The Special K Diet

Proof has arrived that nearly anything can be turned into a diet. The Special K diet is all the proof we need. Kellogg's Special K is now promoted as a weight loss program! Woo Hoo! Breakfast for lunch! Kellogg's says that you can lose an inch from your waist in two weeks. Here are the details.

The Special K diet isn't a code name for some new designer drug. It is actually Kellogg's cereal, called Special K. By eating Special K cereal and associated products for breakfast and lunch, you can lose weight.

So, here's the plan. You eat a bowl of Special K for breakfast, along with skim milk and a bit of fruit.  Call that 250 calories. For lunch you can have a Special K snack bar and an apple, or another bowl of cereal. Another 250 calories. Add in a mid-afternoon snack of (you're reading ahead, aren't you?) a Special K snack bar and you go into dinner time with only 600 calories eaten all day.

Dinner is your chance to really shake things up! You don't have to eat anything made out of Special K. You should chose foods that are low in fat, high in fiber and well balanced nutritionally. Say, 600 calories or so. That means that you've made it through your day at 1,200 calories. This is right in line with the government's recommended minimum calorie intake, so it's pretty safe.

Will you lose weight? If you follow this plan you will probably lose 1-2 pounds a week, again in line with the government's guidelines. Since the Special K cereal and snack bars are pretty low in fiber, you are going to be hungry a lot. Really, you're going to be hungry.  

For those glycemic index fans out there, you should know that the Special K cereal and snack bars digest very quickly, so you will get a burst of glucose. This triggers a spike in insulin secretion and will leave you feeling pretty empty and listless a few hours later.

Why is the Special K diet so popular? It certainly is easy to understand and follow. Just search out that pretty letter K and you're all set at the supermarket. You don't need to count calories at breakfast and lunch, since the Special K products are all low-cal and it is REALLY hard to eat too much. Plus, eating anything for breakfast (rather than skipping) is a good thing. It kick-starts your metabolism and gets your body burning calories right away.

On the other hand, eating Special K two or three times a day, every day, can get old pretty fast. This is not a life-long diet plan. You are depending on dinner to provide pretty much all of your nutrition, so pay very close attention to serving up a balanced meal.

If you need to drop a few pounds before that beach vacation, the Special K diet may be perfect for you. The plan is simple and can actually work, without hurting your body. If you are looking for a long-term lifestyle change, there are better alternatives.