About Slim Fast

Overweight individuals who wish to lose weight often find that their busy schedules make it nearly impossible. When grabbing lunch on the go, healthy eating choices are hard to find. The Slim-Fast Diet Plan offers dieters a convenient, hassle-free weight-loss plan using meal replacements like shakes and bars, but many question whether the program is effective or safe.

History

• Slim-Fast was born in 1977 when Thompson Medical introduced a powdered meal-replacement formula that tasted like a milkshake when mixed with milk. The product was pulled from the market during its first year, because a similar meal-replacement product was responsible for the death of about 60 dieters. In the early '80s, the product was re-introduced at a time when weight loss pills were being scrutinized heavily by the FDA, and thus losing sales. This set the stage for Slim-Fast to become a leader in the dieting market. In 1990, Slim-Fast became its own company separate from Thompson Medical.

Function

• The Slim-Fast Diet works by giving dieters an easy way to cut calories. On the plan, dieters consume between 1,200 and 1,800 calories per day. Dieters drink a Slim-Fast shake or eat a meal replacement product for breakfast, have another with a light lunch, and eat normal food for dinner. Three snacks of fruit or a similar low-calorie food are added to the day. The diet works mainly because it strictly controls portions for all meals and snacks except dinner, although in order to lose weight successfully with the program, dieters must limit themselves to 500 calories at their evening meal.

Benefits

• Slim-Fast is beneficial to dieters because it is easy to follow. Dieters simply buy the pre-made products and replace their meals and snacks with them. The shakes and meal replacement bars are made with lean protein and have vitamins and nutrients added to them, and contain about 220 calories. Dieters must find low-calorie lunch options to complement the shake, and the only full meal they must think about is dinner. The plan is also now customizable. Dieters enter their height and weight on the Slim-Fast website, and the program calculates their caloric needs accordingly.

Criticisms

• Slim-Fast's critics have three main criticisms. The first is that it does not teach dieters how to make lifestyle changes. While dieters lose weight on the program, they often regain it once they start eating normally again, because it does not teach them to make proper eating choices. The second criticism is the cost. The meal replacement products are expensive, but are necessary for the diet to work. Finally, many dieters find that consuming a shake or a bar every single day for months is too monotonous to stick with long enough to lose the weight.

Does It Work?

• For dieters who stick to the program, it does work. A study presented by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity in 2003 showed that dieters who used Slim-Fast were thinner than control groups who ate normally. The study also followed Slim-Fast dieters for 10 years, and found that on average the dieters were 30 pounds lighter than similar individuals who were not using the program. The program works, but only if the dieters have the self discipline to stick with it.

Is Slim-Fast Healthy?

• Some medical and nutrition experts, like the nutrition division of Northwestern University, express concerns about the healthiness of this diet plan. According to an analysis done by Northwestern, the diet may be deficient in vitamin E, iron, and calcium, among other important nutrients. The program does have some merits, however. According to this analysis, dieters can expect to lose between one and two pounds a week on Slim-Fast, which is considered a healthy rate for weight loss.