Slim Fast Diet - Pros and Cons

The Slim Fast diet is one wherein you add powder to a glass of skim milk and drink it in place of two meals each day.  Is this a diet for you?  Let’s take a look at the Slim Fast diet : Pros and Cons.

When Slim Fast first came on the scene, it had three varieties of shakes : vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.  The diet consisted of substituting these shakes for breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner, while at the same time adding 600 calories to the one meal you would actually consume that day.

Subsequently, the Slim Fast product line has grown to include instant shakes, soups and snack bars, which you can consume up to three times a day.  Moreover, it is a requirement that you drink eight glasses of water a day while on this diet.

Having explained the Slim Fast diet thus far, here are the pros and cons.  Firstly, it is definitely an easy diet to follow.  The shakes can be taken to work or in a cooler, allowing you to drink them anywhere, anytime.  Secondly, it does not involve counting calories or attending meetings.  Thirdly, one does achieve significant weight loss in combination with an exercise program.

Here are the cons :  Firstly, starting the Slim Fast diet is difficult as you do feel the need to eat real food.  Secondly, the lack of fruits and vegetables affects Slim Fast users, who tend to ignore these vital nutrients and vitamins.  Thirdly, this particular diet is hard to maintain.  Finally, those who achieve their goal often gain back all the weight lost, and then some.

One could conclude that although there is weight loss derived from this diet, it is more reasonable to utilize this diet as a snack alternative.  While the product itself is quite good in taste, it lacks the texture one finds enjoyable when eating real food.

As an example, one Slim Fast dieter lost 60 pounds in one year in combination with an exercise program three times a week.  However, she gained back all the weight the following year.  The problem with the Slim Fast diet is that unlike conventional diets, there is no maintenance afterwards.  Sure, you can drink a shake now and then, but it does not replace the need to have conventional foods.

The Slim Fast diet is more suited to those who are not obese or need to lose large amounts of weight.  Experts recommend that losing two pounds per week on a more conventional food diet is preferable.

While there are so many weight loss diets available today, choosing the right one for you is as essential as losing the pounds.  The Slim Fast diet and other diet fads may work in the short run, but they are not as healthy as the more popular diet plans that are available today.