SLIM FAST POWDERS FOR OCCASIONAL USE ONLY!
Written: Apr 05 '01 (Updated Feb 04 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Slim Fast Powders WILL produce rapid weight loss if used as directed.
Cons: Liquid diets make me weak, hungry, and very grouchy; too few calories.
The Bottom Line: I'd recommend this product for occasional use only, such as for an otherwise skipped breakfast or for a fast, easy, and nutritious snack.
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| melissasrn's Full Review: Slim Fast Powders |
Oprah Winfrey had a show not long ago regarding "money makeovers." You know....the kind where she sends someone into people's homes and look through their closets, cupboards, etc. As the camera peeked into this family's kitchen cabinets, a can of Slim Fast Powders was seen on the shelf right along with all the other groceries. Once the camera was back on Oprah, she jokingly stated, "There must be a can of Slim Fast just sitting on the shelf in every home in America!" I couldn't help but laugh because I knew she was probably right. Her comment really got me thinking. Just WHY do we continue to buy this stuff? If it REALLY worked, NO ONE in America would have a weight problem!
For I, just like this family featured on Oprah, have a can of Slim Fast Powders resting inside my kitchen cabinets as well. Yes, on occasion, I DO use it from time to time. But why? For instant weight loss in a can? Perhaps. I can tell you that I've bought MANY canisters of this stuff over the years. And sadly, I'm at one of my highest non-pregnant weights right now as I type this. As we've all heard a million times before: diets just don't work. We have to change our lifestyles instead. Simple as that! Only it's easier said than done. Believe me, I know that just as well as the next person. But offer me the promise of instant weight loss, and I'm hooked. Even if I really do know better.
For those that have the "will power" to actually follow this diet plan for more than a few days, rapid weight loss WILL happen. But I'm lucky if I can make it more than 3 or 4 days before giving up. The side effects to me just aren't worth it. I'm weak from too few calories (I also suffer from low blood sugar from time to time too so this "starvation diet" is not good at all for my health), I feel hungry almost ALL the time, and as a result, become VERY grouchy! Then the headaches start. Is all this worth losing a few extra pounds? The answer is NO. So back to my old eating habits I go.
So just what is the Slim Fast plan? Replace both breakfast and lunch with a glass of this powder (8 ounces of skim milk mixed with one enclosed scoop of the product). Then have a "sensible" dinner. Most everyone has seen the Slim Fast commercials too as they advertise their meal replacement formulas. "A shake for breakfast, another for lunch, and THEN have a "sensible" dinner." Sure! We all know what sensible means. But by the time dinner time rolls around and all you've had in your stomach all day is this liquid mixture, you are more likely to inhale a whole pizza in one sitting before you even know what happened. Then it's too late. You've "failed". What a bad person you are. You have NO will power. You'll NEVER lose weight now! And so the cycle of depression begins. No point in trying again tomorrow because you just don't have the "will power" to start all over again.
Ahh...back to that word..."sensible." That's the key. If we did a little planning ahead of time and had "sensible" meals MOST of the time, I'd bet not many of us would have weight problems at all! Why just have a "sensible" dinner? If breakfast and lunch were "sensible" too, we wouldn't have to subject ourselves to liquid diets and such. But we do. MILLIONS of us do it every day.
So let's get back to this powdered stuff again. How is it going to help you lose weight? Let's look at the side of the can and find out.
NUTRITION FACTS
Serving size--1 scoop/3 tablespoons
Servings per container--about 15
Calories (ENERGY!)-- 100 (powder alone...yummy...ahhmm)
Calories with 8 ounces skim milk-- 190
**only 15 of these 190 calories come from FAT (about 10%)
TOTAL FAT: 1 gram (whoopie!)
CHOLESTEROL: 5 mg
SODIUM: 110 mg
POTASSIUM: 260 mg
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE: 20 grams
Dietary fiber: 2 grams
Sugars: 17 grams
PROTEIN: 5 grams
Also note that one scoop Slim Fast Powders with 8 ounces of skim milk will provide 25% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin A, 35% RDA for Vitamin C, 45% RDA for Calcium, and 35% RDA for Iron.
So now, I WILL admit that this stuff IS pretty nutritious. We eat other foods full of junk and garbage all the time. But give me SOLID food! I can't live on liquid alone.
Ok, I realize you are desperate. Your friend's wedding is coming up and you don't want to look like a stuffed marshmallow in that hideous bridesmaid dress. Or you just weaned your baby from the breast (as I have) and want your pre-pregnancy body back ASAP! And like me, "spring fever" has hit with a vengeance, which means it's time to dig out those shorts, sundresses, and swimsuits and show our not so beautiful bodies to the world. "Maybe, just maybe, it's worth a try," you say. Desperation makes us do some really crazy things!
So how does this stuff REALLY taste? If it TASTES good then maybe you can stick with it longer than I can. Honestly, to me it's not that bad. A bit chalky, but I've had worse! Maybe it's because I love just about anything that's chocolate (there are other flavors: vanilla and strawberry just to name a few, so chocolate isn't the only option). Or maybe I've used it on and off for so long that I've got an acquired taste for Slim Fast. Either way, the taste is more than acceptable.
Back to that Slim Fast can:
"LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF FOR LIFE!
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT THE HEALTHY WAY: Replace 2 meals a day with delicious Slim Fast shakes. Then have a sensible dinner. (SEE!! There's that word again)
HOW TO KEEP IT OFF FOR LIFE: Just replace 1 meal a day with a delicious Slim Fast shake and eat sensibly (ding!) the rest of the day. If you gain a few pounds, return to the weight loss plan until you reach your weight loss goal.
INCLUDE DAILY: Exercise (a brisk 30 to 60 minute walk), drink plenty of water, and enjoy 3 snacks a day--2 fruits and 1 Slim Fast nutritional snack bar."
WHAT?? They think I'm gonna have the ENERGY to walk BRISKLY up to 60 minutes per day on such a low calorie diet? Not me! I used to be an avid walker (4 to 5 miles a day) so I can tell you that your body needs FUEL from foods to sustain long periods of exercise. Sorry, but this is almost impossible to accomplish for very long.
Ok, so I STILL don't have you convinced. How much does this stuff cost? Maybe you are stubborn and want to try it out just to see for yourself. Our local Sunday paper often has coupons ($1 to $2 off) for cans of Slim Fast (regular price anywhere from $4 to $5 per 15 ounce can), so when I DO temporarily lose my sanity, I'll use one of these coupons to make my purchase. Hey! It can't be all THAT bad if I can get a good bargain and perhaps lose a pound or two as well, right?
Because this product IS fairly nutritious, I WILL recommend it as an occasional meal replacement only. For example, if you tend to skip breakfast entirely when trying to "diet", then having this shake to start your day out with is better than nothing at all. And when it's still a few more hours until dinner time and you are craving a sweet snack, a glass of Slim Fast is a good nutritional choice instead of raiding those snack machines at work.
If you MUST try Slim Fast Powders, go to their website at www.slimfast.com and sign up for FREE membership in their program. Membership includes: coupons, weekly weigh-ins, personal diary, buddy program, and weekly newsletters.
GOOD LUCK!!
SLIM FAST FOODS COMPANY
PO Box 3625
West Palm Beach, FL 33402
Slim Fast Chewy Granola Bars
Slim Fast Meal-On-the-Go Bars
Slim Fast Shakes
Ultra Slim Fast Powders
Slim Fast Snack Bars
Recommended:
No
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