I’ve been using Huel for around a month now. I eased in slowly but for the last 10 days I’ve been almost 100% Huel. I’m doing it for weight loss. At 51, I’ve got literally decades of yo-yo dieting behind me and have formed a pretty poor relationship with food. I thought it might help for me to strip it back to being nothing more than fuel. No emotional baggage. What follows is my experience and thoughts so far.
My first taste of Huel was Berry, mixed with water. Made as directed with 3 scoops. I immediately thought I might have made a terrible mistake! First impressions where…chalky and simultaneously watery. With gritty bits. Not easily deterred, I did drink it. But my next attempt was 2 scoops of vanilla, made with unsweetened almond milk (I can’t keep cow’s milk down, literally since birth. Always a problem child!) To my surprise and relief I found that very enjoyable, and filling, so now I had something I could work with. Obviously since I planned on going all in, the amount of almond milk I would get through, to hit my calories was going to get expensive, so I have worked on dilution and have a nice balance now of 400mls water, 100mls milk.
I have played a lot with flavours. I can say I love a couple of teaspoons of decent peanut butter added. Yum! There is a part of me that wants to add some raspberry jam to that in the manner of a PB&J sandwich. But I’m trying to kick bad habits so I will resist. My favourite Huel flavour is pineapple and coconut. I do love a piña colada! Worst, by a really long way, is strawberry…what the hell is that aftertaste??
So how is it going? Well I have lost 4.2kg so far. About 30 to go! I feel good. My very dodgy digestive system seems happy, no adverse effects. What I am most amazed by though is the complete absence of cravings. I work 12 hour night shifts which lends itself to very bad eating habits, yet I’ve gone cold turkey on sweets and biscuits without a single craving or moment of weakness. Surely this should be shouted from the rooftops, if I’d known this would happen if have done it years ago!
Well done! Try almond milk with the Berry too. I don’t know whether all almond milk does this, but the brand I’m using here in the UK (Alpro) thickens up the shakes quite substantially, even with just 100ml plus water.
Also as has been mentioned many times… Refrigerate overnight if you can… This improves both taste and texture for many people. It also tastes nicer cooler IMHO.
I started Huel about the same time as you, for very much the same reasons. So far I’m finding that it’s working and I’m quite happy on it for 2 meals weekdays (lunch at work is bundled into my pay package), and all 3 meals at weekends.
I’m finding that in addition to Vanilla, the coffee is also good and I’ve just ordered the mocha flavouring pack having tried out the flavour samples.
Thanks so much for the message, I’m really hoping that Huel can help you find some consistency and help with your weight control. Milk is a great shout, and refrigeration are great to remove any chalkiness you’re experiencing.
Welcome to the team and all the best to you, keep us posted here. We would love to help you with your progress as would everyone here on the forum too!
So all day yesterday, and long into the night I was convinced that I could smell a variety of delicious foods cooking. I don’t even know whether I genuinely could, but I’m taking it as a sign to eat a little food today. Roast veg and pasta with basil. It will be a lovely treat.
I have just devoured a peanut butter with added banana Huel. I don’t recall who I stole that idea from, but I thank you for it. That’s a winner. And my first bag of Huel is now empty. It kind of feels like a landmark. Another landmark is my uniform fitting noticeably better. Freedom of movement, yay!
Weight loss is about sustained caloric deficit, but there’s no point if you can’t maintain it. Cravings are totally normal but it’s important to recognise when they are cravings or genuine hunger. We have aninteresting video about the subject here.
However if cravings risk you going all the way back to your old dietary habits that it sounds like you want to leave behind, then it’s probably best to allow yourself a small amount of those foods, so long as it doesn’t result in calorie surplus. Does that make sense? I’m not sure I’ve articulated that well.
Almost 100%. I’m having a calorie counted healthy snack at work around 5am, when night shift nausea would hit (it’s a thing!) And since going all in, I’ve had a couple of 500 calorie meals. Tonight’s meal falls well within that allowance.
To be honest, and this is going to sound crazy, it’s been a revelation to choose food with only the calorie count to worry about! Since the 1980s I’ve done all kinds of diets with all kinds of complicated rules, to the point that it never clicked how simple it could be! Duh!
I thought so, what I’m getting at is cutting out all your fave foods cold turkey might end up with a total relapse later. Better to eat a restrained amount of your fave foods and continue with your regime long term, than restricting yourself entirely and finding it impossible. It’s got to be about a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix - it sounds like you’re on the right track.
Thanks so much for the message, I’m really hoping that Huel can help you find some consistency and help with your weight control. Milk is a great shout, and refrigeration are great to remove any chalkiness you’re experiencing.