Some supplement companies would like you to believe that meal replacement products (MRP's) have some sort of "magical" fat reducing properties. The truth is that MRP's are nothing more than "powdered food."

Listen: The primary benefit of MRP's is convenience.

It's difficult to eat frequently, so MRP's are great when you're in a hurry and you don't have time to eat whole foods, but they are not better than food, no matter what any supplement "guru" says. Owners of supplement companies will say that MRP's are the "greatest thing since sliced bread." That shouldn't come as any surprise; sales of these products run in the tens of millions of dollars each year.

Whenever you have a choice, and whenever time permits, you should always choose whole foods over MRP's.

Eating real food is better than drinking meal replacement products (MRP's). The human body has evolved to efficiently digest whole food, not powders or pills. The process of digesting solid food every three hours actually increases your metabolic rate. This is known as the "thermic effect of food." Powders fail to take advantage of this metabolic boost.

John Parillo is a trainer, nutritionist and author of several excellent books on bodybuilding. Even though Parillo sells his own line of supplements (and he does push them quite heavily at times), listen to what he wrote about MRP's:

I suggest you heed Mr. Parillo's advice.

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