Information on Slim Fast
Founded in 1977, the Slim-Fast company offers a weight-loss plan centered around eating its branded products. It started out with meal-replacement shakes (with a suggestion of two shakes a day plus one sensible meal), but has since expanded its offerings with snack bars, meal-replacement bars, pasta, soups and even ice cream.
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Products
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Slim-Fast has several product lines: Original, Low Carb, High Protein, Easy-to-Digest (free of lactose and gluten) and Optima (with less sugar and more protein and fat to help control hunger). The shakes can be purchased pre-made or as a powder that you mix at home with skim milk. Flavors include Cappuccino Delight, Milk Chocolate, French Vanilla, Rich Chocolate Royale and Strawberries N' Cream.
The Plan
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The daily Slim-Fast plan includes: two shakes or meal-on-the-go bars, a piece of fruit, one sensible meal and two or three snacks, which can be Slim-Fast products, fruit or vegetables. Other foods are acceptable also, as long as they contain no more than 150 calories. The plan contains 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day.
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Considerations
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The Slim-Fast diet plan is high in fiber. Switching to this plan may cause gas and other digestive discomfort. For people who usually do not get much fiber in the diet, the company recommends starting by replacing only one meal a day with a shake instead of two. Drinking eight glasses of water daily will also help.
Commitment
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The Slim-Fast plan only works well for people who enjoy the taste of its products. The company uses taste studies to ensure its products are flavorful so that people enjoy what they are eating while dieting. It also helps people maintain weight loss once it is achieved through support and information offered on the official Slim-Fast website.
Warning
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Slim-Fast powdered products contain the sweetener aspartame. The Food and Drug Administration has ruled it safe to use, although some people are concerned with health problems associated with aspartame. The FDA does recommend that people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare hereditary disease, limit their intake of aspartame because it contains small amounts of phenylalanine, which can make their condition worse.
Health Concerns
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The Slim-Fast site states that its plan fits into the American Diabetes Associations guidelines of 45 grams of carbohydrates per meal for people with type 2 diabetes. The site also claims that since the plan is high in fiber, low in fat, and doesn't contain large amounts of sodium, it is safe for those with high blood pressure. Plus, any weight loss achieved by using the Slim Fast plan will benefit people with both these conditions.
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