Special K?

nlagrone

Has anyone actually tried the Special K diet? Did it work? Were you able to stick to it daily? I'm curious because I was thinking of trying it but trying to decide if it's actually a good idea. Eating cereal every day might get a lil redundant. Any thoughts, personal experiences would really help. Thanks!

missyannb85

A great friend of mine did this diet. She lost A TON of weight but it wasn't very healthy. She would eat cereal for breakfast and lunch. She wouldn't allow any snacks just the Special K protein water if she got hungry. Then she would eat like 250 calories for dinner. She is really struggling to keep the weight off now that she has gone off that diet.

tatyprez

I wouldnt suggest doing it. You loose weight fast because you barely eat anythng. It isnt a good way to create lasting habits.

meganwojo

I agree with tatyprez. You basically eat a bowl of the cereal (1 cup) for breakfast and lunch and then for dinner a healthy meal and like 2 snacks which would be the 90 cal bars or the protein drink. It wont do your body any good. Once you stop eating that way, your body's gonna bounce right back to where you began.

annastasia76

I eat special K meal bars to fill in calories or for breakfast but I wouldn't do it for a diet, it's not enough calories to live off of.

sarina87

i was so close to buying special k the other day but when i looked at the ingredients. It HAS HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. AHHHHHHHH

Wolfena

I saw this new flavor of the 90 calorie Special K snack bar while grocery shopping.... I never really cared for any other flavor but this one is awesome!

It's the chocolatey pretzel ones.... very hard to eat just one.

I too only eat it as an occasional snack - consider the title "Special K Diet" has the word "diet" in it - that alone says a lot.

godblessourhome

you will only lose weight if you had crappy eating habits before starting this diet. personally, i think it's actually a great diet plan. they recommend eating ceral and milk, a small protien and fruit/veggie twice a day and then a typical supper.

breakfast
cereal = grain
milk = dairy
hard-boiled egg = protien
banana = fruit

lunch
cereal = grain
milk = dairy
nuts = protein, fats
orange = fruit

supper
pasta = grain
cheese = dairy, fats
salmon = protein
spinach, cherry tomatos, cucumbers, carrot sticks = veggies

plus you can have 2 snacks.

you have hit all your recommended food servings and stayed in a reasonable caloric intake.

by the way, diet means several things including 1) the usual food and drink of a person or animal; 2) a regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss; and 3) something used, enjoyed, or provided regularly.
dawn

**edited to say: i think they have a wonderful variety so that you will not get bored with eating cereal. the strawberries is great and adds another serving of fruit (it is not a replacement to eating fruit, just an addition). the pecan and cinnamon is my favorite - yum! the chocolate is sinful and helps if you are a chocoholic. the yogurt and berry is meh (okay), and i think the vanilla almond is beyond disgusting but my children love it. and of course, the orginal.

nlagrone

Thank you to you all. Your helpfulness is very appreciated. I can definitely see the pros and cons a lot better now. Thanks again.

sweetteacher123

I would recommend adding Special K products to your current diet, but not going on the Special K diet. I'm pretty sure it restricts too many calories to be healthy weight loss that you would keep off in the long run. You are best to eat some healthy cereal (Special K or other) for breakfast and/or snacks, but to make sure you are sticking to your allotted calorie intake that MFP has calculated for you.

angelmum

Before i fell pregnant with my daughter Lily i did do the diet, i lossed a stone, but then i pilled it all back on when i fell pregnant, i'm now back to loseing weight and this time round, i'm eating healthy and trying to ditch the junk food, i'm doing excersize and walking more!!

godblessourhome

you will only lose weight if you had crappy eating habits before starting this diet. personally, i think it's actually a great diet plan. they recommend eating ceral and milk, a small protien and fruit/veggie twice a day and then a typical supper.

breakfast
cereal = grain
milk = dairy
hard-boiled egg = protien
banana = fruit

lunch
cereal = grain
milk = dairy
nuts = protein, fats
orange = fruit

supper
pasta = grain
cheese = dairy, fats
salmon = protein
spinach, cherry tomatos, cucumbers, carrot sticks = veggies

plus you can have 2 snacks.

you have hit all your recommended food servings and stayed in a reasonable caloric intake.

by the way, diet means several things including 1) the usual food and drink of a person or animal; 2) a regulated selection of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss; and 3) something used, enjoyed, or provided regularly.
dawn

**edited to say: i think they have a wonderful variety so that you will not get bored with eating cereal. the strawberries is great and adds another serving of fruit (it is not a replacement to eating fruit, just an addition). the pecan and cinnamon is my favorite - yum! the chocolate is sinful and helps if you are a chocoholic. the yogurt and berry is meh (okay), and i think the vanilla almond is beyond disgusting but my children love it. and of course, the orginal.

okay, all the people saying it was "probably" not enough calories and would "probably" be bad got me curious. i plugged it in to my food diary and i think you will all be surprised.

the above breakfast, using the cinnamon and pecan cereal is 397 calories
the above lunch using the strawberries is 412 calories (for the nuts, i used 1 oz almonds for 160 calories, or you could go with 1 oz sunflowers for 165)
the above supper using 1 cooked cup of wheat pasta, 4 oz of baked salmon, 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese, 1 cup spinach, 12 cherry tomatos, 1/2 cup cucumbers, and 4-5 baby carrots was 480 (i also added the juice of one half squeezed lemon for 6 additional calories for a total of 486)

the grand total (without ANY snacks) is 1295.

i don't know about you but that is higher than my mfp recommended calories by 95. it was a tiny bit below in fats, right on for calcium, fiber and carbs, and a bit high in protein (which i think is perfectly fine). i forgot to check sodium, sorry. and that is all without ANY snacks (2 cereal bars at 90 each totals up to 1475). if i worked out and got to eat some exercise calories, i'd be golden with the snacks. or if you have a higher mfp recommended calorie setting you might be fine without exercising. with exercising, i bet you could also double the 1 cup cereal and 3/4 cup milk serving size for one or both meals.

anyway, i just thought some people might want to know.
dawn

godblessourhome

by the way, i just wanted to add that i am not invested in this diet and i don't use this diet. i posted the calorie information because i wanted to correct misconceptions about the special k diet (like if someone said you can eat however many carbs you like on an atkins diet - that information is false and i would speak up even though i don't use the atkins plan). i would NEVER recommend eating just the cereal and milk without the protein and fruit as i agree that it would be hugely unhealthy. however, the diet as designed might be a really helpful way for a person to start a weight loss journey by keeping track of portion size and the food pyramid.
dawn