I've been on slim fast lately and I need to know if this really works. I can't tell b/c when my period come I get really bloated and it looks like I gained 3-5 pounds. Help!
I've been on slim fast lately and I need to know if this really works. I can't tell b/c when my period come I get really bloated and it looks like I gained 3-5 pounds. Help!
it works...any diet that restricts calories will work. Slim Fast is good because it's nutritious, but it never really worked long term with me because it's so BORING.
While it tastes nice on the first few glasses, you'll be sick of the taste after a week guaranteed unless you've got the tastebuds of a hamster.
You are the envy
of all parallel lines that
dream of curves and convergence
- Sara Bailey: Sieve of Words
i think it works but you have to fallow the instructions exactly and you have to excersize with it.
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us:
us:
us: devil in disguise....
you don't have to exercise, but of course it helps
Emily is right.
Any calories restricted diet would work.
I have been taking slim fast for a while. I found chocolate shake taste better than other flavors.
If you don't like taste you can try some other means of colorie restricted diet but for me it was easiest method and saved me lots of time.
Good luck!
You do have to really keep with it, and not eat crap. I've never used it but my mother and some friends have. Yeah, the taste will start to get annoying, and some of my friends even got really bad gas the whole time they used it. Personally I'd try atkins first, but that's just 'cause I couldn't deal with subbing a drink for real food.
" Remember during each test there is some girl in Australia jealous of you who wants to do what you're doing."- Lilithmorrigan
" If you're young and sexy, why not spend a few years Shopping and Fucking? Life is short, but youth is shorter. Ride the wheels off, I say." - FeministStripper

Although I was always very thin in high school, I took Slimfast for a few days because a friend told me that if you did it a week before a vacation, you could eat any and everything while you were away (ahhhh. . . the stupid things we do during youth!)
I started getting very shakey, light-headed, and a had a hard time thinking. . . it turns out SlimFast contains chemicals found in diet pills to reduce cravings, so just be careful of that . . . .
It's really suppose to curb your appetite? Well when will it start working, b/c I am always hungry. I eat all day, light meals with low fat and carbs, but I am always hungry.
there is 5 grams of fiber in a can of slim fast, and things high in fiber will curb your appetite.
I really enjoy the Chocolate Royale Shake! What about the to go bars I bought those too, are they any good? What it be bad to have a to go bar for dinner?

It was the shake made from powder that I was using- I'm not sure if the other products have the diet chemicals, but I imagine the premixed shakes probably do. There's no guarentee that any diet pill will work on everyone- just think how much money it would make if it did!
Personally, I just felt dizzy and ended up eating MORE calories because I felt so deprived from drinking that chalky @#[email protected]!!
On a more positive note- Oprah recently said that as long as you are getting a decent daily amount of calories, then that "hungry feeling" you get is actually your body loosing weight. . . .
I keep the slim fast bars in my locker for those times when the house mom doesn't show up (without warning) and I have nothing to eat. Most girls have food delivered, but that sucks if you're trying to eat healthy.
They are pretty good too! My favorite is the oatmeal raisin.



You got to watch out on how you're balancing your meals. Pay attention to what's actually in those cans. There's a lot of dairy in those shakes. So a dinner that included milk, cheese or other dairy items wouldn't be very nutritious for you. A slim fast diet is no different than any other. You need a certain amount of calories, fat, protein, and other nutrients to stay healthy. You can surely lose weight with slim fast because it is a low calorie diet plan. Just make sure you're not bingeing at night because you felt hungry all day from eating no real food. Plus, it's very expensive to stay on. You can save money and lose the same amount of weight by eating sensible meals. Another problem with slim fast is that you're not really changing or improving your eating habits any. When you go back to eating regular food you're likely to end up gaining back the weight that you had lost drinking slim fast. If you're going to replace meals, try and only replace one a day. Maybe have one for breakfast or while you're at work. Then eat well the rest of the day.




Blackbeauty,slimfast has alot of carbs and sugar in them,so at first with the restriction it will work,for long term its no good,years ago I used them 3 days was all I could handle,I like you am hungry all the time.You could go to a nutrrition store and buy some desiner protien,much better for you and have like 3 a day with a few small low cal meals,for say a week,that should help and eat less carbs.

Granted I'm not a female..but being a personal trainer I have put many gals on diets before. Some were just to lose weight ( not alot care about muscle mass) Everyone here is on the right track, caloric reduction = weight loss..but at what cost? do you care about retaining lean body mass? This is what I tell my clients and I'm sure alot of you already know this...but the more you eat the more fat you'll lose. What I mean by this is by eating smaller meals thoughout the day 5-6 instead of eating 2-3 big meals. Your body stores fat for energy..and tends to use it sparingly. If you eat more often(but smaller meals) then your body will not feel like it needs to store as much fat..because it's getting plenty of food. Also your body wont catobalize your existing muscle foor energy, it will use the fat instead. Having a carb cut of point will also help alot. I tell most of my female clients to cut carbs around 5-6pm that means NO carbs! none untill you wake up..but it girls that dance and typically work till 2-3am...eat your carbs at work..you will surely burn them off. So try to steer clear of alot of midday carb..and if your going to eat carbs make sure thier complex ( Baked Potao, Sweet Potao, Brown rice etc) If you feel the need for some simple carbs, eat them before you go to work. If you want to keep the muscle you have try to get in at least .5 grams of protien per pound of body weight...and dont forget to drink alot of water. The more water you drink, the less water that you will retain..even during your period.

* keep a journal- a good one is http://www.fitday.com
* eat small portions often (5 to 6 times a day)
* drink 1 gallon of water daily
protein:
egg whites or substitute
turkey breast
chicken breast
fish (tuna, salmon, trout etc.)
shell fish (shrimp, crab, lobster etc.)
lean cuts of beef
pork tenderloin
game (elk, venison, ostrich, emu)
cottage cheese
soy products
milk
protein powder
meal replacement shakes (not too often)
protein bars (only in a pinch)
carbs:
brown rice
sweet potatoes
veggies
fruit
oats (not the sugary instant stuff)
fats:
nuts
flaxseed oil
natty peanut butter (with the oil on top)
olive oil
hemp oil
avocado
snacks:
fat free, sugar free jell-o



TRY this - Instead of "a shake for breakfast and a shake for lunch"
TRY fruit for breakfast and fruit for lunch and a large salad for dinner. As much fruit as you want ! If you crave starchy foods (pizza, bread, chips, pasta, ect) YOU ARE NOT EATING ENOUGH FRUIT - NOT GETTING ENOUGH CARBS.
What is happening is your body is remembering where you usually get your carbs from and your brain is telling you to eat that stuff. When your body becomes familiar with getting it's carbs from friut it will demand fruit for fuel, as my body does.
To the people who worry about sugar, the body's blood sugar goes up because of HIGH-FAT in the diet. I know this sounds strange but it's a fact. The fat in the bloodstream makes it very hard for the insulin in the blood to find and link to the sugar in the blood. Eating a low fat diet prevents this. Again, this is scientifically proven, I did not make this up. High-fat diets cause diabetis, NOT HIGH SUGAR. How many people do you know who got diebetis from eating fruit ??? NONE
I eat about 15 fruits a day, and a large salad for dinner. I have ENDLESS energy and have a blood sugar of 100. This diet provides the required carbs (and the best carbs) for energy, VERY adequate protien and fat, vitamens, minerals, phytochemicals, micro-nutrients, and enzymes to keep my body working at optimum performance. My weight remains constant and I am lean and muscular. I am always happy, NEVER feel tired or sick, have NO urges to put anything negative in my body and feel so good it's insane. This may seem like a limited diet, but if you think about in, a regular diet is the limiting one, because you are depriving your body of what it needs to function at the highest level.
Try this diet for a month - fat will melt off and your body will look like a sculpture, a fine piece of art, and you will feel alert, awake, happy, and part of nature at all times. What other diet can claim that ?



"Try this diet for a month - fat will melt off and your body will look like a sculpture, a fine piece of art, and you will feel alert, awake, happy, and part of nature at all times."
This is after your body goes through the "detox" faze. Eating mostly fruit will start to eliminate the toxins that have been stored in your body (fat, colon, etc.) Before feeling alert, awake, and happy, you're going to be feeling weak, anxious, nauseated, sleepy, cranky, and ill. This detox stage is still a good thing for your body (get approval from doctor first before fasting). It can even improve your overall health and sense of well being. But I don't think it's very accurate to say that you're going to be feeling great from the get-go. I'm all for eating a natural diet but it's not a very easy transition for your mind or your body to make.



LayaLeighton, everything you said is correct. Fruit is extremely cleansing and the body will start elimating old fat, toxins, cancerous cells, ect. That's why I said do it for a month. The first week will be difficult, the second uncomfortable, the third you will see the light and the fourth week is good. After a month is up you will not want to return to your old state of "health". Actually you will learn that all the things we consider normal (bad breath, headaches, indigestion, depression, fatigue, acne, colds, flu's, allergies, constipation, mucus) are not normal at all but our body fighting the toxins we are putting in it.
Laya is also right in saying it is not an easy trasnition for the mind or body. Anything good in life takes sacrifices and dedication. I say the average diet is for the average person and you will experience the same average health problems as anyone else. This is NOT the average diet, it is considered an EXTREME diet, and let me tell you you WILL GET EXTREME RESULTS. Plain and simple. I know, I am talking from experience.
Taking diet advice from Oprah is like taking hair advice from Don King or Telly Savallas.





I like Spiru-tein better than Slim-Fast. You can find it in a health food store and they even sell single serving packets before you get a huge can so you can try different flavors. I swear there is hardly any chalky taste and it really is yummy almost like a real milkshake. mocha is my favorite.

Ryan..I'm curious as to your opion on Simple carbs being the best carbs? for whom are they the best for. The only reason I ask is due to the fact that.
1. Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly. Many simple carbohydrates contain refined sugars and few essential vitamins and minerals. Examples include fruits, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, honey, molasses, maple syrup and sugar. They just dont contain enough of anything to be as great as you stated. I'm by no way disregaurding the fact of the importance in ones diet, but in know way should they be the main food in ones diet. Sure they are going to give you a boost..but so will a can of moutanin dew or a candy bar..both contain simple surgars in which are empty calories.
2. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and are usually packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Examples are vegetables, breads, cereals, legumes and pasta...which should be the main stay of ones diet depending on what they want to due with thier body. I eat a very small amount of fruit, only in the morning or mid day..after that its all complex carbs. I'm 192 pounds at 9% bodyfat..in the summer its more around 185 at 6% so I'm very lean and very muscular



Now that you brought up the subject of "empty calories" let's look at if from a factual perspective, and not your opinions:
Empty Calories Part I of III
K.I.S.S. - How Sweet It Is
by Dr. Douglas N. Graham
From Living Nutrition Magazine vol. 9
http://www.livingnutrition.com
Carbohydrates
Despite the disinformation spewing forth in a continual mass media
marketing blitz, all sugars are not created equally. There are,
essentially, two types of plant sugars: simple and complex. Simple
sugars (also known as simple carbohydrates) are easily
recognizable--they taste sweet. Complex sugars (also known as complex
carbohydrates or starches) are usually very bland to the taste.
Our cells are fueled exclusively by the simple sugars glucose and
fructose. It appears that we come by our "sweet tooth" honestly and
naturally. Fruits, whose sugars are composed primarily of readily
available glucose and fructose, digest more easily than any other food
and have the most universal appeal. In comparison, the complex carbohydrates found in
tubers, legumes, grains, and unripe fruit are almost indigestible unless
they are cooked. Once cooked, complex carbohydrate digestion is an
energy intensive and relatively slow process. If form follows function,
as most scientists artists and philosophers believe, then the physiology
of nutrition dictates the acronym, "K.I.S.S." -- Keep It Simple Sugar.
A more basic approach to clarifying the carbohydrate confusion is
achieved by classing them as either "whole" or "refined". According to
this concept, whole carbohydrates (both simple and complex) are the
healthy choice because their nutrient packages are still intact.
Certainly, compared to the absolutely empty calories (calories without
nutrients) found in refined sugar and starch products, whole
carbohydrates are a healthier alternative. However, as most
phytonutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, coenzymes, vitamins, proteins,
carbohydrates and fats are rendered either useless or harmful during the
heating process, whole carbohydrates are not necessarily our best
choice. Logic dictates that not just simple sugars, but whole raw
simple sugars exactly as they are found in fresh organic ripe fruits are
our healthiest choices when it comes to carbohydrate intake.
Nutritional Bankruptcy
The ongoing processes of cellular metabolism require a complex and ever
changing choreography of thousands of micro and macro nutrients in
conjunction with glucose. When a balance of catabolic processes (the
division of complex structures into simpler ones) and anabolic processes
(the creation of complex structures from simpler ones) is an achieved,
the desirable condition known as homeostasis (literally, "a condition of
staying the same") results. This is the point where growth and decay are
in balance, the proverbial maintenance or "steady state" that most
people wish to experience throughout their adult years.
Any carbohydrate source can be used to supply the glucose required to
fuel cellular metabolism. In fact, even protein or fat can be converted
to glucose for fuel via the body driven process known as gluconeogenesis
(the creation of new sugar). However, when nutrients are not supplied
by food in sufficient quantity to match the amount needed to maintain
homeostasis, bodily reserves must be utilized to make up the
difference. The draining of reserves without the subsequent
introduction of sufficient nutrients eventually results in a nutrient
deficit.
Malnourishment is a condition that occurs when the body is low in one
or more nutrients. We can live relatively symptom-free with this
nutrient deficit for a while, but when it becomes severe enough the
condition referred to by this author as "nutritional bankruptcy" can
make itself known through the development of a wide variety of
symptoms. These include, but are certainly not limited to: heart
disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, visual
dysfunction, various skin conditions and a wide array of other health
concerns.
Not About Taste
A common response people make when they realize that starchy foods are
not as healthful as they have been led to believe is, "But bread tastes
so good!" Sure it does, but so does a mango, peach, grapes, or whatever
fruit we are going to replace starches with. Others say, "You mean I
can't eat pasta anymore?" Well, of course you can, just remember that
you must pay the price, and the price is...your health. If I had to
give up all of my favorite foods and eat foods that tasted horrible to
me simply to gain health I admit I might be a bit challenged. But
everyone loves fruit. It is simply a matter of training yourself to the
idea of eating a lot more living foods, and especially fruit.
If you eat what everyone else eats you can expect the same health
challenges that everyone else has. Be willing to develop constructive
eating habits, such as training your sweet tooth to rely on and
appreciate fruits, and reap the harvest of exuberant health year round.
In Parts II and III of this Empty Calories series, we'll explore
fats and protein.



Fats are probably the most confusing and misunderstood of nutrients.
There are so many types of fats: saturated, unsaturated,
polyunsaturated, hydrogenated, mono and diglycerols, good and bad fats,
oils, omega 3's and 6's, LDL, HDL, VLDL, and certainly many others. In
an effort to simplify our understanding of nutrition, in this article we
are going to look at what happens to a fat when it is heated, and which
fats provide the best nourishment for humans. The application of
nutrition requires an ability to jump back and forth from macrocosm to
microcosm as the nutritionist switches roles between biochemist and
chef. The biochemist is looking at foods from the standpoint of their
chemical makeup, from the tiniest constituents that are found in the
food. "Bananas," the chemist might say, "are a good source of
potassium." This is well and good, but who eats foods according to their
nutrients? With over one million nutrients to be aware of, no person
could possibly eat foods according to their nutrient contents, in an
effort to stay balanced. It would drive any sane person crazy. The chef,
on the other hand says, "Bananas are sweet."
Fats: you gotta have 'em. They taste really good. It seems they are
everywhere, in almost everything we love to eat. Yet everyone is making
an effort to cut back on fat consumption. What is the skinny on fats,
after all? There are fats of various kinds in almost all foods. Certain ones known
as essential fatty acids (EFA's) are critical to life itself. Lettuces,
many fruits, and practically all nuts and seeds contain EFA's. Most
foods contain a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fats. The ratio of
saturated to unsaturated (or polyunsaturated), is known as the S/P
ratio. This ratio is considered to be optimum, according to most
standard nutrition texts, when it is approximately 20/80. Nuts and seeds
generally have an S/P ratio of very close to 20/80. Animal source fats
usually have an S/P ratio of 80/20.
The application of heat results in many changes in fat. Hydrogen
molecules are taken on, with the result being known as "hydrogenation."
Saturated fats are literally saturated with hydrogen. Once saturated,
they are no longer assimilable. Heated fats also lose oxygen. This is
how the process of rancidity begins. Once the oxygen is lost from a fat
it is much more vulnerable to going rancid.
Antioxidants, long known as anticancer agents, are also lost when fats
are heated. When antioxidants are destroyed, so is the anti-cancer
activity which some fats are said to possess. Instead, heated fats are
known to be carcinogenic. In every study that I have ever seen that
considers this factor the conclusion has always been that regardless of
how they are heated, heated fats are cancer causers.
The fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K are also vulnerable to the
ravaging effects of heat. They quickly lose their potency and become
completely ineffective long before they are raised to even low cooking
temperatures.
Fatty Fruit
Fatty fruits such as jakfruit, akee, durian, avocado and olive provide
the healthiest mix of nutrients for human needs. Those with fat content
levels from 13 to 19 percent of total calories such as durian jakfruit
and akee are almost the exact nutritional equivalents of mother's milk.
Raw nuts and seeds also provide acceptable nutrition, but tend to be
much more difficult to digest. Nut and seed consumption often results in
constipation, allergies asthma, sour stomach, and other symptoms of
toxemia. Nuts and seeds also tend to be sources of too much fat simply
because it is so easy to eat too much of them.
So how much fat is enough? Low fat diets are universally recommended by
health experts. Counting calories however is never a fun pastime. A safe
guideline for fat consumption is to keep total fat at about 15 percent
of the total calories consumed, plus or minus five percent. Eating a
diet of predominantly non-fatty fruits and raw vegetables
makes it easy to keep total fat consumption at acceptable levels. Rather
than reaching out for fatty foods whenever the urge strikes, develop the
habit of satisfying your appetite with vegetables and non fatty fruits.
In this way the addition of fatty fruits, seeds and nuts will keep the
total fat consumption at acceptable levels. Eat and enjoy.
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