Slim fast shake as part of your diet

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  • Diana_GettingFit
    Diana_GettingFit Posts: 458 Member
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    Companies like Slimfast cost a fair amount of money. You're not going to stick with them for life. When you come off them you are still going to have to learn to eat healthy portions or you're probably going to gain most of the weight you lost back. Your best bet is to learn about calories and portion control. There are a lot of great threads on this site. Save your money and lose the weight with a healthy relationship with food.
  • heytherejune
    heytherejune Posts: 7 Member
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    How did they successfully market a non-filling and high-calorie drink as a weight loss product? They must have one hell of a marketing team.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    heytherejune wrote: »
    How did they successfully market a non-filling and high-calorie drink as a weight loss product? They must have one hell of a marketing team.

    Most weight loss companies do. Hence why they make so much money while the obesity rate continues to go up.
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
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    I kind of like the taste - and to me, they can be filling, depending on the situation. However, as a diet plan, they fall very short. They're lacking in a lot of nutrients, they have almost as many (if not more) calories than a healthy meal, and they're expensive. Plus, I prefer to eat my calories unless the situation simply lacks the ability to do so.

    So - on a shake-by-shake basis if it floats your boat? Sure.

    As an effective weight loss plan? Absolutely not.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Jerrypeoples wrote: »
    i make my own protein shake. 8 oz of milk, 1/2 cup of frozen yogurt and two scoops of ON whey protein

    OP is asking about a meal replacement shake.....not a protein supplement.

    Anyway, I tried SlimFast many years ago. They are not filling. Sugar is a cheap way to add calories...but it doesn't add much for you nutritionally. It's junk.

    I regained the weight I lost (as do most people who use meal replacements) because it taught me nothing about portion control and nothing about MY food habits. Substituting 2/3rds of my food for something else is great if SlimFast is a lifelong thing (yuck). The quick fixes are generally temporary.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    adewaleflorence wrote: »
    IsaackGMOON wrote: »
    No.

    Why?x I just started today

    Poor macro ratios, crap ingredients, not filling, doesn't teach you portion control, overpriced, doesn't work.

    Just a few reasons.

    Don't forget the gastric distress.
  • rbn_held
    rbn_held Posts: 678 Member
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    I don't drink them on a daily basis, but I do keep the cappuccino delight ones on hand at work for if I forget my breakfast and don't want to go to the vending machines. When I do drink one, it does keep me full for quite awhile. More so then a lot of the granola and cereal bars that are out there. I don't drink them on a daily basis because I would get bored with drinking one or two everyday. I like variety
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    adewaleflorence wrote: »
    What are your thoughts guys?x

    Waste of calories, doesn't teach you about portion control.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    heytherejune wrote: »
    How did they successfully market a non-filling and high-calorie drink as a weight loss product? They must have one hell of a marketing team.

    That combined with the fact that most of the population want a quick fix and are extremely gullible...

    Honestly, if you want a shake/drink for a meal or a snack or whatever, you would be much better off buying a quality protein powder and making it yourself. Cheaper, better quality...
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    heytherejune wrote: »
    How did they successfully market a non-filling and high-calorie drink as a weight loss product? They must have one hell of a marketing team.

    Most weight loss companies do. Hence why they make so much money while the obesity rate continues to go up.

    This^ ......and so many prefer the "quick fix" or "magic bullet" approach. Weighing and logging food takes effort. Heck, I've picked the easy method once or twice....yet here I am (again).
  • MomMel65
    MomMel65 Posts: 47 Member
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    TweetEscape wrote: »
    I would say no. Like others are saying, it does not teach portion control, and personally, the ingredients are not for me. While a calorie deficit is the only thing that truly matters for weight-loss, I feel that people here get too hung up on pointing that out. I feel that certain foods can aid in weight-loss. Not in a way that if you eat a certain food it'll burn more fat, but in a good food choice kind of way. You can have 1 Oreo cookie for 53 calories, or 200 grams of watermelon for 60 calories. The watermelon is healthier for you and more filling, so it will keep me fuller longer, and for me personally, it won't cause me to crave sugar and I'm less likely to eat 5 cookies.

    That being said, I do not limit myself to certain foods. I do have things like cookies and chocolate sometimes. If you want to lose weight:

    Do not restrict certain foods (unless medically necessary)
    Weigh out your foods with a scale to make sure you're getting the correct portion size
    Don't think that there is an easy way to lose weight
    Eat less calories than you burn
    Be consistent, but don't be afraid to change things up to find what works best for you

    Try the shakes if you want, they may work for you. That's really a matter of personal choice. If you're using them to feel full, then there are a multitude of smoothie options you could try that will more than likely taste a million times better, and you can control what goes into them. I make a berry and oat smoothie with frozen mixed berries, plain greek yogurt, oats, coconut oil (for fat and flavor), and water. It makes a 24oz smoothie that keeps me full for hours and has just over 220 calories.

    edit: Also, while asking for help and opinions is great, make sure to take the time to do your own research. The more informed you are, the better choices you can make.

    Agree 100% - spot on. I used Slim-Fast powder and made shakes/smoothies for my first 3 days of my new life, and it helped to drop a fast 7 lb. and boost my morale. But it got boring FAST. Then I stopped them all-together, got a quality food scale, and started weighing everything. EVERYthing. I go to the gym (Planet Fitness) 6 days a week, every day with 30 minutes of cardio, and 3 of those days with weight lifting (not the machines, the free weights). I met with one of their trainers who tailored my workout, and three months later I am down 47 lb. Weight loss is not rocket science, it is calories in and calories out. When I get a craving for a donut or whatever, I have one, and then maybe I'll hop on my bike at home or do something to "justify" that crave. Life is all about moderation! Good luck on your future weight loss!!
  • schandler1011
    schandler1011 Posts: 83 Member
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    There aren't really enough calories in a slim fast to take away any hunger pangs. You want something that is going to be a bit more satisfying... like a protein shake or something.
  • hrtchoco
    hrtchoco Posts: 156 Member
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    I remember it taste pretty good. It didn't helped me lose any weight because I was using it as a beverage not a meal replacement.
  • mykaylis
    mykaylis Posts: 320 Member
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    just say no.

    i love slimfast. it tastes FANTASTIC to me. it's also basically sugar and has a terrible effect on my blood sugar levels (i'm not diabetic, but i am insulin resistant). it's also chock full of unpronouncable ingredients. include it if you want, but only as an overall plan to a) reduce calories and b) maintain blood sugar (taking PGX before the slimfast for example will blunt the blood sugar spike).

    it's expensive and probably not worth it, unless you REALLY love the taste and can balance it out with other nonsugary foods.
  • MissElectricEyeliner
    MissElectricEyeliner Posts: 122 Member
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    I use to drink them in the morning during class because I always hated breakfast food and refused to wake up earlier to cook. They always made me feel bloated and I'd have to always go to the restroom. I didn't really keep up with it at that point. At the same time however, I was counting my calories.
  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
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    I do incorporate them in to my diet, yes. Easy for on the go when I don't have time to make a shake, etc. Some protein (a lot of sugar, but I don't bother with macros). I also enjoy the taste, so I use them as a treat. I also never eat them alone-- always with an actual food on the side because 190 calories isn't going to keep me full, no matter how many grams of protein is in one.

  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    Even as someone who is using meal replacement shakes to lose weight I agree with a lot of what has been said above. If you use them as a daily meal replacement you will lose weight but you likely won't keep it off.
    I'm using them as part of intermittent fasting. They help me get my nutrients in on my fast days. Other than that I am eating to maintaince.
    They're a tool to cut calories. Useful for fast days and when you don't have time to cook. That's it though.

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