What do you think on Slim Fast?

ARoseinDecember

Will work until you stop using it.

FoxyLifter

Tastes like crap & metal. Too much sugar. Expensive compared to other alternatives (lean protein and veggies). Didn't fill me up. I only wanted more naughty treats. All around, it's just like every other marketed weight loss miracle easy fix scheme.

chancock6

I like the taste of Slim Fast, but I don't think it works, really. I drank it for a while, and it just made me feel uncomfortably full, like there was a rock in my belly. I dunno. Maybe try it for a bit and see?

GFielding_56

I personally don't think anyone needs the Slim Fast type product - it's not sustainable as way of keeping weight off.

The real solution lies on this very application - Logging what you eat vs how many calories you burn will tell you whether you will put weight on or lose weight.

To lose 1lb you have to lose 3500 calories either by eating less food or by more exercise or combination of both. Over a week that amounts to 500 calories per day. Doing an hour of walking will burn a couple of hundred calories, not having a chunky kitkat at coffee break will 'save' you 237 calories - there's 500 for a start!

I hope this helps - I've lost about 33 lbs by doing this very thing - that's since Dec 2012. If I can be of any further help let me know.

Good Luck

Tonnina

I never did the slim fast plan quite how they like you to, but I enjoyed the shakes... they were tasty. The best is Chocolate Royal in my opinion. I would caution to watch your calories and maybe do have a snack or two. They keep you a pretty low caloric intake... thus a quick loss, but it's harder to maintain your loss if you go off because you'll possibly eat more calories. I would say if you have coupons for it or just wanna give it a try, go ahead! It's just like having protein powder drinks instead of eating a steak after working out. Give it a go!! If it's not for you, you'll move on; if it is, you'll stick to it! Good luck!!!

angiemotto

I have never broken out while drinking Slim fast or ever heard of anyone else breaking out. Thats def something to look into but I don't think you will automatically start having pimples and cysts just because you drink slim fast. Just wanted to post my comment because if I have never tried Slim fast that would have def scared me! I've been drinking slim fast for almost 6 months and never had that problem and neither has my mom or any of my friends who are all drinking them too. Not saying it can't happen. Just saying everyone will not start breaking out after drinking.

ladymiseryali

The shakes are chalky, but the bars were pretty good. However, it's not a sustainable eating plan. If you want to use some of the bars as a snack or the shakes as a morning pick-me-up, that's doable. However, it's not the best thing.

MORECHABLIS

I use it now and then for breakfast... As sometimes when I eat a normal breakfast on a diet, I get hungry after a few hours, if I don't eat in the morning, I can go until 2-4pm until hungry... Even with exercise... So have a Slimfast for energy in the morning if feeling I need something...

Otherwise I don't use it for a FULL diet plan... I did in the past (back in 90's), but no good for living in real world... Good for 2-3 weeks if you want to do the FULL MONTY slimfast plan...

FerretBuellerr

Interesting thread everyone.

I've never used Slim Fast and don't plan to - seen my parents "attempt" it, and it never lasted long. Plus I don't like the idea of replacing my meals with something that isn't food :huh:

The only thing I'm going to say is this: I think you are confusing "negative comments" with 1. opinionated and real-life examples that you were asking for, and 2. constructive criticism.

If you ask for advice, don't whine when it's not what you want to hear.

Good luck!

nino07110922

Excellent perspective, Ferret!

GymRatWannabe

I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on this post. Bleck!
Other people shouldn't use the shakes because YOU don't like the taste?
It's way beyond your ability to even fathom why someone would drink a pre-made shake when it's so easy to just mix some protein powder and milk?
Some of you people have a really... limited world view, to put it as politely as possible

Slim fast shakes are obviously not the world's most perfect food. But I like the taste. I keep some of the chocolate pre-made bottles of slim fast in my fridge and I have them for breakfast once in a while. Usually on days when I'm creeping out of the house at 5:30 am to go to the gym. I wake up, I quietly throw on my pre-selected gym clothes, pick up my gym bag, grab a slim fast from the downstairs mini-fridge, and sneak out of the house without waking anyone else up. Then I drink it in the car on the way to the gym. It's a product that works perfectly for my routine.

I also used to bring them for lunch when I did field work. They taste better cold.. but I found them to be not too bad warm. And the bottle fit in one of the pockets of my cargo pants that I wore in the swamps. I could throw one in my pocket in the morning, trek around collecting samples all day, drink it while working, then put the cap back on and store the garbage in my pocket until I got back to civilization.

I realize that these are two very specific examples, but I'm sure that there are plenty of other people whose lives are somehow complicated and busy enough that the slim fast shake makes sense. Sure, if I had unlimited time and energy and electricity and access to refrigeration and could make all of the noise that I wanted and just hang out in the kitchen to make and eat all of my meals, I'd prefer a nice homemade shake with some yogurt and a banana and some protein powder and a little spinach. But that is not a luxury that I have every day.

I think that the pre-made slimfast shake makes an excellent meal alternative for a person whose lifestyle restricts their eating choices for whatever reason.

histora

OP, I am sure you are in full-on "everyone hates me, I might as well go eat worms" mode, but really, that isn't the case. (And don't forget to log the worms.)

I've done slim-fast. I lost 10 lbs in two months. Then I couldn't afford it anymore, and I quickly gained those 10 lbs back...and another 5 for good luck I guess. They are SHORT-TERM. Do you only want to lose 10 lbs for SHORT-TERM?

Or you could rework your goals and decide that you are worth more than that.

You keep saying that you just want the extra weight loss as a boost to your confidence. Honey, if you can't approach a lifestyle change without immediate rewards, this whole losing weight business is not going to go well for you. Losing weight is a gradual, steady thing. You won't see the scale dropping like a rock, and that's good. Your body isn't meant to lose weight like that.

I still occasionally drink my breakfast (not in the Irish sense) but I bought a protein powder mix I whip up with soy milk, chuck in a few fruits in there and maybe some peanut butter (I know you told me not to talk to you about fruits and veggies, but you can't ignore a full level of the nutrition pyramid because it isn't fast enough for you) on the days that I know I won't be able to sit and eat.

I was always hungry on SlimFast. Their bars were nothing in my stomach. The shakes just dumped right out because of the sugars, and even with all the extra water I was always watching the clock for my next meal. Is that how you want to live? Tired, bloated, hungry, and poorer for the experience?

Listen. I know it is all what you don't want to hear, but that's the breaks, lady. IT WILL NOT WORK LIKE YOU THINK IT WILL. Save yourself money and effort and frustration and start your new lifestyle the right way.

Good luck.

histora

I made the mistake of reading some of the comments on this post. Bleck!
Other people shouldn't use the shakes because YOU don't like the taste?
It's way beyond your ability to even fathom why someone would drink a pre-made shake when it's so easy to just mix some protein powder and milk?
Some of you people have a really... limited world view, to put it as politely as possible

Slim fast shakes are obviously not the world's most perfect food. But I like the taste. I keep some of the chocolate pre-made bottles of slim fast in my fridge and I have them for breakfast once in a while. Usually on days when I'm creeping out of the house at 5:30 am to go to the gym. I wake up, I quietly throw on my pre-selected gym clothes, pick up my gym bag, grab a slim fast from the downstairs mini-fridge, and sneak out of the house without waking anyone else up. Then I drink it in the car on the way to the gym. It's a product that works perfectly for my routine.

I also used to bring them for lunch when I did field work. They taste better cold.. but I found them to be not too bad warm. And the bottle fit in one of the pockets of my cargo pants that I wore in the swamps. I could throw one in my pocket in the morning, trek around collecting samples all day, drink it while working, then put the cap back on and store the garbage in my pocket until I got back to civilization.

I realize that these are two very specific examples, but I'm sure that there are plenty of other people whose lives are somehow complicated and busy enough that the slim fast shake makes sense. Sure, if I had unlimited time and energy and electricity and access to refrigeration and could make all of the noise that I wanted and just hang out in the kitchen to make and eat all of my meals, I'd prefer a nice homemade shake with some yogurt and a banana and some protein powder and a little spinach. But that is not a luxury that I have every day.

I think that the pre-made slimfast shake makes an excellent meal alternative for a person whose lifestyle restricts their eating choices for whatever reason.

On the flip side, its okay for her to like it because you did? Because you don't have the time management to make your breakfast the night before?

I am a nursing student. I have clinicals at random hours, and often I get very little sleep between my clinicals and lectures. I still manage to find the time before I crash for the night to shake a couple of things together in my sip-bottle before I head to bed.

I often don't have access to a fridge during my day. I use a cold-pack lunchbox and slap a shake in there. They sell awesome blender bottles for fairly cheap that can do the same thing.

Whatever reason you use to justify blowing money like that, hey, rock on. But don't get all white-knighty here because you feel picked on.

angiemotto

I personally don't think anyone needs the Slim Fast type product - it's not sustainable as way of keeping weight off.

The real solution lies on this very application - Logging what you eat vs how many calories you burn will tell you whether you will put weight on or lose weight.

To lose 1lb you have to lose 3500 calories either by eating less food or by more exercise or combination of both. Over a week that amounts to 500 calories per day. Doing an hour of walking will burn a couple of hundred calories, not having a chunky kitkat at coffee break will 'save' you 237 calories - there's 500 for a start!

I hope this helps - I've lost about 33 lbs by doing this very thing - that's since Dec 2012. If I can be of any further help let me know.

Good Luck

I definitely agree with this comment. At least the part about counting calories. Even though I do incorporate the slim fast plan into my daily life, I have also since day one used an app to count my calories to lose 2 pounds a week. I think without my handy calorie counter I might not have had so much success with my weight loss.

And all the people who keep saying you will gain all the weight back after you stop. That was not my case at all. I actually went off slim fast for a month, and didn't count calories or exercise. I didn't gain a pound back. I stayed the same weight until I picked back up where I left off. I had some family issues that paused my weigh loss. That was about a month a a half ago. Since I started back I have lost 11 pounds. While my plan was on halt I didn't completely bomb and start eating whatever. I just ate sensibly. I was a little worried I would gain the weight back but I didn't. So don't let those comments scare you. Its all an individual experience and what you do after you stop the slim fast.

MyaPapaya75

Regardless of what diet you start ...if you stop being accountable at some point you will gain it back be it slimfast or not. SF has worked for many people it may not have worked for those on this thread for many reason....and yeah we all know proper diet and working out is key Im sure the OP knows that as well prior to posting a thread about SF....but since the thread is about SF.....yeah....if you can afford it try it get the ones in the bottles they dont taste like the can. Go full on with how its supposed to be used dont buy generic and dont try to make the snacks stretch like many people do ..hence why SF doesnt work for many,...just saying.....Try it for a month as its supposed to be done and see if it can work for you.

skinnymalinkyscot

Hi there OP, I actually like Slimfast ready prepared shakes, I always keep a few chilled in the fridge and some in my car. I have a very busy lifestyle and live in a rural area, so I dont always have access to huge supermarkets and I dont own a blender, not sure why but I dont. So....... I like the fact I can grab a shake and toss it in my bag for emergencies. I dont drink them everyday, I tend to save them for those occasions when Ive gone on a daytrip at the weekend to a new place or sightseeing and am worried I wont be able to find somewhere selling a healthy choice lunch in a unfamiliar place. Its all very well stoppping at ye olde worlde country pub and discovering they only sell a hearty plate of scampi and chips for like 3000 calories! . Also I like to buy the Boots the chemist Shapers meal deal and not every place has a Boots or I get there at the wrong time of day and theyve sold out or have low stock. I dont want to eat a Mcdonalds or Subway, so I always know there is something in the car to tide me over. My husband and I like to go for long country walks at the weekends, usually to the middle of nowhere and we can be gone for hours. I dont want to carry rucksacks, picnic baskets or bags with me, so a slimfast shake in my pocket is a lot more preferrable to a squashed, slightly warm egg sandwich. So....they are every handy indeed, they also save me money when I go on daytrips as a slimfast shake from Savers the chemist are only a £1 each, the raspberry one in savers is only 79p a bottle for some reason. Compare the cost of that to Boots meal deal at £3.29 (good value however imo) or eating in a cafe which could run to £5 to £10 . Slimfast are also handy if youre feeling hungry at bedtime , half a bottle is around 100 calories , the whole bottle is only 230 and you can go to bed with a nice full tummy without having to think about making food and washing up, a quick swig and its done. I do have slimfast days where I eat a normal breakfast, take a shake to work with me for lunch, then come home to a proper evening meal. They're great for my lunch as we dont have a kitchen area at work and sometimes Im late for work and dont want to stop and make up a lunchbox and dont want to waste money on paying for lunch in a cafe.

histora

Hi there OP, I actually like Slimfast ready prepared shakes, I always keep a few chilled in the fridge and some in my car . I have a very busy lifestyle and live in a rural area, so I dont always have access to huge supermarkets and I dont own a blender, not sure why but I dont. So....... I like the fact I can grab a shake and toss it in my bag for emergencies.

Why would you need access to a huge supermarket to buy real food? I live out in the danged boonies and I still manage to eat healthily.

skinnymalinkyscot

Sure I have access to real food, BUT my nearest store is quite some distance from where I live and so I only go food shopping once a week. I find having slimfast shakes convenient as ive already outlined for this reason. For daytrips, for weekends, for the fact they live in a cupboard and dont go off for months, for the fact I can stockpile them and if I run out of fresh food due to always being out at work and not always finding the time to go shopping I know I have them in the house, for the fact when I get in tired I dont have local supermarkets, I dont have any takeaway places, Im sometimes too tired to do anything except fall asleep on the couch, I dont always want to cook ,Which part of this cant you grasp? so you live in the sticks and eat healthy, bully for you, really. For the record the area I live in doesnt even have a farm shop or a store for around 25 miles in either direction. And no, I dont have the time to keep chickens, cows or grow my own. Im too busy earning a living to faff about

JuliaLee67

my father-in-law tried slim fast for a few months and oddly gained weight, and kind of an unusual amount of weight for the relatively short amount of time given. as i recall he put on about 15 pounds during those months. he didn't realize he was supposed to have a slim fast by itself as a meal replacement instead of along with regular meals like a drink on the side, which is what he'd been doing. so he was eating his usual breakfast and lunch each day, washed down with a slim fast shake. oops....

well, reading directions was never his strong suit.

i tried slim fast myself, didn't like it much [tastes gritty and chalky to me] and it didn't work for me personally because it didn't keep me full, i was constantly hungry. same with co-workers who tried it, it just wasn't filling enough for most of us and in the end wasn't very effective. we all wanted to stuff ourselves with whatever was available, because we were all starving by the end of the day.

your mileage may vary, of course, but i don't think slim fast is very effective as a weight loss tool.

taso42

Slim Fast = Junk Food.
And as far as junk food goes, there are lots of choices that taste much better