The Hound Review of Shakeology
by Henry Hound on February 28, 2013
Henry’s rating 3.5 out of 5
Th
ere is nothing new or earth shattering about a diet plan that uses meal replacement shakes. However, with a name like “Shakeology” – which literally means the “science of shakes”—I thought maybe this plan had more to offer then the Slimfast or Special K shakes you can find on any supermarket shelf.
Like all meal replacement shake plans, Shakeology has you substituting one of their shakes for one or two meals a day, and combine that with otherwise healthy, low-cal, low fat meals, and an exercise regimen. When done correctly, any of these plans should help you lose weight, mainly because of the reduced calories, the exercise, and the meal plan – and not because of any miraculous ingredients in the shake. However, I do not take any issue with that – if the plan works, it works, and people do seem to have lost weight on the Shakeology Plan. According to their website, “In a 90-day study, participants replaced one meal per day with Shakeology, ate a balanced diet, and exercised moderately three times per week. Total cholesterol was reduced on average by 30% and LDL cholesterol was reduced on average by 38%.”
However, I could not find this actual study published anywhere, nor any other legitimate peer reviewed published studies that tested the actual Shakeology shakes, and backed up the company’s claims. So much for the “science of shakes.” The shakes do have a lot of good ingredients, several soluble fruit fibers, and many plant phytonutrients, as far as health shakes go, the Shakeology shakes are pretty healthy. But could you get the same results blending up a fruit shake or smoothie on your own – probably. However, for those of you that do not have the time or patience to do that, there certainly is nothing wrong with Shakeology. The shakes also have protein and essential amino acids, and prebiotics and digestive enzymes aid which can improve digestion, and nutrient absorption. You can find a complete list of ingredients on the company website: http://www.beachbody.com/product/supplements/nutrition-health-shake/shakeology.do
Shakeology is made by BeachBody. BeachBody markets many health and fitness products, probably the most popular of which is the P90X workout. This is where Shakeology leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. There is a Multi-Level Marketing aspect to BeachBody’s marketing plan, and anyone can became a “beach body coach” – without any training or background in fitness – and then distribute Shakeology, and earn commissions off of sales, and recruitment of other coaches. Does that make the product work any less effectively? No not really, but it just doesn’t “feel right.”
To the company’s credit, they do offer a 100% money back guarantee, and I checked, they are A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau, with no unresolved complaints.
How to Benefit From Shakeology
Obviously to benefit from the Shakeology Plan you need to order the Shakes. It is $119.00 for a one-month supply. The makers recommend replacing one meal a day with the shake while following the rest of the diet and exercise plan.
Who Should Use It?
According to the manufactures, anyone who is struggling with weight.
The Good
While I could not find any specific clinical trials testing Shakeology specifically, research has shown that “meal replacement” diet plans can and do work, when followed correctly. In addition to the usual ingredients found in most protein shakes, Shakeology includes many known “superfood” extracts among its ingredients.
The Bad
Shakeology is expensive, at 119.00 for a one-month supply, that’s around $4.00 a shake. That is a lot more expensive then Slimfast or Special K shakes at about 1.00 piece you can buy off the supermarket shelves, and probably achieve much the same results. One of the ingredients in Shakeology is Ginkgo. Ginkgo should be avoided by people with certain seizure disorders, or who are on blood thinners. And I am still not so sure how I feel about the “fitness coaches” who are incentivised to sell the product, and why you will find so many positive reviews online by “fitness professionals” who are actually hawking the product!
The Bottom Line
Does Shakeology work? Yes, about as well as any other meal replacement plan, but because of its expense, and the taint of multi-level marketing, I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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Source List
http://www.beachbody.com/product/supplements/nutrition-health-shake/shakeology.do http://teamripped.com/shakeology-review/ http://www.homefitnesstribe.com/11/shakeology-review/ http://dream-2-reality.com/product-reviews/shakeology-review/ http://www.tag-fitness.com/product-reviews/shakeology-review/
Crystal says:
February 28, 2013 AT 7:30 pmWould love to know your opinion on the Visalus shakes!
ReplyBob says:
March 12, 2013 AT 4:49 pmChrystal, I've tried both Shakeology and Body by Vi shakes. I would recommend trying them both to see what you like better. As Henry mentions here, Shakeology is a great meal replacement option with good ingredients, but the Vi shake also has good ingredients. It may come down to the flavor you're looking for. Thanks for sharing this great info on Shakeology, definitely interesting information.
ReplyHenry Hound says:
March 6, 2013 AT 7:08 pmI've just reviewed the Visalus shakes, check it out here: http://www.healthhound.org/2013/03/the-hounds-review-of-body-by-vi/6370.html
ReplyHenry Hound says:
March 1, 2013 AT 11:14 amI keep hearing about the Body by Vi products, and I will look into them and let you know!
Reply