The Special K Diet - Does It Work? | Diet Reviews from Answer Fitness®

The Special K Diet - Does It Work? | Diet Reviews

April 19, 2008 on 11:16 am | By Matt | In Diet Reviews |

Can Eating Special K® Cereal Really Help You Lose Weight?

I’ve noticed lately on Yahoo Answers a lot of questions around the Special K diet. Does it work? Can it help me lose body fat or weight? And more importantly, is it sustainable?

So I decided to dig a little deeper on this particular diet, since it seems to be gaining in popularity.

First, it’s important to understand that to be successful at hitting your fat loss and overall fitness goals, you have to stop thinking about “a diet” as something you do before your vacation to the Caribbean. Your “diet” is a combination of your choices in food and your lifestyle, not something you do for a few weeks. In other words, it’s a long term commitment to eating more healthy.

That said, can eating Special K cereal help you lose body fat or weight?

What Is The Special K Diet?

According to Kellogg’s website, the Special K Diet has you eating a serving of Special K cereal for breakfast with 2/3 cup skim milk and some form of fresh fruit, or a Special K waffle with light syrup.

You then replace another meal with a serving of Special K Cereal, or one of their “meal replacement” products, which is typically a Special K Protein Bar. You then eat your third meal (dinner?) as you normally would.

The Special K diet then allows you two snacks during the day, but they need to be Special K products — either Special K cereal or their pre-packaged snacks like Special K Protein Snack Bars, Protein Water and Mixes, Special K Cereal Bars, or Special K Snack Bites. You are also encouraged to eat fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the day.

With this diet plan, they tell you that you can lose up to “1 inch from your waist in two weeks.”

Does the Diet Work?

The Special K Diet may help you lose weight and body fat, but realize that there is nothing “special” or “magical” about the Special K Diet.

The Special K Diet (like many crash or fad-diets) simply works based on the principle of “calorie reduction. ”

By substituting Special K cereal with skim milk for your morning bagel with cream cheese and your Jimmy Johns sandwich for lunch, you’ll naturally decrease you calories for the day and lose fat and weight. But you could accomplish the exact same thing by eating a bowl of oatmeal with fruit or egg whites for breakfast, and a salad with grilled chicken breast for lunch.

For example, let’s say you followed the Special K diet advice to a “T” and had:

1 bowl of Special K cereal with skim milk for breakfast (180 calories)
1 bowl with skim milk for lunch (180 calories)
1 Special K snack bar in the afternoon (100 calories)
A 500 calorie dinner
1 Special K snack bar for an evening snack (100 calories)
Vegetables and fresh fruit in between meals (200-500 calories)

That would put you at around 1500 calories for the day — which is about where an average person would need to end their day to lose 1 lbs of fat a week.

The problem is that this isn’t very much food volume wise, because there is almost no fiber in any of the Special K products, which make up more than 50 percent of your food for the day. And because the Special K products are so highly processed, you’ll likely end up feeling hungry most of the day. Not to mention that the lack of variety will make this diet get very boring, very quickly. This makes it less likely that you’ll stick to the eating plan.

You could easily hit this 1500 calorie goal with more nutritionally-dense, better tasting and healthier foods and never have to touch a Special K product.

So it’s not really about the Special K cereal at all. Instead, it’s about substituting less calorie-dense foods for your meals.

Is the Special K Diet Healthy?

The biggest issue with the Special K Diet is that Special K cereal just isn’t as healthy as the marketers at Kellogg would have you think.

Special K is a highly-processed cereal, which means they have stripped out the fiber from the grain and replaced most of the natural nutrients that you’d get with a whole-grain breakfast cereal like oatmeal with synthetic vitamins.

And because it’s so refined and contains very little fiber, it has a high glycemic load. This means the carbohydrates in Special K are rapidly digested by the body and spike insulin levels, which can leave you hungry and low-on-energy later in the day. Basically, Special K is corn flakes with added vitamins. Nothing more, nothing less.

The diet also recommends consuming Special K brand snack bars, cereal bars and snack bites. Again, all of these products are made from highly-processed grains, have little or no fiber, are relatively high in simple sugars and are loaded with preservatives and ingredients that you can’t pronounce.

The reason they “work” as part of the Special K Diet is that the portions for these snacks are so small, that they can keep the snack under 100 calories in general.

To illustrate the point, let’s compare Special K Original Cereal to Kellogg Corn Flakes and Oatmeal:

Special K Original Cereal
(Serving: 1 cup, 1.1 oz)

Calories: 110
Fat: 0
Cholesterol: 0
Carbohydrates: 22 grams
Protein: 7.0 grams
Sodium: 220 mg
Fiber: 0.5 grams
Sugar: 4.0 grams

Kellogg Corn Flakes
(Serving: 1 cup, 1 oz)

Calories: 100
Fat: 0
Cholesterol: 0
Carbohydrates: 24 grams
Protein: 2.0 grams
Sodium: 200 mg
Fiber: 1 grams
Sugar: 2 grams

Quaker Quick Oats
(Serving 1/2 cup dry, 1.4 oz)

Calories: 150
Fat: 3 grams
Cholesterol: 05 grams
Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Sodium: 0 mg
Fiber: 4 grams
Sugar: 1 grams

So aside from the slightly higher protein content, the Special K cereal has more calories, sodium and sugar and less fiber than the Corn Flakes. Special K is fortified with more vitamins than the corn flakes, but these are generally added vitamins and minerals, and not naturally occurring. If you look at some of the other Special K flavors, you’ll find the sugar and carb content starts to climb even higher.

But the real problem here is the fiber content. Because they are not whole-grain cereals, neither of the cereal products has much fiber to begin with.

A Better Choice: Oatmeal

Now compare these two boxed cereals against that healthy standby, oatmeal.

Yes, the oatmeal has about 40 more calories, and slightly higher fat and carbohydrates, but it has substantially less sugar, comparable protein and much more fiber - especially heart-healthy soluble fiber which has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.

The oatmeal also naturally contains iron, calcium, B-vitamins and trace minerals. The oats are also high in GLA (gamma linolenic acid) an essential fatty acid critical to the body’s production of favorable eicosanoids (PGE1 - prostaglandins). GLA, unlike other Omega 6 fatty acids like linolenic acid, appears to have anti-inflammatory properties, as well.

The oatmeal is also more economical.

A 42 oz (1.19 kg) container of quick oats costs less than $3 dollars, and provides thirty one, 1/2 cup (39kg) servings. A box of Special K cereal will cost you between $3-$5 dollars, and you’ll get around nine, 1 cup servings.

Some quick math will help you see that you get less nutrition and food for your money with the Special K. Assuming a cost of $4 dollars per box of Special K, you would have to buy 3.5 boxes of Special K at a total cost of $13-$15 dollars, to get the same amount of servings as you get from a $3 dollar container of oatmeal. And on top of this, the oatmeal is far more nutritionally dense and complete than the Special K.

Should I Try the Special K Diet?

If calorie and portion control was the only consideration in your diet, the Special K Diet, if followed correctly, would help you lose weight. And if your current diet is filled with junk food and snacks, substituting a bowl of Special K cereal and skim milk for your usual meals is probably better than what you are currently doing.

The diet also makes it “easy” for you to control portions because it takes most of the guess-work out of counting calories and serving size.

However, the diet’s reliance on prepackaged Special K snack products and the highly-refined Special K cereal makes it a less-healthy alternative to eating whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, some healthy fats and lean sources of protein. You could put together a much healthier 1500 calorie diet with the right mix of protein, carbs and fats that had more variety and flavor, provides much better nutrition and would keep you feeling more satisfied and less hungry over the day.

The bottom line is that the Special K Diet and Special K Challenge is an invention of food marketers who understand that people want simple, quick fixes for weight loss.

While there are certainly worse foods you could eat, the Special K Diet is carefully crafted to push Kellogg’s prepackaged cereal and snack products. In other words, it’s a slick marketing campaign wrapped around a message that eating Special K products will help you become more healthy and slim. It tries to create the idea that Special K products are “health foods”, which they clearly are not once you compare them against unprocessed, whole-grain alternatives. I could easily create an “Oatmeal Diet” that substituted two meals a day with oats and fresh fruit, and probably give you the same results as the Special K diet, with better overall nutrition and at less cost.

Like other diets that rely on a limited selection of foods — for example The Grapefruit Diet or the Cabbage Soup Diet — these diets rarely produce lasting results. They work because they limit calories, but often at the expense of overall nutrition. And because they don’t encourage people to develop better overall eating and nutrition habits, the weight you lose is usually temporary.

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Tags: Calorie Counting, Carbohydrates, Cereal, Cereal Diet, Crash Diets, Diet, Diet Reviews, Dieting, Fad Diets, Fat Loss, Kellogg, Nutrition, Oatmeal, Protein, Special K Challenge, Special K Diet, Special K Protein Snack Bars, Weight-Loss

89 Responses to “The Special K Diet - Does It Work? | Diet Reviews”

89
Jae (4 comments) Says:
October 16th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
First of all @ Gabrielle P, you are a child still not even mature, so how can you be over weight you are 5”6 and 134 pounds. What are you thinking? Your pretty tall for a female, and i know for a fact you are slim. What are your intentions? Looking like a sack of bones? I am a 20 year old Spanish female, and i am 4”11 and i weight 135, i am not fat nor am i a bag of bones, i am Curvy, and i love myself. Being a women isn’t about being skinny it’s about being beautiful and Curvy, women by nature are all wonderful creatures, we give birth and we know how to love. Its okay to have hips, butt, and thighs…thats what makes us Sexy. I bet every women on here are beautiful, and i wish all of you luck on your diets. My goal is to lose 8-10 pounds, thats all, i plan on keeping my bouncy butt, curvy hips, and sexy thighs. I am trying the Special K diet today, and i am very excited. Good Luck Ladies Adios Chiquitas
88
Your Questions About: Quick Fat Loss Diets | Customized Fat Loss Plan | Customized Fat Loss Program Review Says:
September 18th, 2011 at 4:00 am
[...] to some dumbells, maybe a little bit heavier than the water bottle.Powered by Yahoo! AnswersMark asks…WEIGHT LOSS HELP!!! I’M DESPERATE!!!! please..?Ok I’m 15, 5′1, 135 lbs. I really want to…content”>WEIGHT LOSS HELP!!! I’M DESPERATE!!!! please..?Ok I’m 15, 5′1, 135 lbs. I really want to [...]
87
That One Person... (1 comments) Says:
September 14th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
I’ve been thinking of starting this diet, But after reading this informational blog, I realized that oatmeal, Or an egg, Would be a much more nutritional and interesting variety. Nice oats are much better than some corn flakes with milk.
86
lala (1 comments) Says:
September 9th, 2011 at 2:12 am
nooooo…not at all! its filled with a bunch of sugar …salt…who knows what…when i was younger i was really gullable…thinking thoose things will work…when they say its healthy you assume its healthy….just eat raw and natural things you find from the earth…is special k healthy ….no!…period =D
85
Daisy Rae (1 comments) Says:
September 5th, 2011 at 8:06 am
Good Morning all,
After reading threviews on many sites I have decided to tryo the Special K diet.
Added along with more exercise (walking and Flirty girl Fitness-Dont judge) I think it will come in handy.
Even if I dont lose a lot of weight like I want, it will be taking me to a healthier step in my life.
So here are the basics, which I cringe to share.
I am 20 yrs old and weight 240 lbs.
I am 5′9 so at least it doesnt show that I weight so much.
I’ve been large all my life and my doctor insists I have big bones. (not that she hasnt recommended dieting and such).
I am just not satisfied with the ‘big bone theory’ and I want to lose weight and sizes.
I wear a size 17 juniors/16 womens and am totally uncomfortable here.
For the past year I have been trying to commit to multiple new diets or exercise routines but alas, I have failed at them.
I’m not in this for the quick fix, I am in it for the long term healthy goal.
My goal weight for my height is 140 lbs.
Obviously I will not be able to lose 100 lbs just with Special K.
Today is Labor Day, September 5th and in my mind, an excellent day to start this diet.
Due to my hectic work schedule, I will have to make adjustments to this. Such as skipping the cereal for breakfast and instead having fruit. On most evening I will also be having cereal for dinner, rather than a healthy ‘real’ meal.
But as we’ve all seen, sometimes concessions need to be made.
Day 1: 1 fist sized green apple -breakfast.
              1 bowl of vanilla Special K -lunch (w/ skim milk)
              1 fruit cup -peaches - snack
              Dinner: Pollo con Queso w/half cup of Spanish rice.
Water will be a big part of this diet. Especially thie first week as a lot of the first weight you lose is water weight.
But, because of my low blood sugar I will be drinking diet soda as well. (Hopefully less than 1 can a day, depends on stress.)

Hopefully this will work.
I plan on doing it for as long as I am comfortable, probably until November 23 when I shall go on a cruise and probably gain everything back
Just kidding, I really do plan to use this as a life guide not a fad diet.

(Is it just me, or has anyone else ever wondered why it’s called a ‘fad diet’ instead of a ‘fat diet’? It’s usually the larger people using them, and complaining when they dont work. Anyways, off topic.)

I also hope that I will be good about posting weekly or biweekly results on here, 1 to incourage myself, and 2 to incourage other people who read posts and reviews to see if they think it will work for them.

Good luck to everyone trying the Special K diet, modified or not!
84
debra smith (1 comments) Says:
September 4th, 2011 at 9:01 am
im starting my special k diet….see u in two weeks
83
Kavita (1 comments) Says:
August 26th, 2011 at 2:24 am
Is it advisable to eat spl k corn flakes in pregnancy?
82
Dave (5 comments) Says:
August 10th, 2011 at 12:36 am
I love special k but as far as the diet goes im not sure. I will keep using whats been working for me but I do eat special k.
http://westbend-wisconsin.olx.com/how-to-get-slim-with-fitness-and-diet-iid-237762058
81
Special kdiet | Kiibouyanrunlun7 Says:
May 28th, 2011 at 9:10 am
[...] The Special K Diet – Does It Work? | Diet Reviews from Answer Fitness®Apr 19, 2008 … Can Eating Special K® Cereal Really Help You Lose Weight? I’ve noticed lately on Yahoo Answers a lot of questions around the Special K Diet. [...]
80
Janessa (1 comments) Says:
May 12th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
I’ve been dieting since December of 10′. I’ve lost about 15 pounds since then. Now its come harder to lose the weight since i’ve lost so much. So i’m started the special k diet tomorrow, i already eating some of the special k foods but im sticking to the diet so i can lose some more pounds and inches. Any suggestions?
79
ashangel (1 comments) Says:
May 10th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Going to start the Challenge this coming Saturday, with my sister. I am ready for change and ready to dedicate myself. 2 weeks from now I will be a slimmer, happier mor confident me! (oh and my siter too:)
78
Chaniquis (1 comments) Says:
May 4th, 2011 at 8:02 am
I started the special k diet becauseI felt aweful at 167 lbs. In two weeks, I have gone down to 144 lbs. For breakfast I have the protein shake, eat a regular meal, have two pieces of fruit as snacks, and end the day with a protein meal bar. Oh, and on Sundays, I eat whatever it is that I want! Like pizza, wings, breadsticks with a lot of SAUCE! I have lost a total of 23 lbs. My goal is to go down to 122 lbs. Oh, and I left all sugary drinks cold turkey. 3 QUARTS of water a day also helps a whole lot.
77
anna (3 comments) Says:
April 26th, 2011 at 11:56 am
hi,
I eat the special k diet since long time, but all of sudden I statyed getting fat I gained 7 kilos . what should I do , how can I loose it.
76
Girl Who Doesnt' want to share her name (1 comments) Says:
April 20th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Hi people,
I started the Special K diet on January 3, and since then i 22 pounds. i try exercise daily and i also do sports. i’ve also eaten oter food for some days so it hasnt been strict but i still see results.
75
annette (1 comments) Says:
April 11th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
i started the speical k dite last week and it does work i’ve lost about four pounds. but now i hear you should only stay on this for the two weeks. i like this diet because it works. i’m going to stay on it for as long as it takes.
74
Scott (5 comments) Says:
April 7th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
I began a modified version of the SK Diet in March of 2010 and lost 70 pounds. I since put 5 back on b/c 70 was too much. I did this in 12 months. The review is correct in replacing or changing habbits. I would normally eat a bagel every morning - I switched that for the SK drink, had snack bar in the morning or pretzels and meal bar for lunch and regular dinner. Weekends I did what I wanted.
73
Kristi (1 comments) Says:
March 10th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
I was very suspicious about doing this diet from reading the article but after hearing almost all good reviews I am going to start it on Monday. I absolutely love eating healthy food–just love the bad too so I dont think eating right is going to be a problem. wish me luck!
72
Daniel Joseph Losada (1 comments) Says:
March 6th, 2011 at 8:49 pm
I would much rather follow your advice and have oatmeal, or even better yet, muesli as a substitute for a greasy or high-carb breakfast.
71
Summer’s Coming, Time to Make a Diet Plan! | Leading a Healthy Lifestyle Says:
March 1st, 2011 at 9:44 pm
[...] review I recently read about the diet goes on to explain why Special K isn’t so healthy for you after [...]
70
liana (1 comments) Says:
February 21st, 2011 at 10:17 am
I just started the diet, with walking on the treadmill for 40 minutes a day and drinking plenty of water…. So I will post my results in 2 weeks!!! Good Luck Ladies
69
sarah (2 comments) Says:
February 15th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Starting my Special K diet today! Super pumped about it! I feel i can totally lose 10 lbs! my 23rd is coming in a month and I want to be the size I was before I had my 2 kids. Wish me Luck! Ill post back in 2 weeks and fill you in!!
68
karen (2 comments) Says:
February 9th, 2011 at 12:51 am
Ok well Ive been on this diet for 1 week and I have lost 5 lbs already!!! I am a busy mom and it works great for me because I am always watching my 6 month old…..that being said I also bust my butt at the gym every day for at least an hour. People that think they can just start some diet and expect to lose weight without working out almost every day ha that makes me laugh!!! It wont happen for you if you dont work out as well!!
67
collegekid (1 comments) Says:
February 4th, 2011 at 7:41 am
I am on day 4 of the challenge and have already lost 6lbs! I am 20 years old and weighed 200 lbs at the start of the diet and I’m already down to 194. I’m proud of what this diet has done for me already.
This diet is great for me because I am an active college student who doesn’t have much time to make a calorie reduced diet and I’m a male with very little creativity. Special K has done a good job at adding an assortment of different options you can entertain yourself with for meals.
I hope to get down to 175 lbs by Aug 1st.
66
viridiana (1 comments) Says:
January 31st, 2011 at 8:51 pm
hi, i started the special k diet..on sunday january 30 2011..ill go on fo two weeks nd then tel u hw it goes..k, bye
65
Rachell (1 comments) Says:
January 14th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
I am starting this, but i find it hard to stick to diets for more than a week. I hope it works for me! But it is so simple and not complicated to follow so im going to try! Wish me luck:)
64
K RANJITHA (1 comments) Says:
January 10th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I have tried kellogs k in the month of october and lost more than 3 kgs.. after that i stopped eating kellogs k for a few weeks and took my normal diet and i found my wieght increasing.. y is it so ?if i again take kellogs k will i loose my weight ?should i be continously taking kellogs k everyday ?suggest me some methods to maintain my weight i am 48 now..and i am 20 yrs old is this age for me to take kellogs k ?suggest me……thank-u
63
Diana (1 comments) Says:
January 9th, 2011 at 7:10 pm
I will start my special k challenge tomorrow….wish me luck!!!! Be back in 2 weeks to post results!!!
62
Jalisa (2 comments) Says:
January 9th, 2011 at 10:21 am
i will respone back on here in two weeks to see if it really works
61
Jalisa (2 comments) Says:
January 9th, 2011 at 10:18 am
well i started the diet today i am 171 and im trying to get back down to the size i were before 3 kds which was 135 im tryin the cinnamon peon ceral with the snack and protin bars i war about he taste bu its great bugt i stay full but i drink grapefruit jucie and water so wish me luck!!!!/!/!/!//!/!!!!
60
Heidi (1 comments) Says:
January 6th, 2011 at 8:30 am
I don’t think this is a diet one can sustain for a long period of time but as a jump start, especially for people who aren’t real sure HOW to diet, this is a good start. It allows fruit if you are still hungry. For someone who needs to lose a small amount of weight, it works. I just started it and need to lose 8-13 lbs. I just have to remember not to go nuts on my eating when I do reach my goals or I’ll put it right back on.
59
Meggs (1 comments) Says:
January 4th, 2011 at 7:46 pm
im starting this diet today along with working on the wii fit plus. i started one week ago at 195 and i am down to 189, so im hoping this helps me drop some extra pounds. my goal is to fit into a size 10 by prom (april 25) im starting out at size 15 so thats 5 sizes to go . wish me luck
58
Jenna (2 comments) Says:
November 17th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I’m going to be starting the special k diet on friday along with one of my friends…im hoping to see results because just recently I found out I gained 15 pounds in only two months with all my unhealthy eating habbits! Hopefully this diet works….I’ll keep you updates…
57
Mary (4 comments) Says:
October 30th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
I started the Special K diet Wednesday (October 27th) and I have already lost six pounds from the diet. I just have two protein meal bars, the two snacks, and a hefty dinner that fills me up.
I want to go from a size 14 to a size 9. And from 210 to 170.
It works so try it out!!
56
Lose a 1lb (1 comments) Says:
October 21st, 2010 at 4:12 pm
So before I was in a relationship and had a baby I too was on the SpecialK diet. Now the thing with this diet is that it does work yet you are depriving yourself from all the nutrients and vitamins that your body need to function. I woke up weak and tired every morning, I did the plan and consumed a lot of fruits and worked out for an hour every night. I lost close to 15lbs but it was all about the cardio and boosting your metabolism because I still cheated when I was on the Special K plan but I just watched my portion. I know now that it is all about self control, dedication, and motivation.
55
chloe (1 comments) Says:
October 13th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
I am starting this diet tomorrow and I’m afraid I will be starving all the time. What fruits and veggies do you reccomend to contradict this?
54
PrincessLight (1 comments) Says:
October 11th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I am starting the Special K diet tomorrow. I recently had a daughter and gained a (you know what) load of weight. All I have been eating lately is sweets (because I have the worst sweet tooth). I am 5′4” and currently 193.5lbs<—- (Wowzers), but fortunately, I have a wonderful figure. I was not this big when I was pregnant so, it is time for me to work. I will be sending you guys an update… In two weeks—>Good Luck for the Starters!
53
Bailey (1 comments) Says:
October 6th, 2010 at 11:21 am
This diet honestly works. I’m only 16 years old. I’m 5′1 & 112 pounds. I don’t beleive that I’m ‘fat’ but I wanted to shape up & I figured this diet along with exersize would help. (: Omgsh it did the trick! It’s very hard for me to lose weight because I’m already pretty tiny, but the Specail Kay diet helped me lose the baby fat in all the right places. Very happy with it. TRY IT! But after 2 weeks, switch to a healthy low caloric diet because living on Specail K isn’t healthy.
52
Teresa (1 comments) Says:
September 28th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Id have to say I came on this site wanting to know what to expect from this diet. I started yesterday because it was monday and i always tell myself on monday its a new week and i should start fresh. so me and my sister went out and bought a weeks of food for this diet and today is my second day and i feel like its already working. I weigh 134 yesterday so im hoping by friday i will have lost weight. Im also running and going to the gym as well though..all post back in two weeks.
51
Naomi (2 comments) Says:
September 25th, 2010 at 9:48 am
I am starting the special K diet on October 1st. I will let everyone know how it works for me.
50
Gabrielle P (1 comments) Says:
August 17th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
OOOHHKKAAAYY! I’m a 17 year old girl whose 5′6 and weights 134, I am NOT satisfied with my weight. Especially since football season is coming up. Listen here.. i dont care about these high processed grains!! will i lose weight??! thats all i care about. So all you diet killers, please, SHUT UP. thank you. i am going to try this diet reguardless of how healthy or unhealthy it is.
49
stina (1 comments) Says:
August 3rd, 2010 at 5:04 pm
well i started the diet a week ago and havent checked my weight yet but im feeling good i did week one with no exersise but im going to start that tomorrow i mean i am hungry some parts of the day but so i dont get bored i will eat some fruit or a slice of turkey in between but im at 155 and want to get back to my 135 so i will see but depending on my results after week 2 i will go to counting calories and maybe switching things up cause i dont want to get bord and quit…
48
Gabby:) (1 comments) Says:
July 30th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
I’m starting my diet tomorrow. Imma go on this diet and do Insanity workout for 60 days just to see how much weight i’ll lose. Im 16 and fluffy( im chubby; Southern girls are raised not to waste food:P). Anways…I hope i’ll have good results like everyone on here. I’ve tried every kind of diet just about and most doesn’t work. Wish me luck. I’ll post how much ive lost later on:)
47
Ashley (2 comments) Says:
July 20th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
I started the diet today morning and I seriously need to loose weight so I’m hoping this works b/c other diets seem lyk a bore and i hate doing them. Along w/ this i have committed my self to a 1/2 hour of elliptical which according to my elliptical is 5 miles. And on top of that I’m doing a 1/2 hour of swimming so i hope it works
46
Caitlin (1 comments) Says:
July 3rd, 2010 at 8:02 am
Okay, this is obviously not someone who has actually “looked into” the special k diet OR eaten any of their foods. Because special k products are specifically designed to make you less hungry because they pack their products with protein. And, all the special k products taste AMAZING so it’s not even like it’s a diet you want to stop. Here’s a tip for people trying the diet: if you keep the peanut butter and chocolate snack bar in the fridge, take it out for a few minutes before eating it the snack tastes just like a peanut butter twix type of treat. So when you’re around friends enjoying candy this is an even tastier and healthier alternative to their sugary snacks.
45
yash (1 comments) Says:
June 9th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
im starting to have special k by today and will see that what diffrence it brings in my weight
44
sick of the weight (1 comments) Says:
May 10th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
I’m on day 2 of the challenge and I feel good about it, but i haven’t exercised yet, and according to most of the other reviews, that seems to be key. So I will try for 3 days this week and then update next week. Here goes another diet idea! Lets see if this one works!
43
natalie (1 comments) Says:
April 30th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
I did the special k diet about 2 years ago as a “kick off” to my diet… i did it for about a month before switching to a regular low calorie diet. After about 3 months of dieting i lost 23 pounds. The special k diet was very convenient, however was not easy because i felt like i was stuck eating nothing but small protions of cereal all day. Luckily they have a variety of more options now. I’ve recently have been trying to diet and excercise again (nfortunitetly i gained the weight back after having my son) but haven’t been very succesful so i plan to start the special k diet again and hope it pulls through for me as it did the first time!!
42
liz (1 comments) Says:
April 21st, 2010 at 11:02 pm
i have lost about 25 pounds since starting the special k diet! i do however exercise regularly and drink NOTHING but water. I’m 5′4″ and my starting weight was 147 pounds and i am now at 122 pounds. It definitely wasn’t easy to stick with it though!!
41
Cori (1 comments) Says:
March 28th, 2010 at 5:48 am
I started the Special K diet last week and lost 2 pounds! I didn’t think it would work. I do cereal for breakfast, fruit for a snack, Shake for lunch, Special K snack bar or fruit crisps and small portion dinner. To be honest if I am still hungry I have a hard boiled egg,a handful of pretzels, few slices of turkey,string cheese,or piece of fruit leather. I like variety and options! Plus they have a new fiber and protein water. And, I exercise 30 min 3 times a week. This article is right in the fact that anyone can make meals with the same amount of caloric intake and lose weight. But, this is SO easy and simple that I think it draws women in. Good Luck!
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Shane (2 comments) Says:
March 10th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
I have been on the diet 3 weeks and have lost 10 pounds. If you eat the fruit as they recommend you will get plenty of fiber.
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Hilary (1 comments) Says:
February 16th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
I have done the special k diet many times. After having my daughter two years ago I was a size 16 and weighed 175 pounds. I first started the plan about a year ago, and I’ve done it on and off ever since. I am now a size 8 and weigh 159. The only thing that I do not like about this product personally is that no matter how many times I do it, I always feel like I’m starving myself…The results show threw but only by sticking to the plan and exercising. Being that everyone is different, I would recommend only doing this for the intended 2 weeks and then switch to an actual diet. I have found that the chances of stopping and starting this plan only lead to up and down pounds. But if you want to kick start a weight loss then I do recommend Special K.
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AlishaW (1 comments) Says:
February 16th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
ive been doing to special k challenge for 2 weeks and i went from 125 to 120 so i dont understand why this article is criticizing special K like yeah sure we can have oatmeal or kellogs but special K leaves you full;healthy;and satisfied like tis 5 months till summer and im ready for this diet to work which it is so TRY IT TRUST ME<3
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starsha (1 comments) Says:
February 10th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Im starting the special K diet today and i hope it works. Ill post back in two weeks and let everyone know if it worked for me:)
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Amanda (1 comments) Says:
February 6th, 2010 at 1:25 am
Im starting my special k challenge i usually eat once a day and thats not enought im adding this to my diet i will be back in 2 weeks to give you all the results
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Annie (1 comments) Says:
February 4th, 2010 at 6:09 am
In 3 weeks i have went down one pant size, i also workout about 1-2 hours a day also though. The only thing I would suggest is to buy like benefiber or the fiber one bars that are 90 calories and eat those instead of special k bars. It gives you more fiber and doesnt make you as hungry.
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Anne (1 comments) Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:13 pm
I took yoga for a year and gained 15 lbs., now 144 lbs. total at 5′3″. At the same time I quit smoking and I used to be 118, down from 146 lb. due to stress and cigaretes, but that’s another story. When I have an addiction, something always takes it’s place. In my case, it was fast food. So I switched to healthy veggy rich protein diet and worked with a trainer for 6 months. Nothing happen, but I did gain muscle, although I was already muscular and limber, as well as chubby. I want my waist back. I have problems dieting because I start to get the shakes from low blood sugar if I cut back. With a bowl of special k for breakfast and lunch, I don’t shake. My appitite is completely curbed, no diner. I am no longer fixated on food, as if I were addicted to taco’s an pizza, not to mention all the healthy stuff in large portions. I will continue five days a week as well as work out. Weekends will be my time to experiment on a healthy diet. So far, this is very helpful.
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thvalmor (1 comments) Says:
January 31st, 2010 at 5:29 am
I have been drinking the special k water and it seems to be taken my appetite away.
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sally (3 comments) Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
i think every body type is different! so i dont think people should really put reviews up!!! SOME BODIES RESPOND VERY WELL TO DIET AND EXERCISE and some do not its human nature
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Cherie (1 comments) Says:
January 27th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
My husband and myself are on day 3 of the Special K diet. I really like it so far! I am not hungry because I snack on fruit and vegetables when Im hungry. I believe after 2 weeks I will have trained my body to eat smaller servings, drink more water, and eat more fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. I will also do as the article said above and have hot oatmeal and fruit for breakfast after the diet is over. I will check back in here and let you know how much weight I have lost.
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MAJORY (1 comments) Says:
January 21st, 2010 at 10:57 am
I started the special k diet, and lost 12 pounds in three weeks, it definately works for me. I do drink alot of water and excersice daily.
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Princess (1 comments) Says:
January 21st, 2010 at 9:14 am
I’ve been on the Specail K diet for 2 weeks now and i’m proud to say that i’ve lost a total of 11 pounds!!! I feel great, my clothes fit better, i’m not hungry all the time, i’m finally eating on a decent schedule, and the products taste delicious…all in all I couldn’t be more pleased with this diet, and I haven’t been to the gym once since starting it…lots of water and 30 mins of power walking a couple days a week…how easy is that!!!
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cara (1 comments) Says:
January 17th, 2010 at 12:03 am
i am about 136 and im 19 and im wanting some weight off my legs and tummy i have love handles and a lil gut im thinking about doing to special k diet i hate crunches but do 100 a night and take a mutiviatim in the mornings will the special k diet help me get some weight off my tummy thats my main target right now. help.
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elysia (1 comments) Says:
January 13th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
I was always a yoyo weight person one year im chubby the nxt im thin. I got into the cereal about the same week as Thanksgiving week. IIt curved my appetite for that holiday meal and by the end of the week I lost 14 pounds which seems GREAT but odd. I weight myself after I had a few drinks and meals, I checked teh scale i was 7pounds lighter. then 2 days after when I woke up in the morning before eatting anything, i weight myself again and total it up to 14 lbs gone! I eat the exact amount the box tell you too and I was happy with the result. I was a size 11 in jeans and these size 9 shorts couldnt fit me but now they fit perfectly! I lost track though and now im trying to get back on the Special K again. Good luck to others wanting to try this
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Karen (2 comments) Says:
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Matt,

Thank you for writing this extremely informative article. I read a lot about dieting and nutrition and I learned more from your article than I have from a lot of books. I hope you write for some major publications, a lot of people need the kind of very clear explanation you gave in your article.

Thank you so much!
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Mariah (1 comments) Says:
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I just decided today, that I’m going to take the special K diet. Im 15 years old, and i weight about 200 ibs. I’m going to eat the cereal twice a day (breakfast & dinner) & for dinner a little meal the size of my fist, for 3 months. I’m also going to walk around a lot and hang out with friends to get weight off my mind. Im just wondering, Could i still drop sizes if i eat my special K cereal with 2% milk?
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Meggan (1 comments) Says:
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:25 pm
I’ve been trying it for about 2 days, and its working already:)
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shay (1 comments) Says:
December 28th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
well my mom just bought the special k cereal for use to try today i hope that it works for me……
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holly (1 comments) Says:
December 10th, 2009 at 7:48 am
I cant remember what one i got but it tastes like honey i got this so i wouldnt add sugar and i eat a cup full with low-fat milk. i think if you have alot of sugar your going to store water and probaly wont lose that much. im starting it today in the morning and for dinner then soup or a high protien meal for lunch.

(i lost about a stone in a week just by cutting out fatty foods but most importantly i used to drink about a litre of water before bed)

its better to do a quick work out every other day, then every day.
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Patrick Sia @ Healthy Weight Loss Sharing (2 comments) Says:
December 5th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Thanks for your sharing.. I have been on the Special K diet for a week but it does not seems helpful.
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Brandy Nussbaum (1 comments) Says:
November 24th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I’ve been on the special k diet for a mouth and it certainly works for me. im never hungry and its all delious. but hight in sugar and salt):
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Jennifer (2 comments) Says:
October 19th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I dont think it works very well.. I was inb the diet for over 3 years and havent gained or lost anything.. i wouldnt recommend it to anyone.
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Chelsea (1 comments) Says:
October 17th, 2009 at 11:27 am
I started eating special K a month ago and ate it just for breakfast, but the past two weeks I have been doing the actual challenge and sometimes eating it for all of my meals. I think it really curves my appetite and I enjoy the products. I will continue this “diet” because I feel reallyl good and I’m never bloated. I started out at 130 lbs and hope to get back down to my regular 120.
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Vanessa (2 comments) Says:
October 7th, 2009 at 11:18 am
I have been on the special k diet for a week and have lost two pounds. I have fruit with each bowl of cereal mainly because the portions are so small..and then have a dinner that I would usually eat but cut down the size to about the size of my fist. I think the diet works well but mainly because I’m eating less throughout the day along with working out.
16
Rebekah (1 comments) Says:
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Today is my 3rd day on the Special K diet and Ive lost about 2 pounds. Hoping to lose that pant size by the last day but we’ll see. Try it, whats there to lose?
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MEME (2 comments) Says:
September 27th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I’m going to start the special K diet on Monday. I am a sugar lover, and if i can eat something that can satisfy that craving while I work out 4 days a week well….. Special K here I come
14
Lanise (1 comments) Says:
September 21st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I’ve been on the Special K for about 6 wks and have lost weight. I do not have 2 bowls like they say, just one and then I eat low-fat with high fiber, so that way its not boring. I have been losing inches (went from a 16 to 14). That’s a start, but you also have to do some form of exercise, in which I walk.
13
chelsie (1 comments) Says:
September 18th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
My mom bought about ten boxes of that cereal so we could go on the diet ! It was really cheap ! Im going to try the special k diet because really i have nothing to lose. Im chubby and id like to not have to guess and count calories everytime i go to eat something. Thats why this diet is pretty handy! Me and my mom are both going to try it for a month and see what happens. Also we will be working out about 20 minutes a day on the tredmill. I hope i lose weight and looking at others peoples expierences with this diet i am sure it will!
12
brianna (1 comments) Says:
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I don’t know why this article says that none of the special K products have fiber. I just ate a protein bar and it has 5 grams of fiber. I am not doing the special K diet, because losing weight all comes down to burning more calories then you take in. But the bars taste good when I want something quick to eat.
11
Julie (4 comments) Says:
August 14th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I have sticking to the Special K challenge for almost one week now. I was 179 Ibs and I am now down to 174 Ibs. It seems to be working for me. I actually am less hungry eating less then I was when eating alot of the wrong foods. I am sticking with it and hopefully will loose my pregnancy weight. Wish me luck!
10
Victoria (3 comments) Says:
August 13th, 2009 at 9:04 am
I tried the Special K diet and was very disappointed. Not only did I not loose the 6 pounds that they say you will, but I was constantly starving and actually ended up GAINING 4 lbs, and I followed it just as they say. Not for me, thanks.
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April (1 comments) Says:
June 29th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I have been on the Special K diet for a week now and lost 1 1/2 lbs. I dont find it all that hard, I just look forward to coming home and eating my dinner, lol. I feel better during the day cause I’m eating better, and the fruit intake is pretty good considering I usually never ate fruit or cereal. So if you think about it, I’m now getting fruit and milk that my body needs.
8
Daniel Craig (3 comments) Says:
June 4th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Hi there, I was looking around for a while searching for On Average How Long Does It Take To Lose 40 Pounds and I happened upon this site and your post regarding cial K Diet - Does It Work? | Diet Reviews from Answer Fitness®, I will definitely this to my On Average How Long Does It Take To Lose 40 Pounds bookmarks!
7
Shahidah McDaniel (1 comments) Says:
May 17th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Hi I am trying the Special K diet , I started this Sunday so wish me luck.
6
Nicole (2 comments) Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Uhm,
I did the Special K diet And it really works I was at 145 & now 135 and have kept it off and if you change the things you eat with all the wonderful things special k gives its really not that bad(:
5
ShellMedia (2 comments) Says:
March 27th, 2009 at 8:44 am
My roommate is trying this, mainly bc I think it was on sale at Acme this week.. 2 boxes for $4… cant beat that, cereal is expensive
4
How Can I Lose Weight In A Day Or Two? | Ask The Fitness Nerd | Special K Diet Says:
February 9th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
[...] The Special K Diet - Does It Work? | Diet Reviews (3) [...]
3
Burn Calories Fast (4 comments) Says:
October 6th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I really agree with the oatmeal recommendation, whenever I get in to a full workout mode I go with old fashioned oatmeal (the real kind not the packets) and egg whites. Its not the greatest tasting but I feel loaded with energy all morning.
2
sally (3 comments) Says:
May 18th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
i heard that special k really works and I tried it just drinking the water and loseing ten pounds.
1
healthranker.com Says:
April 20th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
The Special K Diet - Does It Work? | Diet and Nutrition from Answer Fitness®…

Can Eating Special K® Cereal Really Help You Lose Weight?
I’ve noticed lately on Yahoo Answers a lot of questions around the Special K diet. Does it work? Can it help me lose body fat or weight? And more importantly, is it sustainable?

So I decide…