I only have a protein "drink" before a workout....I never have tasting anything thats really a "shake" unless it has ice cream in it!....That wouldn't be very healthy. If I drank "shakes" all the time I would be as big as a house!...The only reason I drink one before a workout is because I want something in my body before I workout but not much, as I don't want to be weighed down from whole food before exercise. You guys have to stop calling them "shakes" until you can put a real chocolate milkshake next to a protein DRINK and not be able to tell the difference!....Also as far as using "meal replacement" drinks, I just don't see how something you drink could be considered a meal. Also the whole foods you choose involed a lot of chewing. Ever hear of the "Thermic Effect"?....I also don't really agree with a lot of the people that think the more protein the better..."Muscle is mostly water, not protein!." All this excess protein you ingest will be wasted or just turn to fat.