Liquids vs Solids

Hey guys! This seems like a silly question but I would like to hear some feedback... Do liquid drinks have as much affect on your diet as solids? Im not talking about pop, milshakes or sugary juice but I would really love to drink a smoothie or a protein shake once in a while...with any other diet this has been recommended for nutritional values but the carb intake is always so high! Im so torn!! In my mind Im thinking...its just a liquid, I drink tons of water anyways and it will flush right out of my system but Im sure its alot more complicated than that....What do you guys think?

Hi! I have never been a fan of smoothies only because of how much sugar they usually contain. However, I do have a protein shake a couple times a week because some days I have a hard time eating enough and taking in enough protein. I love the pure protein brand, specifically the strawberry cream and frosty chocolate. I buy the pre-made ones in the can(they come in cans, bottles and powder form). The strawberry cream is 150cals, 1g fat,2g carbs, 1g sugar and 35g protein. The chocolate is 170 cals, 1g fat, 4 g carbs, 1g sugar and 35g protein.

To me a protein shake is an easy way to supplement my diet when necessary. I do not use them as a meal replacement but more as a snack. It's amazing how the frosty chocolate can cure a chocolate craving!! Sometimes I will even put them in the blender with a ton of ice to try and mimic a milk shake. It is not quite the same but does taste pretty good! I am not very well educated on the quality of different protein shakes but these were recommended to me, they are low in carbs/sugar and taste pretty good.

Not sure I really answered your question but I hope this helps a little.

Thats amazing!!! Thank you I will have to try these

You are welcome! Btw I purchase the cans from GNC. But i just recently saw the bottles at walmart. They have fewer calories and fewer grams of protein but still very low in carbs/ sugar. I havent tried them but i imagine they taste the same!

Okay sounds great I was actually wondering where Id be able to find them so Walmart is my answer!

A thing with liquid meals is that they don't last long. Because the blender already started the process of breaking down the food it doesn't stay in the stomach as long. Like sgreene I use mine as more of a snack. A shake won't last me if it's my lunch. I make shakes at home with almond milk. Throw in some frozen fruit and it's delish. I'll share 2 of my favs:
1. almond milk, chocolate whey protein, 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter, ice. Tastes like a reeses.
2. almond or coconut milk, vanilla whey protein, tropical frozen fruit, flake coconut and ice.

Throw in a banana if you'd like too. Although it does up the calorie content of the shake by 100 cals. I'd rather eat the banana myself.

Also try some green smoothies. Blend up some spinach with a banana, honey, peanut butter and some almond milk. It's a power smoothie. Don't let it's green color fool you. It's delicious!

Thank you those sound really good!!

I have been amazed by my progress on my diet and green smoothies have been a big factor, because they are so low in calories so I end up at 1200 to 1500 per day. I blend 1.5 cups of spinach with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of lime juice (this totally cuts the green flavor- otherwise the smoothie tastes too salad-ish). Then I add a cup of frozen fruit (strawberry, pineapple, mango, papaya blend from Costco) and blend until smooth. It is filling and under 100 calories!

Check the Atkins book. I'm not sure there are any recipes for Induction smoothies (your food diary says you're on Atkins Induction).

Once you move to OWL, however, there are recipes for smoothies in the book that fit very nicely into the plan. In fact, I just had the (OWL) strawberry smoothie, with a modification or two, this AM.

Unless I'm mistaken (in which case, I'm sure I'll be corrected), a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, regardless of whether it's in liquid or solid form. Liquid calories aren't 'flushed through' your system faster, nor are they easier to get rid of with exercise.

I try not to get many of my calories in liquid form because, just like others said, they just don't fill me up. If I had the choice between drinking 300 calories of sweet tea or eating a Snickers bar, you know what I'd choose.. But like Cort and Sgreene, I sometimes supplement my meals with a protein shake just to get my protein intake up higher..

There are some great smoothie ideas here (and there are more threads about protein smoothies out there!), and they're making me want to get my smoothie-maker out this afternoon after my workout! Yum! I picked up some pineapple greek yogurt and I think I'll play around with that and mangos/strawberries/vanilla protein powder..

hahahhaa very well put! Thank you!