Slim Fast - yes or no?

24

Replies

  • MorbidMander
    MorbidMander Posts: 349 Member
    I tried Slim Fast six months or so ago and I have to say the stuff tastes absolutely horrible. It's disgusting and not worth the money. Ya know what is though? Actual nutritious food. I know staying on track is hard, I've been doing this healthy lifestyle change for almost a year and I sometimes still have a hard time saying no to certain junk food. But you just need to stay committed and pay attention to what you're actually consuming. Maybe shakes could help you transition into something healthier.. but I dunno, I'm not a dietician or anything...

    Best of luck to you nonetheless.
  • ruth3698
    ruth3698 Posts: 305 Member
    I used them a long time ago and they gave me stomach problems.They are just a way to calorie restrict...why have a gross shake when you can have a turkey sandwich or some real food with around the same amount of calories instead?My vote is no as well.
  • kellyskitties
    kellyskitties Posts: 475 Member
    What is a "Kick Start"?

    Just a way to "break" your routine and get the weight dropping. I don't think anyone should do these for more than a week or so. It's not learning to eat right, it's just getting things going the right way. Not for the long term.

    If it isn't something that you should do long term, why do it for even a week?

    I wouldn't personally do it... at all... but I know some people it helped get started. I would never say it's optimal. It's basically a crash diet.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    No.
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    I think Slim Fast is fine short term or when you are traveling.

    I drank a chocolate shake for breakfast my first month of trying to get healthier/lose weight (April 2013) and lost 10 pounds. Some of that was water weight, of course. I don't like to cook, plus I'm a sugar addict/junk food/eating out kind of person, so the shakes worked well for me until I could figure out what I was going to eat for breakfast that wouldn't take a major time investment.

    I didn't want to stay on the shakes because (1) they are expensive -- $7 for 4 and (2) they have a lot of sugar. The sugar worked well for me as I was tapering off it, but eventually I wanted to replace the shakes with real food and less sugar.

    After 30 days, I switched to steel cut oats with a chopped apple instead of sugar. I make a big batch of steel cut oats ahead of time and eat that for 3-4 days -- it takes about two minutes to add water and heat it up and beats paying $7 every few days.
  • Paleohawk
    Paleohawk Posts: 9 Member
    No. It was not working for me. I easily got hungry few hours later after drinking one tall glass of slim fast.
  • prdavies1949
    prdavies1949 Posts: 323 Member
    Nope.
  • Kayden1986
    Kayden1986 Posts: 189 Member
    they seem to be milk, sugar, and a multivitamin pill smooshed together. two shakes is over 40 grams of sugar and the protein content is still very low. I said no when i was learning about nutrition

    ...and after doing my Nutrition course, and choosing to do a comparison between meal replacements with slim fast and another shake v a full proper nutritional diet.. then I 100% say NOOOOOO to slim fast, but the shake idea with a good quietly one is ok for some. Like myself. For me, that is my nutritional style. I have one shake a day and can keep that up for life, but I wont ever touch a slimfast.
  • MaudeBeige
    MaudeBeige Posts: 282
    I keep a Slim Fast powder mixed with skimmed milk powder in my bag. I'm terrible at thinking ahead and if I don't do that I either eat rubbish or don't eat at all and then eat everything that doesn't move too fast once I get home!

    I simply mix with water when I'm hungry and have a glug... A better alternative for me.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    No
  • Alisha28
    Alisha28 Posts: 406 Member
    NO they are gross. I would just see what your giving in to if its something sweet I do vanilla yogurt with cinnamon walnuts blueberries and dollop of light cool whip if its salty try plain fat free yogurt with ranch packet and dip carrots or few pretzels in sooo good :)
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    they seem to be milk, sugar, and a multivitamin pill smooshed together. two shakes is over 40 grams of sugar and the protein content is still very low. I said no when i was learning about nutrition

    ...and after doing my Nutrition course, and choosing to do a comparison between meal replacements with slim fast and another shake v a full proper nutritional diet.. then I 100% say NOOOOOO to slim fast, but the shake idea with a good quietly one is ok for some. Like myself. For me, that is my nutritional style. I have one shake a day and can keep that up for life, but I wont ever touch a slimfast.

    The shakes I drank for 4 weeks had 18 g of sugar. I bought the premade shakes, not the powder that you mix yourself. They worked for me for a few weeks until I could figure out what I wanted to eat in the way of real food/less sugar.
  • Kayden1986
    Kayden1986 Posts: 189 Member
    a few weeks isn't that long, and glad you saw there are better options out there after a few weeks on them HollisGrant :) trial and error is a good thing! though the café one I saw in the shops made me go and try and make my own low sugar cappuccino shake and chai teas, so they did inspire a little lol
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    No.
  • Kanuenue
    Kanuenue Posts: 253 Member
    I think making your own smoothies at home is a better long term solution. Slim fast is just a calorie reduction diet, replacing two meals with a 250 calorie shake.

    Protein powder of your choice, low fat milk, fresh fruit and voila! Same calories, better taste, and better for you. More fiber, less sugar, actual food, cheaper and more realistic in the long run.
  • Kayden1986
    Kayden1986 Posts: 189 Member
    I think making your own smoothies at home is a better long term solution. Slim fast is just a calorie reduction diet, replacing two meals with a 250 calorie shake.

    Protein powder of your choice, low fat milk, fresh fruit and voila! Same calories, better taste, and better for you. More fiber, less sugar, actual food, cheaper and more realistic in the long run.

    I was just saying that!! hehe very true!! sometimes its great to look at the 'premade' ones for flavour ideas, chai latte is my fav protein shake mix at the moment :P
  • Just_Scott
    Just_Scott Posts: 1,766 Member
    I agree with weird---if it isn't good for a month then a week isn't much better.

    Get a digital scale and weigh your stuff....a little OCD now is much better then a short fix. Everyone has plateaus.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
    In b4 beachbody coaches
  • dwalt15110
    dwalt15110 Posts: 246 Member
    Absolutely NO to Slim Fast and Absolutely YES to Smoothies you make yourself. They are so much better for you and none of that artificial crap they stick in a can. If you want some great smoothie recipes, start a thread and ask. That's much better than asking an opinion on Slim Fast.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    In b4 beachbody coaches
    Nah, you didn't quite make it. A couple snuck in already with their helpful suggestions and closed group invitations. :laugh:
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,328 Member
    Years ago, I had Slim Fast shakes around to try and lose weight. And it seemed that every time I wanted to drink one, I was out of them. And I wouldn't remember drinking them.

    One day I went up into my son's room to straighten up and under his bed I found 7 empty Slim Fast cans! Seems he was drinking them like soda...a few a day. And that on top of his regular meals. I never thought they were THAT tasty, but for some reason he did. But I had to crack down on him for it.
  • darkrose20
    darkrose20 Posts: 1,139 Member

    Has anyone tried it? Have you had good or bad results from it?

    Id love some honest answers. If its the worst idea please say! If you have any other suggestions on how to kick start things then please let me know. I feel like i have come to a standstill!

    I have tried it, and I've lost weight quickly with it. The shakes are 100 cal each, so two shakes (200 cal) plus whatever I want to eat (say, the 1100 cal pasta from the local restaurant) equals a calorie deficit. You'll see weight loss, but you won't establish good eating habits. Trust me, I gained as soon as I came off the shakes, and gained MORE than I'd lost, since I ate whatever I wanted.

    If you're looking to lose quickly for some event or whatnot, I'd say, it can't hurt. Just be ready for the yo-yo, unless you're going to eat healthy after the shakes.
  • phyllisbobbitt
    phyllisbobbitt Posts: 347 Member
    :flowerforyou: i have done slimfast several times & you will lose but just as soon as you stop slimfast it will be right back on plus more! stop the cycle & just increase your protein & water intake. also when you want to nibble on something stick with fresh fruits & veggies! the weight will come off & you will not feel dissatisfied! i have lost over 90 pounds by doing this & i do not get overly hungry! slimfast is for skinny girls who want to lose a pound or two before a big event! it is not for those who need to lose a lot of weight!
  • No. Seriously, no. Log your food in the diary. It's a pain in the butt but log everything. When I started MFP I ate as I usually did, but logged everything I ate for a week. I was SHOCKED to see how many calories I was eating in a day. I seriously was eating 600-800 calories more than I thought I was. That opened my eyes.
    Slimfast is full of sugar, not good. Make your own smoothie with fruits/veggies and add whey/soy protein if you feel the need to do a shake.
    I compare logging food to registering my $$ credits/debits. I couldn't keep track of my bank balance if I didn't register, I can't keep track of my calories if I don't log them.
    Don't view your food choices as good or bad. Take the emotion/guilt out of food and view it simply as choices.
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    no
  • czrewor
    czrewor Posts: 32 Member
    Stay away from fads, especially dont take crappy slim fast shakes. Just stick to your diary limits and you be fine.
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    No. It doesn't teach you to eat properly and I doubt anyone could stay on it for life.

    Build treats into your calorie limit. Stop depriving yourself and you won't have to "give in" to anything.
  • PaulJRaymond
    PaulJRaymond Posts: 100 Member
    Rather than chemicals, why not create your own smoothies, where you can control the sugar involved. A banana, skimmed milk and a handful of strawberries/raspeberries/peaches are all you need. If you also want to think about meal replacement with good healthy meals, I recommend looking at these web sites for recipes for smoothies and juices. Lots of people having real success, although I can't commit to it 24/7, I have fruit/vegetable juice for breakfast and lunch and it works well.

    http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/
    http://www.juicemaster.com/
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Rather than chemicals, why not create your own smoothies, where you can control the sugar involved. A banana, skimmed milk and a handful of strawberries/raspeberries/peaches are all you need. If you also want to think about meal replacement with good healthy meals, I recommend looking at these web sites for recipes for smoothies and juices. Lots of people having real success, although I can't commit to it 24/7, I have fruit/vegetable juice for breakfast and lunch and it works well.

    http://www.rebootwithjoe.com/
    http://www.juicemaster.com/

    Water is a chemical, and that juicing nonsense makes no more sense than slimfast.

    I'm disappointed to discover we are from the same country, I expect more, from the whole of the UK.
  • dgirllamius
    dgirllamius Posts: 171 Member
    I've tried it.I hated it.

    I'd rather eat food.