Well, where did the time go? It has been a while since I decided to stop with the regular updates, so I thought this may be a good time to check in and report on how things have been going. Did I go back to my old ways and resume eating junk food? Did I stop the exercise and put all my weight back on? Well, read on for details on how things may or may not have changed.
Let’s begin with a weigh in:
Starting weight: 242.3 lbs
Previous Recorded Weight: 170.4 lbs
Current weight: 171.5 lbs
Success!! Since December of 2020, my weight has stayed relatively the same. After a massive cheat day on Christmas Day, my weight spiked to around 180 but dropped back into the normal range pretty much straight after. I have maintained the diet of shakes on 6-days out of the week with a cheat day on the weekends. This has worked extremely well in preventing a relapse. Example of cheat day meals can be summer barbecues, pizza (homemade and delivery), breads, salads, homemade smash burgers, etc. Pretty much anything I fancy but in moderation.
Something New – The Protein Works
For those that have followed this blog, you will know that I have used Huel products throughout my health journey. Overall, I have been happy with the variety of products available such as the powder flavours, flavour boosts, bars, Hot and Savoury and their latest Protein Shake. Then one day I just had the urge to see what else was out there. Was I missing another good brand that could possibly offer more of the same or something more?
I tried another brand, which I won’t name, and was extremely disappointed with the way they do business. After waiting for 10-days to get my first order shipped, I eventually cancelled and gave up. Not a good start. No money lost but no new customer for them.
I then came across The Protein Works after watching a review on one of my subscribed YouTube channels. After looking around the site, I was blown away with the number of different products available. Visually, it’s a very ‘muscle building’ looking website but don’t let that fool you. There are some gems to be had if you don’t mind digging.
Diet Meal Replacement Extreme – this one sounded similar to Huel so I ordered a 500g bag. Yes, you can order smaller bags so that you get the option to try it out without the big upfront cost. You can buy various sizes, including 500 g, 1 kg, 2 kg and 4 kg. I opted for the Salted Caramel Bandit and was instantly blown away by the flavour. It was liquid heaven and quickly became a regular in my cupboard. Be careful of the calorie deficit here as each shake is 207 calories and they keep you fuller for longer. To get over this, I use these shakes after a cheat day for a ‘mini fast’ before building up to a normal daily calorie intake. I also use oat milk in the mix to add a few extra calories.
Diet Breakfast Smoothie – I tried the Caramel Latte smoothie and this is full of flavour, although it was extremely sweet tasting at first. I put this down to avoiding sugary food and drinks throughout the week and soon adjusted to it. Again, only 200 or so calories so oat milk used to boost. A good start to my day if I want something lighter for breakfast.
Ridiculous Vegan Protein Bars – oh man, now these are decadent. When compared with Huel Bars, these have much more flavour. So much so, Huel Bars have now been replaced with these. The Caramelicious bar is similar to a Twix and the Biscuit Crunch reminds me of the base of a Double Decker (a British chocolate bar).
Overnight Oats – a nice breakfast alternative that comes in different flavours. I opted for Caramel Latte (have you noticed a theme yet?) and this gives me the option of actually chewing something in the morning. Very addictive and full of flavour.
Loaded Nuts – these are for the peanut butter lovers and again, comes in a variety of flavours. I tried the White Chocolate Fudge and Salted Caramel and these are wonderful on low carb bread. Be warned, they are hard to put down and not demolish with a spoon.
The products listed above are the ones I have tried but there is a whole range to explore should you have different preferences. I did try a Vegan Meal Replacement shake for free as part of my first order but I wasn’t keen on the flavour. I tried the Strawberries and Cream and it just tasted like medicine. Still, it was free so I didn’t feel like I lost out, it’s just not something I would purchase.
I’ve recently been eyeing up the Protein Pancake mix to try and will most likely try them out on my next order.
Pros
- Big selection of different products. It will take a while to get bored.
- A big variety of flavours across the products meaning there should be something for everyones’ taste.
- Various bag sizes so that you can try products without spending too much upfront.
- Student discounts for those that use Student Beans or Unidays.
- Daily deals (although a few too many at times, see below).
- Loyalty points for every order which can then be used to reduce cost of future orders.
Cons
- The website design is a little busy and can be hard to find what I am looking for. I’m still discovering products I haven’t seen before.
- Pricing is a little erratic. Ordering items is like playing the stock market due to different sales events happening pretty much everyday. This also makes it harder to budget effectively.
- Easy to go under recommended calorie intake if you are not using a calorie tracker.
- Delivery is at a cost if under a certain amount (Huel is free) and it will cost more for a weekend delivery.
- There is a subscription section on my account but I have yet to find out how to set one up.
Shameless Plug
If you would like to try The Protein Works, you can use this link which will give us both 1000 loyalty points when you place your first order.
Will I be Continuing With Huel?
From a cost perspective, absolutely. Using The Protein Works shakes is similar to Huel, often cheaper if ordered during a sale event, but the lower calorie count in the shakes would mean doubling up if used full time. This would push the cost above what I typically spend on Huel. I have reduced the amount I order from Huel but I am using both products side by side. Who knows, one day I may make the full switch to The Protein Works, there is enough variety to do so. The Protein Works wins my full time order for bars and breakfast products, plus a few shakes to add to my midday routine.
Current Weekly Diet
For 6-days a week I maintained a mix Huel and The Protein Works shakes, bars and overnight oats. The brand of shakes used would be dependent on mood. When using The Protein Works shakes, these were all made with 100 ml of oat milk and 300 ml of water to make up for the calorie deficit. Additional snacks consumed during the week would be salads, carrot sticks, high protein low carb foods.
Using the mix of brands, I aim for a calorie intake of around 1200 after a cheat day, which then builds up to 2000 before the weekend.
Huel Powders used have been Huel Black Edition Coffee Caramel (for breakfast every morning), Vanilla flavour (mixed with Strawberry or Apple Cinnamon flavour boosts) and Black Edition Strawberries and Cream
The Protein Works products used are Diet Breakfast Smoothie Caramel Latte, Overnight Oats Caramel Latte, Diet Meal Replacement Extreme Salted Caramel Bandit, Ridiculous Vegan Protein Bars, Loaded Nuts Peanut Butter for a small snack.
Supplements: 1 x Multivitamin and Minerals Tablet (Zipvit A-Z) daily; 1 x Time Health Lions Mane Extract Ultra Strength 50% Beta capsule daily.
On a selected day over the weekend I will use a ‘cheat day’ and return to regular food. The day will usually begin with a selected shake or overnight oats for breakfast, followed by any food of my choice. Calorie count kept within recommended daily amounts of approx. 2400 calories.
Whole Milk Latte 