Slim Fast

Slim-Fast is a weight loss program that substitutes cooked meals with shakes and bars. The program is over 25 years old, and is currently a brand owned by Unilever.

Background

Slim Fast has been a popular choice for weight loss. However in recent years, Unilever has struggled with declining sales - at first blaming the popularity of Atkins. The original Slim-Fast shakes were criticized for being too high in sugar. This was rectified by replacing sugar with the artificial sweetener Splenda. The new range of Slim-Fast products are called Optima.

Slim Fast Products

The Slim Fast offerings comprise the following:

Optima - Shakes (Ready-to-Drink), Bars, Smoothies, and Powders
Original - Shakes (Ready-to-Drink), Bars, Smoothies, and Powders
High Protein - Shakes and Meal Bars

A typical shake (Optima Cappuccino Delight) contains the following:

5g Fat
24g Carbohydrate
10g Protein
180 Calories
24 Vitamins and Minerals

Diet Plan

The diet involves replacing two main meals with Slim-Fast products. Each day will also include one "Sensible Meal", and fruit/vegetable snacks. A sensible meal is based around a lean protein (such as skinless chicken breast, or fish), carbohydrate (potato, rice, or whole wheat bread), and a large serving of vegetables.

Complete and customizable meal plans for Slim-Fast are available at eDiets.

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast
Optima Cappuccino Shake &
1 slice frozen French toast with 1 Tbsp light syrup Snack
1 cup grapes Lunch
Slim·Fast Optima French Vanilla Shake &
1/2 roast beef sandwich
(2 oz. Roast beef, 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 tbsp horseradish, lettuce, tomato) Afternoon Snack
1 apple Dinner
Chicken Veggies Grill:

4 oz. Grilled chicken breast (no skin),
1 small baked potato with 2 Tbsp fat-free sour cream,
1 cup steamed broccoli with 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1 cup melon

Snack
One slice low fat pound cake OR Peanut Butter crunch Snack bar.

Is Slim Fast Successful?