People may automatically think of the cereal diet as substituting two meals a day with Special K® cereal. Called the Special K Challenge, creators of the diet boast that people who have a bowl of the cereal for breakfast and one other meal may lose up to six pounds (2.72 kg) or about a jean size in two weeks’ time. Various studies on this type of diet have been performed, and some people do lose a small amount of weight, mainly because they reduce their calorie intake by substituting lower calorie cereal for higher calorie foods. Not everyone loses weight, and some studies suggest average weight loss may be about a pound to four pounds (.45-1.81 kg) in a two-week period.
Emboldened by the relative success of a cereal diet like the Special K Challenge, other cereal makers have suggested using cereal as a means of losing pounds. Some companies like Kashi®: offer high fiber low calorie cereals, and others simply recommend eating any type of cereal. Those who create these diets may recommend eating a bowl of cereal as a snack during the day or at nighttime before bed when cravings hit. Companies have also started manufacturing accessory foods to the diet like cereal bars or nutritional replacement drinks to use as snacks while you’re on a cereal diet.
There is something to be said for dropping a little weight via a cereal diet of these types, but they do require adherence to the diet. You also have to pay attention to things like portion size, since many standard bowls in kitchens are much bigger than a single serving size. Dieters who appear to have success on a cereal diet also change the way they eat other meals and reduce portion size while increasing health value of these meals. Mostly, these diets may be effective if overall calorie intake is reduced, and ineffective when it isn’t.
There are some critics of the cereal diet, especially when cereals that are mass-produced are used. Cereal like Special K does have some nutritional value but also contains high fructose corn syrup. In the end, the extra calories from added sugars might be better consumed by adding fruit to a cereal that wasn’t pre-sweetened. Some recommend using or making your own healthy cereals inside of buying prepackaged ones.
People attempting to “detoxify” themselves after eating too much junk food may try another form of cereal diet. They may choose to eat only cereals and possibly milk for a few weeks. This diet is likely to bore most people, and may not provide adequate nutrition. It isn’t recommended for long-term use because of its nutritional deficits.
