I Never Thought I’d Use a Meal Replacement | Feel Complete Meal Review

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Since my ovarian surgery two and a half years ago, I have struggled with my weight. I don’t know whether it has been going onto HRT, my crazy hormones, going through the menopause, just getting older or perhaps drinking too much – or possibly all of the above.

I’m only really a dress size bigger, but I weigh a lot, and I don’t feel myself. I know talking about weight can be a contentious issue, and whatever size and weight you are, then if you are happy then that is great.

But I don’t feel like me at the moment. None of my favourite clothes fit; I tend to wear a long black baggy top and leggings unless I’m actually going somewhere other than the shops or school run, I can’t bear photos of myself unless at just the perfect angle, and I just don’t think the extra weight suits me at all. I also have a hernia protruding from my stomach as a result of my surgery (so I’m going to need more major surgery, which I’m pretty gutted about), which really doesn’t help my confidence and makes clothes fit differently.

I don’t need to be tiny; I know all of our bodies change as we get older, and I (mostly) accept that, but I want to feel better about myself again, feel fitter and healthier and just feel like me again.

I’ve always been one to say I would never, ever, no way go on a diet. I’ve always figured that most of them don’t work, and even if they do, then you just put all the weight back on again as soon as you start eating normally again.

I’ve always thought that eating better and doing more exercise should be a way of life. And I still maintain that. However, it’s not always that easy and over the last year or so, I’ve been open to different things – I still always read as much as I can about everything, but for the first time in my life, I have looked at different diets and ways of eating.

I felt stuck because I generally eat very well, I don’t really snack, don’t eat much chocolate or crisps, but I admit I do drink too much. Alcohol helps me relax and takes the edge off everything, and I just bloody love a glass of wine or a gin and tonic of an evening.

I also exercise pretty regularly, although I do slip out of being consistent with it sometimes.

Because of all that, I do feel like my body has changed due to the menopause or hormones or a bit of everything.

Side note: I know I mentioned earlier that it could be from HRT, but I don’t truly believe HRT makes you put weight on – I think HRT is brilliant, and my life would be very different right now if I hadn’t been able to use it after having my remaining ovary removed at 35. I think getting the balance of hormones correct can be difficult, though, and it is something my menopause consultant and I are still working on, so I feel like the hormones could be contributing to my weight gain. I am still getting ‘periods’, which I shouldn’t be, for example.

I am not trying to not take responsibility for it all, though; I do know I drink more than I should, and that really won’t help. I just don’t think my wacky hormones help either, and I like reading and learning and doing my research about all this stuff.

Feel Complete Meal Review

And so, all that brings me onto the new Feel Complete Meal – something I honestly thought I wouldn’t be interested in.

I love food; I love to eat, so why on earth would I want to replace one of my meals with a god damn shake.

Well, feeling absolutely crappy about myself and struggling to lose weight is one reason. It’s also very convenient not having to think about what I’ll have for lunch and then end up grabbing something less than ideal because I’m starving.

There are a couple of reasons why the Feel meal replacement attracted me when others haven’t though. I’ve worked with Feel before on their Multivitamins a year and a half ago, and I still buy them and take them now – I was never confident in multivitamins before that, but Feel products all have high-quality ingredients with no fillers and enough of each ingredient to provide what you need.

I really love their products, and my daughter now takes the new Feel Kids Gummies and loves them, and I’ve never been able to get her to keep taking a multivitamin before.

The other main reason is that Feel Complete Meal seemed different from others in that it is a clean formula with no nasty stuff in it. I am careful with the processed foods I put into my body, so for me, if a product is full of crap, then it defeats the object of taking something to lose weight.

Feel Complete Meal is a 100% plant-based, nutritionally complete meal that is high in protein and fibre. It is designed to make you feel fuller for longer, and I find that it usually does. I don’t generally eat breakfast, so I don’t need to replace that, but if I make a shake for my lunch, it nearly always keeps me full until dinner.

It’s quick and easy to make, although I do find it quite hard to get some of the lumps to dissolve – maybe I’ll try this mini whisk I have, actually, and that may help! Actually, I could just stop being lazy and use my blender more often, too, couldn’t I!? It is vanilla flavour, and it does actually taste nice, which I wasn’t really expecting.

It contains a clean vegan blend of protein from pea, hemp, and brown rice, as well as essential fats and a blend of 29 vitamins, minerals, and botanicals.

If you replace two of your meals a day with this, then you get all of the vitamins you need, so you don’t need to take Feel multivitamins as well as this, but if you drink one a day as I do when I have them, then you can still take your multivitamin.

Feel Complete Meal has a load of potential benefits other than weight management. The ingredients support collagen formation, can help to reduce food cravings, support energy and focus, and improve mood and psychological function.

The vitamins and minerals it contains are in their most bioavailable, absorbable forms, and it’s designed by expert nutritionists and manufactured in the UK, as with all Feel products.

I love that all of their packaging is plastic-free and compostable.

I feel (!) that it really helps control the calories you take in without having to think about it too much, which is what I really need right now. If you have the time and inclination to make a healthy, filling and nutritious meal two or three times each day, without a high number of calories (if you are calorie-counting), then that is great, and I think you should choose that option.

But otherwise, the Feel Complete Meal is a brilliant option that is good for you, simple to take, tastes good, and helps keep you full until your next meal. It’s certainly not cheap, but that’s because of the high-quality ingredients (and you can generally get great discounts with Feel)). Plus, if you are someone who grabs lunch whilst you are out every day, then you will probably save money.

I’ve always been against calorie counting and felt like it could get me in a bad mindset with food, but I’ve read a lot about it more recently, and it does work. It is now something that I pay attention to without going crazy and logging everything, and switching one of my meals to this shake really helps with that.

I don’t use it every day (although I may start to if I don’t start to feel better in my body soon), but it’s so helpful to have when I’m particularly busy, tired or going out over lunchtime and don’t want to end up grabbing a Gregg’s beef and stilton slice (I think I’ve only ever had one but it was amazing and so the longing is there if I go near a Gregg’s and there is one very near me!!).

Feel Complete Meal can be taken by anyone over the age of 18, who wants to either maintain or lose weight whilst supporting their exercise routine and nutritional intake. It is designed to be taken alongside a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. It is gluten-free, vegan, soy-free and contains no added sugars.

If you fancy trying Feel products for yourself, then you can use my link to get 10% off your first order as well as 10% off all Feel subscription products (excluding bundles) with the code PARTNER10 or click here.

This is a paid partnership with Feel Nutrition, but all words and opinions are my own, and I do genuinely buy their products myself. See my full disclosure policy here.