Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Visalus vs Shakeology


Just one example / comparison about Meal Replacement Shakes currently available. Shakeology vs. Visalus Shake, it's an interesting read. I invite you to also read the listed links within this comparison as well as go google some of the ingredients listed in both products as well as look at who created both products if you're able to find that out.

Here's the link to co creator of Shakeology, Darin Olien's site. http://darinsnaturals.com/
and


From Visalus' website:
"ViSalus products are made from the world’s best ingredients and formulated by a Scientific Advisory Board comprised of the brightest minds in nutritional science".


-------------
Comparison of Shakeology to Body Bi Vi (Courtesy of Awesome fellow TBB Coach Meridith Brooke Ellis)

Cost
Body by Vi- $49.00-$249.99 per month, depending on which “level” of program you buy.

Shakeology- $89.95-119.95 per month

Servings
Body by Vi-They recommend taking 2 shakes per day plus their brand of snacks (not included in price)
...
Shakeology-One shake per day. We want you to eat real food.
This is not a “diet” but a lifestyle change. “Real” food is important.

Cost per serving
Body by Vi-$1.50 each. $3.00 for two shakes daily. Up to $8.30 per day if you buy their higher end package. Remember-snacks cost extra.

Shakeology-$3.50-4.10 per day

Supplements
Body by Vi-20 supplements worth

Shakeology-38 supplements worth

Guarantee?
Body by Vi-30 day money back

Shakeology-30 day money back

Diabetic friendly?
Body by Vi-Yes but no evidence of low glycemic index mentioned

Shakeology-Yes. In addition to being lower in sugar, we are low in the glycemic index.

Artificial sweeteners? Refined sugars?
Body by Vi-Yes-sucralose. Google sucralose and the arsenic connection for more information about how bad this stuff is for you.  http://lmgtfy.com/?q=sucralose+and+the+arsenic+connection

Shakeology-Not a one!

Multiple flavors?
Body by Vi- No,only their sweet cream flavor

Shakeology-Yes,Chocolate (my favorite!) and Greenberry. Other flavors are currently being trialed.

What can you add to it?
Body by Vi-Their brand of mix flavors plus milk, fruit

Shakeology-Whatever you want! Peanut butter, fruit, milk, almond milk. Soy milk, water, coffee, peppermint flavor, vanilla flavor, sugar free jello pudding flavors-the possibilities are endless!

What about digestive health?
Body by Vi- Prebiotics included. 100% dietary fiber included. (Just be aware that if you eat something later that is high in fiber, you may end up gassy with diarrhea as too much fiber can cause this, in addition to cramping.)

Shakeology- Prebiotics/probiotics included. 12% of dietary fiber included. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to get your 100% daily fiber intake or if you have difficulty, you can add fiber to the shake.

Nitty gritty nutrition
Body by Vi- Fat in grams 1g
Sugar-
Carbs- 7 grams*
Calories-90 calories*
Sodium-75mg
Protein-12g

Shakeology- Fat in grams
Sugar-11 grams*
Carbs-19 grams*
Calories-140 calories*
Sodium-95mg
Protein-15g

Calories
Body by Vi-90 calories plus what you add

Shakeology-140 calories plus what you add

Caffeine free?
Body by Vi-Not sure

Shakeology-Yes!

Proteins
Body by Vi-“High quality” “Tri-sorb” protein
(This is a term that they invented. Whey protein is whey protein point blank. When you start changing molecules, you can no longer call it a protein. This is a marketing gimmick.)

Shakeology-High quality whey protein

Ingredients
Body by Vi-“not as many, sometimes less is more”
**The above quotes are from link #2 below.
Contains Milk and Soy
Lactose and Gluten free
23 vitamins/minerals
Vitamin A Vitamin C Calcium Iron Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K thiamin Riboflavin Niacin Vitamin B6 Folate Vitamin B12 Biotin pantothenic acid Phosphorus Iodine Magnesium Zinc
Selenium Copper Manganese Chromium Molybdenum, FibersolTM, AminogenTM, Soy Protein Isolate, Digestive Resistant Maltodextrin (from FibersolTM),Whey Protein Hydrolysate,Whey Protein Concentrate, DiCalcium Phosphate, Sunflower Oil, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Maltodextrin, Gum Arabic, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Caseinate, DiMagnesium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Soy Lecithin, Mono and Diglycerides, Patented Protease (from AminogenTM), DiPotassium Phosphate, Sucralose, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Acetate, Chromium Amino Acid Chelate, Molybdenum Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium Amino Acid Chelate, Biotin, Vitamin A Palimate, Niacinamide, Potassium Iodide, Zinc Oxide, Copper Gluconate, Calcium Pantothenate, Cyanocobalamin, Manganese Sulfate, Cholecalciferol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Phytomenadione and Folic Acid.

Shakeology-70+ high quality ingredients

23 vitamins/minerals
Various fruit extracts (acerola, camu-camu, pomegranate, bilberry, blueberry, acai, Goji, Cordyceps, Rose Hips, Maitake, Reishi, Citrus bioflavonoids, Gingko), Whey protein, Chromium, Hydrilla, Apple pectin, Flax seed meal, Chia seed meal, Blue green algae, Spinach powder,oatgrass, wheatgrass, Barley grass, Grape seed extract, cinnamon, natural vanilla flavor, chocolate powder, cocoa powder, xanthum gum, ,guar gum, pea fiber. Also contains an enzyme blend to assist digestion (amylase, papain, cellulose, lactase, lipase, protease, and bromelain)
(Greenberry)
Vitamin A (as beta-carotene) 5000 IU 100%
Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 180 mg 300%
Vitamin D (as cholecalciferol) 200 IU 50%
Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl succinate) 15 IU 50%
Vitamin K1 (as phytonadione) 40 mcg 50%
Vitamin B1 (as thiamin HCL) 1.5 mg 100%
Vitamin B2 (as ribofl avin) 1.3 mg 77%
Vitamin B3 (as niacin) 5 mg 25%
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCL) 2 mg 100%
Folic acid 200 mcg 50%
Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin) 6 mcg 100%
Biotin 90 mcg 30%
Pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate) 5 mg 50%
Calcium (as dicalcium phosphate) 500 mg 50%
Iron (as ferrous fumarate) 4.5 mg 25%
Phosphorous (as dicalcium phosphate) 250 mg 25%
Iodine (as kelp) 52 mcg 35%
Magnesium (as oxide) 80 mg 20%
Zinc (as zinc oxide) 6 mg 40%
Copper (as copper oxide) 0.8 mg 40%
Manganese (as manganese amino acid chelate) 2 mg 100%
Chromium (as chromium amino acid chelate) 60 mcg 50%
Molybdenum (as sodium molybdate) 30 mcg 40%
Whey protein (isolate) 15 g †
PROPRIETARY SUPER-FRUIT BLEND: 2075 mg †
Acerola powder (fruit), Camu-Camu powder (fruit), Pomegranate
powder (fruit), Bilberry powder (fruit), Blueberry powder (fruit),
Lycium (Goji) powder (berry), Açai powder (berry), Cordyceps,
Maitake powder, Reishi powder, Citrus biofl avonoids, Rose Hips
powder (fruit), Schisandra powder (berry), Suma powder (root),
Gingko powder (leaf).
Amount Per Serving % Daily Value**
PROPRIETARY FRUIT POWDER BLEND: 1500 mg †
Banana powder, Carrot powder, Orange powder,
Pineapple powder, Raspberry powder, Strawberry powder.
Maca powder (root) 1000 mg †
Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) meal 1000 mg †
Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) powder 1000 mg †
Flax (seed) meal 700 mg †
Chia (seed) meal 500 mg †
Chlorella 350 mg †
Spirulina 350 mg †
Hydrilla 300 mg †
Apple fi ber powder 250 mg †
Astragalus powder (root) 200 mg †
Blue green algae 200 mg †
Spinach powder 200 mg †
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) 150 mg †
Pea fi ber 150 mg †
Quinoa (sprouted) 150 mg †
PROPRIETARY NONDAIRY 150 mg †
PROBIOTIC BLEND:
Bifodobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus
acidophilus DDS-1, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei,
Streptococcus thermophilus.
PROPRIETARY ENZYME BLEND: 130 mg †
Amylase, Papain, Cellulase, Lactase, Lipase, Protease, Bromelain.
Ashwagandha powder (root) 100 mg †
Barley grass 100 mg †
Kamut grass 100 mg †
Oat grass 100 mg †
Wheat grass 100 mg †
Stevia 75 mg †
Amaranth (sprouted) (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) 50 mg †
Grape seed extract (seed, 95% proanthocyanins) 50 mg †
Green tea decaffeinated extract 50 mg †
(leaf, 50% polyphenols)
Holy basil powder (leaf) 50 mg †
** Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
† Daily Value not established
OTHER INGREDIENTS: Fructose, xantham gum, natural strawberry and raspberry fl avors, guar gum, natural vanilla fl avor, and cinnamon powder.
Shakeology is gluten free and caffeine free.

Links to check out:

The first link brings about some great points, whereas the second link is full of opinions of that person who also happens to sell Body by Vi.

**Food for Thought:
FACT: The RDA for calories is 2000kcal/day. We all know that in order to lose weight you need to burn more than you take in. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU GO EXTREMELY LOW IN YOUR CALORIC INTAKE! When you go below 1200-1300 calories per day, you put your body into starvation mode, thus shifting your metabolism to SLOW DOWN and burn calories more slowly. If you were to take in just two “Body by Vi” shakes (without additives) daily plus a regular meal (let’s assume that meal is around 350 calories), plus two 100 calorie snacks, you’ll only be taking in 550 calories. Why is it so low in calories? They simply aren’t offering you the fuel you need to get through the day. By skimping on glucose (essential for your brain to function) and other carbohydrates (4 calories per carb), they can offer you lower calories. Offering a 90 calorie shake sounds good on paper, but in practice this simply does not make sense. By reducing your carbohydrate intake, you will essentially cause your body to begin burning proteins instead of carbohydrates like it is supposed to. Why is this bad? The main source of protein that your body will have will not be an adequate amount of protein found in a BBV shake. Instead your body will begin to degrade the proteins in your muscle. Because your body is not supposed to use its own proteins for fuel, large waste protein byproducts are made which must then be flushed out of your body. These waste protein byproducts are known as “ketones” and require a great amount of water to be flushed out. Because of this fact, you will start to urinate a lot, excreting a great amount of water weight. If you do not properly hydrate, then you will easily become dehydrated. After a few days, you’ll be fatigued and cranky. This is because: 1. Your body won’t be getting the energy it needs to run properly. 2. You’ll be dehydrated. (Fatigue is a symptom of dehydration.) 3. You’re in starvation mode.

What I like about the shakeology is the design of the program. It’s easy. You drink one shake a day and make healthy choices. You can make the shake how YOU like it. You get to eat REAL FOOD-not a processed snack made by a company to sell. Fruits and vegetables are encouraged. It’s up to YOU. You are encouraged to exercise while on shakeology. THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL OR POWDER THAT CAN TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF! It comes off with hard work, behavior modification, and patience. Any program that promises you instant results may cause you to initially lose a few pounds, but as time goes on you’ll gain the weight back and only end up losing money.

Again the choice is up to you. If you do not wish to use Shakeology in your plans to lose weight, then that’s ok. Beachbody coaches are not here to “push” products. We inform you of what we have available which has helped us and may help you. You make the choice that best suits your lifestyle and goals. Please contact your Beachbody coach for further information!

8 comments:

Unknown said...

thanks for the info on ViSalus

Anonymous said...

This is a prime example of how biased you are. You have a lot of "spin" on visalus. You make body by vi look horrible when it's not. It's one thing to show just pure facts and let other people make their own opinions but you leave stuff out and aren't giving the whole truth. This blog is bogus. I do agree that 550 cals is not enough per day, but body by vi doesn't recommend even going below 1200. And they do recommend eating food! Like I said, you got them all wrong.

mikey said...

So many of your comparisons are wrong. I would suggest doing your research before next time. Over 300 recipes so no need to make endless flavors. The only snack we even offer is cookies so I don't know where the buying the snacks comes from not to mention all the other things you got wrong. I feel like if you need to make things up to prove your product is better then its probably not a better product.

Unknown said...

This was based on the labels of both products, we welcome any "facts" you may be willing to share on the comparison of the two products.

In my opinion the Vi shakes are nothing more then an over hyped sub-par product. In the ever growing field of meal replacement shakes, where is the differentiation for the Vi product? I don't see it but maybe the Vi rep experts can shed some light on the subject.

James@BBV said...

I would have to agree on the bias that you have for the product that you are trying to push. I have 100s of shakeology past users tell me that there is no comparison that the Vi shake is superior. No one says you can not eat or you have to purchase anything. I myself have done both and while doing shakeology my cholesterol and blood pressure never came down due to the high sodium content. Also, even though Visalus does not make any medical claims, after 8 weeks of drinking those shakes I was taken off of my cholesterol meds and my blood pressure meds as well as my metformin for type 2 diabetes. That speaks louder than words.

Unknown said...

http://youtu.be/ncyHd2F2AOY

Good luck long term if you use any shake as a main source of weight loss. Most if not all will simply fall off the "shake wagon" and go back to old habits. That's the model in the weight loss industry, all built on 90 day cycles, 90 day runs knowing that most people will fail and then come back and fail again and come back, etc.

When you rely on a shake as your main weight loss solution more often than not those people will drop off, gain all their weight back and more and then come back to a "quick fix" program.

REAL weight loss and or healthy weight loss requires a long term approach that includes a proper well balanced diet, regular exercise with proper hydration and recovery.

Unknown said...

I myself have done both and while doing shakeology my cholesterol and blood pressure never came down due to the high sodium content.
ViSalus review

Unknown said...

Brad Eickman, you keep referring to BBV as a weight loss product. It is not used just for that. I am a 5 year Breast Cancer Survivor and have battled my cholestrol, blood pressure and pain medication from the damge to my body from chemo and radiatiion. After 2 months of ViSalus shakes my blood pressure is down from 180/89 to 110/68. My cholesterol is down from 427 to 166. I have been able to come off three medications. BBV does not even make the habit of bashing another company, because we don't have to. As Michelle Renee states..your blog is bogus.. and yes we do recommend eating..not just shakes!!!603 deoodre