Weight loss shakes are FANTASTIC for fast weight loss.

And THAT is the problem…

Basically anyone who goes onto a very low calorie liquid diet of shakes for weight loss is going to lose weight, and usually quickly.

Here’s the problem…

How many people do you know that have lost a fat 5-10kilograms from a shake diet? Probably quite a few.

Of those people, how many were able to sustain their weight loss? Probably very few.

Weight loss shakes and powders all have the same problem: they don’t produce the visible, long term weight loss most people are looking for.

But why don’t weight loss shakes work? There are a few different reasons why weight loss shakes don’t work. We’ve decided to take an in depth look at each one:

1. Your body needs real food

Protein shakes can fill you up and make you think you don’t need to eat a meal, but your body needs real food to function. Study after study has proven that the best way to get your nutrients is through food—even regular vitamin supplements aren’t extremely effective.

If you have a protein shake with a small breakfast, it might give you a bit of a boost, but replacing entire meals with protein shakes is dangerous. Most of these shakes don’t actually contain the wide range of vitamins you need, and if you’re not also eating regular, healthy meals you can quickly develop vitamin deficiencies and other health problems.

2. Many protein shakes/powders contain dangerous ingredients

Have you ever actually read the ingredients list on your protein shakes or powders? Chances are that they already include some impressively awful ingredients, but supplements like these ones aren’t regulated and Consumer Report has found an abundance of contaminants in many of the most popular protein powders and shakes.

The contaminants? Arsenic, mercury, cadmium and even lead. And the guilty parties? GNC, Myoplex, Muscle Milk and Designer Whey. Just imagine what’s in the products that weren’t tested.

3. It’s not pleasant

The weight loss effects might be great, especially at first, but let’s face it: most of these products taste pretty bland and drinking your breakfast every morning gets old real fast.

Choosing to eat healthier foods at meals can be a lot of fun. You can turn discovering new, healthy foods into an adventure you and your family will love. You can even drink smoothies made with real fruit and yogurt for or with a small breakfast—and change the fruit up every couple of days, because variety is the spice of life.

4. There’s no support

Support is one of the most crucial aspects of losing weight. You need your family to support you by keeping junk food out of the house and you need people to cheer you on. It’s even better if you’re getting support from other people who are trying to lose weight and/or make healthy changes in their lives. Having a strong support network makes all the difference when you’re trying to lose weight, especially if you also have to tackle deeper emotional issues associated with food.

When you buy weight loss shakes that’s all you get: a case of protein shakes or powder and some instructions for how to incorporate them into your day. This might work great at first, but it cannot provide long term success.

5. You’re not addressing the root issue

For many people, the real issue with weight is an emotional one. People turn to food when they grow emotional because food provides endorphins, giving them a temporary boost of happiness that only leads to more guilt and negative feelings later.

If you’re an emotional eater, you need to work on building other coping mechanisms and dealing with the underlying issues. See a therapist, develop new stress habits, and devote time every day to improving your mental health.

6. You’ll probably gain all of the weight back

Protein shakes and powders are really just another type of fad diet. These diets are unsustainable—after all, your body needs real food—and most aren’t designed for long term usage anyway.

Here’s the thing: the reason you’re losing weight isn’t because you’re drinking protein shakes. It’s because you’re consuming less calories than you burn, and the day you return to your normal routine you’ll immediately start gaining the weight back.

We all hate hearing it, but there is really only one way to lose weight: to make long term, positive lifestyle changes. Eat less junk food, reduce portion sizes and exercise more. Even small changes—only eating dessert once a month instead of once a week or taking a fifteen minute walk every day—can dramatically improve your health over the long term as well as reducing a noticeable amount of weight.

You can lose weight and live the life you want to live, but you can’t do it through weight loss shakes, and you can’t do it with a temporary program alone. Buying into these programs is only a distraction from the real work you need to do to lose weight.