Slimfast, meal plan, yada yada

iTStaRTsN0W
iTStaRTsN0W Posts: 106
in Health and Weight Loss
I have struggled with losing weight, obviously that is why we are all here. The other day I decided to try the SLimfast diet. But, I dont want to "diet". So, I decided on just incorporating the shakes into my calories.

Breakfast - shake and fruit
Lunch - healthy meal of my choice
Dinner - shake and maybe a small salad
Snacks throughout the day, healthy stuff. Yogurt/fruit etc

I was just wondering if anyone has had any success doing something similar. Please take a look at my diary and let me know if there's anything you may change.

I have decided to dedicate 3 days per week, for now, excercising at least 20 minutes. I will work my way to more days/more time as I go.

Also looking for inspiration and motivation so please add me if you'd like =)

Replies

  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Are you willing to do this to maintain your weight loss also?

    The problem with meal replacement shakes it that although they may be effective short term, it is difficult to maintain for long term weight management. What happens when you start to eat real food again? Are you learning healthy eating habits, or are you taking a weight loss "short-cut"?
  • norcalbeezy
    norcalbeezy Posts: 220 Member
    I HIGHLY reccoemnd kicking the sugary shakes to the curb and replacing with a chicken breast, or greek yogurt, you need to up your protein and lower your sugar :)
  • Gigsluvscw
    Gigsluvscw Posts: 139 Member
    Are you willing to do this to maintain your weight loss also?

    The problem with meal replacement shakes it that although they may be effective short term, it is difficult to maintain for long term weight management. What happens when you start to eat real food again? Are you learning healthy eating habits, or are you taking a weight loss "short-cut"?

    ^This^

    I had success with NutriSystem, but gained it all back when I had to do it on my own.
  • iTStaRTsN0W
    iTStaRTsN0W Posts: 106
    I agree with the longterm weight loss thats why I tried to just incorporate it into my calories instead of just drinking the shakes alone.


    I did nutrisystem once and agree I gained the weight back when I went back to my regula eating. I dont think that I will drink the shakes 2 times per day for maintain, but I really like drinking them for breakfast so I would at least keep that part up. I am not a big breakfast eater anyway and I feel like it has helped me.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    If you like drinking them for breakfast and it helps you, then do it. But it is probably better to eat real food the rest of the day.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Different things work for different people. I did slimfast in the past and lost 12lbs in a month. I didn't stick to the plan completely so a couple of days a week I ate more calories. I kept the weight off after going off sf for over a year (then I had medical issues that caused weight gain). I sent you a request if you want to try and do it together. I'm going to go back on it for a bit to try and lose weight again.
  • sarahfish92
    sarahfish92 Posts: 2
    I've been doing slimfast for about 6 weeks now and lost just over a stone but only use the shake for breakfast as like you I don't usually eat otherwise and end up snacking mid morning. I found it a lot more filling to have something other than the shake with the 200 cals in for lunch like a salad with some chicken/ fish or even a fruit smoothie with yoghurt :) try exercising a little bit more if you have the time, I've found that pushing myself to do 4 x hour long workouts a week is tiring but working and beginning to become enjoyable! Good luck :)
  • lua_
    lua_ Posts: 258 Member
    I cannot understand why people would want to drink sugary liquids at 200-300 calories a portion instead of having real, nutritious meals. For the same amount of calories you could have a salad and some protein, and you wouldn't be ingesting pure sugar and chemicals. Have you all fallen for some marvellous marketing ploy (well, obviously) or is there some secret fat burner in these shakes that real, nutritious food just doesn't have? Are you going to drink these shakes for the rest of your lives? Drinking calories as "meals" does not form good eating habits. Have fun giving your money to these corporations when you could be doing your mind and body a favour and eating real food.

    I am amazed that people still fall for this rubbish.
  • happychic
    happychic Posts: 43 Member
    Slimfast is quick and easy. I have used it in the past and keep a few at work for days when I don't get to take my lunch break. It's also easy when you don't have time to make breakfast and are in a hurry. I don't use it daily or weekly just in a pinch but, it has always helped keep me on track.
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    My first month, I had a chocolate Slim Fast shake for breakfast and another one for a snack. I'm a sugar addict, so the chocolate and sugar helped me transition sugar out of my diet. Yes, they were filling for several hours. I also don't like cooking and the shakes were easy.

    However, I ditched them because my weight loss stalled, plus they're expensive over time at almost $7 for 4 shakes, plus I didn't want the sugar. I replaced the breakfast shake with steel cut oats and diced apple and eat other things for snacks now -- an apple, or avocado, onion, and tomato salad, for example.

    I would use Slim Fast again if I were traveling and found it really hard to buy decent food or pack it with me. Otherwise, regular food works better for me once I got a handle on what I wanted to eat every day. Meal planning and cooking the basics ahead of time has saved me because I don't care for cooking.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Some people on here are so sanctimonous... And they're often protein shake drinkers which IMO is just the same. It's not like drinking a litre of cola as a meal replacement, the shakes do still have nutritional value.

    Personally I have them for breakfast meal replacement every so often because I don't love to eat early but wouldn't have 2 in a day. I just like food too much. When I first started my diet I had one for breakfast everyday but soon just got bored of them. It kept me fuller than I expected and I would follow it with a healthy snack mid-late morning.

    No its not a long term solution but nor is any very restrictive diet.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    Some people on here are so sanctimonous... And they're often protein shake drinkers which IMO is just the same. It's not like drinking a litre of cola as a meal replacement, the shakes do still have nutritional value.

    Personally I have them for breakfast meal replacement every so often because I don't love to eat early but wouldn't have 2 in a day. I just like food too much. When I first started my diet I had one for breakfast everyday but soon just got bored of them. It kept me fuller than I expected and I would follow it with a healthy snack mid-late morning.

    No its not a long term solution but nor is any very restrictive diet.

    ^^^THIS ALL DAY^^^

    Slimfast is not *horrible* nor is it snake oil unless you believe the slimfast is what is making you lose weight. A calorie deficit is what makes you lose weight. If you use slimfast as part of that calorie deficit there is nothing wrong with you. The people who gain weight after a slimfast plan are people who don't understand how weight and nutrition work. They think they can trade their slimfast for pancakes when they've reached goal weight which is obviously not going to end well. As long as you come off a slimfast plan (or any other controlled diet like nutrisystem) responsibly you can maintain the weight loss.

    I do drink it on occasion for breakfast or I will blend it up with some ice for dessert if I have a couple hundred calories left in my day and want something chocolatey. There is nothing wrong with that. It has enough protein to satisfy me for a few hours and enough other nutrients that I don't feel like I'm just drinking chocolate milk.

    My weight loss philosophy has always been, and will always be, do what is best for you. Take what everyone else says with a grain of salt and figure out what works for you. If a shake in the morning is the only way you will have breakfast, go for it. If you decide one day for dinner that you want something else, just make sure you are aware of the nutritional content of what you're eating and keep it within your daily calorie goal.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    I cannot understand why people would want to drink sugary liquids at 200-300 calories a portion instead of having real, nutritious meals. For the same amount of calories you could have a salad and some protein, and you wouldn't be ingesting pure sugar and chemicals. Have you all fallen for some marvellous marketing ploy (well, obviously) or is there some secret fat burner in these shakes that real, nutritious food just doesn't have? Are you going to drink these shakes for the rest of your lives? Drinking calories as "meals" does not form good eating habits. Have fun giving your money to these corporations when you could be doing your mind and body a favour and eating real food.

    I am amazed that people still fall for this rubbish.

    Some people are so holier than thou, as if no one here ever drank anything with sugar in their lives ever, spare me, this is a weightloss site...
  • RAGGEDYANN1970
    RAGGEDYANN1970 Posts: 115 Member
    i personally like the SF plan. i drink a shake for breakfast, another for lunch, then eat pretty much any dinner i want (healthy choices, of course, but as "much" as i want) i eat fruit, veggies & water as i want all day long. i have lost about 5 lbs doing this.
  • RAGGEDYANN1970
    RAGGEDYANN1970 Posts: 115 Member
    by the way, the South Beach Diet shakes have far less sugars & carbs and have about twice the protein if you get the 20g protein ones. they are tasty! :smile:
  • RAGGEDYANN1970
    RAGGEDYANN1970 Posts: 115 Member
    I cannot understand why people would want to drink sugary liquids at 200-300 calories a portion instead of having real, nutritious meals. For the same amount of calories you could have a salad and some protein, and you wouldn't be ingesting pure sugar and chemicals. Have you all fallen for some marvellous marketing ploy (well, obviously) or is there some secret fat burner in these shakes that real, nutritious food just doesn't have? Are you going to drink these shakes for the rest of your lives? Drinking calories as "meals" does not form good eating habits. Have fun giving your money to these corporations when you could be doing your mind and body a favour and eating real food.

    I am amazed that people still fall for this rubbish.

    if you're not going to answer her question or if you don't have experience with the product personally, then don't respond. everyone knows that "food" is better, but sometimes with a screaming toddler in the car, grabbing a slim fast is easier and the only way a mom can get-in a meal. it is working for me, i like the way they taste, and i have a friend who has been on the slim fast plan for about 5 years and is maintaining his weight very nicely. and i'm sure you give money to plenty of corporations.
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    I can't understand why anyone would want to eat a salad over a milkshake, especially one that provides reasonable nutrition.
  • mperrott2205
    mperrott2205 Posts: 737 Member
    I cannot understand why people would want to drink sugary liquids at 200-300 calories a portion instead of having real, nutritious meals. For the same amount of calories you could have a salad and some protein, and you wouldn't be ingesting pure sugar and chemicals. Have you all fallen for some marvellous marketing ploy (well, obviously) or is there some secret fat burner in these shakes that real, nutritious food just doesn't have? Are you going to drink these shakes for the rest of your lives? Drinking calories as "meals" does not form good eating habits. Have fun giving your money to these corporations when you could be doing your mind and body a favour and eating real food.

    I am amazed that people still fall for this rubbish.

    This.
  • lua_
    lua_ Posts: 258 Member

    if you're not going to answer her question or if you don't have experience with the product personally, then don't respond. everyone knows that "food" is better, but sometimes with a screaming toddler in the car, grabbing a slim fast is easier and the only way a mom can get-in a meal. it is working for me, i like the way they taste, and i have a friend who has been on the slim fast plan for about 5 years and is maintaining his weight very nicely. and i'm sure you give money to plenty of corporations.

    I answered her question & I have experience with the product, any adult that says they're filled up and satisfied by that drink is kidding themselves. It isn't sustainable and good for you, so why bother? A quick fix scam to drop some WATER weight.

    So, you're too busy to have a sandwich or a quick homemade smoothie, but you're able to take time to drink a MIRACLESLIMFASTSHAKE?

    I originally posted with the common sense that, for the calories etc. that are in those drinks, you could have a nutritious meal and actually do your body some good, instead of pumping it with sugar and chemicals to shed some water weight. However, it's obvious that sustainable and long-term weight loss isn't a priority here.

Categories