Slim Fast is the most common diet shake. The Slim Fast Plan calls for a shake at breakfast and lunch, and then a sensible dinner. You are also allowed two additional pieces of fruit and a Slim Fast nutrition bar as needed during the day. The sensible dinner may be used for any meal, as long as the two other meals are the diet shakes. Any diet that is lower in calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight should promote weight loss. The Slim Fast plan averages about 1,200 calories a day, which will cause weight loss for most people, as it is at least 500 calories less than average female diet and 1,000 less than the average male.

According to nutritional experts, there are healthful aspects to the Slim Fast meal plan, however, there are also several pitfalls. The good news is that the Slim Fast plan includes exercise and promotes drinking 6-8 cups of water daily, which are both important features in any weight loss plan. The Slim Fast regimen is easy to follow. However, when you are following a calorie- restricted diet, it is very difficult to get all of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are necessary for good health, so it is important to concentrate on consuming wholesome and nutritious foods during your sensible meal. Slim Fast shakes contain only added vitamins and minerals.

My personal diet, which I lost 75 pounds and have kept off for over ten years, included Slim Fast shakes as a central component. But be aware, the main problem with diet shakes is that many people follow them too aggressively with drastic decreases in caloric intake which often leads to an eventual crash. I drank a shake for breakfast and lunch, along with a piece of fruit and energy bar, and for dinner I prepared moderate servings of my normal dinners. The most important thing to do when losing weight this aggressively is to add significant exercise to your daily routine and plan on continuing it forever. My plan included hiking, running, and cycling. With my focus on long-term sustainable forms of exercise, I was prepared for a potential crash when I went off Slim Fast. If I ate too much, I simply paid for it with increased exercise the next day.

The biggest problem for most people is that the Slim Fast plan is entirely self-directed, with no outside structure or support. Our highest reviewed diet, eDiets, now offers a Slim Fast plan that includes access to all of their impressive resources. The combination is as good as it gets among popular diets.