Slim Fast Diet: Pros and Cons
If you'd like to lose a few pounds, hopefully you're only considering healthy weight loss programs and not fad diets. Perhaps you've been considering the Slim Fast program, but don't know if it's healthy or not. Here's a look at the features of this diet plan that might help you make a decision.
The original Slim Fast diet was pretty basic. You replaced two meals a day with a special shake that you made up by adding the Slim Fast powder to some low-fat milk. It came in three flavors: strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. You would have one of these shakes at breakfast and another at lunch, and then have a "sensible" dinner of about 600 calories.
Today, there are several more products in the Slim Fast line-up. You can get pre-mixed canned shakes, snack bars in a variety of flavors, and soup mixes. You are allowed these products about three times a day. And a recommendation was added that you drink eight glasses of water every day.
That's the Slim Fast diet in a nutshell. Now let's look at the pros and cons.
Pros: First and foremost, you can lose a lot of weight on the Slim Fast program if you combine it with exercise. The plan is easy to follow. You can take the shakes with you to work, to the gym, on the road, and just about anywhere else. There's no calorie counting or public weigh-ins.
Cons: The Slim Fast shakes don't fill you up, and you might find yourself craving some actual food at mealtimes. For this reason, it's hard to stick with this diet. Vegetables and fruits aren't plentiful on this plan, so you'll be missing fiber and some important nutrients (although the shakes contain vitamins and minerals).
It's certainly possible to lose weight on this plan, but given the disadvantages, it might be easier to use the Slim Fast products for snacks instead of meals, and enjoy healthy foods at mealtimes. The shakes are tasty, but you won't experience the enjoyment you get from eating actual food.
As a final comment, regaining the lost pounds is not unusual for people who follow the Slim Fast plan. One woman lost 60 pounds in a year on the Slim Fast program, combined with moderate exercise. The next year, she gained it all back. The key to weight maintenance is to change your eating habits for the better. If you've been relying on the shakes for your meals, and then you stop taking them, you'll be back to your old unhealthy habits in no time.
Recommendation: Since it's so difficult to stay with this plan indefinitely, the Slim Fast diet is best for people who only need to lose a few pounds. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you could use this diet as a starting point for some quick weight loss, then move on to food-based plan to help you continue to shed a pound or two a week.
Every time you turn around, there's a new diet book on the market. It can be hard to choose the one that's best for you. While you're checking out the latest weight loss miracle, remember that long-term weight loss requires a change in your eating habits that you can live with for life. - 17269
The original Slim Fast diet was pretty basic. You replaced two meals a day with a special shake that you made up by adding the Slim Fast powder to some low-fat milk. It came in three flavors: strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. You would have one of these shakes at breakfast and another at lunch, and then have a "sensible" dinner of about 600 calories.
Today, there are several more products in the Slim Fast line-up. You can get pre-mixed canned shakes, snack bars in a variety of flavors, and soup mixes. You are allowed these products about three times a day. And a recommendation was added that you drink eight glasses of water every day.
That's the Slim Fast diet in a nutshell. Now let's look at the pros and cons.
Pros: First and foremost, you can lose a lot of weight on the Slim Fast program if you combine it with exercise. The plan is easy to follow. You can take the shakes with you to work, to the gym, on the road, and just about anywhere else. There's no calorie counting or public weigh-ins.
Cons: The Slim Fast shakes don't fill you up, and you might find yourself craving some actual food at mealtimes. For this reason, it's hard to stick with this diet. Vegetables and fruits aren't plentiful on this plan, so you'll be missing fiber and some important nutrients (although the shakes contain vitamins and minerals).
It's certainly possible to lose weight on this plan, but given the disadvantages, it might be easier to use the Slim Fast products for snacks instead of meals, and enjoy healthy foods at mealtimes. The shakes are tasty, but you won't experience the enjoyment you get from eating actual food.
As a final comment, regaining the lost pounds is not unusual for people who follow the Slim Fast plan. One woman lost 60 pounds in a year on the Slim Fast program, combined with moderate exercise. The next year, she gained it all back. The key to weight maintenance is to change your eating habits for the better. If you've been relying on the shakes for your meals, and then you stop taking them, you'll be back to your old unhealthy habits in no time.
Recommendation: Since it's so difficult to stay with this plan indefinitely, the Slim Fast diet is best for people who only need to lose a few pounds. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you could use this diet as a starting point for some quick weight loss, then move on to food-based plan to help you continue to shed a pound or two a week.
Every time you turn around, there's a new diet book on the market. It can be hard to choose the one that's best for you. While you're checking out the latest weight loss miracle, remember that long-term weight loss requires a change in your eating habits that you can live with for life. - 17269
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Weight loss isn't painless; you need time and dedication to follow a plan long enough to realize some effects. Get the best weight loss information by visiting Weight Loss Advice.
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