Slimfast is the brand name of a line of diet products. Best known for its ready-to-drink shakes, Slimfast also sells snack bars. The products are meant to be eaten in place of your regular meals. The idea behind the plan is that by eating these items instead of regular meals, you have more control over the calories you consume and weight loss should be simpler. However, since not everybody likes the flavor or the nutrition provided by Slimfast, other options are available.
Bars
A number of snack bars are available in the market. There are basically three types of bars available: protein, meal replacement and energy bars. Each type contains a different combination of nutrients and can help with a specific goal. According to AskMen.com, Solid Protein by Nature's Best is a good choice for those on a low-carb diet, as it contains few carbs but 30 g of protein from whey protein, soy protein isolate and milk protein isolate, and very little sugar. Energy bars, on the other hand, might contain higher amounts of sugar and come in a variety of flavors. Health.com recommends the Nectar bar from Clif and the LaraBar, which provide 2 and 1.5 servings of fruit, respectively. Slimfast doesn't provide any fruit servings. Meal replacement bars tend to be a bit higher in calories, as they're meant to replace a whole meal. AskMen.com recommends Nutribar by Stella Pharmaceutical, with 250 calories and 8 g of fat. If you're watching calories, Myoplex Lite by EAS is a meal replacement bar with only 190 calories and 4 g of fat.
Shakes
Diet shakes also come in a variety of types. For those who want to cut down on sugar, Atkins Nutritionals offers Advantage, a line of shakes in six different flavors. The milk chocolate flavor, for example, contains 160 calories and only 1 g of sugar. In comparison, a Slimfast shake contains 180 to 190 calories and 18 g of sugar, according to Drugstore.com. Other diet shakes available include GNC Total Lean, Ensure and Nature's Way. Before you choose one, make sure you read the nutrition label so you can choose the brand that best meets your requirements, whether it's low calorie, low carb or low fat.
Powders
While Slimfast is popular for its ready-to-drink canned shake that is easy to carry with you, you can also find powdered shakes. One of the major advantages of powder shakes is that they're usually cheaper. Also, many are made especially for those who exercise, so they have a more controlled ratio of carbs and proteins. According to Bodybuilding.com, the best meal replacement powders are those that contain a combination of whey, milk and egg proteins for a total of at least 40 g of protein. Some powders are low in calories. The BodyWell Nutrition Tight Curves Protein powder contains only 90 calories and Weider Quick2Sip Whey Protein powder has only 80 calories per packet, according to Bodybuilding.com. You can also choose a powder that is higher in calories if you're trying to build muscle mass. The Prolab Lean Mass Complex, for example, contains 390 calories per packet.
Member Comments