Slim-Fast turns low carb with Whoopi

Slim-Fast has brought on Whoopi Goldberg to plug their new low carb line of food and shakes. Slim-Fast lost 20 percent of sales last year because of the low carb diet trend. For those of you who don't know Slim-Fast's nutritional information, it is loaded with sugar and carbohydrates -- 40 grams of carbs and 35 grams of sugar. My mother-in-law used to drink them before I got her on Atkins. She has lost over 20 lbs. and her blood work is moving in the right direction. Her doctor is thrilled.

According to the New York Times, on January 10th Slim-Fast reps will be at Wal-marts and Sam's Clubs to give out product samples.

When I was taking some courses for my master's degree last year, I created a business plan that took on Weight Watchers since I said that they would never switch to low carb because they were too afraid of losing the endorsement of most nutritionists. With Slim-Fast's switch, it is a good thing I didn't try to launch the company. I predict by the end of this year Weight Watchers will have a low carb alternative as well. The people in this country are a pack and not a herd -- people gravitate towards things that work because we still allow free choice in the marketplace. And since we have a capitalist system, companies have to thrive on change, no matter how much it hurts.

Comments

[Anne]

Hmmmm . . . this should be interesting. I've noticed that many of the mainstream products that go "low carb" have a tendency to lower the carbs when measured against their current product, but still retain enough carbs to make working them into a true low carb regime difficult.

I am still very distrustful of most of the low-carb products on the market. Dr. Atkins was extremely proud that all you needed to be successful with the Atkins Approach was his book, The New Diet Revolution, and a bottle of vitamins. Since his death, the Atkins Center has produced masses of "crutches" that do little to change eating habits. I can't decide if this is good or not . . .

[Alicia]

I admit, I use the crutches and I am not liking it. I am not learning how to eat better, I am learning to drink a shake or eat a low-carb candybar when I get hungry. I don't intend to keep this up, but for now it gets me by better than my former eating habits did. I don't think the crutches are necessarily a good thing, but I am glad they are there for now.

It does seem to me that to put out cookie mixes and such that have few carbs in them emphasizes that low-carb dieters are missing something. Like cookies. I think the goal should be to eat well without feeling like you are sacrificing things that are normally bad for you. At least the faked up mixes usually taste pretty bad.

[Katherine]

Anne,

You are right. Many people on low carb forums say that eating "crutch" food slows or stops their weight loss. I find myself using them a lot for my kids. If their friends have a cookie, then they can have a low carb cookie once in a while.

Alicia,

Thanks for the comment. I think I'll take your comment and turn it into a post.

Katherine

[Judy Weinman]

Do you have free sample of slim fast?