SlimFast??

robbienjill

Slimfast is what I drink every morning due to the fast pace of my job. Withput it...I probably would not get to even have breakfast. They fill me up...They are delicious if you slightly freeze them.

July24Lioness

If you want to have a shake, why not get some protein powder and make a protein shake...........

There are some really good and natural protein shakes on the market!!

Jay Robb is the absolute best. All natural ingredients and NO sugar. It is sweetened with Stevia.

AliceLMS

SlimFast is another form of fast food.

leavinglasvegas

I've heard they taste good, and if you look at the contents/ingredients you will know why.

I googled slim fast and ingredients.
This from "healthandfitness.com"
Here are some facts from an actual label of "Ultra Slim Fast"-
3 grams of fat (11% of calories), 10 grams or protein (17% of calories), and 40 grams of carbs (72% of calories).
While these numbers are not bad for a meal, it is the sugar content that makes this both inexpensive and less desirable for a meal. Out of the 40 grams of carbs, 35 of it is sugars. Almost 88% of the carbs are sugar.

Here is another site's remarks.

Healthy, in this case, is relative. If your idea of good nutrition is combining a bag of pork rinds with a couple of burgers from the local fast food joint, well then yes, these are nutritious shakes.

In reality... the Slim Fast shakes aren't particularly nutritious, and they certainly aren't worth the money you pay for them.

So what's in a Slim Fast diet shake?
The 4 main ingredients are skim milk, sugar, fructose, and cocoa. In other words, milk, sugar, and sugar. Other ingredients include various vegetable oils, emulsifiers, and a dubious vitamin blend.

A 375ml (1.5 cups) shake contains 12 grams of protein -- slightly less than what you'd obtain drinking the same amount of 1% low-fat milk.

This same shake contains 38 grams of carbohydrates -- 20 grams more than if you drank the equivalent amount of 1% low-fat milk (with those additional carbs coming from the added sugar). Considering that milk contains significant amounts of vitamins A and D, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium and Zinc, I'd suggest that you chuck the Slim Fast shakes (vitamin blend and all), and simply drink milk instead.


IMO - Thumbs down

You make some great points here. Thanks for doing the quick research. I have a few cans in my fridge from when I was having some eating issues a while ago. My doctor wanted me to keep some sort of drink on hand in case I couldn't reach my calories....(typical way to force nutrition for eating disorder patients)...I compared the sugar content to ensure and it was lower and the Slimfast was on sale, so I went with the slimfast. He cringed when I told him what I bought, but was happy I was at least getting some calories.

Other than that reason, I don't think they are a good choice for weightloss. We have to think of nutrition as a way to fuel our bodies. Whole foods is the best way. Its also easier to eat whole foods when you look at the whole picture and consider the long tern effects of dieting.

AliceLMS

Well said

kroger7

When I was helping a coworker set up her myfitnesspal profile and learn the ropes, she was entering the SlimFast shake that she had for breakfast. The difference between her breakfast and my breakfast was 60 calories and I ate food. You can have a nutritious and filling meal for the same calories that you are getting out of the SlimFast shake... so I don't really see the point myself.

This is the point I was going to share as well. I've gone past this aisle in the grocery store before and considered picking some up, but then I check the calories and remember why I don't buy them. I'm on 1200/day and I try to divide them evenly into breakfast, lunch, dinner, 1 snack and 1 dessert: 240, 240, 480, 120 and 120 respectively. I could have a shake for breakfast or lunch, but why bother when I can have a delicious egg white omelette and fruit for less calories? I'd rather eat real food lol

For those that do use them, do you find them particularly filling for the amount of calories? Or is it the same as if you had eaten those calories?

Curtism1234

I like the french vanilla powder. The taste is excellent.


That said, I drink one a couple times a week. I do this normally as a 300 calorie snack a couple hours before dinner.

I'll go to the gym, come back, have a shake, go back outside and do some yardwork / dishes / etc, take a shower, and make dinner. It satisfies my sweet tooth.

thumper44

Curtis, I like the pic in your Ticker.

The Nature Boy.
Been watching him for over 25 years.

Curtism1234

He styled and profiled for over 35 years. :noway:

I only dream of looking that good at age 60 !

courtney_love2001

thumper...you sound like Dave198lbs. Did you ever know him? He was banned several months ago... :laugh: I always thought him a straight shooter and full of good info! He liked to say that all processed foods are just sugar in one form or another....he especially hated Skinny Cow haha

carboy

You might want to try the Special K Protein Shakes- I love the chocolate and it has a lot fewer calories than slim fast, more protein and tons of fiber and it tastes way better too. Plus, they are smaller so if you are looking for more of an in-between meals solution, these would work great. My only complaint is the price- 4 bottles runs from $6-$7 good luck

thumper44

thumper...you sound like Dave198lbs. Did you ever know him? He was banned several months ago... :laugh: I always thought him a straight shooter and full of good info! He liked to say that all processed foods are just sugar in one form or another....he especially hated Skinny Cow haha

No I don't know him.. I think when I joined I saw the tail end of some of his messages and yes he was a straight shooter. I hope you don't mean that I'm close to getting banned. :noway: :glasses:

I just like to use the internet. and Google this n that., search for information that might help myself and anybody else.
There's lots of information out there, and lots of misconceptions as well.

PJilly

For those that do use them, do you find them particularly filling for the amount of calories? Or is it the same as if you had eaten those calories?

I tried using Slim Fast years ago. I was so hungry, I started snacking on Pop Tarts and cheddar cheese to try to get through the day. Needless to say, that didn't work out so well. :ohwell:

courtney_love2001

No no not banned!! :laugh: I just mean give good info and tell it like it is (which I def appreciate!). Dave got banned b/c he was actually rude, and you're not so no worries about that

Peschuntz

One of my best friends is a regional dietician for a major healthcare network, so I asked her about Slim Fast. She looked at the ingredients and said each can has the sugar equivalence of consuming one and a half pieces of cake. That put an end to that! She also mentioned people are much better off eating calories then drinking them. I tried Slim Fast a few times and was hungry shortly thereafter since I believe the sugar content wreaked havoc with my blood sugar. I've since learned to pair the consumption of carbs with a light protein, and I never go near Slim Fast.

Curtism1234

For those that do use them, do you find them particularly filling for the amount of calories? Or is it the same as if you had eaten those calories?

I think it's equally filling as some alternatives.

When you have the choice between a Slimfast versus say a Hotpocket for the same calorie count, the Slimfast is probably the better choice.

toots99

if you need a quick snack it's good but the only flavor i like is the dark/rich chocolate & it has to be really cold!

I agree, use it just as a snack...and the only one I liked was the chocolate!

shinybonnie

I have lost over 40 pounds using Slimfast bars. I used to skip breakfast, eat McDonalds (or similar) for lunch, eat out (think Pizza Hut) for dinner, then enjoy various and numerous snacks and alcohol before bed. I engaged in no exercise whatsoever and was positive that I wanted nothing to do with any exercise. This past April, my husband wanted to lose weight, so he bought the SF bars and I joined him. It was hard for me, but I stuck with the plan on the box and lost a lot of weight very quickly. I did no exercise. After losing about 30 pounds, I quit following the plan and started looking more at my nutrition and exercise. I still eat a SF bar rather than skip breakfast. I no longer have a SF bar for lunch, but neither do I eat a McD supersized value meal. I now eat about 200-300 calories worth of salad and other nutritive foods for lunch. I also have begun to incorporate exercise into my lifestyle.

I agree that SF isn't as healthy as some food choices. But for me, I would not have traded McD's for a salad. I was willing to trade McDs for a SF bar and then trade the SF bar for a salad. Does that make sense? For me, SF was a gateway drug. lol!

But what I really wanna know is.... SOMEBODY GOT BANNED??? How do you get banned on this site? Did he get too skinny? lol

SHBoss1673

Forget slim fast, forget any meal replacements, they are just another gimmick! Are they better than fast food and/or microwave stuff? Sure, but that's like saying being hanged is better than burning to death, I mean come on, you're still dead, one way just hurts a little less.

What works? Eating a healthy, balanced diet. Look, there's no excuse for being an MFP member and NOT being able to eat healthy on a regular basis. All the information is RIGHT HERE on the site, it's not even like you have to go digging up research. Mike even put in a search box for us so you can look up the posts that you are interested in. Can we all have a treat once in a while, or be caught someplace where there's NOTHING particularly healthy and be completely starving? Sure that can happen, but as a whole, there's no excuse for us as MFP members to NOT be eating healthy. I'm not going to be nice about this topic, I'm sorry, meal replacements may help some lose weight, but that doesn't mean you're eating a healthy, balanced diet, and as such I can't endorse them.

You really want to drink your meal? Pick up some skim milk or 1% milk, go to GNC and pick out some high quality Protein powder (you'll notice, the better the powder, the lower the sugar content!), and have at it. There's plenty of flavors, the sugar content is always in the single digits, and it's actually GOOD for you (most of the time).

I'm sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but I HATE the gimmicks that are out there, they really do take away from the positives that weight loss can have on us.

--Banks

m2kjenn

Well said boss!!! - Eating healthy, nutritious well balance food is the only way to go - there are great resources on here. It is more work to begin with, after some time though I think you get into the habit of planning ahead and it works. I have made it a goal to always have something good in my freezer (that I have made) to grab if inspiration doesn't strike, having something handy is so important. The first time I lost weight I did the slim fast diet, and of course, once I stopped the weight came back. Now I read the ingredients and just can't stand the thought of putting those in my body. I feel so much better this time around with my healthy lifestyle, I know I am setting myself up for a long term lifestyle change that gives my body the nutrition it needs to continue working for a long time