Complete Meal Replacement suggestions

wiggles

Hey all!
I was recently in Japan visiting my best friend. While there, he introduced me to something called CalorieMate. Its basically like a chocolate, or vanilla food block that contains everything that would be in a "perfect" meal. Unlike American meal replacements, it wasn't focused on weight loss, or protein packing, but solely on having all of the nutrition you'd find in a proper meal.

I've checked out importing a few of them, but the prices are obscene. I was wondering, does anyone know of any meal replacements that can be used over a long term, and that have a similar function to these calorie mate things? I'm looking to replace 2, or possibly all 3 major meals, simply because I don't have time to eat most days (i'm ALWAYS on the go). I'd rather not do any damage to my system while doing it, especially since I've been trying to get healthier as of late than previously.

__________________
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."

HowardSteele

YOU COULDN'T IMPORT THEM IN TO SOUTH AFRICA
you would be wasting your money.
We already have shelves of different,meal supliments,from diet,muscle building,performance boosting,vitamen suplement and just straight meal replacement powders.
The pharmecies ,sports shops,supermarkets and health shops all stock them.
I must have seen at least 5 or 6 different name brands.
Various flavours chock,straw and vanilla.

wiggles

The question though, is can they be used for long periods of time? Caloriemate I know can be used instead of normal food, for a long period. I don't know about a lot of the stuff they have here stateside, especially since the caloric content is normally pretty low.

__________________
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."

zaskar

Spiz, it is used by Athletes to Aids patients.

9.8mps2

As related there is tons of stuff out there already... where you been ?
If you over rely on these products and deprive yourself of the micronutrients and phytochemicals in " real " food, you immune system will suffer, and you will incur frequent illnesses and maladies.
" I'm too busy to eat" is pure silliness - get over yourself and reduce your stressors.
I believe you will find that any truthful mfgr of supplements or MRP's will make it clear they are not intended to entirely replace a balanced diet.

zaskar

Yes there are. what do you think people live on who can't chew?

9.8mps2

As a critical care RN I take care of plenty of folks with swallowing/ chewing deficits. They , uh , usually have some other medical problems as well. None are active cyclists in training... they are just "living" it up.

zaskar

Ok nurse Focker. nothing wrong with a active cyclist who wanna drink a well balanced meal either. to say he is silly because he has no time to eat is ignorant of you. you don't know this persons situation and life style. perhaps he means to busy to eat healthy??? in that case i would rather drink a meal, then eat a big mac.

wiggles

I appreciat everyone who has commented. Sadly, my life isn't so simple as "reducing my stressors." I'm working 2 jobs (totalling about 40-50 hours a week), I have an internship at a law firm, and I'm taking an overloaded college course schedule. I could drop a class or two, but then I won't graduate on time. I could drop the internship but then I can kiss law school goodbye. I can quit one of my jobs, but then I'll be unable to afford rent. So please, enlighten me as to what I can cut out? As it is I get up at 7 am, and I get back to my house around 10 at night still with homework to do. So please, tell me how to reduce my stressors.

Pretty much the only days of the week that differ from this are saturday and sunday, and I eat balanced those days. Every other day, eating normal food is probobly a pipe dream

As I said, I've been trying to find an energy bar or energy drink that is suitable for long periods of use simply because then I can just order a variety case, toss 3 in my bag in the morning, and go. I figure its better than the way things are now since I wouldn't be skipping 1+ meals a day simply because I'm either in class or at work.

The hard part is I'm not looking to gain or lose weight. The slim fast bars, and a lot of the others are designed specifically for losing weight in a trend diet, which automatically disqualifies them from long term usage (same with the atkins stuff). The protein bars are made to put on muscle, but I really don't need to worry about that. I'm a bit overweight, but its pouring off thanks to my hectic schedule, and there's plenty of muscle on these bones too. That's why I liked caloriemate - its made specifically for my purposes, but I can't find anything quite like it stateside.

I'm just trying to find a simple pack and go meal bar, gel, or drink that takes up less space than a 3 pack of lunchables or something, is affordable (hence not just picking up a bunch of microwavables), and can be used for a long period of time. I'm considering hitting up GNC and seeing if they have anything to suggest. Here's to hoping I can find someone who knows what they're talking about there. There's a first time for everything, right?

That SPIZ stuff, is it meant to be a supplement or a full meal replacement?

__________________
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."

zaskar

http://www.bikescor.com/product/drink.htm

Read the info here. not a supplement, a full meal replacement............




That SPIZ stuff, is it meant to be a supplement or a full meal replacement?[/QUOTE]

9.8mps2

You are heaping too much on yourself. What is " on time " ? Loans & grants are another source of mulah. By frantically trying to get 30 hrs out of a 24 hr day you are set up for the burnout , injury, and immune compromise I related previously.
You now speak of replacing one meal, in your initial post you spoke of possibly three.
Spiz is good stuff,I find some others more palatable. MRP's can replace a meal, not a diet. You will not find the good folks at Spiz recommending near complete subsistence on it either .
Champion's Metabolol 2 and Endurance have been around a while but are good. Cytomax pre performance is allright.
Good chow , water and oxygen are our fuel. Don't be like Z the Circular and be too busy to breathe.
Follow the algorithm... what's the use of a law degree without health. Say it in Latin - sounds convincing.

rasins

I'm a fan of whole foods but i see your busy but here are allot really good ideas incase you wana give them a try:

http://www.trickstutorials.com/inde...ntent/nutrition
http://www.johnberardi.com/articles.../not_about1.htm

If not you could buy a cheap weight gainer or box of protein bars from your local vitaminshoppe (vitaminshoppe always has better prices then GNC, i know from experience, and they're more helpful) When i have no time i'll eat a powerbar or the protein plus versions just because Im annal about protein, or a cliff bar which are pretty good.

hope this helps you out