# All Cereal Diet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463 "2005-06-01T23:22:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newcomb\_being](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@newcomb\_being](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomb_being)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/1 "2005-06-01T23:22:47Z")
I can’t seem to stick to a diet, and I hate having to think constantly about what I can and cannot have. SO… I’m planning on going on an all cereal diet. The all cereal diet will consist of three bowls of cereal a day. The cereal bowl is a pretty small, one-serving bowl. I don’t have a picture, but it’s about as big as my hand. This appears to be perfect for me since I love cereal so much. I’m going to stray from the sugary cereals of my youth and stick to cheerios and honey bunches of oats. I may pick up some others for variety, but they’ll be of the same type. The most sugary cereal I can imagine getting would be frosted flakes. Anyway, are there going to be any serious side effects to this? My energy may get zapped quite a bit… and I imagine I’ll cheat a little bit by having either a glass of orange juice or a latte from time to time. Are there any health risks I need to consider? The only thing I can think of that’ll make me quit the diet (or only have 2 bowls of cereal a day and an actual meal) is if I get major diarrhea from lack of solid food. My reason for going on this diet is pure vanity, and has nothing to do with being healthy. I want to drop the fat and get thinner. I suppose I should do some exercising, but seeing as though I’m a lazy guy trying the laziest diet I can possibly think of, I make no promises. Cheers, Art ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/2 "2005-06-01T23:39:07Z")
> [@newcomb being](#): > > I hate having to think constantly about what I can and cannot have. This is me, too. [Slim-Fast](http://www.slimfast.com) seems to be working fairly well for me. It has the additional advantage that I don’t worry too much about nutrition. It’s also something I can bring into work and not have to remember to pack a lunch, or have to think of something healthy I can get from the cafeteria. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/3 "2005-06-01T23:40:43Z")
What about protein? What about fruits and vegetables? I’m not a doctor, nurse, or nutritionist, but it seems to me that you need a better balance in your diet than just cereal and milk. Will you at least be taking a vitamin supplement? ---
**Author:** ![newcomb\_being](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@newcomb\_being](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomb_being)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/4 "2005-06-01T23:50:31Z")
> [@Alias](#): > > What about protein? What about fruits and vegetables? I’m not a doctor, nurse, or nutritionist, but it seems to me that you need a better balance in your diet than just cereal and milk. Will you at least be taking a vitamin supplement? I hadn’t thought of that… but it sounds like a good idea. I actually do have a bottle of vitamin supplements that I could take every morning. Consider it done. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/5 "2005-06-01T23:51:25Z")
That would also put you under 1000 calories a day, which is a very bad way to lose weight. Starving bodies start trying to cling to every ounce eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/6 "2005-06-01T23:58:09Z")
I’d strongly suggest that you add protein to this crazy diet. Well, I guess I suggest that you not do it in the first place. But please, if you hate yourself and your body that much, at least throw in the protein. And the fruits and vegetables. A vitamin supplement is meaningless in this context: most cereals have enough vitamins sprayed on to cover the basics. But fruits and vegetables are a must to add to the protein. Or just skip it and eat properly. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/7 "2005-06-02T00:12:21Z")
What makes you think this diet will be any easier to follow than others? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/8 "2005-06-02T01:38:30Z")
I don’t know about you, but I have NEVER been satiated by just one regular bowl of cereal (granted, I’m a big girl…). MAYBE a huge mixing bowl full of cereal would do it for me… I say you’ll be starving by 10 AM and be up to a box of cereal a day in no time. That’s a hell of alot of empty calories. One cannot live on carbs and cow juice alone. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/9 "2005-06-02T01:40:12Z")
> [@newcomb being](#): > > The all cereal diet will consist of three bowls of cereal a day. You will starve to death. [One serving of Honey Bunches of Oats:](http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s01ce.html) > [@](#): > > **The Good** > This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamin A, and a very good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12 and Iron. > > **The Bad** > A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars. [One cup of lowfat 1% milk](http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s0022.html): > [@](#): > > **The Good** > This food is a good source of Protein, Vitamin B12 and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin D, Riboflavin, Calcium and Phosphorus. > > **The Bad** > A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars. Three servings of each per day is equivalent to 660 calories and 30.9 grams of protein (only 60% of your minimum daily requirement). You can’t stick to this diet any more than you could to any of the others. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/10 "2005-06-02T13:53:55Z")
> [@newcomb being](#): > > I can’t seem to stick to a diet, and I hate having to think constantly about what I can and cannot have. SO… I’m planning on going on an all cereal diet. . . . I want to drop the fat and get thinner. Problem: “can’t seem to stick to a diet.” Your solution: come up with a diet that’s impossible to stick to. Problem: “hate having to think constantly about what I can and cannot have” Your solution: make your food choices so limited that you’ll be constantly obsessing about what you can and cannot have. Problem: “I want to drop the fat and get thinner.” Your solution: eat nothing but carbohydrates, including refined carbs, which will make you hungry for more carbs and cause you to binge and gain weight. A better solution would be to eat a balanced diet with lots of variety and minimal refined carbs, especially sugar. And you need to exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/11 "2005-06-02T16:22:27Z")
How 'bout a bowl of cereal in the morning (go for whole grains - shredded wheat, grape nuts, etc.), a chef’s salad at lunch (LOTS of veggies, lean meat, some cheese), and more cereal in the evening? That’d give you a bit of variety, and it’s much more healthy than just cereal. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@TheBoneyKingofNowhere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoneyKingofNowhere)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/12 "2005-06-02T16:32:10Z")
You skipping out on fat as well, which _is_ necessary for health – maybe an apple w/ peanut butter at 10:00am or some nuts in mid-afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/13 "2005-06-02T17:12:19Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > That would also put you under 1000 calories a day, which is a very bad way to lose weight. Starving bodies start trying to cling to every ounce eventually. Is there any studies that show that if you actually manage to lose weight on under 1000 calories a day AND keep it off, that it is somehow detrimental to your health? From all I’ve read sub-1200 calorie a day diets just make losing weight and keeping it off an uphill battle(i.e. more flip-flopping, potentially slower weight loss), but those are under your control. I mean calories in - calories out = weightloss regardless. It’s just that if your calories in is too low your body will conserve to the point where your calories out(expended through metabolism and activity) will be reduced slightly. As far as an all-cereal diet, if you’re anything like me, prepare to be severely depressed for a few months. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/14 "2005-06-02T17:40:44Z")
Ya know, I’m all for getting trim, but eating less than 700 calories a day is… well, moronic is the only word that seems to fit. Particularly for a guy. Not only will you feel like crap, but you won’t look lean and fit - you’ll look gross and scrawny because you’ll have no muscle mass, whatsoever. Do your vanity a favor - at least eat a normal dinner - maybe some fish, steamed veg and a salad. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![newcomb\_being](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/97f17d/32.png) [@newcomb\_being](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomb_being)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/15 "2005-06-03T04:57:34Z")
Alright, so it’s a bad idea. How about this: Breakfast small bowl of cereal Lunch salad w/meat (deli meat probably) & veggies (tomatoes, onions, etc.) or can of soup or sandwich Dinner fish (copper river salmon 🙂 ) or cereal or salad or sandwich As far as calories go… it seems like i’d be about the same, considering i make a moderate sandwich and salad. And there’s a lot of copper river salmon in the freezer, so… Would this be better? Or, is there still a problem with there not being enough calories? I’m still trying to stick to things that are easy to prepare… and I can add rice (and tobasco) to any can of soup if I need to. Think lazy-bachelor-diet. Thanks, Art ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-cereal-diet/306463/16 "2005-06-03T06:54:33Z")
Go get a free account at [www.fitday.com](http://www.fitday.com) Enter in a day or two worth of food you want to eat. See how many calories. Also check the balance between carbs/fats/proteins Also go to “Reports” on the left and check out the “Am I Meeting My Nutritional Requirements?” That should help you see what you’re getting into. Your above menu is still high in carbs and way low in protein. More veggies but lettuce and tomatoes aren’t the world’s best source of nutrients (some good ones, but not many)