the needle quickly. My personal favorite is "Rapid Fat Loss" but with any PSMF type of plan you should talk to your doctor first to see get his input due to how few calories you'll be ingesting with a PSMF plan.

I am calorie counting now.. Using MFP. It is working, but idk if I can get to goal doing that. A friend of mine calorie counted at 1200 per day and dropped 100 lbs in a year, but it looks to me like she's gained 75%+ of her weight back.

diffrent strokes for diffrent folks. i use wonderslim shakes as part of my diet. I have 3 shakes a day, 2 snacks, and a sensiable meal for dinner usually a frozen meal with fresh veggies and fruit for dessert. without the rapid weight loss combained with the convenience of shakes and bars I wouldnt have been able to stay on my diet plan or had the success i have had. I live alone and i'm not a fan of cooking or planning out my meals.

if you go this route I suggest checking out wonderslim or medifast. however if they are out of your price range there are alot of other good options..Like the atkins shakes and meal replacement bars, the south beach diet bars are pretty good as well. at costco you can buy eas shakes which taste decent and provide a fair amount of nutrients ..with any of these choices be sure to take a multivitimin.

like any liquid diet once you loose the weight you will need to slowly "refeed yourself" or you will regain ! but it does work and i'm proof of that. for maintaince i fully intend on sticking with meal replacements and convenience foods and just adding more calories onto it. btw i lost 156 pounds in 1 year 3 months (just to give you a frame of reference time wise)

I'm not a big fan of the shake diet. It's not sustainable for the rest of your life.

That being said, I now and then, have a protein shake. Simply because of my work and weight lifting schedule/timing, and I need something fast to replenish and stave off raging hunger.

So, a couple of thoughts.

Being 6 weeks post baby, I would not make any huge choices right now regarding surgery. Most likely, you are very hormonal and exhausted! Been there done that.

I hate the word diet!

It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change. It takes time to do the research, learn your body, learn to like healthy food, and actually find recipes that make healthy food taste good!

It takes time for your mind to get around to the fact, that most likely, you will always have to keep some kind of track, be it calories or WW points or whatever and always be mindful of your eating.

This does not mean you can never have a Whopper, or pumpkin pie at Christmas, or a ribs at a bbq, you just can't do it every day.

Personally, I could not live the rest of my life, drinking 2 shakes a day and one meal. I like food too much!

However, after many years of trial and error, I've figured out what works for me and I have tons of go to foods, and recipes! Some boring, some great!

I also allow for/work into my plan things like weddings, holidays, birthdays and so on.

Cut back a bit for a day or 2 and up my activity a bit for a few days! Portion control, don't beat myself over the head for one piece of cake or pie.

I'd start at 1800 calories per day of whole, non processed foods. Don't count the fruits/vegetables you eat. Walk. Stick to that and you'll be down serious pounds in a month. 1200 is too low. Drink lots of water.
I have 100 lbs to lose. Still working on it. I'll continue to work on it. I don't give a **** that I started this in 2010, and still haven't reached goal weight--but guess what? I'm not gaining it back after committing to myself and my health and I've kept 70+ lbs off for 3 years now. There is a plethora of nutrition info on this site. Listen to JohnP and Shricreif, good advice there.

I used to make smoothies out of greek yogurt, frozen berries, and spinach; I'd add protein powder as a supplement. I'm not always much of a breakfast person anyway so they came in handy as a meal replacement.

And with that being said, the smoothie/protein drinks were a stepping stone to eating healthier for me. Just don't consider it as a cure-all to losing weight; calories will be the most important aspect of whether or not you succeed. Don't make the mistake of thinking that replacing a couple of meals with a shake will continue to keep you satisfied for the length of time it will take to reach your goals. It may work out as a great stepping stone for you like it did for me, as you learn to navigate through the world of healthier habits. I still occasionally have one of my smoothie/protein drinks but no longer need to rely on them.

Above all else, seek the advice of your doctor, and if possible, see a dietitian or nutritionist to discuss your eating plan. I'd once longed for WLS myself but had no insurance or money at the time, so I became determined to lose on my own. I've lost 150 pounds now by changing my mindset and tracking my eating through a journal. Everyone is different though, and what has been working for me may not work for you. Give this some time and patience, and above all, don't give up when the going gets tough.

Take care and good luck to you! And stick around; there's a lot of great members here with immeasurable experience and advice who will be more than happy to offer you support.

Wow! You are amazing! What type of snacks and frozen meals were you eating along with your meal replacement. Do you know what your daily calories were on a plan like this?

I know my calories on the simple diet (2 entrees, 3 shakes 5+ fruits/vegs), I get between 1300-1600 calories. Of course at anytime I can have an extra shake/entree or more fruits and vegs. When I am being diligent with my fruits/vegs, I feel stuffed! A lot of the information you can find on Dr.Anderson's website. It's really that simple. Although there are limits on what type of meals and shakes (ie nothing over 300 cals, etc). You can see if your library has the book.

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Can you post that link and what about pre and post workout supplements what you suggest about that?

I am doing a protein shake-based diet, that also has oatmeal, microwave meals, and snack bars. It's called HMR and it is run through doctor's offices. I have lost 30 lbs so far in 11 weeks, but if you start heavier, you will lose much more. Some people in my class lose 5-6 lbs a week. Some of the people in my class have said that their doctor gave them 2 options- weight loss surgery or HMR. And HMR has better 5+ year results than gastric bypass.

It is a big commitment and you are not supposed to have any food not on the plan, but the weight comes off so fast, is it motivating to stay on track.