Ready to drink shakes, meal replacement shakes, and protein shakes, are a great way to boost metabolism, control calories, control cravings, boost protein intake, and boost metabolism, but not all shakes are created equal. Some are very high in protein, others are balanced, and while others have too much sugar. You have to find the perfect fit for your lifestyle and your body to get great results. Check out the most popular brands and learn what's good and what's bad about them.

Most Popular And Worst For You: Slim-Fast Optima Ready To Drink. This shake is a much improved version of their previous product but unfortunately it's still a poor choice. The ingredients list is a weight gain nightmare with sugar, cocoa, fructose, and other crap at the very top of the list. They've reduced the sugar by 50% and it still averages about 24g of carbs of which 17g are sugar. It has 10g of protein more than likely coming from the fat free milk and about 190 calories which isn't enough to sustain even the least active person. Perhaps the only saving grace is that it has 5g of fat which might prevent serious hunger and cravings. This is a terrible choice for people serious about losing fat and getting healthy. Yes it's cheap but you get what you pay for!


Tastes Yuk But Best Choice for Serious Losers: Metrx Protein Shake. At only 200 calories this shake provides moderate carbs, very low sugar, and decent fiber. This is a great option for fitness buffs and dieters who like to eat very healthy and who really care about the quality of the food they eat. No fructose, no articficial anything (it's what they're known for), and only the highest quality protein. The only problem here is they have no ready to drink options for people with moderate protein needs (if you are lifting weights regularly and you can handle more protein at one meal then their Ultra Pure Protein Drinks, 12 cans with 35g of protein is a great choice). Also if you're using packets you MUST use a blender and use more liquid than recommended otherwise you end up with a cake mix consistnecy. Bonus: because it's less popular than the Myoplex brand it's usually on sale!


Awesome Taste & Easy To Find: Myoplex Lite Ready To Drink. This shake provides a good balance of carbs, fiber, sugar, and protein all for very low calories. A very popular shake with Body for Lifers and the more active crowd because it tastes good, it fills you up, and it's easy to find at the drugstore, supermarket, gas station, online, and at any supplement store. This is a great option if you're trying to incorporate 5-6 small meals a day, if you're trying to learn portion control, and if you are typically pressed for time.


Best Choice For The Make It Yourself Crowd: 100% Whey Protein. This protein powder is high tech food that tastes incredible. It's loaded with all kinds of nutrients and amino acids that most people lack in their diet and it mixes great with regular milk or soy milk, all kinds of fruit and fruit juices, in oatmeal and yogurt as well. It's the best powder around for making the kind of shakes recommended in programs like The Abs Diet, You On A Diet, The 3 Hour Diet, etc. There are no minuses to this product. It's affordable (5lb tub only $27), tastes great, is super high quality, and is very versatile.


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