Do Cereal Diets Work?

Cereal and skim milk makes a healthy, simple meal that satisfies you any time of the day. Cereal diet plans advertise that regularly eating small servings of cereal can help you lose unwanted pounds. A diet plan recommending eating mainly one food can be unhealthy, even if the food is a healthy choice. Before embarking on a cereal diet, ask your doctor for her weight loss and nutrition advice.

Philosophy

The philosophy behind cereal diets revolves around portion control and lowered calorie intake, both of which are dieting strategies recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Cereals that come from 100 percent whole grains such as organic bran cereals or shredded wheat cereals give you substantial amounts of fiber, which may help you from overeating throughout the day. Most cereal manufacturers that outline a dieting strategy advise eating healthy fats, fruits, protein foods and vegetables during the meals you are not having cereal.

Strategies

Cereal diets generally recommend starting your day with one serving of cereal and 1/2 cup of skim milk. While cereal calories vary depending on the type, many cereals contain between 120 and 200 calories per serving, and 1/2 cup of skim milk has about 35 calories. The diets often recommend eating either two snacks of dry cereal, or replacing your traditional lunch with cereal and milk. You should eat a low-calorie dinner with lean proteins, vegetables and fruit to help you meet some of your body's nutritional needs without adding a large amount of calories.

Expert Insight

The efficiency of cereal diets held up under scrutiny in a study published in the December 2002 edition of the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." The study examined whether participants who substituted standard meals with "ready-to-eat cereal" would lose weight. The researchers noted that participants who ate cereal two times a day reduced their total caloric intake by about 600 calories and lost between 3 and 4 lbs. during the six week study period. Participants on the diet who focused on continuing their weight loss plan by learning to eat foods low in calories but high in volume and fiber such as cereal or low-calorie, fibrous vegetables were less hungry and maintained their weight loss.

Considerations

If you use a cereal diet to help you lose weight or jump-start your weight loss efforts, plan on eating a minimum of 1,200 total calories a day if you are a woman and 1,500 calories if you are a man. Most diets recommend eating cereal for two meals a day for up to two weeks. Even while on the diet, eat at least 1 cup of fruit, 1 1/2 to 2 cups of vegetables and 3 oz. to 5 oz. of lean proteins to ensure you meet your nutritional needs. After the two week period, have cereal for lunch or breakfast, and continue eating a variety of low-calorie foods for meals and snacks until you meet your weight loss goals.