Meal Replacement Shakes

The short version

• A meal replacement shake is a nutritionally complete drink that stands in for a meal — not a protein top-up.
• Ours contain 200–224 calories, 20–25g of protein and over 20 vitamins and minerals per serving.
• Have one to four a day depending on your plan: four on the Total Plan, one or two on the Everyday Plan.
• A protein shake boosts your protein intake; a meal replacement shake is designed to replace the meal itself.
• Vegan and gluten-free options are available, from £1.95 a meal, with free UK delivery over £65.
• They suit anyone managing their weight, including people using a weight loss injection who need nutrition in a smaller volume of food.

Meal replacement shake vs protein shake: what's the difference?

A meal replacement shake is built to stand in for a meal: it's calorie-controlled and carries a full spread of vitamins and minerals alongside its protein. A protein shake is built to top up your protein intake and has no equivalent nutrient profile, so it isn't designed to replace a meal on its own.

If you're deciding what to eat less of, not just what to add more of, a meal replacement shake is the one built for that. If you've already eaten and want extra protein on top, a protein shake does that job better — it simply isn't formulated to carry you through on its own.

What is a meal replacement shake?

A meal replacement shake is a nutritionally complete drink designed to stand in for a full meal, rather than to top up what you've already eaten. Shake That Weight's shakes contain 200–224 calories, 20–25g of protein and over 20 vitamins and minerals per serving, with less than 30% of their calories from fat.

Each one is formulated so you know exactly what you're getting at a glance, which is the point: a meal replacement shake fixes the calorie and nutrient content of a meal that would otherwise be a guess.

Do meal replacement shakes work for weight loss?

A meal replacement shake works by giving you a fixed, lower-calorie alternative to a meal you'd otherwise estimate, while its protein and fibre help you feel full until the next one. Replacing one or more higher-calorie meals with a 200–224 calorie shake reduces the total you take in across the day.

Under the authorised health claim for meal replacement products, replacing one meal a day of an energy-restricted diet with a meal replacement contributes to maintaining your weight after weight loss, and replacing two meals a day contributes to weight loss itself.¹ ² They work best alongside a balanced diet and an active lifestyle, not as a stand-alone fix.

How to use meal replacement shakes

Most people have between one and four shakes a day, depending on the plan they're following.

1. Total Plan — four shakes a day, an 800 kcal day made up entirely of meal replacements. See the Total Plan.
2. Everyday Plan — one or two shakes a day alongside meals you cook yourself. See the Everyday Plan.
3. Active Plan and 5:2 Fasting Plan — the same shakes, built into a higher-calorie or intermittent-fasting structure. See the Active Plan and the 5:2 Fasting Plan.

Mix with skimmed or unsweetened soya milk for the calorie count stated on the pack, or with water for a lighter drink — see our how it works guide for a full walkthrough.

Using meal replacement shakes alongside a weight loss injection

Yes, you can — and for many people the two work well together. GLP-1 medication (a weight loss injection prescribed to reduce appetite) often means you want to eat less overall, which raises the risk of getting too little protein and too few vitamins and minerals in a much smaller volume of food.

A 200–224 calorie shake carrying 20–25g of protein and over 20 vitamins and minerals packs a lot of nutrition into a small drink, which can suit a reduced appetite better than a full plate. Your prescriber's guidance always comes first — see our GLP-1 Support Meals range.

Which shake is right for you?

Vegan

Our vegan shakes — including Tropical, Cherry Bakewell and Chocolate Hazelnut — use the same calorie and protein profile as the rest of the range. Browse the vegan meal replacement shakes.

Gluten-free

Most of our range is gluten-free — each product page states it clearly. Browse the gluten-free shakes.

Lower-calorie

Mixing with water rather than milk brings a shake down to roughly 125–150 calories, depending on the flavour.

Chocolate and dessert flavours

Chocolate, Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Hazelnut, Cookies and Cream, Lemon Cheesecake, Caramel Biscuit and Cinnamon Swirl all sit within the same nutritional spec as the rest of the range.

Higher-protein

Our classic range carries up to 25g of protein a serving; the exact figure for each flavour is on its product page.

What our shakes cost

Meals start from £1.95 each, with free UK delivery on orders over £65. Buying as a bundle or a build your own box brings the per-meal price down further, and lets you mix flavours across shakes, bars and soups in one order.

What to expect in the first week

It's normal to feel hungrier between meals for the first few days while your body adjusts, especially if you're replacing more than one meal a day. Drinking plenty of water alongside your shakes helps, and it's worth easing in with one swapped meal before moving to more.

If you have a health condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are using any medication, speak to your GP before changing how you eat.

1. Replacing one meal a day of an energy-restricted diet with a meal replacement contributes to the maintenance of weight after weight loss.
2. Replacing two meals a day of an energy-restricted diet with meal replacements contributes to weight loss.