What Meal Is Best for Meal Replacement?

January 12, 2024 Kevin Dalaeli

The consensus seems to be that replacing one or two meals a day with a meal replacement shake is an effective strategy for weight loss. But which meal (s) should you replace? After looking over the studies and asking around this is what we found.

Which Meal Should I Replace?

Here are some tips to help you decide.

Total calories and nutrient intake daily are more important than the specific time you eat them.
Post workout feeding window matters most if you train fasted.
Plan your meal replacement around the time of day you're most busy
Consider taking it during the time frame when you don't want to be slowed down by a heavy meal.

Let's see if we can add some further context down below.

What Do the Studies Say?

When I decided to answer this question I went to google first which wasn't helpful. So I tried looking at a couple of studies and this is what I found.

First, most studies about meal replacement shakes revolve around weight loss. No surprise there. If you search "weight loss" in google, you will get around 5,450,000,000 results.

So what did they say? One study from "The Journal of Obesity" had participants replace their dinner with one meal replacement a day. At the end of a 12-week period they lost significantly more weight than the control group. ¹

Another study had subjects replace every meal except dinner with a meal replacement for 6 months. ² Again there was significant weight loss.

All this to say that as far as weight management goes, daily caloric intake seems to be the biggest factor.

Another group of people who frequently use meal replacement products are those who are interested in fitness. Should we take our shake before a workout or after? Do we use it to fuel our workout or aid in recovery or both?

For a long time there was the idea that after a workout there was an anabolic window. If you ate or took a shake at that time your body would respond better. If you missed the window it was a lost opportunity.

It seems that current studies indicate that it doesn't matter much when you eat. As long as you fulfil our daily requirement. ³ Although there may be a difference if you're training in a fasted state.

Convenient Nutrition 24 hours a Day

For many of us, this is less about weight loss than getting optimum nutrition in a bottle. How much easier it is to mix a drink that to plan, shop, prepare, and clean-up a traditional meal.

So much better to know that we're probably drinking a much more nutritionally dense option than so much of what's available.

Those in this group will find that the best time for a shake is our busiest time.

Having a hard time getting out the door to work in the morning? Need to take a working lunch? Working late?

Meal replacement shakes can help us stay focused when we need it most.

Do You Feel Tired After Eating?

How many time have you hit the wall right after lunch? You sit down in your chair and no matter what you can barely keep your eyes open. It happen all the time and it's called postprandial somnolance.

This study shows how postprandial somnolance is more likely to occur when eating a solid meal as opposed to a liquid meal. ⁴ Maybe lunch would be the best time to enjoy a shake.

I personally prefer breakfast. I wake up ready to go and I don't want a heavy breakfast slowing me down. I want to keep the first half of the day on a laser focus.

High Performance Nutrition

Whatever time of day you choose, be sure that your meal replacement shake is nutritionally sound. A good meal replacement should have a balanced blend of high quality protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Beyond that we have begun to understand the impact of gut health on physical and mental health. Be sure you find an option that provides resistant starches and fiber to be at your best.

What would really make a meal replacement shake stand out?

What if contained nutrients to maximize hydration? Or a nootropic energy stack for the mind and body?

If it had all that and more it might be the most important meal of the day no matter what time you take it.

What Time of Day Do You Need a Boost?

When planning for the upcoming week, keep these key points in consideration:

The total daily intake of calories and nutrients is more crucial than the specific timing of consumption.

For weight loss or gain, simply adjust your daily calorie total accordingly. The timing of post-workout nutrition is particularly significant if you exercise on an empty stomach.

Alternatively, schedule your meal replacements during your busiest times of the day, or opt for them during periods when you prefer not to feel weighed down by a heavy meal.

I hope you can use these tips to make every day better.