Everyone is doing it, social media channels are full of it, kitchens up and down the country have been transformed by it - juicing and shaking is now a multi-billion industry. As with everything, there are a few basic rules to follow to get the best of the trend - whether you’re aiming for a summer body, energy boost, or are just on a health kick.

If you replace a high-calorie meal with a meal replacement shake containing fewer calories, this will help you lose weight - this is obvious. Many people do so and are happy with the outcomes. However, it is important to choose a proper meal replacement product for weight management, and brands differ so dramatically in calories, quality of ingredients and price it can be hard to make sense of them . As an alternative, you can prepare a MR shake by yourself. In fact, do-it-yourself shakes guarantee the lack of artificial components or any hazardous ingredients, and the nutritional values can be perfectly adjusted to suit your diet. Shakes prepared from protein sources, vegetables and fruits provide the same benefits of branded shakes but without drawbacks.

Preparing a DIY shake couldn’t be easier. Simply select and base flavour, then pack it out with vegetables and fruits that best complement this. Use bananas, mangoes and coconut milk to create a tropical shake, or if you prefer chocolate shakes, add some berries or cherries. Vegetables such as carrots or beet can be used to create veggie shakes.

You’ll then want to pop in the core ingredient of any shake – protein. The role of protein in shakes is to suppress craving and supply protein to muscles, making it an ideal component for weight loss, muscle-building or body sculpting. It is advised to use qualitative protein source like whey, however there are many cheaper protein powders available in stores or markets, comprising of soy, egg whites, and a host of vitamins and flavouring additives. Read up on each to ensure you are selecting the optimum product for your needs.

Of course, you can swerve artificial protein altogether, but I’d still advise adding a substitute like yogurt, almond or peanut butter to thicken your shake, and deliver energy to your muscles - especially if you are replacing a meal with a shake.

As regards the volume & type of ingredients needed for your shake, if you’re not following a set recipe much of this is down to trial and error. Yet there are a few very basic rules that will act as a loose guide. Liquid-wise, you’ll not want to exceed 8 ounces. You might also want to add natural flavor extracts including peppermint, vanilla, lemon, or cinnamon for added taste. As soon as you added together all ingredients of your shake, hop onto Google, find a calorie counter and tot up all the calories to discover the energy value of your DIY shake.

Then you’ll want to blend everything together. I thoroughly recommend investing in a Nutribullet or other electric blender if you intend to make shakes regularly - titanium blades will cut through the most formidable ingredients in seconds saving you time and hand ache! Include milk, water, or juice to dilute if necessary. If you prefer chilled drinks, you may add some ice cubes to the shake (again, a good quality blender will make short work of these) or opt for frozen fruit over fresh fruit.

My final tip, is to research super fruits and vegetables. Many of these will have proven health benefits and will help you safely lower your cholesterol level, speed up your metabolism and more. Good luck, and happy shaking!