Hi - Hopefully someone can help. I started the gym this week and I told the instructor that huel makes up most of my diet, and he said that I would need to stop that and eat food as I would not get the nutrients from just huel. Can you clarify if this is the case. I’ve been on 3/4 huel for nearly a year and my weight BMI etc is bang on.
The instructor is wrong, probably due to lack of knowledge around Huel.
You’ll get enough nutrients, providing you’re drinking enough Huel to meet your daily calorie requirements for either cutting, bulking or maintaining/recompositioning. You might need to add a little extra protein though depending on your goals.
Hi,
Thanks - I’m no body builder just looking to get some tone and definition - I couldn’t give up huel now it’s been a god send. I don’t want to be one of those 7 meals a day people, don’t have the time for all that! He was adamant that huel wouldn’t suffice
I don’t see why you wouldn’t get sufficient nutritients from huel seeing as it’s designed to be a meal replacement. It has the nutrition in it in optimum amounts based on 2000 calories. If you’re supplementing meals and also having regular meals then just use Myfitnesspal to ensure you’re getting the correct calories and nutrients ontop. Also you say you have been using Huel for a year - are you feeling good within yourself? Is so then there’s your answer.
Nobody knows answer for sure.
What we know for sure is that adding some variety of plant food will probably add some extra nutrients. There are many nutrients that aren’t essential but are beneficial. Look up for “phytochemicals”.
The vast majority of my calories from Monday - Saturday comes from Huel, I do add 3 scoops of chocolate whey protein a day.
I lift weights 4 times a week, cardio twice a week which includes running, swimming and cycling and walk a few miles everyday with my Huskies, I’ve noticed absolutely no issues at all. I’m building strength and feeling happy with myself. Also do a lot of stretching as well so like to think I’ve got a more active life style than the normal person. What I’d advice is to enjoy Huel and just see how it goes, if you need to eat more Huel to up the calories, then great but I don’t feel that Huel is holding me back at all.
You could probably ease up on the whey you know, another study did the rounds last week indicating diminishing returns beyond 130g of protein per day.
Might save you some money
Whey is not exactly expensive though.
I mainly have the whey for the chocolate flavour as well as a little boost of protein. Is there a link to the study, just wondering what the study said in terms who was tested, was it “average” person or someone who does strength training and trying to build lean mass.
Did he say what nutrients you would be missing when having Huel?
Sure, think this link contains quite a few:
Great article, haven’t read it all but definitely goes against the general thinking. I’ve always been told it’s a g of protein for every lb of lean body weight, so my body weight of 213lbs and lean body weight of 175g, I should be eating 175g a day which seems a lot closer to what the article states. I think at the minute, it’s the 150g from Huel and 3x21g from the protein so works out to about a g per lb of body weight. When I run out of protein, which will be a good 6 weeks, I might move onto stopping the protein and either going to a 5th shake of Huel, so 2500calories, or 500calories of solid meals.
Since cutting right down on my running and Thai boxing, due to an injury, and upping my weight lifting, I’ve gone from 201.6lb body weight at 10.7% body fat to 213lb and 14.2%. I might actually cut down to 1scoop of protein a day and see how my wight changes.
I thought it was a g of protein for every lb of bodyweight (not lean bodyweight). However, I believe that’s outdated and 0.82g of protein per lb of bodyweight it a more accurate target, which would be 175g. Haha this works out to your original target anyway!
Maybe ask him what nutrients he thinks you should be having then compare that to huel?
I would educate him and not stop Huel, he clearly doesn’t know anything about it
Hi folks thank you all for your time and feedback.
So here’s another question, this calorie and nutrition malarky is soooo confusing. So it loos like that I need to be in a deficit to get rid of my overall body fat. My base BMR is 1570 - I’m thinking of cutting down to 1300. However, correct me if i’m wrong to get the maximum benefit from huel I need to consume 2000 calories worth. My question is if I have 1000 calories from Huel - What should I eat to make up the shortfall or should I just consume all calories from huel- any advise would be great thanks again.
No he didn’t - he just said that meal replacements were not recommended, as I should eat ‘real food’
You’ll struggle to hit 100% RDA of anything on 1300, it’s unavoidable. Perhaps 1200 calories of Huel then a plate of veggies every evening if you’re really concerned? Or maybe a multi vit.
I’d go with Huel , working out how many calories you need then maybe veggies if needed. I’m 95% Huel for all my meals except the odd meal out and am loosing weight and feeling fab! I consume about 1700 calories of Huel a day x