The Herbalife diet is a weight management program that utilizes meal replacement shakes and supplements alongside a balanced diet and exercise. Founded in 1980, Herbalife operates as a global multilevel marketing company, selling its products through independent distributors. This article explores the Herbalife diet, its meal plans, benefits, risks, and how to follow it effectively.
Understanding the Herbalife Diet
Herbalife's nutrition philosophy centers on personalized nutrition, combining healthy foods and supplements. The weight management program typically involves replacing two meals a day with Herbalife meal replacement shakes, along with incorporating weight loss supplements, physical activity, and behavior modification.
Core Components
- Meal Replacement Shakes: These shakes are designed to replace meals, providing a controlled calorie and nutrient intake.
- Supplements: Herbalife offers a range of supplements aimed at boosting weight loss and overall health.
- Personalized Nutrition: The program emphasizes tailoring nutrition to individual needs.
- Community Support: Herbalife distributors provide coaching and support, fostering a sense of community among members.
Is It Easy to Follow?
The Herbalife plan is often considered easy to follow because it simplifies meal planning. The meal replacement shakes are convenient and require minimal preparation, making calorie reduction straightforward. However, long-term adherence can be challenging for some individuals.
Herbalife Meal Plans: A Step-by-Step Guide
Herbalife dietitians have developed meal plans with built-in calorie counts and tools to aid in meal planning, ensuring adequate protein intake. Here's a detailed guide to creating an Herbalife meal plan:
Step 1: Meal Plan Selection
Individual protein and calorie needs vary based on factors such as gender, weight, and height. The Meal Plan Selection Tool helps determine the appropriate meal plan (A, B, C, or D) to match these individual requirements.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Step 2: Choosing a Meal Plan Option
Each meal plan offers three options:
- Daily Nutrition (Weight Maintenance): This option involves replacing one meal per day (usually breakfast) with a shake, combined with an exercise program.
- Weight Loss: This option replaces two meals per day (typically lunch and dinner) with a shake, alongside an exercise program, to promote weight and fat loss.
- Weight Gain: This option supplements a healthy diet with up to three Herbalife Formula 1 shakes per day to increase protein and calorie intake, supporting healthy weight gain (lean body mass) when combined with exercise.
Step 3: Utilizing the Meal Builder Tool
The Meal Builder tool simplifies the creation of balanced meals by incorporating foods from five categories: protein, vegetables, healthy carbohydrates, healthy fats, and seasonings. Depending on the chosen meal plan, meals should contain either approximately 25 grams of protein and 400 calories or 40 grams of protein and 600 calories.
Two Meal Builder options are available: one for those who consume meat and another for vegetarians.
Example Herbalife Diet Schedule
To illustrate how to follow the Herbalife diet, here's an example of a 1500-calorie weight loss plan (Plan C, Weight Loss option):
- Breakfast: Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 Shake (about 30g protein, 300 calories)
- Mid-morning Snack: About 10g protein, 150 calories
- Lunch: Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 Shake (about 30g protein, 300 calories)
- Mid-afternoon Snack: About 10g protein, 150 calories
- Dinner: About 40g protein, 600 calories
Sample Meal Ideas
Breakfast: Green Dream Kiwi Protein Shake
- 2 scoops Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 Shake Mix, French Vanilla
- 2 scoops Herbalife Nutrition Protein Drink Mix, Vanilla
- 1 cup water
- 1 ripe kiwifruit, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 handful baby spinach leaves
- ½ cup mango chunks
- 4-6 fresh mint leaves or ½ tsp dried mint
- 3-5 ice cubes
Combine ingredients in a blender and mix well.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
- Calories: 300
- Protein: 27 grams
Mid-Morning Snack: Herbalife Nutrition Protein Bar Deluxe, Citrus Lemon
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 10g
Lunch: Banana Bonbon Chiller Protein Shake
- 2 scoops Herbalife Nutrition Formula 1 Shake Mix, Dutch Chocolate
- 2 tbsp Herbalife Nutrition Personalized Protein Powder
- 1 cup non-fat milk
- 1 banana
- 3-5 ice cubes
Combine ingredients in a blender and mix well.
- Calories: 330
- Protein: 28g
Mid-Afternoon Snack:
2 ounces sliced turkey breast
4 medium-sized whole grain crackers
Calories: 145
Protein: 18 grams
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Dinner (Non-Vegetarian): Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
- 5 ounces grilled chicken breast (Protein)
- 2 cups grilled onions and peppers (Cooked Vegetable)
- ½ cup black beans (Healthy Carbohydrate)
- ½ small avocado (Healthy Fat)
- Prepared salsa (Seasoning)
- Mixed greens, any amount (Raw Vegetable)
- 2 corn tortillas (Healthy Carbohydrate)
Toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl and enjoy!
- Calories: about 600
- Protein: about 40 grams
Can the Herbalife Diet Help Me Lose Weight?
The Herbalife diet, with its meal replacement shakes, can lead to reduced calorie intake and short-term weight loss. Studies have shown that meal replacement shakes can be an effective tool for weight loss.
Research and Studies
- A 2020 meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials found that participants consuming Herbalife high-protein products experienced significant decreases in body weight, body mass index, and fat mass compared to those on control diets.
- A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that programs incorporating meal replacements with enhanced support led to greater weight loss at one year compared to alternative diets and regular support.
Health Benefits of the Herbalife Diet
- Potential Reduction in Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Blood Glucose Levels: Some studies suggest that the Herbalife diet may help improve these health markers.
- Beneficial for Individuals with Diabetes: The controlled calorie and nutrient intake may be beneficial for managing diabetes.
Health Risks of the Herbalife Diet
- Potential Liver Damage: Some supplements recommended in the Herbalife diet have been linked to liver damage.
- Ultraprocessed Ingredients: Herbalife shakes contain ultraprocessed ingredients that may increase the risk of diseases like heart disease and cancer.
- Nutrient Deficiencies: Lower-calorie meal plans may make it challenging to meet all nutrient needs.
- Processed Ingredients: Herbalife shakes often contain added sugars, artificial ingredients and flavors, and powdered protein.
Dietary Considerations
- Vegan: The diet can be adapted for vegans, with meal replacement shakes available in soy, pea, quinoa, and rice protein.
- Vegetarian: The program offers a vegetarian meal planner that substitutes meat with Greek yogurt, eggs, cheese, legumes, tofu, tempeh, or seitan as protein sources.
- Gluten-Free: The Formula 1 Select shakes are certified gluten-free, making it possible to follow a gluten-free diet.
- Halal: Some Herbalife products are halal certified.
- Kosher: The Formula 1 Select meal replacement shakes are certified kosher.
Additional Considerations
Cookies and Data Collection
Herbalife uses cookies to collect statistical information, measure site performance, remember preferences, personalize advertising content, and enable interaction with social networks. Users can manage their cookie preferences through the cookie preference center or browser settings, though disabling certain cookies may limit access to interactive site features.
The Role of Herbalife Distributors
Herbalife distributors play a crucial role in providing guidance and support to members. They help individuals determine their ideal meal plan based on their needs and goals. However, it's important to note that distributors are not healthcare professionals and may lack formal nutrition education.
Controversies and Legal Issues
Herbalife has faced legal challenges and controversies, including allegations of being a pyramid scheme and issues related to foreign corrupt practices. These issues have led to scrutiny of the company's business practices.