Diet shakes: a game-changer for postpartum weight loss

Need to lose some baby fat and have energy to keep up with your little one? Meal replacement smoothies and shakes might do the trick.

Disclaimer 1- Do not take the suggested products, or any meal replacements or supplements without consulting your doctor, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. None of the below-mentioned products is a replacement for professional healthcare.

Disclaimer 2- Some of my stories contain affiliate links. This means that should a purchase happen through them, the publisher might get a commission at no extra cost to you.

I must say that a few years ago, I mercilessly mocked my friends who drank fitness smoothies and diet shakes. It didn’t matter if it was weight loss shakes, simple protein shakes or those big bad ones to bulk up. I found it ridiculous that a simple shake/smoothie/fashionable goo could fill anyone; I thought they smelled of medicine (well, some do…), looked creepy and walked hand in hand with MLM schemes (again, some do).

But because the Universe loves to make fun of me by changing my mind about things I used to laugh about, diet shakes ended up saving my a***s. Literally.

During my pregnancy, I didn’t put on much weight; I actually lost some because I was plagued by Hyperemesis Gravidarum for the whole blo*dy nine months. You can only put so much weight on if you are running to the lavatory after every bite you take.

Given that I couldn’t do much about constant nausea, I looked on the bright side, so I was all happy and ready to go back to pilates once I recovered from an awfully scary emergency C-section — and relying on my usually speedy, friendly metabolism that lets me eat whatever I want except cookies (go figure) without adding a gram to my frame.

With that, and the fact that I didn’t get one single stretch mark (not by merit-all thanks to spreading pure organic coconut oil on my skin every day. And my baby was huge and kicked like a champion nonstop. So mummies to be, if you are reading this, grab your coconut oil and thank me later. Tiger stripes are all very empowering but if we can go without them, even better) I was feeling very pleased with myself and thanking the heavens for my good luck. Lo and behold, the post-op didn’t go so well and came accompanied by illness after illness in full-blown 10 Plagues of Egypt mode.

In and out of the doctor, meds left and right, lots of iron because I could barely stand and breathe (lovely scenario to take care of a very active baby and running a house), in short, I had to take so much stuff that it made me swell and my Speedy Gonzalez metabolism stopped on its tracks. Nice.

Not only that, I barely had time to have breakfast, let alone a proper, hotel-like one filled with protein like I used to — a routine that kept me slim and bursting with energy over the years.

I barely managed to sit down and eat at all. It was a vicious cycle, feeling faint and dragging myself around the house all day long while still not fitting in my clothes. For someone who works with fashion, like myself, these things really matter. All those years working to be proud of my waist and fit nicely in my Versace jeans couldn’t go to waste.

This lasted over a year until one time during the neverending lockdowns I decided to buy some go-to, long-lasting, astronaut-like food to keep at hand just in case there were shortages.

And it turned out that I eventually had to self isolate and deliveries were still patchy, so I remembered to have a protein shake for breakfast. It actually tasted delicious — it reminded me of the chocolate milk I drank as a child — and it kept me full and bouncy well into the afternoon. I actually had to remind myself it was time to eat again.

More important, I wasn’t feeling my strength failing me when I moved my son around, and I didn’t feel dizzy. The shake I was taking at the time was rich in chromium and had green tea in its formula, so it reduced sweet cravings and replaced my morning coffee.

And the best part? I could just drink it on the go, even with my toddler clinging to my legs like a baby panda, instead of needing to find the time to sit down and eat (meaning, eating in a rush because the baby would be taking my spoon or pulling my hair). Eating quickly always gives me a tummy ache, so this was a Godsend!

I was so happy just to feel “normal” that I kept going for a week, replacing any two meals a day for the shakes. The third one, lunch or dinner according to convenience, was my usual: protein-rich/keto-ish food, low in carbs. I reduced my soda intake a little, but that was it.

Surprise surprise, clothes started getting baggy and in no time, I fitted into most of my old wardrobe.

I still have quite some work to do because I’m not entirely well yet (and I’m awfully busy) but I feel like myself again. I’m aiming at a full recovery with proper time and discipline.

If you want to try this sweet formula for hustling mums who long for their wardrobe and life back, there are plenty of recipes on Pinterest that you can experiment with.

When it comes to weight loss shake mixes and brands, the variety is huge: from simple whey protein to keto, gluten-free, soy free, vegetarian or vegan optons, with or without multivitamins and weight loss aid ingredients, there are loads to choose from.

My go-to mix for breakfast is the recommended dose of whatever formula I’m taking (generally I prefer chocolate flavoured ones) avocado and/or banana, peanuts, frozen baby spinach, frozen carrot and frozen forest fruits. I prefer not to add milk because whey protein already has enough dairy in it, but Nutella aficionados might like a chocolate shake with almond milk, and coconut milk goes great with strawberries.

Also, I usually add any fruit or veg that happens to be around the house (shakes are an awesome way to reduce food waste). Beetroot is amazing with red fruits. My son only ate half an apple? I cut away the bitten part and the rest goes in the shake. Did he get fed up with strawberries for that week? Down the strawberries go.

Another advantage of shakes is that you get your daily intake of veg and fruit without realising it. That way I don’t feel bad if I happen not to have my beloved salad that day for some reason.

Regarding tools for making these magic potions, you don’t have to go fancy unless you are a smoothie maven already: although there are many sophisticated blenders that look great in any kitchen, basic tools do the trick: I mostly use this type of ordinary food processors — I even tried a hand blender with success a few times.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way; if in order to keep healthy and fit one needs to have healthy food in a cup for a while, so be it. And if it’s yummy and seems like ice cream, even better!