Shakeology: The tough question answered.

Recently received a good question about a specific "meal-replacement" product and thought everyone would benefit from it.

The question:
I just bought "Insanity" - the Beachbody program - same company that produces P90X. I've been debating whether or not to purchase their nutritional shake - Shakeology. I was working out this afternoon, wearing my SPARK t-shirt, and took it as a sign from above that I should ask a knowledgeable fitness professional - Should I trust Shakeology? What are your thoughts on meal replacement shakes?

I did a little research on Shakeology but couldn't specifically find what was actually in this shake. Found a lot of sales speak, but not much in the way of real nutrition information. It looks mostly like a lot of other meal shakes. If what you can gleen from the internet is correct here is how it breaks down: 1 Serving: Calories: 299, Fat: 3g, Carbs: 50g, Protein: 22g

To answer what I think is the base question, I do like, use and endorse meal-replacement shakes and bars. As someone who is always on the go and having to eat while with or between clients these are a lifesaver. The main thing we want to be careful of is macronutrient make-up of the 'meal': the amount of sugar, fat, protein and total carbohydrates and the total calories.

I ask my clients, and really anyone who is looking to eat more healthily (is that a word?), to stick to a 60/30/10 or 50/30/20 split when it comes to calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat, respectively. This goes for all meals, not just meal replacements. IF a bar or shake does not conform to this metric, then it is not a meal replacement; i.e., if it has 80 grams of protein and 15 grams of cho (carbohydrates), then it is just a protein shake/bar. If the shake has 50 grams of cho, 25 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat, then it much more clearly is a meal replacement.

Using the limited info I found on 'Shakeology' I can tell you that it is a true meal-replacement and is probably fine if you want to be sure you're getting good calories in during the day. I almost always recommend that clients find ways to prepare their own meals. In this way, we can all be sure as to what is going into them.

The FDA is pretty good about regulating how much a nutrition company can fib about calories and macronutrients so you can trust the label. However, the rules for what a company can say is "proprietary" (in other words, what the manufacturer doesn't have to disclose to you) are very muddy. If the shake is said to "boost metabolism", curb your appetite or give you faster recovery there's not much you can do to know how they make those claims. Realize that many of the claims made usually apply to a regular meal as well so don't be fooled.

If you are versed in reading labels, be on the lookout for caffeine, certain herbals, and anything with an 'L' in front of it, i.e., L-carnitine, L-carnosine, etc. The effectiveness of these amino acids is rarely substantiated with evidence.

Hope this sheds some light. Let us know if you have other questions.