The Special K Diet

Many of you may have heard about this new diet and all the other cereal diets. If you are a diet searcher you're probably wondering: Does this diet work? Do people who have tried it, stick to it? What exactly is the Special K diet?


The special K diet suggests that all dieters eat a serving of Kellogg's Special K cereals or protein plus cereals with about 2/3 cup of preferably skim milk or fruit added for two meals a day. The third meal should consist of a meal that you would normally eat. When snacking, eat fresh fruits and vegetables or a special K bar.

While researching on this diet, I found many critiques, mostly bad.

"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 ." (yourtotalhealth.com)

The plus side to this diet is that it promotes drinking skim milk. Calcium is a great aid for weight loss but only in food, not supplements. The diet also helps dieters lose weight early on but not so much later, so if you're looking for a Spring Break diet, this could be your ideal one.

The bad side. The Special K diet does not promote exercise and if those on the diet do choose to exercise they won't have enough protein or carbs to go through their routine without possibly fainting. Many dieters choose not to stick with this diet because who wants to eat cereal all day, every day? That's right, no one. Even if you try to attempt it , within a week or two you'll be sick of cereal. Also, this diet, if done right, only allows you to eat a certain number of calories a day which yes helps you loose weight. Although the weightloss is always in the first two weeks and people usually level off or stay at a constant rate after that time span. Like a side before, the Special K diet lacks some of the essential nutrients for a well-balanced diet. This diet does not cure hunger pangs and contains high fructose corn syrup.

I could see this diet working if it completely switched from eating an abundant amount of Special K to eating cereals with whole grains, oats, and some that contain potassium; which Special K doesn't. Also, you could switch the third meal to have an intake of meat and carbs. If you're eating cereal for two meals you should be allowed to get the protein that you need from other foods, right? This is just my opinion not fact just one of my theories.