SlimFast is a diet plan that uses portion control by replacing two meals per day with meal-replacement shakes, smoothies, and bars. The SlimFast plan works by restricting calories, which has been shown to be an effective way to lose weight.
A good diet plan to lose weight involves healthy eating that provides nutrients the body needs while staying within a daily calorie goal for weight loss. It is also one that a person can stick to long-term.
Any diet people will stick with can help with weight loss, but diets that are unhealthy or too restrictive are difficult to follow long-term and most people gain weight back as soon as they stop following the diet.
Does SlimFast Work?
SlimFast is a popular type of portion-controlled diet plan that involves replacing two meals per day with meal-replacement shakes, smoothies, and bars. SlimFast also has specific keto and diabetic weight loss plans. It allows for three snacks per day in addition to meals and meal replacements, chosen from SlimFast products or a list of approved 100-calorie snacks such as fruit, air-popped popcorn, or Greek yogurt.
There is one meal per day prepared by the dieter that is allowed on the SlimFast plan, though there are specific guidelines to follow on which foods to include and which foods to avoid for the meals.
Overall, the SlimFast plan works by restricting calories. In general, women will consume about 1,200 calories per day on SlimFast, while men will consume about 1,600.
Studies have shown that meal replacement diet plans such as SlimFast can be effective ways to lose weight.
Advantages of SlimFast:
- It is easy to follow because SlimFast products make up a large part of the plan, which takes out the guesswork
- Meal replacements are high in protein, which has been shown to help keep the appetite in check
Disadvantages of SlimFast:
- It requires use of their products, which may be expensive for some people
- It focuses mainly on counting calories rather than paying attention to nutrition and healthy eating habits, so it may not be the healthiest diet plan
- Dieters may gain weight once they stop following the plan
References
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/losing-weight-beyond-the-basics?search=diet%20plan&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
https://slimfast.com/how-it-works
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15467776/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1473108/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16002798/
FAQs
BOTTOM LINE: The SlimFast diet can help you lose weight if you are willing to trade most of your daily foods for ready-made snacks and shakes. It provides an easy short-term solution but may not be the best long-term investment.
What are the disadvantages of SlimFast diet? ›
Cons
- may not work for long-term weight loss.
- plan can be too restrictive long-term.
- expensive.
- some products are high in fat.
- meal replacement products may not contain sufficient calories.
Yes, Slimfast can work for weight loss. Structured programs, like this one, work for people who don't want to count calories. Studies show that people lose more weight when they eat portion-controlled meals or meal replacements.
How long does it take to lose 20 pounds on SlimFast? ›
SlimFast is best for people who need to lose about 20 pounds, which should take approximately eight to 10 weeks. Many dieters use SlimFast products as occasional meal replacements even after losing weight to make maintenance easier.
What happens if I drink SlimFast everyday? ›
As with most meal replacement diets that restrict calories, regardless of how long you stay on them, you are likely to regain any weight once you resume normal eating patterns. Staying on the diet for the long term excludes many healthy foods and important nutrients from most meals.
What is the healthiest meal replacement shake? ›
Our picks for the best meal replacement shake
- Best for men: Instant Knockout Complete Meal Replacement.
- Best for weight loss: Ora Organic So Lean & So Clean.
- Best for women: SunWarrior Lean Superfood Shake.
- Best keto: OWYN High Protein Complete Nutrition Shake.
- Best organic: Orgain Organic Nutrition Shake.
The SlimFast® Plan is clinically proven to offer a weight loss of between 1-2lbs a week. On average, the plan allows 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,600 calories per day for men.
How to lose 10 pounds in a week? ›
To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.
Is SlimFast bad for your cholesterol? ›
Yet, in a 2009 study comparing the Atkins, SlimFast, Rosemary Conley and Weight Watchers plans, low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol levels and triglycerides were unaffected on the SlimFast plan (11).
Do you mix SlimFast with water or milk? ›
Great dairy alternatives to mix with your SlimFast smoothie powder include almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk and cashew milk. If you decide to add your smoothie powder to water, just be aware that you will get 12g of protein in your serving instead of 20g. Why not have some fun with your protein shakes?
Low-Calorie Diet (LCD)
These diets usually allow about 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day for women and 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day for men. An LCD is a better choice than a VLCD for most people who want to lose weight quickly.
What snacks can I eat on SlimFast? ›
Plan, Perfect for when the munchies call,
- NEW SlimFast Zesty Lemon Baked Cookies.
- NEW SlimFast Advanced Vitality Wafers.
- SlimFast Snack Bars.
- Slimfast Snack Bags.
- SlimFast Golden Syrup Porridge.
- 20 grapes.
- 23 medium-sized strawberries.
- Tomato and mozzarella salad - 28g mozzarella, 1 small tomato and 1tsp of olive oil.
According to SlimFast, the SlimFast diet provides approximately 1,200–1,300 calories per day for women and 1,600–1,700 calories per day for men (3). Additionally, the program recommends pairing the diet with at least 30 minutes of exercise per day to further promote a calorie deficit needed for weight loss.
Is SlimFast full of sugar? ›
SlimFast is a safe and effective weight loss approach for those with Type 2 diabetes. Our delicious and nutritious products have as little as 1g of sugar, as much as 20g of protein, and clinical studies showing help in maintaining blood sugar levels.
Why am I not losing weight with SlimFast? ›
If you don't lose anything for a week or two, relax and don't worry. Most of the time it is your body adjusting to the weight loss plan. Often the body retains water but still loses fat. Have you tried measuring yourself to see if the inches are still coming off, even though the weight isn't?
Has anyone lost a lot of weight on SlimFast? ›
At 5'5″, I started SlimFast at 191 lbs and lost 63 lbs. in 26 weeks! I went from a size 14 to a size 2. Before I lost the weight I was always tired and would lose my breath when I would walk up a flight of stairs.
How long is it safe to do SlimFast for? ›
Can I safely follow the SlimFast 3,2,1 Plan on a long-term basis? Yes, you can safely follow the SlimFast 3,2,1 Plan on a long-term basis. You can remain on the SlimFast 3,2,1 Plan until you reach your target weight.
What is the SlimFast controversy? ›
The 12-page lawsuit alleges the “clinically proven” and four-hour hunger control claims that appear on the labels of more than 50 SlimFast products are false given the company that makes the weight-loss supplement “does not possess evidence to support them,” such as randomized and relevant controlled studies.
What can you not eat on a SlimFast diet? ›
Foods to Avoid (or Limit)
- SlimFast recommends eliminating alcohol, though having a drink once in a while is OK. ...
- Sugar-sweetened beverages, like juices and sodas, should be limited.
- Portion control is a key component of SlimFast.
Heart Disease
Research on SlimFast diet is mixed. Some studies support the SlimFast plan as effective in helping to improve blood markers linked to cardiovascular health.
