Slim Fast is another great diet aid that has been around for quite a while. From it's origins as a thick and gritty powder designed to help you stave off hunger to it's current incarnation as a line of weight loss products and meal bar supplements we have seen some amazing transitions and longevity in this particular product.
Slim Fast is becoming famous for the new flavors they have introduced and their steady stream of testimonials from those who have met or exceeded their goals by using the Slim Fast system. Using Slim Fast when dieting can assist those with little will power when it comes to chocolate and sweets achieve their weight loss goals by having the higher calorie shakes and snacks throughout the day followed by a sensible meal in the evening and indulging in their craving for sweets throughout the day. It's a good plan as long as those using it can manage to stick with the plan.
In the past Slim Fast would not have been a product I would have recommended for those needing to lose a large amount of weight. That has changed however in the last year or so as they have introduced a much more aggressive health and wellness plan that is appropriate to those who have more pounds to take off than the simple 20 or so vanity pounds that was typical of the Slim Fast user of the past.
When it comes to dieting, not all plans are one size fits all, nor should they be. It's good to see that Slim Fast is also adapting to meet the various needs of consumers. Not only does Slim Fast offer consumers shakes and meal replacement or snack bars that are convenient to use even when on the go but they also offer meals that you can prepare as well as healthy convenience meals to replace those evening meals when you are on the run. For those who like options, Slim Fast seems to have more options than ever before.
More than options however, it is good to see that Slim Fast, even after all these years, is still getting results by those who stick with the program. The truth is that the product wouldn't have been around this long if it wasn't working for someone along the way. Like many other weight loss plans, Slim Fast has taken to pushing the benefits of an active lifestyle in addition to the need for a healthy diet. There are some that will argue that you are not getting all the nutrients you need from drinking shakes but it could be reasonably argued from reading the label that the average shake contains more vitamins and nutrients than a sad margin of people consume on a daily basis.
Whether your dieting goals are very short term and specific or long term and lifestyle altering, Slim Fast can assist you in reaching those goals. This is a lifestyle adjustment in itself though and you must be prepared for a new way of eating in order for this plan to work for your specific dieting needs. If you haven't checked out Slim Fast lately and you have made the decision to lose weigh but are uncertain how to go about it, perhaps it's time you take a second look at the Slim Fast line.
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.
Since then, Slim Fast has introduced many new products to its line-up. There are ready-made shakes in cans, snack bars and soup mixes, which you can have a few times per day. In addition, it is now required that you drink eight glasses of water on a daily basis.
That's the short version of the Slim Fast diet. Next, we'll take a 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 aren't filling, and you're bound to miss eating real food for breakfast and lunch. This makes it difficult to sustain this plan over the long haul. You won't be consuming a lot of fruits and vegetables, so you'll be short on fiber and some essential nutrients (although the shakes contain vitamins and minerals).
It's certainly possible to lose weight on this plan, but given the downsides, it might be easier to use the Slim Fast products for snacks instead of meals, along with a healthy food plan. 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.
With all the weight loss plans being promoted these days, it's difficult to pick just the right one. When you're considering the various diets, keep in mind that some quick-loss diets will work in the short run, but are not necessarily sustainable or as healthy as changing your eating habits for the better.
Both Jackie Serta & Kim Archer are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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