Meal Replacement Protein Shake Comparison

I love meal replacement shakes!  They're the easiest thing I can make/eat for breakfast, and they are down-right tasty!  I especially like that they can be prepared and taken with you if you are in a hurry.  I have tried so many different kinds, and I have charted a comparison for the 10 most popular ones.  If you're considering a meal replacement or protein shake and have no idea where to start, I hope this chart can help you decide which shake is right for you.

Of all the shakes I have tried, ViSalus is by far my personal favorite!  The taste is amazingly sweet for a shake with so few carbs!  Some of the tastier shakes only taste so good because they are loaded up with sugar.  If you're trying a low-carb lifestyle (generally under 20g carbs daily), stay away from both Shakeology and Slimfast as they will both use up more than half of your daily carbs by the end of breakfast.

Some of these shakes may contain soy, which some people believe is bad for PCOS.  Go here to see why soy is not bad for PCOS.  Not convinced?  Take a look at this article!  Need one more?  Try here!  But if you're still not willing to risk it, I have included data to show you which ones do contain soy as a primary protein source if you are trying to avoid it.  Obviously, any person can have adverse reactions to any food, so always monitor yourself and what you are consuming.  I personally have no issues with soy and consume small quantities (generally under 10g) almost daily.  For me, it has not hindered weight loss or fertility.  It should also be noted that the FDA recommends the daily intake of soy to not exceed 25 grams.

 

BRAND (Click to View)	PRICE (monthly)	TASTE	CALORIES (per serving)	PRIMARY PROTEINS	PROTEIN (grams)	NET CARBS (grams)
ViSalus	$49.99		90	Soy & Whey	12g	2g
Designer Whey	$24.99		100	Whey	18g	6g
Shakeology	$129.99		130	Whey & Pea	16g	11g
Slimfast Protein	$39.90		110	Whey	7g	11g
Quest Protein	$37.78		100	Whey & Casein	22g	3g
Dream Protein	$29.22		86	Whey	20g	3.4g
Syntrax Matrix	$29.95		110	Whey & Casein	23g	2g
Pure Protein	$27.99		150	Whey	25g	8g
Isopure	$42.79		210	Whey	50g	0g
Ensure	$34.99		130	Whey & Casein	20g	9g

*For the sake of simplicity, I only rated the Vanilla flavor of each brand.  The price for each shake is an average and may change over time.  I rated the taste according to my own personal palate, which means that some flavors that I find enjoyable, others may not (and vice versa).  Calories, protein, and carbs are all established before adding additional ingredients (such as milk, almond milk, fruit, veggies, etc.).

To Low-Carb or NOT to Low-Carb?

One of the most frustrating aspects of PCOS is figuring out the perfect diet for your body.  Everyone's body is different, and some things will work better for some than others, but with PCOS you will hear people talking quite a bit about a low-carb lifestyle.  Some people with PCOS swear that living low-carb is the only way they can take off weight (or keep it off).  Others swear that carbs don't matter in the slightest, and it's a solution as easy as "eat less, move more."  But who is right?  Of course, it depends entirely on the individual, but the truth usually lies somewhere in between for most of us.

The biggest drawback of living low-carb is that when carbs are too restricted, generally others areas become unbalanced.  Carbohydrate restriction can increase fat, cholesterol, and sodium while it can decrease fiber, energy, and water.  Does this always happen?  Absolutely not!  Cutting down your carbs (especially the bad ones) has very healthy results in most cases - and this is true in people without PCOS as well!  The trick is to find your middle ground.  Never eliminate your carbs!  It is dangerous and will not give you the results you desire if your goal is to become healthier.  When you do eat carbs, try to make them the "good" kind and as with everything in life, don't overdo.  If you have trouble identifying which carbs are "good" and which are "bad," check the fiber content.  If a food has a high fiber content, it is usually the "good" kind of carbohydrate.  Whole grains, beans, veggies, fruits are all examples of "good" carbs.  Keep those carbs!  Get rid of the refined (white) foods like white breads, white pasta, white rice, white flour, etc. Another thing to cut down on is unnecessary added sugar.  Does this mean that you can't eat that decadent fudge at Christmas that you utterly adore and look forward to all year long?  No!  But you can make it a point to eat less of it - and if you really want to make it worth your while, you might even want to add a little extra activity to the days that you do indulge in such goodies.  These little pleasures should be considered "treats" and not "cheats." 

Make healthy choices and substitutions where and when you can.  There are things in life that I cannot, nay, will not, live without.  One of those things is chocolate.  Instead of giving up chocolate altogether, I have made some lifestyle changes so that I may still be able to enjoy it on a semi-regular basis.  First, I have switched to dark chocolate, which is much better for you than the milk chocolate variety.  Second, I watch my portion size.  Instead of eating a 1/2 bar (or a whole bar on especially "sinful" days), I stop after a couple of squares.  Third, I don't just mindlessly devour it.  I love chocolate.  I enjoy it.  I savor it.  I take smaller bites, eat it slowly, and actually taste it.  I think it's made me appreciate chocolate more, particularly if we're ever going to have a chocolate shortage.  *Gasp*  At the end of the day, I'm a firm believer that you can enjoy anything you want in moderation, but that you should still try to be wise in your day-to-day food choices. 

CharityMiles App for Smart Phones

Do your main modes of exercise involve walking, running, or bicycling?  If so, you can earn money for your favorite charity by doing something that you're already doing!  For every mile you run, walk, or ride, a small amount of money will be donated to your favorite charity.  The best part is that the app is completely FREE!  If you're already going to be doing it, why not make it count for even more?  And for those of us who *secretly* want a little recognition for our good deeds, you can even share your results to Facebook.  ;)

Click here for more information or to download the app for your smart phone.

Charities (Currently) Include:
Team RWB
Girl Up
Wounded Warrior Project
Girls on the Run
Every Mother Counts
Shot@Life
The World Food Programme
Nothing But Nets
The Partnership For A Healthier America
Feeding America
(RED)
Stand Up To Cancer
ASPCA
Autism Speaks
Habitat for Humanity
Alzheimer's Association
The Nature Conservancy
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Michael J. Fox Foundation
DoSomething.Org
Pencils of Promise
Soles4Souls
Special Olympics
She's The First
Vision Spring
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America
Achilles International
the Ironman Foundation

Betty Crocker Goes Healthy

Betty Crocker was always a staple in our house when I was younger.  Whether it was Betty Crocker products or recipes, I heard the name a lot growing up.  And I've gotta say, Betty Crocker knew good food.  If a recipe came out of a Betty Crocker cookbook, I just KNEW it would be awesome.  When I moved out on my own, my mom bought me a subscription to the Betty Crocker mini-magazines that are just chock full of recipes.  I never tried one that was a dud.  Now that I'm a bit (but only a little bit) older and a little more concerned about what I put into my body, I have to try to "lighten up" and tweak my old Betty Crocker favorites.  But I'm pleased to say, that Betty Crocker has not let me down!  She has lightened up her own recipes, so I no longer have to do "the dirty work." 

On the website, you can search HEALTHY recipes under the following categories:

Diabetes
Gluten Free
Heart Health
High Fiber
Low Calorie
Low Sodium
Vegetarian

To see the full list of healthy recipes, click here.

FREE Low-Calorie Breakfasts Ebook (from EatingWell)

Eating Well Magazine has another cookbook available for download.  This time, they tackle breakfasts under 350 calories. Recipes include:

Banana-Blueberry Muffins
Overnight Oatmeal
EatingWell Waffles
Quick Breakfast Taco
Savory Breakfast Muffins
Mexi-Melt
Wake-Up Smoothie
Citrus Berry Smoothie
Healthy Pancakes
Maple-Nut Granola
Breakfast Parfait
Breakfast Mini Pizzas
Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole
Artichoke-Scrambled Eggs Benedict

To download your copy of this FREE ebook, click here.