The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says more than two-thirds of the American population is overweight or obese. Obesity and overweight conditions have been linked to heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. The importance of losing weight is undeniable, but with so many options on the market, it can be difficult to know which ones work. One method to lose weight is using meal replacements, and there is scientific evidence that this method can help with weight loss.
Hunger and Self Control
One significant challenge to losing weight is the feeling of being deprived or even hungry. If a dieter feels desperately hungry, it is possible to make poor food choices and reach for a sugary, fatty or salty snack. According to a study at the University of Pennsylvania, the feeling of hunger strongly affects the brain, which changes the self-control mechanism of eating. When you feel hungry, your brain will tell you to eat. Rather than starving yourself, the CDC recommends losing weight more slowly, which allows you to change your food habits gradually. You will feel more satisfied and will not feel deprived. Deprivation is addressed by meal replacement dieting, and in the Slim Fast diet, calorie-controlled snacks are included in the plan.
Meal Replacement Plans
The UCLA Department of Medicine studied the effectiveness of meal replacements, and it established guidelines for meal replacement shakes as being a shake providing approximately 170 calories and 15 grams of protein. Participants drink shakes for breakfast and for lunch, then eat a restricted-calorie dinner. The study described meal replacement weight control methods as "safe and effective" for obese patients and that they were acceptable for use by patients with diabetes. The study concluded that this dieting method was "efficient and convenient" for initial weight loss management.
Slim Fast Plan
Meal replacement drinks come in many brands, and the concept of replacing two meals with shakes and eating a low-calorie dinner is similar in many of them. Slim Fast, sold by Unilever, is the most recognized name, and one Slim Fast shake provides approximately 190 calories and 10 grams of protein. According to Slim Fast, a meal replacement bar provides 200 calories and 8 grams of protein. Slim Fast promotes the idea of enjoying three snacks, two meal replacement shakes or bars and one sensible dinner. It appears that participants who stay on this diet would lose weight.
Science of Meal Replacements
The Journal of Nutrition published a study in which Slim Fast meal replacement dieters were compared with "structured" weight reduction dieters who followed specific meal plans. After six months, the study found that both dieting groups' blood beta-carotene and folate had increased, and the meal replacement dieters had higher calcium intake levels while the structured dieters had higher fiber intake. Homocysteine levels, which are used to measure heart disease risk, decreased in both groups. The study concluded that meal replacement dieting is just as effective as conventional structured dieting and that the participants appreciated the convenience and found it easier to comply with the meal-replacement method than the structured diet.
Sensible Dinner
One significant but less easily structured portion of the meal replacement diet, like Slim Fast, is the consumption of a sensible dinner. Understanding of a sensible dinner varies, so the CDC recommends following the Dietary Guidelines of Americans, which advises creating a menu full of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat, low-fat dairy and whole grains. It should also be low in saturated fats, trans fats and sodium, which can increase your risk for heart disease and blood pressure problems when uncontrolled. It also reminds dieters that eating healthfully does not mean avoiding comfort foods for the rest of their lives, but it does mean eating smaller servings of them. Slim Fast provides recipes for dinners that provide approximately 500 calories. The CDC does not recommend a specific calorie limit.
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