Special K Diet: Cereal for Weight Loss?
Over the last few months there has been a lot of cereal promotion going on. Kelloggs' Special K brand have been promoting their very own Special K Diet Challenge (for a number of years now). Not to be outdone, Kraft have "lose 10 pounds" emblazoned on virtually the entire line of "Post" brand cereals (called Eat 2 Lose 10)
Both cereal "diets" are bold and upfront with their claims: "Lose up to 6 pounds in 2 weeks!" shouts Special K. Is this for real? Is it valid?
The Special K Diet
- Eat a serving of Kellogg's® Special K®, Special K® Red Berries, Special K® Vanilla Almond, Special K® Fruit & Yogurt or Special K® Low Carb Lifestyle Protein Plus cereal with 2/3 cup skim milk and fruit for two meals a day.
- Eat your third meal as you normally do.
- For snacks, choose from fresh fruits and vegetables or a Special K® Bar.
- Consume beverages as you normally do.
Special K claim that the diet is "based on valid research conducted at leading universities". In typical hard-sell fashion, they fail to provide the reference or provide a link to the "valid research". After some digging, I found the aforementioned study.
Yes - People Lost Weight
It made interesting reading, and effectively backed up some of the claims from Special K. According to my reading, the mean weight loss was less than 2 kg (4.4 pounds) in the 2 week period.A basic low fat diet
So what's the magic? There is no magic. The women in the study ate less than they normally did. According to the study, the women in the Special K group were eating about 2200 kcals per day. When they started substituting the cereal meals they dropped daily intake by about 640 kcals per day. Furthermore, a lot of those calories were from fat (~39 grams or 351 kcals).Good or What?
Personally I think incorporating some cereals into your diet can be good - but there are some caveats here: Satiety - From experience, I've noticed that wolfing down a bowl of cereal doesn't always curb the hunger pangs. However having a bit more protein in the mix does keep the pangs at bay. Nutrition - The simple truth is - Special K is better than what most people eat, but it still contains such gems as High Fructose Corn Syrup. Serving for serving, it has less potassium and fiber than oats, and more sugar. Compare here and here.The Claim
"Lose 6 Pounds in 2 Weeks"The Interpretation
"If you currently have a poor diet, but substitute it with our cereal - you may lose 4.4 pounds over the first two weeks. You will be probably feel very hungry while restricting your calories, and will may find eating cereal for dinner or lunch to be untenable after a while. Boredom could well set in. History shows that a low-fat, higher-carb diet can work, but in the long run it may backfire".That said - you could do a lot worse than eating cereal, skim milk, and fruit - it's a lot healthier than the average American meal...
Read More
- Special K Cereal: True Health Revealed (Diet Blog)
- Muesli Fusion All-Natural Raw Cereal: Put to the Test (Diet Blog)
- Meet Greg, 155 Pounds Down! (DailySpark)
- Brad Pitt Gives His Kids Coke for Breakfast! (Diets in Review)
578 Comments
Created / Updated: November 9, 2011
Well, duh...if you replace a cheeseburger and fries with a bowl of cereal, you'll lose weight. Personally, I'd get really really sick of breakfast cereal if I had to eat it all the time. Plus, I think the serving size of cereal is kind of small (that's why I don't do breakfast cereal...I'd eat WAY too much of it for a "serving"). But hey, some people need that kind of structure.
Replyi feel you girl because i love to eat and this seems hard but im tried of being fat to be honest
ReplyAnd how much do you weigh???
Replyi weigh 132 pounds and i want to loose 20 pounds in 2 weeks. how do i do it?
ReplyMelissa; you cant loose 20 pounds in 2 weeks. thats so unhealty. im on a diet right now. i wanna loose 35 pounds in 3 months. now THATS healthy. just dont put too much on you at once. take it step by step and it will happen.
Replygood luck!
I agree with you Monica. thats wiegh too little time to lose 20 pounds. Just like Monica said take it step by step and you'll get there!
good luck to both of you=]
Replyhaha yea thats funny as heck!!!! but im trying the challenge write now!!!! bye bye amanda womble
ReplyWell you could always do some meth...
Replyyou are crazy lol
Replythat actually really works. haha.
ReplyHi my name is Page Powell.
I've been on Weight Watcher's for 8 years and I learned a lot. I learned to not to think about food all the time.
If you have a specail goal weight, going for it and take it slow ever baby step at a time.
I normally start my day with a fried egg every morning, to get my protein in, and so I can be on the move. On lunch time I normally eat a pb,j sandwich.
If you want lose 20 lbs., break it down to less and so work your way up to goal weight. Good Luck!.
ReplyHello how are you I was wonder if you can tell me what kind of diet you are on and does it really help I was on this diet where I ate six meals a day and that is to much for me I hardly get two meals in sometime
ReplyThere is a way to eat on a restricted calorie diet, without pills and injections, that will facilitate weight loss. It actually guarantees you lose between 3 and 7 pounds a week.
ReplyIt is NOT easy, you have to make some sacrifices, but it works so quickly, the results speak for themselves. Check out Ideal Protein if you have the willpower to cut out carbs, dairy, and fats for a little while. They get gradually reintroduced over the 4 step program.
I didn't have much weight to lose, but I was 5'9 and 163lbs, and cut down to 145lbs in 6 weeks. It was doctor regulated (one of my girlfriends just got her physicians diploma), all fat loss, not just dropping water weight. The program focuses a lot on protein, your skin stays tight and cellulite is reduced, if not eliminated.
Like I said, it's not a miracle diet, you HAVE to have a tremendous amount of willpower to stick to each part of the program, but it is so worth it in the end.
Jessica, what is this diet you are referring to? I would love to lose about 20 pounds.
Replyhi jessica i will like more info about the 4 step program. what do i need to do to get ready for that big change. i have the willpower to do anything. im ready for something new.
Replygood idea thanks
ReplyHello Page i was on weight watchers of 3 months and lost 15 pounds thought i was doing good so i quit to try and do it on my own well bad idea not only did i gain the 15 pounds back i picked up 10 more now cant get it off everything i do fails.
ReplyWhat can i do should i try the special k i need motivation do this really work.
join the marine corp, its the miracle diet, youll lose 10 pounds a week guaranteed, side effects may include shooting people and or getting shot at
Replyman im tryin to lose weight but it's hard..and im only 17
Reply17 is not too young to lose weight.
ReplyI was 12 when I decided to eat healthier and lose some weight. Now I'm 14 and I had lost about 20 pounds.
melissa, u can loose weight quickly!! google the sacred heart diet....it's a detox diet that cleanses the impurities out of your body. i lost 16 lbs in 4 days....i stopped after the 4 days because you aren't supposed to loose more than 17 lbs in 7 days. it works....it does make u tired and jittery but after u end it and continue to eat healthy you feel SOOOO much better!
Replyyou dont. im a nursing student and that will back fire on you majorly.
ReplyHey Guys...I recently saw a commercial for the Special K challange. I'm 16 and my mom and I are thinking about starting it. Right now, I'm right around 130 pounds, but not very tall, so I look a little packed in. =]
ReplyI work out 2 times a week, and am looking for a way to shead a couple pounds, and look healthier.
Do you think the Special K challange will help me?
"Consume beverages as you normally do." ... i don't know about this guideline, what of those who normally subsist on sugary sodas, gourmet coffees or full-milk based beverages?
ReplyI read over the study. I didn't see any claims that these diets kept the weight off. Bet they didn't.
A temporary change in what you eat leads to a temporary change in what you weigh.
Since when is Temporary Weight Loss the goal?
ReplyI agree with you Sandrine. This diet is good for getting weight off, but then it just creeps back on. The best way to get weight off and keep it off is to start eating better, make a permenant lifestyle change, instead of a temporary one.
ReplyIt's another quick fix fad diet that doesn't lead to longer term lifestyle changes. I love cereal but would personally be sick of it after about 2-3 days!
These cereals so also contain some ingedients that aren't so good so it's not really a healthier option!!!
ReplyI had Special K with Red Berries for brunch today and it did a good job of keeping me full until dinner. Of course I ate 3 servings of it in my bowl, but hey, I'm not a child so 1 serving wouldn't have been nearly enough.
I think I'll eat it again tomorrow because the taste is delicious!
Replydid the special k diet really work for u cuz i have been lookin for a diet plan but i just dont kno wht i should do with out paying a lot of money.So please let me know =]]
ReplyIt worked for me. I lost about 7 or 8 pounds in a week and a half... then I ran out of cereal and went off of it... but I haven't gained it back, so from personal experience, it worked for me, but everyone is different.
ReplyI've been on this diet for a week and a half and it seems to be working. I've lost 3 lbs so far. But I do feel hungry =( On the bright side I'm eating healthier.
Replywhen u went on the special k diet did u exercise too or did u just eat cereal
ReplyI have been on the Special K diet for 3 weeks now, cheating only one day(for my childs birthday), and it is in fact working, FOR ME. On top of the "replace two meals"-you actually get to snack on fruits and veggies, along with Special K Bars(the chocolate drizzle taste like rice crispie treats with chocolate on top) between meals. However, I am not a big soda drinker. I drink mostly water with an occasional splurge of a soda. Special K has definately gotten less boring with their variety of cereals, but you can actually have a whole quater cup more as a serving size with the plain ol' regular version. My ordinary diet day consists of 1 bowl at breakfast and lunch of Special K followed by a banana or an apple, spinach leaves(eaten like chips from a bag) with tomato salsa, and then dinner they say as you would normally do-and that doesn't mean run out and get the big mac with fries. Let me tell you though, I have been low carbin it since I stopped nursing my daughter 7 months ago, and it doesn't compare to the results that the Special K diet has given me. All in all, I truly believe that eating low fat is where its at. But damn, you gotta live a little, too. Don't beat yourself up over anything. It's just not worth it.
ReplyHello!
ReplyYou said you loist 7-8lbs in a week and a half, right. I want to loose 20lbs. I heard about this diet on the T.V and i was very interested. So what exactly do you do, as far as your diet? Do you exercise on the side?
Chel did you exercise at all with your weight loss
Replyi went on this diet over the summer and over a tweo month period lost 20 pounds this weight has stayed off this diet works!
ReplyDid you also excercise? I wanted to do the Special K diet with excercise and hopefully lose a pants size (or 2 ;)) over the summer.
ReplyCogratz liz! 2 questions: What did your exercise routine consist of? And 2, when did you replace ur meals with the cereal? Breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
ReplyI KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. I EAT WAY MORE THAN THE RECOMMENDED SERVING BUT IT KEEPS ME FULL THROUGH OUT THE DAY. I'M LOVING THIS CEREAL DIET BECAUSE IT TASTE GOOD AND I LOST 4LBS SO FAR.
ReplyBut there's sugar in the special K, so where's the benefit ? I go with regular old fashioned oatmeal, filling, no sugar added (sweeten as you like, you're in control), and with soy-milk which is good for us ladies.
ReplyIt doesn't matter what kind of cereals are you eating, I don't thing that this one's are special(in sense of losing weight).
They aren't natural!
If we want to lose weight, but more important to be healthy, then eat natural cereals without any other ingredients.
Try oatmeal - even is fashionated are still the best.
ReplyI lost 50 lbs by substituting a whole wheat cereal for 2-3 evening meals a week over 8 months. Cereal fills me up and keeps hunger pangs away. I also like the taste and actually prefer it at times over other meal options. It works!
ReplyYou forgot to mention the two punds of brown sugar you add to each bowl...
ReplyThere is no such thing as permanent weightloss. If you continue to excersise and eat less fatty foods, than u will keep the weight off. If you change ur diet and exercise habbits, you will gain weight back. It's as simple as that.
ReplyThis is so stupid- every time I see one of these cereal weight loss ads or commercials it makes me irritated.
ReplyOF COURSE you're going to lose weight. It has little to do with the cereal- you're eating fewer calories. Once you go back to eating normally, you'll go back to what you used to weigh.
Personally, I think I'd be starving if all I ate for breakfast and lunch was one cup of cereal.
Ummm...yes, you would lose weight eating cereal for two meals a day because it's low in fat unlike some other options for two meals a day. But, this cereal is pretty high in sugar, especially the fruit and yogurt cereal kelloggs has out now. 12 grams in 3/4 of a cup? In my opinion, the weight will go a lot faster if eat regular cornflakes with fresh raspberries (the cereal only has 2 grams of sugar in a cup & 1/4!). Good luck to you all!
ReplyYeah, I've tried the cereal diet-but not with special K, because that cereal never keeps me full and I end up getting shaky later in the day. Oatmeal is best, but it does get a little hard to smell what everybody else is eating at lunchtime. I thought I lost 5 pounds, but which was about 2 days ago--now I weigh all of 5 pounds back, explain that! I'm going crazy--I work out all the time-my knee may have sufferred because of it and I really don't pig out--but I did have that bite of dessert and 1 cookie yesterday---help!
Replymaybe youre on or about to get your period? happens to me. it sucks but hey what can you do?
ReplySince you've been working out you're gaining more muscle which weighs more than fat. Don't go by pounds, go by inches and check up on how you're body is toning up. :)
ReplyYes, I agree with Maggie. It's not about how much you weigh. I've stopped checking my weight. I'm more concerned with how toned and lean my body is, and how much fat I got off. And here's another idea for losing weight. I'm trying it, and I feel great. Its really simple, and it's something your body does naturally: Metabolism. Just work on your metabolism, get it higher, and then your body will burn fat even when you sleep! Google it, and it will tell you everything you need to know about how to get your metabolism high, because with a high metabolism, you burn more calories even when you just wanna be lazy.And, if you have a high metabolism, you burn more fat than if you just did diet and excersize alone. I know I'm probably blabbering on, but it's a very good, healthy, and PERMANENT way to lose weight. =]
ReplyI went on the Special K diet for 4 weeks..I started out at. 114lbs..and I ended at 98.
THe end.
and then slowly i gained it all back..so 2 months later I was 110 again..and now I stand at 130...but I'm 2inches taller than I was then..and I'm a lot more muscular..what I've seen from it is..it takes away your muscule.
crap..i just bought the stuff today...because i'm considering going back on it..
and then having salad for supper.
anyway i have to write a paper.
adios,
ReplyI wanted to know you said you were 2 inches taller now?
ReplyShe is obviously still growing.
Also, a good thing she gained it back, cause 98lb is underweight for almost every height a person can be.
Replymaybe if you're part of the fat acceptance movement.
Reply98 pounds is actually a reccommended weight for my height [4'11"]. I'm fourteen and now like..117, and my doctor said I'm getting overweight so I'll probably do this diet, and then continue with my usual exercise.
ReplyWeighing 114 you definitely do not need to be on a diet in the first place. You should just want to tone up if you weigh that little.
ReplyStop trying to convince people that fat is beautiful.
ReplyGabby, are you forreal? 98 pounds?? how tall are you? if you are still growing then you definitely should NOT be going on these diets.
ReplyYou are better off eating kashi's organic cereals and taking a multivitamin.
For one thing, that special K cereal has all kinds of artificial ingredients and it does have high fructose corn syrup in it. If you want to have cereal with fruit, choose an organic based cereal without the fortifications in it, take a multivitamin, and also take fish oil.
Listen, one person had said this: "I have been on the Special K diet, and allready, I am developing cravings for the cereal. It turns out a common pitfall of this diet: Carb addiction. Quite simply. this two-bowl diet turned into 5 bowls a day, with excessive amounts of milk! Yikes! Also, my blood sugar was horrible, and I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and my blood sugar was fine when I started! And I say, _____ them, and I am going back to my favorite bison sandwich and coconuts, even some brownies. Suprisenly, my diabetes was cured! Oh, how they lie all the time. They say it's saturated fat that caused diabetes, well, it's CARBs that causes diabetes.
Beef cattle stinks. Buffalo and bison rules!"
It's no wander that the MyPyramid is another a fad lie to the american public. And they don't cover people who are 80 or over.
ReplyWhat is wrong with high fructose corn syrup. It's actually very comparable to cane sugar (your plain old sugar). There is no evidence that is has caused any health problems for anyone...ever. As with regular sugar, it is perfectly fine in MODERATION. It's just an advertisement ploy when companies say "NO HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP!!!" They just want you to buy their product. They know that the average consumer will say "Oh man, no high fructose corn syrup?? Awesome!" when in reality you don't even know what it is. They tricked you. Sorry band-wagon jumpers, it's the truth. Y'all are very easily fooled. Pretty much any food is ok (if not important/healthy!!)in moderation including: fats, carbs, sugars, etc. Your body needs a whole mix of things.
ReplyI'm doing the post diet. I have changed my diet completely. More fruits and veggies rather than low fat snackcakes and cookies (I always go overboard on these, probably why I gained in the first place). For the most part, the whole grain cereals keep me full. And then I'm allowed a reasonably sized dinner. This is only my third day, but it seems to be working well because I have no desire to cheat.
To me this is not a 'fad' or a quick way to lose weight. Changing the way you are eating now by eating whole grains, fruits, veggies, and lean meats is how everyone should go about losing weight. And I'm finding myself enjoying fruits and veggies a lot more now than I did before.
Reply