Quieter day (lower activity)
- Breakfast Plain Formula 1 shake
- Lunch Plain Formula 1 shake
- Snack Fruit, only if you are genuinely hungry
- Dinner An ordinary meal, moderate portion
Goal guide
Weight Loss
Formula 1 gives your day a clear meal structure, so calories, portions and everyday choices are easier to organise.
Use two planned shakes a day while you are losing weight, then one a day to maintain.
Changes with your choice
Choose your path
Pick the route that matches where you are now. You can switch whenever your goal changes.
Weight loss
Two planned Formula 1 shakes
A Formula 1 shake at breakfast and lunch, each 2 scoops (26 g) with 250 ml cold semi-skimmed milk (1.5% fat), plus one ordinary evening meal.
Why two shakes
Herbalife's wording: substituting two main daily meals with a Formula 1 shake, as part of an energy-restricted diet, contributes to weight loss.
Three example days
Examples, not rules Swap in what you actually eat.
Typical day
- Breakfast Plain Formula 1 shake
- Lunch Formula 1 shake with Protein Drink Mix (appetite is often highest at lunch)
- Snack A Protein Bar as a planned snack if there is a long gap
- Dinner A normal plate: protein, vegetables and a carbohydrate
More active or training day
- Breakfast Plain Formula 1 shake
- Lunch Formula 1 shake with Protein Drink Mix and a handful of oats
- During/after activity Water; after resistance training, Rebuild Strength or Protein Drink Mix (Sports & Training)
- Dinner A bigger normal meal than on a quieter day
Weight management
One Formula 1 shake a day
One Formula 1 shake a day, usually breakfast, 2 scoops (26 g) with 250 ml cold semi-skimmed milk (1.5% fat), and normal meals for the rest of the day.
Why one shake
Herbalife's wording: substituting one main daily meal with a Formula 1 shake, as part of an energy-restricted diet, contributes to maintaining weight after weight loss.
Three example days
Examples, not rules Swap in what you actually eat.
Quieter day
- Breakfast Plain Formula 1 shake
- Lunch Whatever already works for you
- Dinner A meal you already enjoy
Typical day
- Breakfast Formula 1 shake, with Protein Drink Mix if it needs to hold you longer
- Lunch Whatever already works for you
- Snack Only if a genuine gap appears
- Dinner A normal meal you already enjoy
More active or training day
- Breakfast Formula 1 shake with Protein Drink Mix, or a bigger version
- During/after activity Water; after resistance training, Rebuild Strength or Protein Drink Mix
- Lunch and dinner Bigger than on a quieter day: match food to what you use
The basics stay the same
- The same Formula 1 shake, used twice a day to lose or once a day to maintain
- Planned normal meals make up the rest of your day
- Consistency and activity matter more than any single day
- You can switch routes whenever your goal changes
Energy and kcal, in plain English
Weight loss comes down to taking in less energy than your body uses, on average across the week.
What this means day to day
Planned meals make your intake predictable, and predictable is easier to keep up.
A higher-protein shake is an easy upgrade: Protein Drink Mix adds 15 g of protein per serving.
Energy needs vary a lot. Bigger, taller or more active people generally need more; that is normal.
Daily energy calculator
Get a rough estimate of your daily energy needs based on your details and activity.
The base preparation
Mix 2 scoops (26 g) of Formula 1 shake mix with 250 ml cold semi-skimmed milk (1.5% fat): the standard meal, whether you use it once or twice a day.
Shake it
Cold milk, two scoops, lid on, shake hard.
Blend it
Better with fruit, oats or yoghurt: same two scoops and 250 ml milk, then the extras.
Make it a bigger meal
Add-ins turn the plain shake into a bigger meal: useful on hungrier or more active days.
Protein Drink Mix
One serving (28 g / 2 tablespoons): 108 kcal and 15 g protein, for a higher-protein shake.
Greek yoghurt, skyr or quark
Creaminess and protein, without much extra volume.
Fresh or frozen fruit
Flavour, some natural sugar and volume.
Banana or oats
Carbohydrate, which makes a shake last longer.
Add extras when you need more food that day, not by default.
Build your normal meals
Chicken plate
Chicken, potatoes or rice, and vegetables
Fish plate
Fish, rice or potatoes, and a salad
Eggs
Eggs, wholegrain toast, and vegetables
Beans or lentils
Beans or lentils, rice or potatoes, and vegetables
Yoghurt option
Greek yoghurt, fruit and oats, as a breakfast or snack
Examples, not a fixed menu: use what you already like and cook.
Real life: hunger, snacks and active days
Snacks
Plan them rather than graze: a Protein Bar, fruit or a small handful of nuts for a real gap.
Hunger
Often hungry before the next meal? Adjust rather than push through: add Protein Drink Mix to a shake, plan a snack, or make dinner a bit bigger.
What changes on a training day
More carbohydrate around the session and a bigger meal after; the shake stays the shake. See Sports & Training.
Practical tips
- Decide in advance which meal(s) you replace; consistency makes this work.
- A bigger shake is a bigger meal, not a free extra.
- Protect the evening meal as a plate you would happily eat anyway.
- Off plan? The next shake is your reset point.
- No promised speed: consistency over weeks matters more than any single day.
What the two routes use
Formula 1 is the planned meal on both routes. Protein Drink Mix and Protein Bars help you keep the plan on busier or hungrier days.
- Lose: 2 shakes a day
- Maintain: 1 shake a day
Meal structure Formula 1 Shake Mix
9 flavours
The planned meal: two a day to lose, one a day to maintain.
Add protein Protein Shake Mix
Vanilla | 588 g
Adds 15 g of protein per serving for a higher-protein shake.
Planned snack Protein Bars
2 flavours | 14 bars
A portable snack you plan in, rather than a casual extra.
Low-calorie drink option Instant Beverage - Tea (51 g)
4 flavours
About 6 kcal per serving, hot or cold; contains caffeine.
Fibre support Fibre Drink Mix
Oat Apple | 30 servings
5 g of fibre per serving, in water or stirred into a shake.
Sources & guidance
Product preparation and serving guidance is based on current Herbalife UK labels, with general healthy-eating and weight-management guidance from recognised UK sources.
- Herbalife UK product labels: Formula 1, Protein Drink Mix, Protein Bars, Instant Herbal Beverage, Oat Apple Fibre
- NHS Better Health: healthy eating for weight loss
- NHS: understanding calories
- NHS Eatwell Guide
General guidance only. This page does not replace advice from a doctor or registered dietitian.
Common questions
Why does the Lose route use two Formula 1 shakes?
Herbalife's own wording: replacing two main daily meals with a Formula 1 shake, as part of an energy-restricted diet, contributes to weight loss. Two planned shakes give the Lose route its structure.
What changes in Maintain?
Maintain uses one Formula 1 shake a day, usually breakfast, with normal food for the rest of the day. Same product, lighter routine.
What should my normal meal look like?
A protein source, vegetables and a carbohydrate if the meal needs one: chicken, fish, eggs, beans or lentils with rice, potatoes or bread. Use what you already like and cook.
What if I’m hungry between shakes?
Adjust rather than push through: add Protein Drink Mix to a shake, plan a snack, or make the evening meal a bit bigger.
Do I need snacks?
Not automatically. If you do want one, plan it: a Protein Bar, fruit or a small handful of nuts.
What changes on a training day?
The shake stays the shake; the food around it grows: more carbohydrate around the session and a bigger meal after. After resistance training, Rebuild Strength or Protein Drink Mix can help. See Sports & Training.
How do I move from Lose to Maintain?
Once you are happy with where you are, go from two shakes a day to one. Not sure when? Ask Keely.
Here when you need us
A starting point that fits real life
Tell Keely what you’d like to work on, what you normally eat and where your day gets tricky. With Mark helping too, we’ll talk through a practical starting point for your routine.