meal replacement supplements are the stupidest

Warning to all of those reading this post. It is extremely opinionated and I could care less if you want to get mad and disagree with me.
With that said, here we go.
So it's February and people girls are starting to freak out because they have been meaning to drop a few pounds but they never got around to eating less and exercising more. And now they're freaking out because they have to get in a swimsuit soon, so they do what every other stupid girl is doing. Skipping meals for options like pills and supplements. The reason? Probably because it's "cool". Apparently it makes you look so healthy when you instagram a picture of this, and everyone thinks you're some sort of Goddess.

Picture found here.

Someone looking: "Like oh my gosh, your weight loss is incredible! How'd you do that?!" The girl in the green bikini: "Meal replacement supplements. It's just one little pill. It's so great! And healthy."
cough cough, bullcrap, cough cough
Since when did it become "normal" for meals to be replaced with a pill? ONE PILL INSTEAD OF YOUR DINNER. Excuse me, what?
It really baffles me.
I know losing weight can make people feel so great, and I get that. Almost everyone wants to have that petite little figure and look sexy in a swimsuit. Growing up, the only way to get there was to eat right and work at it by exercising. That's the way it's always been. I also understand that buying healthy food can break the bank. Trust me, I get it. I feel the same way when I spend almost $100 every week to try and eat better. 
Side note: I am not, and have never, tried really hard to lose weight. I'm very comfortable with my weight and feel that I am healthy. And no, I don't have washboard abs and I'm not a size O. You could probably guess this if you saw my previous post about my love for cookie dough. :)
So yes, the quick fix is pills and supplements. Key word, QUICK.
So you lose 20 pounds in a few weeks (which is pretty awesome and healthy apparently) and you're feeling great. But what have you trained your body to do? You've trained your body that you don't need real food and that it's just easier to throw a pill in your mouth and call it good. Sure it may be convenient and cheaper than groceries, but it just isn't right.
I believe, FIRMLY, in losing weight the "correct" way - eating right and exercising. That doesn't mean you have to cut all the junk food and only eat vegetables. And that doesn't mean you have to train for a marathon. It simply means you need to train your body to do better.
My mom is a prime example. If you know my mom, you know she was never large. But she wanted to become healthier so she trained her body. She started walking every morning for 30 minutes. Seriously, she walks. She doesn't run, she doesn't lift weights, she doesn't bike. She walks. Simple. And she eats better. Our refrigerator always has an assortment of healthy fruits and vegetables and our pantry is usually stocked with small, healthy snacks like almonds. But we also always have cookies, miniature chocolate bars and various desserts in the house. Like the bowl of Rolos sitting next to me on the couch right now.
And if you know my mom, you know she has a sweet tooth. So yes, she indulges. But it's all under control, so she knows how to take it in stride. The biggest part of all this is portion control.
In my case, I find myself eating a whole row of Oreos. Yes, it's terrible. But mom knows how to have just ne Oreo to curb that craving. It's just habit for her and it would never even cross her mind to sit there and eat a whole row. Clearly, I'm still working towards this.
Hillary M. Wright, MEd, RD, a nutrtion counselor at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates in Boston says, "Whole foods truly provide a much better balance of nutrients than meal replacements. Plus, using real foods forces you to make choices that help you maintain weight loss in the long run." And I couldn't agree more.
I leave you with this, which is always floating around Twitter:

And do you know what those two steps are?

Hmmph.