Do you ever find yourself constantly saying “I’ll start on Monday” but never do? Do you just say it to feel that little bit better about going all in at the weekend? Well, you’re not alone. It is a common phrase used by many, so they can have a guilt-free weekend before that dreaded Monday comes along and they need to start their ‘diet’ - for the 100^th time. With so many ‘quick-fix’ diets and products trying to sell you an unrealistic weight loss dream, no wonder there are so many failed attempts at starting on Monday!

It can be very overwhelming to know where to begin in reaching your goals. You just want a quick 2-week shred programme that will magically turn you into a fitness model. However, no matter how persuading the advert can be, this isn’t realistic. Losing weight and reaching your goals is a long process that will take time. It isn’t linear either, but it will leave you with long lasting results and healthy habits. With discipline, dedication and determination, you will get there! Whether it takes 12 weeks or 12 months, vybey can play an important role in helping you smash your goals.

However, not everyone’s goal is to lose weight. Some have a goal to maintain their current weight, which is often overlooked. Maintaining weight can be difficult as weight constantly fluctuates¹, although, a balanced diet and regular exercise can definitely aid weight maintenance.

In addition to this, some people want to gain weight. This can be done in the form of a ‘bulk’, which is the goal of maximising muscle growth, whilst minimising fat gains². The key factors to building muscle are commitment, time and of course, nutrition. Building muscle requires you to be in a calorie surplus³ - eating more than your body burns. However, you will also need to pair this with weight training, so these excess calories don’t get stored as fat. Although you’ll be eating in a calorie surplus, don’t be tempted to go straight to pizza, it is still important to get all the essential macro and micronutrients. Sometimes it can be a struggle to eat a high number of calories when on a bulk just by eating solid food. Meal replacement shakes, like vybey, are an ideal option to ensure you’re getting all your nutrients as well as meeting your calorie requirements.  

The most important aspect of reaching your goals is diet. This is where a lot of people fail. Eating out and getting takeaways has become an extremely popular social activity or weekend treat in recent years. However, there are a lot of hidden calories that we should be aware of when eating at restaurants, for example, cooking oil and butter, which can often hinder our goals. Most restaurants do offer healthier alternatives, which will not be as detrimental as other options. A trick is to look up the menu beforehand to plan what you will have. Meaning that you don’t have to miss out on social events just because you are worried about ‘falling off track’. Another mistake people make is they forget calories count at the weekends and that alcohol is high in calories. As much as we don’t want to hear it, alcohol is filled with empty calories, meaning they don’t have any nutritional value. Alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram - nearly the same amount as pure fat⁴. We aren’t saying you need to give up alcohol completely, but, drinking responsibly and in moderation will be more beneficial for your goals.

How can vybey help with your goals?

vybey is a nutritious complete meal, packed with everything you need to aid a balanced diet. It has the optimum amount of protein, complex carbs, fibre, fats and 26 essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet. It will leave you feeling full and satisfied knowing you are fuelling your body with everything it needs for a balanced meal.

Some people struggle with the planning aspect of nutrition. It can be a time-consuming task trying to calculate the correct amount of protein you should be having for lunch or the number of calories in tomorrow’s breakfast. They are exhausted thinking about it, and this is before they even start cooking! Eventually, they give up as they see this as being too much hard work. That’s the magic of vybey. It makes it easy to track your calorie intake as all the calories are already worked out for you! You can trust you are getting a complete and balanced meal. You don’t need to plan. You don’t need to cook. All you need to do is grab the meal replacement and go!

So, if I drink a vybey a day I will reach my goals?

We’re definitely not saying that vybey should be your only source of nutrition, but if you drink a vybey regularly, along with a balanced and varied diet, then yes. You need to ensure your diet consists of whole grains, legumes, lean protein sources and healthy fats. When you eat healthier, you also feel better and with a consistent, healthy diet, you can reach your desired physique faster. In a recent study⁵, it was found that a diet that follows any national nutritional guidelines could have a direct beneficial link with mental health. In other words, a balanced and high-quality diet can have a positive impact on the way you feel.

Reaching your goals is a hard process and it won’t happen overnight. However, it is also an extremely rewarding process.

Everyone has different goals, whether it be to lose, gain or maintain weight or even just to improve their diet. Whatever the goal, vybey can be used as a meal replacement shake to turn them into reality. 

References

1. Stevens, J. et al, 2006. The Definition of Weight Maintenance. The International Journal of Obesity, 30, pp.391–399.
   
2. Leaf, A. and Antonio, J., 2017. The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition – A Narrative Review. International Journal of Exercise and Science, 10(8), pp.1275-1296.
3. Tarnopolsky, M., 2008. Building muscle: nutrition to maximize bulk and strength adaptations to resistance exercise training. European Journal of Sports Science, 8(2), pp.67-76.
4. Drinkaware, 2020. Calories in Alcohol. [online] Available at: <https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/alcohol-and-calories/calories-in-alcohol> [Accessed 28 December 2020].
5. Adjibade, M. et al, 2018. Prospective association between adherence to dietary recommendations and incident depressive symptoms in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort. The British Journal of Nutation,120(3), pp.290-300.