Meal replacements were a winning idea for the weight loss industry: they met the need for many people to have to eat something with fewer calories but all the nutrients without racking their brains, counting calories or preparing meals. From Slim Fast to Tisanoreica through Herbalife, there are many companies that have proposed replacement meal solutions, and those that have found the most success are the so-called “shakes”: slimming smoothies and milkshakes, useful to replace meals, often sweets ( cappuccino drink, strawberry milkshake, vanilla).

Do they work for weight loss? They work in many cases, and are often also proposed by doctors and nutritionists precisely for the reasons I explained above: lack of time, desire to see results immediately, ease of returning to a low-calorie diet without effort if then, after having made enough of the smoothie for lunch, we can have a more substantial dinner. The problem is later: according to recent research, most people magically regain the lost pounds. 
For what reason? Because resorting to quick shortcuts to lose weight teaches nothing about proper nutrition. In addition, these replacement meals often have synthetic vitamins and minerals, which are not comparable to natural ones even for the body. So ultimately, on the one hand we find ourselves without having learned better how to eat to stay healthy and fit, giving in to quick fixes of ready-made meals. On the other hand, these ready meals do not offer the metabolic benefits of a healthy, organic diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.

However, if we are drawn to the idea of ​​quickly preparing a meal replacement, here are some tips for a quick and painless DIY. Weight loss and replacement smoothies made with natural ingredients and homemade replacement meals . A quick example here!

CHOCOLATE MILSKAKE: NATURAL AND SUBSTITUTE FOR MEAL
Calories 320

1 package of fage yogurt of 170 gr. fat free (100 cal)
50 gr. of dates (125 cal)
a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa (25 cal)
half a banana (40 cal)
a teaspoon of peanut butter (30 cal) 
half a cup of ice cubes

Blend all the ingredients!

Learn more: Discover The Diet of Meal Replacement: Lose weight with DIY recipes.