I started my Huel journey this morning, 3 scoops of vanilla mixed with chilled water. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the flavor and texture of just Huel and water. It was easy for me to drink (maybe too easy haha). I was also feeling satiated and full as I drank it! So far it is exactly what I had hoped for!
I was nervous after reading some other peoples’ experiences, so I decided to start with just 1 shake per day this first week before increasing. So far on day #1 I have not experienced any unusual gastro-intestinal issues. I did have some rumbles in my stomach and felt incredibly full after finishing my shake, but sipping water the rest of the morning helped. I drank the entire shake during my commute of approximately 30 minutes, so tomorrow I will try stretching that out over an hour or two to see if that helps.
I stumbled on Huel through Facebook of all places, and I am so glad I decided to check it out. I appreciate the convenience factor of using it to replace meals, and the idea of getting complete and balanced nutrition. However if I am being completely honest I really hope to use Huel to help me lose weight. It is time for a change in how I relate to food (more as fuel, less as a reward). I also want to reduce how much sugar I eat - I have done it before and felt better, slept better, and even looked better.
I am looking forward to trying the flavor boosts (I ordered Chocolate Mint), mixing in bananas or strawberries, and also trying it with cold brew coffee. I would love any tips or suggestions for things to try!
I like using a 50/50 mix of water and milk of choice as my liquid for Huel. The lactose of cow’s milk contains no fructose so it’s better for you than sucrose, per say. However, there are many plant-based milks with very little sugar out there than can still add creaminess to your Huel mix.
The best single ingredient to add to vanilla Huel is frozen blueberries. This blends with the vanilla taste very well.
I add natural peanut butter and cinnamon to most of my Huel drinks. That’s my main go-to.
I blend my Huel the night before and place in an insulated bottle in the fridge overnight. before work, I toss it in a lunch bag with cooler pack. Increases the convenience factor for me.
Deron always gives great tips so I’d def try his advice! Bananas are another fun choice to throw in your Huel. Good choice on the chocolate mint flavor boost as well - it’s my favorite.
If you’re trying to lose weight with Huel cut out the bananas or strawberries because that’s just more carbs! I started adding some cinnamon and it tastes really good.
Variety is always good (especially if I am going to stick with this long term), so when adding the banana or some almond milk this week I simply lowered the amount of Huel slightly to offset the additional calories. Or I adjusted how much I could eat during my regular meal.
Thanks for all of the ideas! Some of the flavor boosts you listed are not yet available in the U.S., but I look forward to trying them (like toffee). I have been very pleasantly surprised with how much I have liked just Huel/water my first week, as well as liking all the other mixes I’ve tried.
Also, is there a noticeable difference in taste between Huel Original / Huel Vanilla? I started with Vanilla since I had read it was easier to make other flavors with it…
I’ve been adding bananas and berries to many of my Huel shakes. I’ve lost 50 lbs over the period of a year.
Eating moderate amounts of banana and berries, or any fruit for that matter, is not the problem. Americans aren’t fat because we eat fruit. We’re fat as a nation because we eat added sugar, excessive wheat flour, and snack between meals.
I just thought I would add a follow up to my post just over two weeks after I first started using Huel.
The first few days were interesting; I definitely liked the taste but felt so full (bloated almost) the first 2-3 days. Once that passed, it has been full steam ahead. I started with a shake in the AM and regular meals in the afternoon and for dinner. It has been hard to change my mindset when making family dinner, since I used to always make sure to make extra leftovers to bring for lunches. I am transitioning to 2 shakes a day this week, and will probably keep a regular dinner meal to eat with my family.
The most interesting thing I have found is that my body almost craves Huel. I feel so good when I eat my shake (often for hours afterward) and I felt so much worse the one day I skipped my shake and “cheated” with pizza for lunch, junk food in the afternoon, and ate out for dinner.
Huel is something that is going to stick as part of my life for a long time, and I am extremely happy to have found such a great product!
2 shakes a day are not a problem, although some days I am still doing 1 shake and a small snack/meal, then a regular dinner with the family. Days I have done 2 Huel shakes, I was still usually full by dinner time!
I am still struggling with leftover food. With homemade dinners, any leftovers are most often ignored by my wife and kids. Sometimes I feel like I have to eat said leftovers to avoid throwing away food. I am still trying to adjust the amount of food we are making for dinners, as well as think about freezing leftovers. My wife is slowly getting more on board with this lifestyle change and what it means for me as well.
I have been experimenting with fasting based on some discussion with @Deron, and I find that the days I fast I like how I feel both during the fast and beyond. It makes it much easier to stay on track for my daily calorie goal, and not have to restrict what I am eating (still good foods, not junk). I try to not eat after 7/8pm, then eat my first Huel shake around 11am/12pm the next day. So 16 hours fasting, and 8 hours eating. I still allow myself coffee on my morning commute, and I drink a lot more water!
So, after 3 weeks using Huel to supplement my diet I am happy to have lost 11 lbs! It has been a slower and steady weight loss, which I think reflects positively on what I am doing since in the past I would always lose weight quickly then gain it back when habits waned. The most important thing is I feel better and have more energy!
First of all, this very encouraging news. Thanks for sharing.
Indeed, when we lower our insulin levels, we have more energy. And it’s not just some psychological trickery or metaphor. Our bodies actually have more nutrients available to make ATP. High insulin levels tell the body to store macronutrients. Lowering insulin to normal levels frees our stores of fat and glycogen. Eating less, going for 16 hours without food, and yet having MORE energy.
Calories-in-calories-out… Goodbye outdated model. We’ve seen your lies and we don’t believe it anymore. Hello newer, sexier model: endocrine model.
