You should have at least 800 kcal a day. Diets that contain less than 800kcal should only ever be followed on the advice of a doctor, for a short period of time and with supervision from a health professional.

In the past, health professionals weren't keen on diets that were really low in calories, but far more studies have now been done with eating plans providing around 800kcal a day - all with promising results. In particular research has focussed on weight management in people with type 2 diabetes, with results suggesting that losing weight more quickly can put type 2 diabetes into remission in people of a heavier weight. Motivating - and this is great news because research increasingly suggests the ability to stick with a diet determines how successful a person is in losing weight and keeping it off.

We recommend following the Shake That Weight Everyday Plan for a maximum of eight weeks and then switching to a plan with slightly more calories.

No, you can choose to purchase your plan as a 'one off'

Shake That Weight products often contain protein sourced from dairy, so are not suitable for anyone following a vegan diet. However, we understand some people may prefer to use a plant-based alternative to cows’ milk. If this suits you, a soya milk alternative such as Alpro Original is the best choice because it’s rich in protein and contains plenty of vitamins and minerals. But it’s important to choose a brand that’s unsweetened and fortified with extra nutrients such as calcium. Also, have a quick check on the nutrition panel and make sure you’re choosing a product that provides 30-50kcal in 100ml of the product. This will ensure you’re getting the right amount of calories. The nutrition content of other plant-based milk alternatives can vary a lot and may not provide all the nutrients you need for a meal so it best to stick with cows’ milk or an unsweetened soya milk alternative.

Everybodys weight loss is different depending on your personal circumstances. When you first start the Shake That Weight plan and change your eating habits you may lose more than 1kg (2lb) a week, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. This is a result of your body adjusting to a new way of eating and a lower calorie intake. After a few weeks, many people find weight loss slows down and may even stay the same for a week or two – this is completely normal and is to be expected so don’t be disappointed or worry you’re doing something wrong. You’re not – it’s very normal. If you find your weight stays the same after losing a lot to start with, stick with it. It's frustrating but you should start to see a drop again after a short while.

The NHS advises women need around 2000kcal a day and men around 2,500kcal a day to keep their weight steady. However, this will vary depending on your size, weight and activity levels. You can help transition back to this level by following our maintenance plan.

The website and packaging provide detailed nutrition information for products, both per 100g and per serving, when made as instructed. By law, products that are designed to replace one or two meals each day must meet strict nutritional guidelines. This means you can be confident that each product in the Shake That Weight meal replacement range: • Provides between 200 to 250kcal • Is controlled for fat (no than 30% of the calories come from fat) • Contains a certain amount of good quality protein (between 25% and 50% of the calories will come from protein) • Provides at least 30% of daily needs for a wide range of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, vitamins A, C and D and B vitamins.

Alcohol provides calories but little else and it doesn’t count towards fluid requirements so it’s not something we recommend.

It’s important to understand a bit more about why weight loss plateaus happen in order to overcome them. There is no single definitive reason why weight loss plateaus occur, but there are a few widely-held beliefs. To understand why this happens, please read our blog here.