Episode 167. Low-Calorie Meal Replacement – Lose Weight with Shakes and Glennis Winnett
Obesity has become a major public health concern, with an estimated 34% of Australians classified as obese—defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or more due to excess body fat. It is now the second leading risk factor for chronic disease in Australia, increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome (including cirrhotic liver disease), osteoarthritis, and several types of cancer, as well as contributing to higher all-cause mortality.
While the pathophysiology of obesity is not yet fully understood, the primary goal of obesity management is to prevent and address obesity-related complications while improving overall quality of life. Standard treatment objectives include setting a weight loss target of approximately 10% for individuals with a BMI of 30–40 kg/m² and 15% for those with a BMI over 40 kg/m². This is initially achieved through dietary, exercise, and behavioural modifications before considering pharmacotherapy or bariatric surgery.
Dietary approaches that focus on calorie restriction are the most common first-line strategies for obesity management. These approaches emphasise consuming a wide variety of predominantly unprocessed foods while limiting high-calorie, nutrient-poor options such as sugar-dense foods, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol. Various low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets—such as the Atkins, Keto, and South Beach diets—have gained popularity over the years. However, studies have shown that low-calorie meal replacement diets are more effective for weight loss compared to conventional low-energy, food-based diets.
Calorie-restricted diets can be categorised based on daily calorie intake:
Low-energy diets (LEDs) allow for 1,000–1,500 calories per day.
Very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) restrict intake to 600–800 calories per day, with carbohydrate consumption limited to less than 50 grams per day.
Meal replacements serve as a behavioural strategy that promotes weight loss by reducing food choices while controlling intake. These products are typically high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. They can be used to replace all daily meals or just one to two meals per day. While many meal replacement products are available on the market, many do not meet the recommended daily protein intake.
In this episode, we speak with Glennis Winnett from the nutrition company Formulite, which has developed a range of high-protein meal replacement products, including shakes, bars, recovery protein, and soup. Formulite offers Australia's only VLED programme that meets protein requirements with a three-product-per-day plan, supporting obese patients on their weight loss journey.
During our conversation, Glennis shares her motivation for developing the impressive Formulite product line and discusses how these meal replacements can be incorporated into effective dietary strategies for weight loss.
Please welcome Glennis to the episode!
References:
Min et al., The Effect of Meal Replacement on Weight Loss According to Calorie-Restriction Type and Proportion of Energy Intake: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2021, Vol 121, Number 8.
Obesity, WHO, 30 June 2020.