My Slim Fast diet

I have started a Slim Fast diet, and it's working for me so far. I see lots of comments regarding the concerns, which I myself used to have, until I looked into it more. I have my reasons - many of which are personal so I won't share lest my reasons for choosing and not just my choice be criticized. But I do want to share support for the OP and others doing SlimFast and explain my thoughts.

First - the "original" shakes are, in my opinion, pretty terrible. Way too much sugar. And yes, that leaves people hungry. So I don't recommend those at all.

Second - I don't care what the "diet" is, in the end, the point is to improve nutrition and eating habits. So replacing meals completely and never thinking is not a good choice because that doesn't teach good habits, though I have no problem with convenience and reduced decision making.

Third - The benefits of green smoothies and berry smoothies are well known. Dieters and healthy folk use them all the time not just for weight loss, but for concentrated nutrition. As long as they don't have added sugar or excessive hidden calories, they can be a healthy way to incorporate fruits and veggies.

I chose the SlimFast Advanced Nutrition Smoothie mix. They use splenda and have very low sugar. They have a lot of protein and a fairly high amount of fiber. They are filled with added vitamins. For a lunch I might use the mix along with a cup of berries and skim milk and sometimes with some greens or low fat unsweetened greek yogurt snuck into it. And then I'll eat a big salad with light dressing and a handful of blueberries. Or I make a coffee smoothie and add a tablespoon of peanut butter for a breakfast. I don't eat snacks - I basically take my snack calories and add them to my slimfast breakfast/lunch smoothies, because I don't want to eat all day long. And I'm rarely hungry. If I'm still hungry before dinner I'll have some string cheese, or an apple, or some other real, low calorie, healthy food, but usually I make it to dinner just fine.

And YES - I count the calories. If you don't count calories on Slimfast you can either WAY over eat dinner and learn nothing - or you can under eat and be nutritionally deprived. Their math is wrong... A smoothie with skim milk and nothing added is 190 calories. Their "snacks" are 80 to 90 calories. If you have three of their snacks plus two smoothies without added stuff and then have a 500 calorie dinner, you'll be at less than 1200 calories, and that's not healthy.

Also, replacing real snacks like grapes and cheese with a "diet" peanut butter cup is generally not a good idea (talk about teaching bad habits), so I while I keep the "fat bombs" on hand for when I'm on the run and cannot pack perishables, or when I really crave junk food but want to avoid candy bars, I rarely use them. I'd rather have real food.

In the end, I'm basically using SlimFast smoothie mix as a protein and vitamin supplement in my morning and lunch smoothies which I try to pack with nutritional, low calorie food. And I eat salads and count calories.

It works for me because the convenience matters a lot. And I'm not hungry all the time at all. I'm less hungry than ever because I'm eating more berries and salads than ever and because I'm getting more protein than before.

I think SlimFast is a viable option, presuming it is used the right way, without treating it like a crash diet or magic pill. Count calories, choose the low sugar options, and use it as a tool to eat healthy, and it can be good. I have every intention of using Slimfast for one smoothie a day after I lose all the weight, because I have always enjoyed fruit and coffee smoothies. But it's also not necessary. That habit of counting calories is the important one for maintenance.

If you read their "success" stories you'll found that must of those who lost lots of weight (I have about 100 pounds to go) did something similar. SlimFast wasn't a shortcut - it was a tool.

So despite the naysayers - I encourage the OP and others - if you like SlimFast, if it works, then why not? I'm with you. I just urge you to learn all the important food habits while you do it.

BreadLady41 wrote: »

I have started a Slim Fast diet, and it's working for me so far. I see lots of comments regarding the concerns, which I myself used to have, until I looked into it more. I have my reasons - many of which are personal so I won't share lest my reasons for choosing and not just my choice be criticized. But I do want to share support for the OP and others doing SlimFast and explain my thoughts.

First - the "original" shakes are, in my opinion, pretty terrible. Way too much sugar. And yes, that leaves people hungry. So I don't recommend those at all.

Second - I don't care what the "diet" is, in the end, the point is to improve nutrition and eating habits. So replacing meals completely and never thinking is not a good choice because that doesn't teach good habits, though I have no problem with convenience and reduced decision making.

Third - The benefits of green smoothies and berry smoothies are well known. Dieters and healthy folk use them all the time not just for weight loss, but for concentrated nutrition. As long as they don't have added sugar or excessive hidden calories, they can be a healthy way to incorporate fruits and veggies.

I chose the SlimFast Advanced Nutrition Smoothie mix. They use splenda and have very low sugar. They have a lot of protein and a fairly high amount of fiber. They are filled with added vitamins. For a lunch I might use the mix along with a cup of berries and skim milk and sometimes with some greens or low fat unsweetened greek yogurt snuck into it. And then I'll eat a big salad with light dressing and a handful of blueberries. Or I make a coffee smoothie and add a tablespoon of peanut butter for a breakfast. I don't eat snacks - I basically take my snack calories and add them to my slimfast breakfast/lunch smoothies, because I don't want to eat all day long. And I'm rarely hungry. If I'm still hungry before dinner I'll have some string cheese, or an apple, or some other real, low calorie, healthy food, but usually I make it to dinner just fine.

And YES - I count the calories. If you don't count calories on Slimfast you can either WAY over eat dinner and learn nothing - or you can under eat and be nutritionally deprived. Their math is wrong... A smoothie with skim milk and nothing added is 190 calories. Their "snacks" are 80 to 90 calories. If you have three of their snacks plus two smoothies without added stuff and then have a 500 calorie dinner, you'll be at less than 1200 calories, and that's not healthy.

Also, replacing real snacks like grapes and cheese with a "diet" peanut butter cup is generally not a good idea (talk about teaching bad habits), so I while I keep the "fat bombs" on hand for when I'm on the run and cannot pack perishables, or when I really crave junk food but want to avoid candy bars, I rarely use them. I'd rather have real food.

In the end, I'm basically using SlimFast smoothie mix as a protein and vitamin supplement in my morning and lunch smoothies which I try to pack with nutritional, low calorie food. And I eat salads and count calories.

It works for me because the convenience matters a lot. And I'm not hungry all the time at all. I'm less hungry than ever because I'm eating more berries and salads than ever and because I'm getting more protein than before.

I think SlimFast is a viable option, presuming it is used the right way, without treating it like a crash diet or magic pill. Count calories, choose the low sugar options, and use it as a tool to eat healthy, and it can be good. I have every intention of using Slimfast for one smoothie a day after I lose all the weight, because I have always enjoyed fruit and coffee smoothies. But it's also not necessary. That habit of counting calories is the important one for maintenance.

If you read their "success" stories you'll found that must of those who lost lots of weight (I have about 100 pounds to go) did something similar. SlimFast wasn't a shortcut - it was a tool.

So despite the naysayers - I encourage the OP and others - if you like SlimFast, if it works, then why not? I'm with you. I just urge you to learn all the important food habits while you do it.

You said it yourself--you can make a Slimfast like smoothie, or protein shake at home for a fraction of the cost. I make my own stuff.

I think the difference between the two is that in order to work in the chocolate, some people (not me) would opt for something that still has some sort of nutritional punch for their value. Cheese, frankly, is a terrible source of everything but fat for the calories, much like the chocolate, but it still has SOME protein.

That said, I'm eating the chocolate every time.

I'll make it work.

Theoldguy1 wrote: »

paperpudding wrote: »

I have no interest in trying Slimfast.

Or diet peanut butter cups.

But why would it be a bad habit to have a diet peanut butter cup rather than grapes and cheese if that is what you want and it fits into your plan?

More nutritional value in the grapes and chees perhaps?

Depends on the nutrients you’re targeting, I think. I don’t do slim fast, but I do love my protein shakes I make to help hit my protein macro. I enjoying mixing the powders (chocolate and banana or chocolate and peanut butter are my favs) with ice and milk. It’s a nice sweet treat for me. Usually as a snack a couple hours before my after work workout.