View Full Version : Shakeology, Herbalife, etc... Are they any good?
Im starting to get back in shape and i'm not 20 anymore, I recently joined a crossfit gym which is kicking my ass in a good way but I need to change my diet as it is not very healthy right now and I can feel it, too much fast food and I love mtn dew. Some of the guys at the gym said they are using shakeology, or herbalife, or whatever and have good results. I know most are MLM's but is there any benefit of these over just eating well?
Nothing will replace eating well. There are only two supplements that I take, and find that they are THE best. The first is HealthForce Vitamineral Greens, the next is Warrior Force (HealthForce) Proteins. I have used their chocolate and greens protein. Their Green protein is awesome, it is so much more than just protein powder- its real actual food.
http://healthforce.com/superfoods-rejuvenation/vitamineral-green
http://healthforce.com/warrior-force/elite-green-protein-cool-green
http://healthforce.com/warrior-force/warrior-food-extreme-chocolate-plus
To clear a few things up: Yes, they are the most expensive 'supplements' I have seen, and no the Green Protein and the VitaMineral do not taste good. The chocolate protein is alright, however, it is real and natural, so it will not compare to sugary proteins.
It is hard to describe how clean they feel compared to other products, and how they actually work, and cleanse your body. Adding supplements should be used to further enhance your diet, and these do.
To get a nutreint dense meal, I blend up the following:
Milk or water
Banana
Spinach
Sprouts of different kinds
Kale
Chia and hemp seeds
Vitamineral Green, or Green protein
A big scope of Peanutbutter
Digestive Enzymes
I have had great results.
Doc Safari
04-22-14, 13:54
I know a guy who drank the Herbalife shakes for breakfast and lunch for several months and seemed to be losing quite a bit of weight. Trouble is: as soon as he stopped the shakes he gained it all back. He also complained of some heart palpitations or something and blamed some Herbalife product for that also. I don't know what his doctor told him, but he quit Herbalife products shortly thereafter.
I've learned not to trust anything that has to be sold through direct sales. That usually means the company or product can't get their products through normal distribution channels, and that just makes me suspicious there's something "wrong" with it right off the bat.
Nothing will replace eating well. There are only two supplements that I take, and find that they are THE best. The first is HealthForce Vitamineral Greens, the next is Warrior Force (HealthForce) Proteins. I have used their chocolate and greens protein. Their Green protein is awesome, it is so much more than just protein powder- its real actual food.
.
Based on?
Im starting to get back in shape and i'm not 20 anymore, I recently joined a crossfit gym which is kicking my ass in a good way but I need to change my diet as it is not very healthy right now and I can feel it, too much fast food and I love mtn dew. Some of the guys at the gym said they are usingshakeology, or herbalife, or whatever and have good results. I know most are MLM's but is there any benefit of these over just eating well?
MLMs, due to the nature of the business model, are never a good deal for the buyer, and range from total scam junk (magnetic bracelets, etc) to decent products that are way over priced for what they are. Just say no to MLM. Some supplements can be helpful in conjunction with a good nutrition plan and exercise, but focus on the nutrition and exercise before worrying about supplements. Regardless, I wouldn't get my supplements from MLM, that's for sure.
mkmckinley
04-22-14, 16:55
WillBrink has some pretty solid advice. It's easy to make a really great shake by mixing your own stuff and MLM is a scam for almost everyone involved.
WillBrink has some pretty solid advice. It's easy to make a really great shake by mixing your own stuff and MLM is a scam for almost everyone involved.
I do not advise replacing real food with shakes, but you are correct in that it's easy to make good quality protein shakes/MRPs for a fraction of the cost with generally higher quality ingredients. Here's one of mine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmT2Qn7ki4
Thanks WillBrink, your advice is much appreciated. I don't want to completely replace meals as much as add some nutrition.
save your money, they are garbage.
Based on?
The ingredients and how the powders are made. Then my own experience and many others I have researched.
Im starting to get back in shape and i'm not 20 anymore, I recently joined a crossfit gym which is kicking my ass in a good way but I need to change my diet as it is not very healthy right now and I can feel it, too much fast food and I love mtn dew. Some of the guys at the gym said they are using shakeology, or herbalife, or whatever and have good results. I know most are MLM's but is there any benefit of these over just eating well?
NO.....
Learn how to eat food grown in mineral rich soil, fresh as possible and avoid processed and GMO foods and eating at out except for a treat.
Personally, I use the macro calculations at IIFYM (http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/) and the myfitnesspal app on my phone. With the calorie counter app you can scan barcodes for nutritional info which is convenient. I've had a lot of success utilizing these together. For a short time, probably about 2 months, I would also do a 24 hour'ish fast about once a week. The first time or two is a little rough but after that it's easy sailing once you've adjusted.
I'd suggest watching Layne Norton's videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/biolayne) on carbohydrates, slowly adding or reducing them in your diet, depending on the effect you're looking for, etc. They made a lot of sense to me and he uses a super, high-tech, fancy eraser board too! ;) He's also a member here and posting in your thread.
I use TrueNutrition's protein as an additional supplement to my diet along with low-fat chocolate milk for lots of carbohydrates. *Disclaimer: I receive no money from TN, but if people use my discount code in my sig line, I do receive free protein in exchange for helping drive their business.
brickboy240
05-13-14, 11:20
I have never known anyone that used one of those shake diet plans and stayed thin and lean.
I'd skip those plans...all of them...and just focus on eating whole foods and skip the processed foods or severely limit their intake.
I am also not sure that many of the vitamin supplements we see for sale in places like GNC and Vitamin Shoppe are crap as well. I have tried several of the more popular ones and I swear...I felt no different when I went off of them. All they really did for me was give me electric yellow urine! LOL
YMMV...but I'd skip them.
-brickboy240
brickboy240 is spot on!
Stay away from snake oil preparations and simply eat nutritious food.
You'll be far healthier and your wallet will thank you too.
ZERO THEORY
05-22-14, 13:18
Stay away. The ingredient list on Herbalife's products could literally be used for a 15 page research paper in Biochem 2. I make a nightly shake to help get that extra fiber, protein, vitamin, and mineral kick before bed. I'm not into meal replacement, but I like using the shake to get the afore-mentioned nutrients during my 7 hour "fast", as well as ensure that I hit my macros. It goes like this:
-1 cup almond milk
-1/4 cup Greek yogurt; vanilla
-1 cup raw strawberries
-1 cup pineapple chunks
-2 cups kale; chopped
-1/2 cup baby spinach
350kc
5g fat
61g carbs
14g protein
I will add a caveat-I do my S&C at 6 AM fasted, so the carbs at night aren't an issue. But if weight loss is your goal, you might want to avoid loading up on them at night unless you get a chance to PT those glycogen stores away in the morning.
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