The Ultra Slim Fast Diet

Ultra Slim Fast is a do-it-yourself meal replacement plan that utilizes liquid shakes, nutrition bars and healthy foods which can be purchased at a regular grocery store. The Slim Fast website offers many features for the dieter, such as registered dietitians to answer questions, shopping lists, meal plans and message boards.

The Slim Fast Plan

The Slim Fast plan, called "3-2-1," includes three healthy snacks per day, two Slim Fast shakes or meal bars to replace two meals, and one balanced meal daily. The balanced meal consists of a plate that is one-half vegetables, one-quarter lean protein and one-quarter whole grain, totaling 500 calories. The plan also advises at least 30 minutes of daily exercise and plenty of water intake.

Products

Several Slim Fast products are available for the diet plan. Ready-to-drink shakes, offered in eight flavors, contain approximately 200 calories per serving; each shake provides about one-third of the recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals. The shake mix powders come in six flavors; you mix them with 8 oz. of skim milk, for a 200 calorie meal replacement. Also available for replacing a meal are meal bars in several flavors. All the products are widely available at retail stores, and online.

Sample Meal Plan

The Slim Fast website offers sample daily meal plans. A typical day's diet includes a Slim Fast shake or meal bar for breakfast, a serving of fruit for a mid-morning snack, a Slim Fast shake or meal bar for lunch and a 100-calorie serving of nuts or another piece of fruit for a mid-afternoon snack. Dinner is a balanced meal such as Asian beef salad, cheeseburger with coleslaw or vegetable lasagna. Recipes for these dinner entrees are provided on the website, along with a weekly shopping list. As third snack in the evening, you can have either a piece of fruit or a Slim Fast snack bar.

Research

Several studies have been published regarding the benefits of the Ultra Slim Fast diet. A study published in December 1994 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" indicates that participants who followed the Ultra Slim Fast program lost greater than 10 percent of their initial body weights. Another study published in 2006 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" indicates that meal replacement is an effective strategy for the short-term management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Additionally, in 1999, the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" reported on a long-term study whereby obese male and female patients used meal replacements for a period of two years. Findings support using meal replacements for successful, long-term weight control.