Shakeology Comparison Series: #2 Skinny Gut

*Affiliate links used. Using these links are of no cost to you, but help to keep this website running. Thank you!*

Something I constantly hear in regards to Shakeology is the cost factor! Believe me, as a former self-supported grad school student, I understand tight budgets.As a coach, my first mission is to make the world a healthier place. So if budget is truly a deciding factor, I’d rather you consume something healthier than ramen noodles (which I may or may not have lived two weeks of my life on back in the day!).

This is part two in a series of comparing Shakeology with meal replacement shake alternatives. While I firmly believe there is no equivalent for Shakeology, I’m going to give these shakes a try and let you know how my thoughts. Today, I’m going to talk about Renew Life Skinny Gut Ultimate Shake, Natural Chocolate.

Before I get into my reviews, here are my standards:

1. No artificial sweeteners, including aspartame and sucralose. I’m not quite sure WHY some shakes still have these, but that’s another point for another day.
2. No soy protein. Soy protein has been getting a lot of heat from the science world, so I’m just preferring to avoid it.
3. Must be a meal replacement shake. The macros have to compare. Meal replacement shakes are different from protein powders. With a protein powder, you’re only fueling your body with protein. Protein shakes are great for lifters after a heavy workout, but they aren’t designed to provide much more nutrition than protein.

Preparation:

I usually get all wild and crazy for my shakes (I love to try new flavor combinations using extracts – see my recipe guide here). For the sake of this trial, I will buy chocolate flavored powders, and prepare them with unsweetened almond milk and 1/2 frozen banana.

Alternative #2: Skinny Gut (You can see my review for Vega One here)

 

Here is the nutrition label for Skinny Gut:

My thoughts of Skinny Gut(compared to Shakeology):

1. Taste – The texture was smoother than the Vega One, and comparable to Shakeology, but there were some taste differences:
   1. The chocolate flavor was not very strong.
   2. The shake had a bit more of a fruitier taste.
   3. Skinny Guy was not as sweet as Shakeology
2. Cost:
   1. Skinny Gut can be found on Amazon.com for $24.51 for 10 servings. That breaks down to $2.45 per serving
   2. Shakeology (if you buy with the monthly discount) comes in a 30 serving bag. That breaks down to $3.88 per serving (if you’re active duty military, your cost drops to $3.33).
   3. Both of these include shipping (Skinny Gut is free with Amazon Prime).

Overall thoughts: Skinny Gut isn’t bad. Given that a bulk of the ingredients are common fruits and veggies, it seems to be a hybrid of a protein shake and a smoothie. Even skipping the taste factor, Shakeology has done more for me than give me a good, nutritious meal. It has helped to keep me full , curb my sweet cravings, improved my digestion, and given me energy. However, if cost is a true factor, then it may be worth trying out.

Stay tuned for my next installment!