protein shakes and meal replacement bars don't work for everyone. they are generally used by body builders who want to build muscle, which is more dense than fat so it is less noticeable but ends up being more of your weight than you probably realize. it depends on how your metabolism works. you want to choose foods that work with your metabolism and helps you burn the calorie reserves (fat cells). if you have a slower metabolism, like i do, then you might want to try foods that use more calories than they put in, like apples, celery, and radishes, just to name a few. when i was trying to lose weight in high school, i replaced a couple meals with just apples and i cut out sodas and drank more water, along with 4 miles on my bike and 200 sit-ups a day. i started at 166lbs and by the time i graduated i was around 130lbs. i don't know when i got down to that originally but my body type doesn't allow for anything less than that. i think i probably lost all those pounds over the course of two years, my freshman and sophomore year.

now, though, after two kids and an injury that limits my mobility and exercise, i'm around 200lbs. i'm dieting and eating better, but meanwhile to boost my self-esteem a little i wear shaping tank tops and Spanx rip-offs, haha. they are a little expensive, but they keep me from getting discouraged and depressed while at work.

oh, it also helped me while in high school to log everything i ate. it helped me monitor everything. i didn't really pay attention to calories, but now that i've looked into it more, i realize that i ate more fruits and veggies that helped burn extra calories. i stayed away from red meat and only ate fish or chicken maybe once a month. i had pasta a lot but i also rode my bike every single day. i also tried to get plenty of sleep.

not saying this would work for everyone, but it's worth a shot.