I was wondering if diet shakes such as Slim-Fast and other diet products
actually work? I'm trying to lose weight and I need help in planning a
healthy diet?. Has anyone ever used them. Did they work for you?

Well i dont know about slim fast and all those, but I do know that diet pills and all those things may help you lose weight faster (and dangerously, thanks to the rapid heart beating you'll get), but they are not healthy and once you stop taking the pills you'll gain back the weight you lost and probably more. The best thing you can do as far as dieting, I personally buy things like Lean Cuisine (helps you keep track of calories) and vegetables and fruits, skip the candy aisle except for certain monthly occasions, and i jog about 3 1/2 to 4 miles a day 3-5 days a week.

Quit the fast food and soda, they are terrible for you. Only eat those once in a long time. Cut down restaurants to once or twice a week. I been losing weight this way and by these changes you can make, you will lose the weight and keep it off better than if you take those diet pills.

They only work if you eat healthy, less, and add an exercise routine.

Almost all OTC diet pills don't work now that you can't find ephedra in them. The principle makeup of all the "supplements" that did have an effect was a ratio of three chemicals - aspirin, ephedrine, & caffeine (the ECA 'stack'). Unfortunately due to misuse and abuse (as well as less than reputable claims & practices from some of the supplement makers) it is unlikely you will find any ephedra based product in a drugstore. Stay away from OTC dietary supplements for weight loss - without ephedra they are almost universally worthless.

The FDA did approve a lower-dose version of orilsat (Rx brand Xenical) as an OTC weight loss aid - you've probably heard of it - it's called Alli and works by reducing the amount of fat your body absorbs from meals. It definitely DOES work especially if you eat properly, but the side effects can be unpleasant - the term 'anal leakage' is, I believe, officially used to describe one of the most common side effects.

There are prescription-grade weight loss aides that do work & have been used for years, but they can be easily abused for their "pep-up" effects & will (obviously) require a prescription. None of them is a magic bullet, unfortunately.

As for Slim-Fast, the idea behind it is that by using the shakes you won't be hungry enough to eat a big fattening meal. If that works for you, then you probably will lose more weight then eating normally. If you find yourself eating things anyway, it's most likely useless.

Yeah, with slim fast it's just a waste of money. Like i said, i dont know how good it is about losing weight, then again, if it IS good, why isn't everybody skinny? Also, I would rather eat a healthy choice dinner or lean cuisine with one hundred something calories, then drink a useless shake that's the same or more amount of calories, only to be craving actual food afterwards. There are fun, not hungry diets and crappy ones.....The good ones are the ones that people keep track of what they eat and eat healthy foods combined with exercise (and feel great afterwards), and the crappy ones are the ones where all you do is drink shakes all day long.

I was wondering if diet shakes such as Slim-Fast and other diet products
actually work? I'm trying to lose weight and I need help in planning a
healthy diet?. Has anyone ever used them. Did they work for you?

I like Slim-Fast and would mix it 1part to 2 parts skim milk. I also froze it--it makes great popsicles. Another plus is it has a lot of vitamins.

But the dieting approach that worked best for me was a Weight Watchers kind of approach. I emphasized protein, fruits and vegetables & high fiber grains. Almost zero fat. Only baked and boiled veggies. No fried. And not cakes or pies. Only ice cream-like products I had were fat free frozen yogurt and Tasty Delight in measured portions. This worked well for me--I lost 30 lbs this way--although it took 4 1/2 months.

One reason I liked this diet is because I really like fruits and vegetables. ALL are good for you. Complex carbohydrates have a good affect on the metabolism unlike sugar, candy, pastries etc.
The only fruits and veggies I stay away from while dieting are avocados, olives, coconut cherries & raisins (all high in calories.) But when you get down to your right weight--=they are wonderful for you.

I personally dislike the Dr. Atkin's diet because I like complex carbs (fruits & veggies). But some people like Dr. A's diet and if the food list it totes appeals to you try it.

What I really like about Weight Watcher is that it teaches you to eat intelligently and make informed choices.

But before you begin any diet see your doctor. This is especially important if you have any food allergies or diseases. Esp. renal disease, heart issues or diabetes.

Only in the short term. Hollywood is right - the only way for good, long term weight loss is change of lifestyle - portions, reducing fat and the most important - EXERCISE!
Especially the younger you are - it doesn't take much exercise to kick start your metabolism.
I'd rather buy Dr. Phil's weight loss book than waste money on diet shakes, pills and fad diets.

Good luck!

I agree - I don't put stock in those products. Like the old saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Slim-fast and other similar products are intended to be *meal replacements* - that is, taken in place of a regular meal. If you use them as such - drinking a slim-fast instead of eating lunch, for example - and if you exercise - you probably *will* lose weight.