okay, so i was thinking. people are always saying you can't get your calories from drinks cause that would be a waste or something, it'd be better to get your calories from foods. also cause when you drink calories it doesn't fill you up. but how about a glass of multi-vitamin fruits or calcium drink in the morning along with your breakfast? or would an orange or apple be better? or how about soybean milk? well i thought it was pretty healthy you know against high cholesterol and everything all that but well then recently i read somewhere on the diet board about protein coming from soy being unhealthy or anything?
well anyway, i was just thinking if it were okay to drink a glass of juice every morning and a cup of hot soybean milk every other or every third night/evening? how about the soybean milk just before going to bed? i know you should never get your calories in before going to bed but at least if i have it before that then i won't be satisfied yet and eat even more (one last bite). while if i save it for last i won't be able to eat more afterwards.
oh well, sorry for this long story. thank you guys, appreciate it:)
oh and ps: im trying to lose weight here. just around 10 pounds though but this is definitely to be considerated.

I am one of the people that firmly believes you should not drink your calories. It is for a variety of reasons, but primarily because it has negative effects on your blood glucose, and because your body does not absorb nutrients as well from a liquid as it does from solid foods, especially those with fiber.

Regarding juice, you are always better off eating the solid fruit or vegetable. Juice can be especially high in sugar (it may be natural fructose, but is often concentrated)... this causes spikes in blood glucose and then dramatic lows after your body produces the insulin it needs to counter it, causing loss of energy and increased hunger several hours later. Further more, if your body detects it has produced a higher than normal amount of insulin, it starts to produce cortisol (adrenaline) which can lead to symptoms of anxiety. Obviously some bodies are more efficient than others, so not everyone experiences these reactions enough that they would notice it... but many do. And even if you don't experience symptoms, your body will function more efficiently if stick to solid fruit.

Regarding soy and soy protein - there are claims that soy protein is bad for you, but typically those claims are referring to chemically modified soy products that you might find in highly processed foods. If you do a google search on "soy nutrition" you can read further about which soy products are healthful and which should be avoided. The bottom line is that soy is very good for you - and has even met FDA approval to make claims that it can lower risk of cancer and heart disease. Studies have also shown that high quantities of soy can improve kidney function, balance hormones, and a provide variety of other health benefits, though most people don't consume enough to experience these benefits. The recommended amount of soy is 25 grams of soy protein per day.

Soy milk is okay, but if you want to eat your soy instead of drinking it, try having some soy yogurt (really not bad at all), or roasted soy nuts (which come in some interesting varieties). I really like eating soy nuts because they are easy to carry around as a snack, and they are high in protein and fiber. 1 oz of soy nuts has 12-15 grams of protein.

Hope this info is helpful to you.

yeah thanks a lot :) this is very useful information :) are you saying that yogurt is better than soy milk though, or the same?

I'm not saying yogurt is better or worse, I am saying that it is digested more slowly because it is not a liquid. But watch for sugar content - you want to be sure to only buy the kind that is not loaded up with sugar. Often this means plain or vanilla, not the fruit flavors. Just read the label and under carbs look for the total grams of sugars.

Nothing wrong with drinking calories. To the contrary, it's preferable in some instances.

If you're going to drink milk before bed, I'd go with low carb milk. You could also opt for cottage cheese or a casein shake. Even better when mixed with some good fats. I do not agree you should not get your calories in before bed. The longer it is between the last time you eat and the time you wake up, the longer your body is starving. This is not good for your metabolism or your muscles.

oh ok thanks shane, so what do you think about the multivitamine drink in the morning then? cause i heard if you don't get in enough vitamines that could make you feel hungry so you'll eat even more. but according to jdi it causes causing loss of energy and increased hunger several hours later. so hmmm... not sure what to do here. the one i buy does have any added sugars. i know i could eat an orange instead, but that would only be covering the juice from oranges. so it wouldn't be multi-vitamine anymore...

Just take a regular multivitamin pill. This is more for general health. I haven't heard anything about lack of vitamins making you feel hungrier.

Let me clarify - I did not say that drinking a multivitamin drink would cause loss of energy and lead to hunger. What I did say is that drinking liquid versions of foods (such as fruit and vegetables) can cause your blood glucose to spike... which in turn can cause loss of energy and increased hunger later. Also, often drinking juice you do not absorb the full nutritional value as efficiently. Eating foods with the fiber left in tact helps your body digest the food and maximize the full nutritional value. Also, drinking calories can leave you less satisfied and wanting more than if you were to eat them.

You really must put it all into perspective. For example, a multivitamin drink is better than no vitamins at all... and protein shakes can be valuable as supplements for those who need them, especially athletes, body builders, and those trying to gain weight.

I personally recommend drinking water, and nothing else, for the purpose if quenching thirst... and when there is a choice of consuming a solid food vs. a liquid version of the same food (for example an apple ve. apple juice), I believe the solid is the better choice.

I think the bulk of the warnings against drinking calories are directed at people who drink things high in calories but don't seem to realize that those calories "count" as far as your body is concerned. People who drink 6 sodas a day, or Starbucks drinks running near the 1000 calorie range, not realizing that's what's packing on their pounds. I think as long as you're conscious of the fact that drinks do "count" and enjoy them in moderation (like your soy milk every two or three days), you'll be fine.

Though a trick - sometimes I really really crave juice. But before I give in, I drink 20 oz of water. If I still want the juice after that, I cave, but by then the craving is usually gone.

okay, and what if the multivitamine has added fiber? is that good then? or still not enough? or if you drink it along with your breakfast which is high in fibers?

You can drink em...

You can eat em...

You can have them pumped in inravenously!

CALORIES IN = CALORIIES OUT + ACUMMULATION (i.e., BODYFAT)

yeah thanks, that makes very much sense... :rolleyes: