Special K Diet: Special or Hoax?
Can you Lose Six Pounds in Two Weeks? Do Cereal Diets Work?
The quicker and easier it is to lose weight the better. Kellogg's cereal claims that if you substitute two meals per day with cereal, you can lose weight. But is it true?
The United States of America is viewed as one of the fattest nations in the world. Besides that claim, we might be the most impatient bunch too. That is why we always look for the quickest way to complete any task. That may include dieting. Working out takes too long and to actually watch what you eat is not fun considering all of the temptations lingering in front of you.
With so many diet fads out on the market, which one can you believe or take seriously? Kellogg's Special K has come up with a claim that if you substitute two meals a day with their cereal, bars, water, and water mixes within a two week period, you can lose up to six pounds. Sounds too good to be true.
But is it true? Can substituting meals with cereal help you lose weight?
The Diet
Stated on the Special K cereal box is the challenge and on the Special K website. For Meal 1, it is suggested to start your day with Special K cereal or one Kellogg's Eggo Special K Waffle with 1oz. light syrup. Whatever option you choose make sure you have two -thirds cup of skim milk and eat some fruit. For Meal 2, replace this meal with the Special K Protein Meal Bar or Special K cereal with two-thirds cup of skim milk and fruit. For Meal 3, eat as you normally would. For a snack, you can enjoy two snacks throughout the day. You can choose from cereal bars, snack bites, protein snack bars, and protein waters.
With regular exercise and if you stick to this simple plan, you can lose weight. The weight loss may vary as it is stated on the box, but the average waist circumference reduction was 1.3 inches.
The Study
A study was done through a major university. The study consisted of four groups with diet records and measured body composition. The results to this study prove that you can lose weight by replacing two meals. The average weight loss was 4.4lbs in the two week period. It does work but regular exercise is recommended. It is also recommended that you eat fruits and vegetables and drink your beverages as you normally would do throughout the day.
The Products
The Special K website gives you all of the products that they feature. You may design your own personal challenge by answering a questioniare. After that you may browse through the many different products they have and look at the nutrition labels and ingridents. If you are having trouble staying on your challenge, you may join a group. Special K is not just a cereal anymore!
If you are up to the challenge, take it. Just as a reminder, do not starve yourself in any way. Eat when you are hungry and be sure to hydrate yourself. Just eating these cereals will not make you look like a super model but it will give you the confidence you need to make you feel a little better about yourself.
