If you struggled with weight loss in the 90’s you’ve probably wondered if Slim Fast actually works or not. This is no doubt from the heavy amount of television advertising that went on in that decade. Most likely the rational side of you knows that it’s not sustainable, but the side desperate for results is hoping that it could work, and is convincing yourself that you could do it.
Overview
Slim Fast was created by the same company that used to market and sell Dexatrim, a dangerous weight loss pill that used to contain ephedra. It is no longer owned by the same company. Based on the premise of meal replacement with their line of shakes, it has evolved over the years to incorporate a broader variety of products, and includes other real foods in the plan.
The Claim
They used to claim that if you’d eat a sensible dinner after drinking a shake for breakfast and another for lunch that you’d lose weight. Now they’ve complicated things by adding snacks and bars to their original shakes in a “3-2-1” equation. They still recommend eating a smaller-sized dinner consisting of around 500 calories.
The Hype
Back in the 1980’s when it was first released there was an intensive advertising campaign many people followed the program and of course probably saw some results in the short term. The beauty of selling a product like Slim Fast is that since it does produce visible results, but is not able to be followed for more than a month or to, users blame themselves and not the flawed product or system.
The Cost
Slim Fast may be attractive as a cost-cutting measure in these tough economic times. By replacing meals throughout the day with snacks that cost just a few dollars you can reduce your food budget considerably. Cost should not be a major factor in deciding on what’s best for your body.
The Commitment
You have to be willing to substitute regular meals throughout the day with snacks, bars, and shakes. While this may seem like a good idea to you before starting the program, many people cannot maintain this eating regimen for long periods of time. There is no exit strategy. There’s no clear way to come off of the program and return to a normal intake of food.
Evaluation
Besides being unrealistic the other big problem with taking Slim Fast is that it’s big business, and therefore it’s all synthetically made and full of stuff you probably don’t need. Instead of bombarding your system with more manmade chemicals and synthetic vitamins, try using whole food supplements and switching more of the foods you eat to organic. It may not be as cheap but if you’re serious about your health it is far better for your long-term results.
Does Slim Fast Really Work?
Slim Fast is a form of calorie reduction, and therefore technically it works. To lose weight you need to either reduce the number of calories you intake, or increase the number of calories you burn per day. Much has been written on diets that reduce calories.
The consensus is that sooner or later the person on the diet will crash, and when they do they will regain all of the weight lost and then some. This is called yo-yo dieting and can be even more unhealthy than being overweight.
Our Recommendation
Slim Fast is not a sensible eating system for the long term. Any time you are trying to lose weight it’s going to require a change in your lifestyle. Changing your lifestyle to eating snacks and shakes throughout the day is not something that most of us would want to do every day for the rest of our lives.
You don’t have to take drastic measures in order to lose weight. You most likely did not gain all of your weight in a short time, so even though you may feel an urgent need to lose it, it’s best to take a relaxed approach. Start making simple changes in your eating habits and get more exercise. Make it things you know you can keep up with for the long haul, and watch your results accumulate over time.
it’s all about feeling good, and trying to sustain yourself with 100-calorie snack bars filled with things like fructose and sucralose is a losing equation. It’s a recipe for being miserable and this will only lead to failure and further engrain improper eating habits.
Lots of people poo-poo Slimfast for a lot of reasons, unsustainable, too much sugar, not a “protein” drink, yada yada. But this is why it works and this is what people are always looking past – We, the overweight, are finding it impossible to cut calories eating healthy foods we don’t like. Slimfast is a way for us to eat something that we like, that fills us up and is low in calories. It helps us eat less, sugar be damned! It’s only 190 calories per shake and drinking one as a meal replacement keeps from gobbling the 1,200 calorie meal I can down per seating. By drinking two shakes, that taste good, for about 400 calories, I don’t eat 2,400 calories or more that I would have. I feel good about myself and energized.
I am finding Slim Fast to be helpful in assisting me in changing some bad eating habits, but I am not depending on it to do everything. At the beginning it began to help me to sleep better at night and I am not sure I have lost any weight yet, however, I am now able to wear a pair of jeans I haven’t worn in over one month and I am ten days into this. I also do a great deal of walking….two hours or more at a time with at least 20 minutes climbing a gradually heightening incline. I think the incline climbing is why my abdominal area is tightening and my gluts. So, yes the product is helping, but I wouldn’t expect it to do everything that dietary changes and exercise do.
I need to loose 80 pounds. I have tried everything, but I sincerely feel you have to be ready and totally committed to do this. We all look for quick weight loss, it happens but most of us gain the weight back. I think asking God to be with us as we embark on our journey to health is the best thing we could do. When we awaken each morning, we should say, “Jesus I Trust You.”
God Bless and good luck to all
Jeff Christopher
I just started using slim fast shake mix and im sure it will help me out. Problem is when i smoke i like to eat lots of munchies so hopefully i can get rid of this belly by twice a day shakes!
I have been doing the powder with frozen berries like a smoothie it’s delicious. Twice a day. Low calorie low carb it’s been easier than I thought. I am not hungry and I used to live on bread I cut that and all white stuff cold turkey 11 days strong, haven’t weighed myself though should be interesting.
I just start drinking the slim fast chocolate and I love it!! I just drink 1-2 a day for meal replacements. I actually drink 20oz and add 2TSP of the PB2 powder (peanut butter powder) and it gives more protein and tastes just like a Reece’s !! Love it!! And keeps me full for hours!!
i too have always wondered about the realities of “slim fast” and have often thought that it would be MORE calories than a regular “diet” for me… i think the temptation of drinking “milkshakes” is a cool idea to many, but in reality if a shake is 200 calories and you drink two a day (400 cals) then wouldn’t it be better to just at veggies and fruits/get more full anyway? idk i’m just sayin.
There is only one sure fire way to lose weight. “If it tastes good, spit it out”.
Excuse my typos I just caught them after re-reading my thread.
It’s actually rude to stat that she failed because slim fast worked better for you. Actually, I understand what she means as far as the chocolate shake being chalky and by the time that dinner comes you’re still hungry. I’ve always struggled with weight, and I’ve lost a total of 68 LBS within 2 months without slim fast or any other supplement. I did it simply by not eating the foods that I knew were bad for my body. Ti be honest what lead me here was figuring out another alternative way to control my weight because I now have a sense of control. However, seeing your comment annoyed me. We have to uplift each other and know that it’s more ways to lose weight . Struggling with weight issues is hard, but we have to look out for each other. Ladies, rather you choose slim fast or not, please take time to figure out what works for you. Water, veggies, and fruit are definitely a great substitute, and cutting down on meat and sweets. Good luck!
so sad
No. By eating Protein and Fiber, you will lose weight. Not less calories. You will lose weight even when asleep.
Slim Fast Works – You Failed
It is not about counting calories.
It is a HIGH PROTEIN and HIGH FIBER diet
that is sustainable. I lost 35 pounds in
3 months but I am still on Slim Fast and
I have never gone hungry. You can eat when
you are hungry. Eat foods that are high in
protein and fiber. Read your labels. Starving
does not work. Never did. NutriSytem is another
HIGH PROTEIN and HIGH FIBER diet. Just research
it. Listen to your mind and not your stomach.
Example – Nutrisystem Crush Bar 24% protein 20% fiber – forget the calories. Understand the formula.
Slim Fast Works – You Failed
It is not about counting calories.
It is a HIGH PROTEIN and HIGH FIBER diet
that is sustainable. I lost 35 pounds in
3 months but I am still on Slim Fast and
I have never gone hungry. You can eat when
you are hungry. Eat foods that are high in
protein and fiber. Read your labels. Starving
does not work. Never did. NutriSytem is another
HIGH PROTEIN and HIGH FIBER diet. Just research
it. Listen to your mind and not your stomach.
HIGH PROTEIN and HIGH FIBER diet. Just research
it. Listen to your mind and not your stomach.
Slim Fast Works – You Failed
It is not about counting calories.
It is a HIGH PROTEIN and HIGH FIBER diet
that is sustainable. I lost 35 pounds in
3 months but I am still on Slim Fast and
I have never gone hungry. You can eat when
you are hungry. Eat foods that are high in
protein and fiber. Read your labels. Starving
does not work. Never did. NutriSytem is another
I WAS ON THE SLIMFAST PLAN BEFORE BUT I STOPPED AND NOW I HAVE STARTED AGAIN AND I HAVE PUT ON WEIGHT AGAIN BUT I LIKE MY FOOD TO MUCH AND I NEED HELP AND I DONT KNOW IF THE SLIM FAST WILL WORK OR NOT
Tammy, I started slim fast 4 weeks ago and am down 9lbs. The first two weeks the lbs came off fast. I’m not doing anything different but the last two weeks the scale has barlely moved. I’m discouraged but I’m not giving up. I’m walking as well. Good luck and continued success!
How about you all get off of her grammatical errors and answer her question; obviously she wants help or constructive criticism regarding her weight, the flaw she ASKED about, not the one that you all continue to berate her over.
Ashley, the first lady had it right; work on getting that quick walk in and cut down the calorie intake.
God bless you.
Ashley not only is there a difference between “wait” and “weight” but you “gain weight” not gane wait. You should try spell check
I agree. This slim fast diet is working well. Two shakes a day and veggies in-between shakes is working for me. At night I eat a sensible dinner of either chicken or fish with veggies. I lost 3lbs my first week. My second week I added walking in and lost another 4lbs!!!!
I just drank my first bottled Slim Fast Vanilla shake anxious to see where this leads along with a healthier regime of food intake and exercise. I have to say I was very impressed with the SF taste compared to others I’ve tasted in the past. Almost like drinking a Vanilla shake from the deli. I bought the SF with high protein to help my energy level as well. Before drinking the shake, I was seriously craving to eat something counting the hours before Noon trying hard to fight it. I no longer have that craving to eat which to me is far more healthier than the diet pill I was considering taking. My weight is 237 before the shake. We’ll see what it is in a few days while sticking to this plan along with the exercise, which I already do anyway.
I feel great. Have been drinking the shake for a week and i can see that my mushroom is disappearing lol. Going to weigh myself tomorrow. My boyfriend is impressed but when i drink the shake i dont eat anything because my hunger is gone for four hours exact, so two shakes and 1 1/2 meal daily. Plenty of water also
THANK YOU for letting Ashley know that there is a difference between wait and weight because she was wearing me out constantly using “wait” instead of “weight”
I just started drinking the slim fast shakes today. I eat either a fruit or yogurt for lunch with a slim fast and drink water through out the day. I work stock at Walmart which requires a lot of walking and leftiing when unloading the truck for 2 and a half to 3 hours. Then a drink another slim fast on my break then another before dinner, but it’s always a small dinner I eat. Can I still lose the weight this way with working as most of my only exercise??? And just one meal really a day at dinner because my lunch is always some kinda fruit or yogurt and I do drink about 8 or 9 bottles of water a day.
I have been using Slim Fast on and off since it first came out. I have worked out like crazy while drinking it every morning and feel great afterwards. I don’t do dieting rules though. I make a huge shake in the morning and that’s all. I put lots of fruit in my shake and blend my flavors. In other words I make this shake my own. For me, it is a source of protein and calcium and energy and fills me up until I’m not hungry again.
Yes slimfast works for me I’ve been on it for about a month and I’ve seen I big difference. I’m not bloated and I dint eat as much as my stomach has been the flat eat it has ever been. But make sure to be working out if you are or you won’t really get the results as fast.
I am about to try slim fast starting April 1, 2016 I’m excited but nervous!!! I don’t know how to count 1200 calories daily!!
Please understand that there is a difference between wait, and weight
I have done slim fast several times over the past 15 years whenever I gain a little to much wait (i.e. after holidays), it works everytime. It is basically a 1200 calorie diet. I eat healthy normally, but even eating salads, lean meat, whole grain it is easy to eat in excess of 2000 calories and gain weight. When I get sick k of shakes a replace them with something else around 200 calorie. Also for 3 snacks you can do fruit are yogart. At snack that is 100 calories or less. So yes it works. I have maintained the same weight since high school using them and now a in my mid 30s. They also have all the vitamins you need so I usually feel pretty good when drinking them. When I have tried doing 1200 calories a day of just light food (eggs, veggies, fruit) after a week or so I start feeling low on vitamins. I general I don’t I’ve taking vitamin pills, because they are hard on my stomach, so the fortified shakes work for me. They are also more nutritionally balanced then other protein shakes like muscle milk, which are meant for workout recovery but not the be meal replacements
Hi Ashley, keep walking around your block every day and start making better eating choices. Let your beverage of choice always be water. Drink a lot of water and cut way, way down on junk food. Once in a while you can have something sweet, but not everyday.
hello i want to share my story to everybody here so it starts like this i am a working man for about 3 years i own a company called ajg sports talk and i been busy all the time and never have time to workout for the past 3 years i have gained about 80 pounds and not in a good way i used to be 210 now im a 270 pounds. I have been to the doctors and noticed that i need to loose the weight or i will have problems later on in my life. I’m 27 years old and still young when i noticed my struggles i results in changing my lifestyle for the better and my girlfriend told me how she used slimfast to helped changed her life. Before i meet her she was 260 and now since she was on the slimfast she is not 110 and looks good. So now im trying to change my life around and start a journey. I wanted to share this to others and show that if i can do it which its hard for me two stay on and its been a month for me i lost 10 pounds so far then anybody can do it.
I kinda am just doing the shakes. Two a day. I have lost 10lbs in the last seven days. I am also still eating with the shakes, but healthier stuff like grilled asparagus and steamed edamame with the shakes. also, when I am doing a regular meal, i tend to do a high protein chicken or fish with a full bottle of water and most often when I feel hungry i drink water (you are actually more likely to be thirsty) If I am not satisfied by water then i actually eat, and because i am mostly full of water, it helps me get full faster and digest the food easier. I am looking forward to furthering my journey with slim-fast.
I am embarrassed about my wait do you think that slim fast would work for me I don’t know what else to do but to try slim-fast, I am one hundred and seventy eight to one hundred and eighty pounds, I want to lose wait but I just seen to gane wait, I walk every other day around my block.
You would think it has a lot of press about Orlistat, which is then released into weight loss
meditation the body through water. I wish we could all stay in our high school days.
Slim fast? Yeah right more like fat fast! Seriously if you think that just drinking a milky drink is going to help you lose weight and keep it off then you are sadly mistaken. You can’t lose weight quickly without it being unhealthy in same way or other. Sure you may see temporarily results but in the end it’s going to let you down. In order for a diet to truly work it must be doable and allow you to eat fruits, vegetables, good fats like olive oil and nuts, and protein. It also needs to have some sort of exercise combined with it too. That’s why so many fad diets don’t work because they’re impossible to stick to long term.
You can’t rely on only one thing to give the desire results you want. That’s why using Slim Fast by itself will fail you in the long run.
Does slim fast really work? Basically yes, but only in the way that by eating less you will eventually lose weight. These drinks were designed to replace what you might normally have eaten at breakfast and lunch, thereby cutting the number of calories you ingest drastically. The problem anyone is going to have is only having the shakes and not cheating. All diet programmes are the same, in that they only work if you have the willpower to stick to them. Its pretty tough only having a shake all day, if your’e used to eating a big breakfast, but it’s no harder than any other diet regime.
I tried the Slim Fast shakes to lose weight. I didn’t mind the strawberry flavored, but the chocolate flavor left a chalky taste in my mouth. The first couple days on the Slim Fast diet was tolerable, but after that it was so hard to stick on. I felt like I was starving. You drink one for breakfast and one for lunch, then for dinner you are supposed to have a healthy dinner. The time dinner comes around you are so hungry that you want to eat and eat. I couldn’t stay on this diet. I did it for a week and lost two pounds, but it is to hard for me to replace my meals with a drink.