Special K Diet Review Lose up to six pounds in two weeks by eating Special K with skim milk and fruit for two meals each day. To follow the Special K Diet, eat one cup of one of the Kellogg's Special K cereals with 2/3 cup of skim milk and fruit for breakfast, and again for either lunch or dinner for a total of two weeks. Snack on fruit or vegetables. Special K has also added snack bars, meal replacement bars, and beverages to their diet plans. Purdue University conducted a study with 28 participants who followed this program and lost up to six pounds over a two-week period. Study participants ate an average of 1,590 calories per day, or 27 percent fewer calories than their usual intake, primarily by cutting their fat intake in half .
Upside of the Special K Diet
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Eating Special K cereal with skim milk is a great way to add calcium to your diet, and studies have shown that adequate calcium intake (from food, not necessarily from supplements) helps people lose weight.
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Eating breakfast regularly also aids weight loss.
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The meal replacements can produce quick weight loss in the first weeks .
Downside of the Special K Diet
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It's easy to become bored with cereal.
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Special K isn't a great source of fiber, nor is it a whole grain. You'll need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout the day, as well as one or two whole-grain choices at your non-cereal meal (such as brown rice pilaf or a slice of whole-grain bread) to meet your fiber needs.
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Replacing two meals a day with cereal may not promote good changes to eating habits.
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Returning to a regular diet may bring back the lost pounds quickly .
This chart can help you see how the Special K Diet fits your goals and lifestyle concerns.
| Duration |
This is a kick-start plan, designed to boost weight loss and help you adopt healthier eating habits, such as eating breakfast every morning and choosing more fruits and vegetables. Kellogg's recommends working with a registered dietitian to develop a healthy, long-term weight loss plan |
| Restaurants |
Yes. Simply use your restaurant meal for your one non-cereal meal per day and eat cereal, fruit and milk for the other two meals. |
| Alcohol | Yes |
| Caffeine | Yes |
| Special Foods | The majority of people who eat breakfast eat cereal, so choosing one of the Special K brands isn't much of a stretch. |
| Family Friendly | Yes; eat your non-cereal meal for dinner with the family, then choose Special K cereal for breakfast and lunch. |
| Vegetarian Friendly | Yes |
Sample Special K Diet Menu
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A day on the Special K Diet might look like this: Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Snacks:
The Special K Diet is similar to many other meal replacement plans, and frankly it's not one of the best. There are no guidelines for a healthy non-cereal meal and no suggestions for increasing activity or exercise. Here's a thought: Combine all the different meal replacement plans (Kellogg's, Kashi Go-Lean, Slim-Fast, etc.) and pick and choose among them for two meals per day. That way you can enjoy a wider variety of replacement options.