Does Slim Fast Really Work?

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Replies

  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    As soon as you stop taking the Slim fast shakes and bars you will gain weight and it will mess up your metabolism.

    Not if she's tracking her cals...

    It contains a lot of sugar and trans fat this will cause metabolism to slow down. Also when you start eating solids again you will gain weight. I wouldn't drink it but that's my opinion.

    Eating solids has nothing to do with weight gain. It would only cause her to gain weight if she started taking in more calories than her TDEE. Also, sugar doesn't slow your metabolism.
  • mayamagallanes
    mayamagallanes Posts: 85 Member
    I bought some cans too! But then I noticed they have aspertame and that turned me off. Well I chose to try them and it seemed as if they made my chest tight... by my heart and they have a very bad "chemical" taste.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    any thing that helps you cut calories should work as long as your not going rediculously low. I did something like the 'slim fast diet' years ago and i certainly lost weight. a LOT of it was muscle tho.

    I'd say the biggest problem with an approach like slim fast is that it does nothing to teach you how to control your eating... and probably no one wants to live life just drinking shakes and eating one meal. So its really not sustainable.

    might want to look into Medifast, i almost never hear about slim fast anymore, i think the medifast might be a little more healthy.
  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
    They are a tool, your results will vary depending on how you use them.

    My 19yo son doesn't like to eat breakfast so he drinks one so that he can make it through his classes until he has time for lunch.
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    I tried it back in 2006 - the 1st time I gained weight - for about 6-9 months. I gained weight - I know I didn't lose any for sure. Once I learned/ started learning about nutrition, I realized Slim Fast was crap - both nutritionally & as a weight loss aid. I changed my eating habits & lost 17lbs in about 4 months just by doing that. I also rarely ever get sick anymore once I started eating better.

    But yeah, Slim Fast = crap.
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  • SibylDiane
    SibylDiane Posts: 177 Member
    I used to work for the parent company that owns slim-fast. Occasionally a batch would go wrong at the factory and of course not be something we could sell (in the usual way). Instead of pouring it down some giant drain, though, a bad batch of slim-fast would be loaded into tanker trucks and delivered to hog farms, which paid for it so they could use it to fatten their hogs up.
    I had never tried slim-fast before I learned that, but it made me cross it off my mental list of things to try!
  • jimmie65
    jimmie65 Posts: 655 Member
    Maybe you should read this article that cites some interesting research: http://www.livestrong.com/article/265215-dangers-of-slim-fast/
  • fstephanie4
    fstephanie4 Posts: 196 Member
    Every time I had a milkshake I'd throw up :sick: I think that is counter-productive lol!

    So for me it didn't work!
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  • aradje01
    aradje01 Posts: 12
    No, it doesn't. Just stick to eating less calories, eating healthy REAL foods, and exercising. Slim Fast didn't help me, it just made me hungry still and I felt worse than if I ate a nice hearty salad, veggies or fruits.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Thanks for the advice guys.

    I'm already doing a calorie controlled diet and hit the gym three times a week as well as having a cross trainer at home. I just need something at lunch time really that will keep me going until I get home for dinner. There's far too much temptation at the office where I work with vending machines etc. I need something that will help me feel full. I've got surgery coming up in the next few months, so I'm really trying to shift the weight so I'm at less risk of something going wrong due to being overweight.

    I read in NROLFW that a slim fast mixed with a scoop of the same flavoured whey protein was a pretty good meal replacement. I've had this a couple of times, just for convenience so might be an idea for you if your stuck for something for lunch.
  • MizzTweezy
    MizzTweezy Posts: 250 Member
    It helped me lose my fist 50 pounds, and am starting them again due lacking vitamins and not able to eat breakfast due to my lapband as a replacement to get some more nutrients in. I loved them personally. For my situation it helps me. and there is 18g of sugar, your allowance is like 24-27 grams of bad sugar... As long as you stay on track and eat healthy the rest of the day.. It wont hurt your weight loss at all.
  • Kanohane
    Kanohane Posts: 112 Member
    Slim fast causes me to bleed out of my butt. So, after that happened, I stopped using it.
    Wtf..no it didn't...you need to go see a doctor...Slim fast can't cause that....unless you're just trolling...
  • Kanohane
    Kanohane Posts: 112 Member
    Yes it works, it got me to my smallest weight ever :)
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
    I sometimes use the powered stuff for breakfast. And, I always keep a couple of the premixed shakes (different brand, but same thing) in the fridge at work: in-case I get called off to a surprise meeting (I can drink one on the way), or I wind up working late.

    I used it on and off as a quick and easy meal replacement for 25-years, and I've never had any ill effects from it. As far as whether or not it "works" for weight loss, as long as you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.
  • Melaney1
    Melaney1 Posts: 44 Member
    My husband and I have used slimfast for years and years for a breakfast meal replacement and have had no issues with it. Everyone is different, try it out and see if it works for you. I now put it in the blender with ice and sometimes a banana or other fruits.
  • med2017
    med2017 Posts: 192 Member
    chemicals and more chemicals. no. just go the natural way
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Yup it works, but so would any 1200 calorie diet, but it helps if you get chocolate cravings. It's how I got started losing weight.

    Lots of people here on their high horse lol as if they never once ate anything processed ever smh lmao
  • BoomstickChick
    BoomstickChick Posts: 428 Member
    I'm sure they work, but why would you want to starve yourself?
  • Iceman420
    Iceman420 Posts: 195
    I've tried the slim fast diet several times. It's never worked for me. By the time dinner came around, I was so hungry that I always ate too much food.
  • newloafofbread
    newloafofbread Posts: 46 Member
    Ironically I think they're okay if you aren't ACTUALLY using them as a meal replacement. I eat three meals a day and two snacks and I use the slim fast shake as one of my snacks. It's filling enough to get me from breakfast to lunch, and it's got an easy amount of protein and calories (sometimes I have peanuts instead, but I feel less satisfied). Plus I only get one lunch break at work, but I need to eat three times, so having a shake is a super easy thing to have while on the clock. It's a drink so no one cares.

    I agree with what someone else said though. If you're eating it WITH food then you will gain weight. Having one is essentially like drinking a 16 oz glass of 2% milk. It's calories and it counts. On the other hand, it's not enough vitamins or sustanance to really be a meal.

    So pretty much if it's for a snack, it's okay, but otherwise no.
  • RavenWolf1977
    RavenWolf1977 Posts: 39 Member
    I think Slim Fast is okay for an occassional on the go meal. I know in the past I've taken one with me if I was going out and about and may be tempted to hit a fast food joint or something. As far as depending on it as a daily meal replacement program, I think it is a bad idea.

    The point of "dieting" isn't to diet short term and then go back to eating the way you are used to. The point is to make life long sustainable changes that are healthy and will keep you healthy. Slim Fast is not a good lifelong meal choice.

    :)
  • I used them, got bloated, suffered terrible pains in both stomach and head, became ill and collapsed. Not for me ever again,
    The friend that suggested them as being great then said after "oh yeah, the same thing happened to me" Thanks mate !
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    slimfast, meal replacements etc IMO basically make it easy and give you the nutrition /protein you need daily.... it eliminates any thought. Maintaining protein levels etc throughout the day does keep your hunger at bay...but this doesnt keep head hunger in check...that is something different and has to be dealt with behavioural modifications.

    These diets do work to get the weight off...but it doesnt teach you life long habits you need to know to eat healthy afterwards.

    I did follow a "liquid" diet approach...very much like slimfast...yes it drops the weight etc and usually fast...but I also learned how to transition to healthy eating ...which also you can lose weight.
    just remember it will get the weight off if the program is followed....but keeping the weight off and going back to your "normal " eating doesnt....at some point... healthy eating behaviours have to be developed to maintain the loss.

    ^This!^ As a lifelong yo yo dieter I was always looking for the quick fix when it was right under my nose all the time. This website made it easy to eat healthy, eat what I want, and control portions for a slow steady weight loss. I know that this is how I will need to eat for the rest of my life if I want to maintain a healthy weight and stay healthy. I am literally having fun doing this! It does work.
  • if you prefer a milkshake in place of a meal, then yes it works, when i tried it i lost 20 lbs and gained it all back.
  • bmansur1
    bmansur1 Posts: 3 Member
    I use the Atkins shakes here and there when I need the quick meal or I am just to lazy to think about cooking. They have less carbs and I like the taste better than slimfast. Slimfast always left me hungry and eventually it led to weight gain and not weight loss. If you just want a quick sip for the chocolate fix, I would leave a mixed drink in the fridge and take a sip every now and then. This way it's a treat and you're not fully relying on it for a meal.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I used a couple of the shakes and bars when I first started to eat better and track calories. After doing some simple research and minimal prep work, I quickly found out that I could eat better stuff for wayyy cheaper by hanging around the outside edge of the grocery store. If you eat properly, you'll feel like a glutton just hitting your daily goal. I eat all day and still struggle to hit 2k/day, so thank goodness for calorie-dense foods!
  • xALEXANDROx
    xALEXANDROx Posts: 3,416 Member
    I used a couple of the shakes and bars when I first started to eat better and track calories. After doing some simple research and minimal prep work, I quickly found out that I could eat better stuff for wayyy cheaper by hanging around the outside edge of the grocery store. If you eat properly, you'll feel like a glutton just hitting your daily goal. I eat all day and still struggle to hit 2k/day, so thank goodness for calorie-dense foods!

    so true.
  • leeanneowens
    leeanneowens Posts: 319 Member
    I have used Slimfast in the past. I reall liked the taste of the chocolate royale powder. However, they did not fill me up and I would eat just as I always did so there was no weight loss. I can't really see any benefit to it.