Weight loss for the average person with diabetes can be a huge challenge.
For those who have diabetes, managing sugar levels while taking daily injections of insulin presents the largest challenge when trying to lose weight. Many of the diet programs available on the market are not suitable for many reasons; the sugar content may be too high, or the food and calorie intake can be too restricted, and too low.
Weight Loss For Diabetes
Many doctors will prescribe weight loss for effective diabetes management, but what options are available?
The following video is a true testimonial about results that were achieved with the ViSalus Body by Vi™ products.
So, How does the Medifast Weight Loss Shake Compare to The Body By Vi Shakes?
Medifast Weight Loss Shakes: Doing a comparison to the Body By Vi Shake, or "Vi Shape" shake, I will compare to the Medifast French Vanilla Ready To Drink Shake.
This shake also has 90 calories, with 1 gram of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of protein. One thing that I wasn't thrilled about is that there are is 200 mg of sodium, per can.
I also found the shake to be a little too sweet, and very thick - but it tasted the best out of the competitors, although it didn't come close to the awesome tasting "shake mix that tastes like a cake mix", the Body By Vi Shake.
OK, so I imagine that as your reading that killer headline, if you are anything like me, you might have that "look" on your face. You know... the skeptical "How in the world can a diet smoothie taste great?" look.
Listen, I know the feeling. I've done diet smoothies, the wonderful, blended concoctions of fruit, yogurt and protein powder. And...
Yeah, they haven't tasted all that great, well at least not until I grabbed the REAL sugar, and tampered with the concoction so much that it regained any calories that may have been shaved by leaving it in its diet tasting, weirdly textured, and "what in the world is that unknown after taste" state.
I love smoothies...when they taste good.
The search for great tasting weight loss smoothie recipes is exactly why YOU are here, reading THIS. Hey, we all know that a great weight loss smoothie is a beautiful thing - it accomplishes a lot, with minimal effort. They are a great fit for an on the go lifestyle. An effortless way to get one of your servings of fruit, plus the protein and fiber to give you the fuel to STAY on the go.
BUT...and it is an important but...If it doesn't taste good then fuggedaboutit! Right?
The issue with making a healthy weight loss smoothie recipe at home is that it hasn't been easy to make a smooth smoothie, that tastes decent. Either the protein powder won't blend well, leaving a powdery, gooey mess, with the consistency of glue, or the consistency just wasn't right, all frothy and ...Wow, I really sound like a smoothie snob, don't I?
Well, thank goodness, I have discovered the secrets for making great tasting diet smoothies, with the perfect texture and consistency.
Want to know my secrets to the perfect weight loss smoothie recipe?
#1 the smoothie base – Vi Shape Shake mix
#2 frozen fruit, not ice cubes!
The Vi-Shape Shake mix comes in ‘sweet cream’ flavor that make the ultimate fruit, chocolate or even coffee smoothies. It has a superior nutritional profile to any of the other ‘meal replacement’ powders, and it blends easily in any kind of milk and even water. Vi-Shape Shake Mix tastes fantastic and blends perfectly – the ultimate smoothie base!
The second secret to the perfect smoothie is frozen fruit. Using the frozen fruit instead of ice cubes gives it a more substantial ‘mouth feel’, and keeps you full much longer. To make it extra creamy and satisfying, add frozen banana. I let a bunch of bananas get to the point where they are lightly spotted, then I’ll peel them and put them in freezer bag. Most of the smoothie recipes below can be made more creamy by adding 1/2 a frozen banana.
I have a smoothie every day, so variety is key. Weight loss Smoothie recipes are very important, especially if you are going to use the Vi-Shape Shake mix as a meal replacement as it is recommended in the Body By Vi Challenge, you absolutely want to vary your shakes. If you are going to stick with the Body By Vi weight loss program and lose all the weight you want to – you will want to incorporate different recipes. The Vi-Net health tracker system has many suggested recipes. Just remember my tip to freeze the fruit and use it to blend your smoothie instead of adding ice.
Each of the weight loss smoothie recipes that lists ‘milk’ can be made with your choice of milk. I use plain almond milk because it is just 60 calories per cup. You could use cow milk, soy milk, almond, or any milk of your choice!
Weight Loss Smoothie Recipes
Blueberry Banana Super Energy Shake
1 cup milk
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 frozen banana
2 scoops Vi-Shape Shake mix 1 Banana Energy Charge Shape-up
Pina Colada Smoothie
1 cup milk
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 frozen banana
2 scoops Vi-Shape Shake mix 1 Banana Energy Charge Shape-up
Peach Creamcicle
1 cup milk
1 cup mixed frozen fruit that includes peaches
2 scoops Vi-Shape Shake mix 1 Peach Shape-up Health Flavor Mix-in
The peach is also delicious with a bit of fresh ginger blended in. Ginger is great for digestion and for speeding metabolism.
Strawberry Milkshake
1 cup milk
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 scoops Vi-Shape Shake mix 1 Strawberry Shape-up Health Flavor Mix-in
Orange Creamcicle
1 cup milk
1/2 cup mixed frozen fruit
2 scoops Vi-Shape Shake mix 1 Orange Shape-up Health Flavor Mix-in
Leave out the banana and just use ice cubes for a peanut butter cup smoothie! Yum!
Coffee Smoothie
1 cup milk
1Tbs instant coffee
2 scoops Vi-Shape Shake mix 1 Chocolate Shape-up Health Flavor Mix-in
Ice cubes
This smoothie can also be made with strong coffee frozen in ice cube trays. Use the frozen coffee cubes instead of ice.
There you have it! SOME of my Weight Loss Smoothie Recipes!
To get your ultimate weight loss smoothie base, the Vi-Shape Shake mix, join the Body By Vi Challenge.
The Body by Vi Transformation Kit is packed with the ultimate in shaping and nutritional ingredients to help you see and feel maximum results. The Body By Vi Transformation Kit contains a 30-day supply of everything needed to help transform your body for a healthier, happier you.
Body By Vi Transformation Kit
Included in the weight loss kit: 2 (30-serving) pouches of Vi-Shape™ Nutritional Shake Mix; an assortment of our Health Flavors, to add flavor variety, and added health benefits to your shake,1 bottle of Vi-Slim™ Metab-Awake Tablets; 1 box of Vi-Trim™ Clear Control Drink Mix; 1 box of each flavor of ViSalus NEURO™ Smart Energy (Lemon Lift and Raspberry Boost flavors); and 1 bottle of our Vi-pak Omega Vitals capsules.
How does the Body By Vi Shake compare against the Slim-Fast Shake?
The chart below is a direct comparison of the key ingredients in theVisalus Vi Shape Shake vs the Slim-Fast Shake
Pre-Biotic:
Visalus Vi-Shape Shakes - YES Slim-Fast Shake - No.
The pre-biotic activity in Visalus Vi-Shape Shakes ensures maximum nutritional absorption.
Patented Fiber:
Visalus Vi-Shape Shakes - YES Slim-Fast Shake - No.
Fibersol™ is a new patented fiber blend that helps keep you feeling full, providing benefits of fiber without gas that can be caused by other types of fiber.
1. A unique, concentrated and absorbable blend of proteins processed to remove fat, lactose, carbohydrates and isoflavones to provide pure, concentrated protein. When mixed with milk or soy milk, we provide 20-22 grams of protein, the right mix to burn fat and build lean muscle.
2. Low sodium. Lower than other brands!
3. Contains a serving of whole milk, for bone healthy calcium.
4. Contains a full serving of fruit or vegetable fiber, without gas.
5. Contains digestive aids and enzymes, including prebiotic activity for maximum nutrition absorption.
6. Smells and tastes like cake mix! No grit! No metallic aftertaste.
1. A unique blend of proteins that work quickly and provide long–lasting nutrition to help you burn fat and build lean muscle.
2. Heart healthy non-GMO soy protein. (No Isoflavones)
3. Fibersol™, a new patented fiber blend that helps keep you feeling full, providing benefits of fiber without gas that can be caused by other types of fiber.
4. Aminogen™ to help your body maximize protein and nutrient absorption.
5. 23 Vitamins and minerals, along with other ingredients that help you burn fat.
Vi-Shape Shake FAQ
1. What is unique about the Vi-Shape® Nutritional Shake mix?
There are so many unique benefits, and ingredients, so here are a few:
It tastes amazing. We call it the a. “Shake mix that tastes like a cake mix”. If you do a blind taste test vs. other shakes, you’ll see that many have either a gritty texture, can have a bitter or metallic after taste that lingers. Other shakes can smell bitter, or like chemicals. Ours is different because of the unique, high quality
ingredients that we use.
b. Our shake is lower in sodium, fat, and carbohydrates than other shakes. Many companies will use sodium to make the bland ingredients taste better, fat to make flavor carry, or add sugar to mask bitter notes. You can see from our comparison chart that we surpass the competition, due to our high quality.
c. Our shake is diabetic friendly. Many shakes use sugar, fructose, or other sweeteners that can spike blood sugar. This may result in low energy, hunger, and more. Ours has no added sugar, and is diabetic friendly.
d. We use 3 specially processed proteins. This provides fast, and long lasting hunger control, and can also help maintain lean muscle while targeting fat. Our shake has been specially processed to remove lactose, remove fat, remove carbohydrates, and remove isoflavones from the soy that can impact estrogen. Therefore, body builders, those sensitive to hormones can use our shake.
e. We include ingredients that other shakes don’t. We include digestive enzymes to help maximize protein absorption, prebiotics to support the bodies detox process and digestive health, vitamins, minerals, calcium, and more.
f. Affordability. There is simply no other shake that matches what we offer, for the price! By having a shake a day you can not only help fuel your body with powerful nutrients, but you can save money too.
2. What are the primary benefits of the Vi-Shape shake mix?
›› The shake mix provides complete nutrition – fast
›› Helps control appetite
›› Provides bone-healthy calcium
›› Provides heart healthy, low fat protein
›› Helps promote & maintain lean muscle mass
›› Supports protein digestion and nutrient absorption
›› Helps support healthy energy levels while cutting calories
›› Provides non-gassy fiber benefits for digestive health
›› Includes two unique fibers for health, and for hunger control
›› Supports a low glycemic lifestyle
›› Supports healthy metabolism
›› Gluten free. Lactose free. Low sodium, diabetic friendly. Low sugar. Tastes amazing!
3. How does the Shake help me lose or maintain weight?
The shake can help you lose, or maintain weight depending on how you use it. To lose weight, we recommend using it in place of 2 meals per day, along with sensible snacks (like the ViSalus Nutra-Cookie™), and meal. You can use it for any 2 meals. To maintain weight, we recommend that you have 1 shake per day, and ideally for breakfast.
Why is this?
Well, if we compare the shake blended with non-fat milk (or soy milk, rice milk , or almond milk) and fruit, the shake will provide 20-25 grams of protein, a full serving of fiber, calcium, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and more, all for around 240 calories. If we compare that to an ‘average’ breakfast of a bagel with cream cheese, small orange juice and coffee with non-fat milk, you can see we provide more nutrition for less calories. The ‘average’ breakfast can add up to around 720 calories, and a whopping 880mg of sodium. So by having a shake, you’ll fuel your body, help keep your blood sugar level, and save calories to help you keep the weight off. We also recommend it for those people that don’t eat breakfast (almost 40% of adults don’t eat breakfast). By not eating
breakfast, the metabolism can slow and you may end up eating more calories per day while slowing the bodies’ fat burning system. Your body is like a car, it cannot run without fuel and it cannot be ‘trained’ to do without. So the shake once a day helps keep the metabolism going, keeps you energized, and helps cut calories. Twice a day and you’ll see greater results. And we also recommend Vi-Slim® to help burn calories without jittery feelings or stimulants, and Vi-Trim® added to the shake to help keep hunger at bay. These two products add powerful added support and can be bought separately, or as part of the Body by Vi™ Transformation kit.
4. Can the shake help me gain weight?
Absolutely! For those who want to gain weight, or even add muscle, the Vi-Shape™ Nutritional Shake mix can help Simply add a shake as a beverage with any meal, or use between meals. For those who exercise, having a shake mixed in water within 30 minutes of finishing a workout will find that it may help the muscles recover easier.
5. Is it nutritionally sound? Is it safe?
The shake is nutritionally very sound, and based on incredible science. It is based on healthy nutrition, and getting the daily requirements your body needs to feel healthy. However, those who are pregnant or lactating, gastric bypass patients, ulcer patients, and anyone known to have a medical condition should consult a physician prior to taking this product or any nutritional supplement.
6. Can I use only water for the shake?
The shake was designed to mix in water as a healthy snack, for after a work out, or to be mixed in milk/soy milk as a healthy meal (milk and soy milk provide more protein, and more calories). The goal is to not cut too many calories, or the body can feel that it is in starvation mode and slow the metabolism further. The U.S. government recommends that we consume a minimum of 1,200 calories per day. So if you do use the shake mixed in water, you may want to use 3 scoops instead of 2, or make sure you have a Nutra-Cookie along with the shake mixed in water to provide adequate calories.
7. I’ve tried other shakes, and they don’t taste as good. Why is that?
Our formula uses the highest quality proteins available today, and we worked very hard to ensure it would taste great. This is because we believe in proper nutrition. It’s our company philosophy to make the best products we can.
8. Why soy protein? Does it impact estrogen?
Soy is an excellent source of protein that delivers healthy heart benefits. Regular consumption of soy has been linked to helping reduce c-reactive proteins in the body, which benefit a healthy heart. Our soy protein is non- GMO (non Genetically Modified). It has been specially processed to remove the isoflavones, which are the active compound in soy that can affect estrogen.
9. Who should take this product?
Anyone interested in losing or maintaining weight, or who want to balance their daily nutrition with a perfect meal. We encourage those on serious medications, women who are pregnant or lactating, or those who are not in good health to consult a physician before starting our program, or any weight management program or nutritional supplement. The shake (with your doctor’s permission) is safe to use 1 scoop for children 4-12 for additional protein.
10. Why are the proteins unique?
Our proteins are high quality, concentrated forms of nutritional protein. They have been specially processed to remove fat, remove lactose, and remove carbohydrates. We also removed the isoflavones from the soy, to alleviate estrogenic activity concerns. This special processing leaves a purely great–tasting shake mix. This is why we call it “the shake mix that tastes like cake mix.™”
11. How many can I drink or use per day?
We recommend 1–2 servings per day of each product. However, you can take up to 3 packets of the Vi-Trim®, and you can use the shake for all meals if you desire. We recommend no more than 4 tablets of the Vi-Slim® per day.
12. Why artificial sweeteners?
To control calories, and the impact of sugar on glucose levels, we chose to use sweeteners. Many overweight people are diabetic, or borderline diabetic, and we did not want to have a product that they could not use. There is a lot of misinformation out on the internet about sweeteners, and there is no ‘perfect’ sweetener that can meet everyone’s needs. For example, xylitol and other sugar alcohols can cause diarrhea in up to 20% of the population, so it is not an ideal sweetener to us. Stevia has only recently been approved in the U.S., but is still pending global approvals. It can impart a bitter or licorice after taste that some people do not like. Agave has fructose, which can impact hunger. Sugar can impact blood sugar and impact tooth health. Aspartame is a sweetener that causes concerns for some people, as when it is heated it can degrade. We do not use those sweeteners. We use sucralose, which has been approved globally in over 60 countries, and has passed rigid approval processes for safety. It can be used hot or cold.
13. Why one flavor?
Our Sweet Cream flavor was designed to be mixed with fruit, yogurt, juice, or even into oatmeal if you want to add more protein to your diet! We also have our Shape-Up™ Health Flavors Mix-Ins, to help add flavor and nutritional benefits to the shake. Other companies may make you buy multiple canisters of product, which just sits there on your counter. We wanted to help control costs, and add fun to your day with our Health Flavors. Be sure to look in our program guide for many recipes to create nutritious and flavorful shakes! Or, add in our Health Flavors, use one, or create your own mixture of 2 or more for on the go variety.
14. Why a shake powder mix, and not ready to drink in a can?
The powder provides the best opportunity for you to mix it as you like, into non-fat milk, flavored or plain soy milk, low fat/low sugar yogurts, cottage cheese, or water.
Weight Loss Meal Replacement Shakes - Why Protein Shakes Are A Healthy Approach To Losing Weight
Weight Loss Meal Replacement Shakes are a fantastic solution to losing weight fast, but are they safe? Read more for a quick review of weight loss meal replacement shake diets and how to choose the right one for you.
Weight Loss Meal Replacement Shake diets are all the rage, but is it really safe to lose weight rapidly?
2/3 of the adult population are considered overweight, with 1/3 being considered obese. Being overweight can put your health at risk, and leave your body vulnerable to diseases like diabetes, and heart related disorders. Healthy Quick Weight Loss Diets - Protein Weight Loss Meal Replacement Shakes
Protein weight loss meal replacement shakes can be a great quick weight loss diet tool, but only if you choose the right protein shake for weight loss.
Protein weight loss meal replacement shakes can be used when an individual is looking for a diet that will produce quick weight loss. Some key benefits of protein weight loss shakes for quick weight loss is that the nutrients and vitamins one would lose with a restricted calorie diet are included within the shake. What Should I Look For In A Healthy Protein Weight Loss Meal Replacement Shake?
A high quality protein shake for weight loss addresses the 3 key common challenges people face when trying to lose or maintain weight:
1. Getting good nutrition while cutting calories.
2. Boosting a tired metabolism and keeping energy levels going on fewer calories
3. Controlling the hunger and stress of dieting. Will I gain the weight back as quickly as I lose it using a quick weight loss diet?
According to Audrey Sommerfeld, SVP of Marketing for ViSalus Sciences; "There are many programs out there that can have you lose weight fast, only to regain it back quickly.
For example, if you cleanse, or drink those cayenne pepper type of drinks you will lose weight quickly. The challenge is you may be losing water weight, and eliminating waste to feel lighter, fast.
BUT...
When you go back to eating normally again, you will gain back the water weight because our diets are so high in sodium. The average American consumes as much as 8x more sodium per day than needed.
These fast weight products can also cause you to lose life enhancing muscle, slowing your metabolism and weakening your long term health." Final Thoughts On Quick Weight Loss Diets - Protein Weight Loss Meal Replacement Shakes
Protein Powder weight loss shakes are a great diet program to achieve quick weight loss.
To keep the weight off, studies show that those who chose to use weight loss support groups in addition to their quick weight loss diet program experience more long term success in losing the unwanted weight, and in keeping the weight that they have lost off.
