Slim-Fast

fitandhealthyplease
fitandhealthyplease Posts: 12 Member
edited October 4 in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone ever tried to do the Slim-fast diet where you substitute two of your meals with a Slim-fast product? Would you recommend it? How easy/difficult was it to stick to?
Thanks :)
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Replies

  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    I don't want to drink a bunch of sweet crap in place of eating actual food. I don't even know what's in those but I'm willing to bet it's not great for you. Wouldn't you be constantly hungry? I vote for just eating whole foods.
  • Mmmmmm......let's see. I tried that, it was pretty boring after the novelty wore off, worked out more money than buying wholesome foods, and taught me nothing about healthy eating and nutrition.

    I'd recommend doing it the old fashioned way of eating healthily combined with exercise, and view it as a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix.

    Best wishes on your journey :happy:
  • Sugary waste of money. Remain in a calorie deficit, hit your macros, and you will succeed
  • ♥ChUbByCoyLe♥
    ♥ChUbByCoyLe♥ Posts: 267 Member
    Has anyone ever tried to do the Slim-fast diet where you substitute two of your meals with a Slim-fast product? Would you recommend it? How easy/difficult was it to stick to?
    Thanks :)

    I tried it but couldn't stick to it. I prefer solid foods instead of yucky drinks.
  • I have tried these (2 meals replacements) and did loose a few kg quite quickly only to put it back on when re-introducing 2 meals again. I believe (and been told by trainers) they are not good for assisting to increase your metoblic rate over the longer term, which fresh food will do if we know what to eat and when to eat it:indifferent:
  • Have you tasted that crap? Seriously. Try it, you'll answer your own question. And take a good look at the ingredients.
  • i have not used it as a diet plan for years....I use it now as a supplement to boost up my calorie intake when no time to sit down for a meal.
  • Christina1007
    Christina1007 Posts: 179 Member
    I didn't try SlimFast, but what I did try was Herbalife. Their shakes are amazing and delicious plus taking some vitamin supplements helped me not to be hungry anymore. I lost about 5 kilograms in 1 month, but then because it is rather expensive I didn't stick to it. Anyway, it did help, my opinion. I shake will last you one month.

    After you finish, you will have to do a maintainance programme, where you will only replace your breakfast meal with a shake and maintain your current weight. Hope this helps, hun!
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,225 Member
    To be permanently maintainable, this is supposed to be a lifestyle change, not a diet. I don't want to have to spend ridiculous amounts of money drinking shakes for the rest of my life. Drinking the shakes does not teach you how to eat.
  • Christina1007
    Christina1007 Posts: 179 Member
    To be permanently maintainable, this is supposed to be a lifestyle change, not a diet. I don't want to have to spend ridiculous amounts of money drinking shakes for the rest of my life. Drinking the shakes does not teach you how to eat.

    You are right. Although, I have to say, seeing the fat melt off me so quickly definitely gave me the boost and push I so much needed. It did help me at the beggining. It's a quick fix, although if you are smart you can use this kick to maintain yourself with healthy eating and a bit of exercise too.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    Has anyone ever tried to do the Slim-fast diet where you substitute two of your meals with a Slim-fast product? Would you recommend it? How easy/difficult was it to stick to?
    Thanks :)
    I did Slim Fast about 10 yrs ago now and I did lose weight, but as has been pointed out, it doesn't promote sensible eating and as soon as you stop you may possibly gain all the weight back.

    Also, when I did Slim Fast I didn't realise that as a man, I should have been talking 2 shakes in the morning and/or lunch... so it's no wonder I lost a lot of weight as I was on 1000kc a day :laugh:

    I think if you are a few lbs overweight and you need to drop a dress size for an event (wedding, birthday, etc) then Diets like Slim Fast that are easy to follow can help you get the necessary result. But they are short-term fixes and should not be used over a long period as you'd have to have an iron will and similar constitution to live on 1200 KC for the rest of your days drinking only shakes and having a smallish evening meal.

    How easy is it to stick to? Well that depends on how much will power you have. Yes you can vary your evening meal, but I found after a while I got bored or just having a milkshake and soup and it wasn't very filling. However, don't waste money on their expensive lunch snacks - a tin of any soup has fewer calories and is generally much tastier :tongue:
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,225 Member
    To be permanently maintainable, this is supposed to be a lifestyle change, not a diet. I don't want to have to spend ridiculous amounts of money drinking shakes for the rest of my life. Drinking the shakes does not teach you how to eat.

    You are right. Although, I have to say, seeing the fat melt off me so quickly definitely gave me the boost and push I so much needed. It did help me at the beggining. It's a quick fix, although if you are smart you can use this kick to maintain yourself with healthy eating and a bit of exercise too.

    I can understand that, but I've lost 44.4 pounds in 11 weeks with 17.8 pounds of that being in the first 3 weeks. Granted, even though everyone is different, "seeing the fat melt off so quickly" can also be done without shakes.
  • jmgcummins
    jmgcummins Posts: 93 Member
    I used slim-fast a few years ago to lose 10-15 pounds. I didn't mind the taste, and didn't have trouble sticking to it for about a month. I used it as a jump start, that combined with exercising every day helped me see results, and I kept the weight off.

    The important things is you have to learn how to eat after, so the weight doesn't creep back on. If you use it to lose 15 pounds, and then go back to eating the same old crap you were, you will gain the weight back in no time.

    I am using it again now, to jump start a little weight loss after having a baby last year (and gaining 60 pounds while pregnant, yikes!).
  • kateroot
    kateroot Posts: 435
    Look at the ingredients. It's basically canola oil and sugar.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Has anyone ever tried to do the Slim-fast diet where you substitute two of your meals with a Slim-fast product? Would you recommend it? How easy/difficult was it to stick to?
    Thanks :)

    Wow a crap load of judgemental people here. Losing weight works differently for everyone is all I have to say to them.

    In answer to your question, yes I tried slim-fast when I really stuck to it I dropped 12-15lbs in a little over a month. I didn't stick to it hardcore, some days I would have a lean cuisine or other low calorie lunch and then have a regular dinner. I probably did that three-four days a week. I also didn't work out much during this time because I was always working.

    I am back on slim-fast. I mix up shakes and meal bars, I get luna bars or special k bars to add variety. Or some mornings I'll have special k cereal for breakfast. Or I'll mix it up and have a small 200 calorie lunch like tuna or something. I don't do their snack bars. I will do a fiberplus bar if I do a snack bar because it has 9g of fiber. I usually have fruit as a snack and usually skip the mid morning snack because I don't get hungry enough to want it so I add those calories to lunch or dinner. I am also working out doing Jillian Micheals Ripped in 30 and mixing in some other work out videos.

    My favorite shakes are strawberry and vanilla, chocolate royale and cappichino are good too, If you have a sam's club you can buy a variety pack, or order it online through the slimfast facebook page or amazon. I'll probably pick up the one at sam's when I run out.

    In addition to losing weight I also dramatically lowered my blood pressure :)

    When you hit your goal weight slim-fast reccomends only replacing one meal a day with one of their products and then having 2 sensible meals a day and 3 snacks. Doesn't sound hard to me.
  • PetitePerfection
    PetitePerfection Posts: 199 Member
    you'll probably lose weight but seriously, the things are just canned processed crap. they have like what 20g of sugar? and that ingredients list is LONG! i wouldn't do it if i were you, they cant be good for you and i prefer to chew my food and get that satisfaction:tongue:
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    http://www.slim-fast.com/products/shake/w/wiki/Rich-Chocolate-Royale-Shake.aspx?ProductID=12

    Not impressed. 190 calories. Probably cutting your meal calories by 1/3. That's why you lose weight.

    If you consider they list the ingredient list in order of concentration:

    FAT FREE MILK, WATER, SUGAR, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), CANOLA OIL, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, FRUCTOSE, GUM ARABIC, CELLULOSE GEL, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, MALTODEXTRIN, SOY LECITHIN, CELLULOSE GUM, CARRAGEENAN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BICARBONATE, SUCRALOSE AND ACESULFAME POTASSIUM (NONNUTRITIVE SWEETENERS), SODIUM CITRATE, CITRIC ACID

    If you are going to do this, why not do it with a whey protein shake instead?
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    you'll probably lose weight but seriously, the things are just canned processed crap. they have like what 20g of sugar? and that ingredients list is LONG! i wouldn't do it if i were you, they cant be good for you and i prefer to chew my food and get that satisfaction:tongue:

    highly doubt everything you eat is not processed at all lmao
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    I am on shakes and I disagree with most of the above posts! I understand the principles of healthy eating, calorie deficit and so on.. It's just much easier to maintain a calorie deficit with meal replacement shakes! If I ever got bored of it, I'd have a salad or something for lunch instead.. If you do the shakes but don't learn how to eat healthily that's an entirely different story. But if you are just looking for an easy way to maintain a deficit and you don't mind having the same thing for breakfast and lunch I say go for it. There is always dinner for the food part, and snacks and so on.
  • chatterbox3110
    chatterbox3110 Posts: 630 Member
    I've done it in the past, but I used the ready prepared cans rather than the powder - I did lose 28lbs but it took me about a year.

    It was a handy diet for me as at that time I was travelling a lot for work, so it was easy to just drink it as I was travelling.

    It's OK for a quick fix but for long term its expensive and does get rather boring. I now count calories and am having much better results.
  • I tried their snack bars once, the mint chocolate flavor and it was delicious.

    Slim-fast will work because you will be at a calorie deficit. Eating less calories than you are burning will always result in a weight loss. The biggest problem with Slim-fast is that when you are off the shakes it will be difficult to figure out how to eat healthy and not gain the weight back. If you decide to skip the "fad" diet and learn better eating habits and simply eat less I would guess that you'll have a better chance for long term success and not just a quick weight drop in weight.

    If you want to try it, go for it. It works for some people and it could work for you. But it's important to learn healthy eating habits along the way as well.
  • I did slim fast, but didn't do the 321 program. I just replaced breakfast with a shake and used the bars as snacks so I wouldn't get too hungry and binge on my next meal. I still use a slimfast bar daily and I have lost 58 lbs. I have tried to incorporate better foods in my diet now so I just used it as a transition to get me down to the correct calorie levels. I think it was great and I love the cookie dough bars. They taste great and hold me over until my next meal.

    Now I eat 350 cal for breakfast, 2-200 calorie snacks (ione being a slim-fast bar), lunch is usually around 400 calories and that leaves about 600 calories for dinner. THis has worked for me and I have maintained my loss since I started back in January.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Look up Whole Living Smoothies.
    they are WAY healthier for you and are intended as a meal replacement.
    Slim Fast = MEH!
    For instance

    Mango Macadamia Nut Smoothie
    1 1.5 cups of frozen mango
    1/2 cup of Silk almond milk
    1 cup orange juice
    1/2 cup macadamia nuts
    BLEND!

    Stats
    Calories 336
    fat 19g
    Sat Fat 3g
    Carbs 42g
    Sugar 32g
    Protein 6g
    Fiber 5g

    Great GI for the drink and it really fills you up.

    whole Living Smoothies also have an iPhone app for easy use.
    HUGS!
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    yes, but ick.

    so unhealthy.

    too much sugar.

    YUCK.

    tasted great, but garbage for the body. it's not even refrigerated what does that say? there are MUCH better similar products out there. look for a well rounded product with balanced nutrition, fiber, whole ingredients, etc.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Look up Whole Living Smoothies.
    they are WAY healthier for you and are intended as a meal replacement.
    Slim Fast = MEH!
    For instance

    Mango Macadamia Nut Smoothie
    1 1.5 cups of frozen mango
    1/2 cup of Silk almond milk
    1 cup orange juice
    1/2 cup macadamia nuts
    BLEND!

    Stats
    Calories 336
    fat 19g
    Sat Fat 3g
    Carbs 42g
    Sugar 32g
    Protein 6g
    Fiber 5g

    Great GI for the drink and it really fills you up.

    whole Living Smoothies also have an iPhone app for easy use.
    HUGS!

    How much are those? Doesn't seem all the diff from a Whey protein shake(except the whey would have way less sugar and way more protein). Only 6g of protien but 42 g of carbs and 32 g of sugar!?
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    It's one of the tastier ones and honestly most ppl on these forums are more apt to buy an app with 60 different shakes as opposed to a 5lb jug of ON gold standard.

    I love Whey and drink 2 shakes a day but before I was educated on Whey I avoided it!
    Know what I mean?

    A regular shake for me?
    2 scoops ON gold standard whey vanilla
    1/4 cup blueberries
    1/4 cup strawberries
    1 banana
    1/2 cup vanilla almond milk

    blend!
    YUM!
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Look at the back of a slimfast, all it is skim milk plus a bunch of added stuff that people can't say. Eat REAL food. Fruit, vegetables, legumes, dairy, nuts, meat (if not vegan/vegetarian), etc. You WILL succeed if you eat right and in moderation. Doing the slimfast thing may work for awhile, but do you really want to drink all day?

    If drinking is easier for you, do smoothies/protein shakes, don't buy that slimfast stuff, it's not good for you. Whole food is better. :D
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Look at the back of a slimfast, all it is skim milk plus a bunch of added stuff that people can't say. Eat REAL food. Fruit, vegetables, legumes, dairy, nuts, meat (if not vegan/vegetarian), etc. You WILL succeed if you eat right and in moderation. Doing the slimfast thing may work for awhile, but do you really want to drink all day?

    If drinking is easier for you, do smoothies/protein shakes, don't buy that slimfast stuff, it's not good for you. Whole food is better. :D

    cook for us and we'll have real food kay thanx!
  • tiptoeketo
    tiptoeketo Posts: 271 Member
    A girl at work has been drinking the slim fast with skim milk every day for breakfast and lunch with an apple each time. She has lost quite a bit of weight, but I can't wrap my head around why she would 'torture' herself with liquid meals, rather than just eating something healthy instead.

    If I were you, I'd focus on nutritional, well balanced meals, rather than that stuff.
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Look at the back of a slimfast, all it is skim milk plus a bunch of added stuff that people can't say. Eat REAL food. Fruit, vegetables, legumes, dairy, nuts, meat (if not vegan/vegetarian), etc. You WILL succeed if you eat right and in moderation. Doing the slimfast thing may work for awhile, but do you really want to drink all day?

    If drinking is easier for you, do smoothies/protein shakes, don't buy that slimfast stuff, it's not good for you. Whole food is better. :D

    cook for us and we'll have real food kay thanx!

    I cook for people at school, my family, and myself. I guess I could cook for ya'll too! Cooking is simple! :D

    What I meant by REAL food is whole fruits, vegetables, etc instead of liquid. Kay?
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