The Special K Diet - What You Didn't Know

We've all seen the Special K Diet commercials; Kellogg's promises you'll lose six pounds in two weeks. The nutrition plan includes 4 bowls of cereal, advising you to eat your "normal dinner." The cereal alone provides 24g of protein, 92g of carbohydrates, and a measly 2g of fat. This is a terrible diet and complete nonsense.

To start off, you need about 1g of protein per pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you need around 160g of protein to maintain and build muscle mass. Also, the special k diet is designed to help you lose weight; why does it include carbohydrates? When trying to shed extra weight, you should try to stay away from all carbohydrates; only have them on "re-carb" days. Finally, there is virtually no fat. That is definitely unhealthy if you try this diet for any extended period.

The cereal only provides your body with 480 calories among the four prescribed servings. Your "normal dinner" better include a whole cow. To lose weight, aim for a 200-300 calorie deficit. Anything more is too extreme- your body becomes catabolic and burns your muscle, not fat. Any cookie-cutter diet will never work- it isn't tailored to your body. It is impossible to design one diet for thousands or millions of people. The special k diet isn't exempt here.

A diet needs to be centered around what works best for you as an individual. The types of food you enjoy will also play a determining factor in what's best for you; if you don't like what you're eating, you probably won't stick with it. When aiming to lose weight, chicken is an awesome protein source because of how lean it is- there's very little calories. Fish is also a good choice, as the omega-3's are great for heart health and keeping your joints flexible and strong.

Don't get me wrong, you will lose weight with the special k diet. However, it is not designed for individuals who want to make a permanent, positive change in their lives. Developing a diet that can meet the needs of an included workout schedule will magnify your results exponentially. And the best part is that it's sustainable! Once you start seeing results with your new, healthy lifestyle, you won't want to go back to a fad diet like the special k diet. Just make sure to keep changing things up in not only the gym, but the kitchen as well.

It's time for results. No more buying into fads and infomercials- build your diet based around science. Using the best workout programs for men and a special k diet alternative will give you the results you deserve.