The Weetabix Diet: What You Need to Know

This eating plan is considered a fad diet. Fad diets often promote quick weight loss that is unsustainable and may severely restrict what you eat. They may be harmful and generally do not have long-lasting health benefits. Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major changes to how you eat.

The Weetabix diet, also known as “The Flexible Fibre Plan,” incorporates Weetabix breakfast products into a generalized eating and exercise plan. It limits you to 1,500 calories a day.

The Weetabix Food Company is based in the United Kingdom and produces whole-grain breakfast cereals, mueslis, and snack bars. Its brands include Weetabix, Alpen bars, and Ready Brek. The idea is that by reducing calories and eating whole-grain foods (which can include their breakfast products), you’ll reach your desired weight.

How Does the Weetabix Diet Claim to Work?

The Weetabix diet encourages you to eat a Weetabix product for breakfast each day (although it offers alternative suggestions, such as two eggs or slices of whole-grain toast). It also recommends eating one main meal, one light meal, and two snacks per day.

The diet encourages exercise, too. It recommends five 30-minute sessions of moderate aerobic activity (such as cycling or brisk walking) per week, as well as strength training for at least two days per week.

The diet mainly works through calorie restriction, and it emphasizes eating low-fat and whole-grain foods. It also asks you limit portion sizes and encourages you to weigh your food. The idea is that you gain weight by eating too much food, not by eating the wrong kinds of food.

What Can You Eat on the Weetabix Diet?

The Weetabix diet focuses on eating a variety of whole foods while limiting added sugars and high-fat foods. You’re encouraged to eat Weetabix products for breakfast.

Foods to Include

• Weetabix products such as Weetabix, Weetabix Protein Crunch, Oatibix, Crispy Minis Fruit & Nut, Weetabix Crunchy Bran, Ready Brek Original
• Whole grains including bread, bagels, and pasta
• Protein sources such as chicken, turkey, tuna, hummus, and eggs
• Low-fat dairy including milk and yogurt
• All fresh, frozen, or canned fruit (with no added sugar)
• All vegetables, both fresh and frozen

Foods to Avoid

• Added sugars, such as honey or agave syrup
• Full-fat dairy
• Sugar-sweetened drinks

Potential Benefits of the Weetabix Diet (and Why They May Not Last)

The Weetabix diet encourages you to eat healthy foods in controlled portion sizes. Each meal incorporates a balance of carbs, protein, and fat. The plan also includes plenty of fruits and unlimited amounts of vegetables, many of which are low in calories and full of fiber.

There isn’t research on The Weetabix diet in particular. But many of the plan’s recommendations match those of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which similarly encourage you to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains.

That said, The Weetabix diet limits calories to 1,500 per day. For many people, that may be too few calories, especially if you’re physically active. While cutting calories can help you lose weight, it doesn’t always result in long-term weight loss, according to a study. In fact, cutting calories too drastically can cause your metabolism to slow down, which often results in a weight-loss plateau.

Potential Risks of the Weetabix Diet

The Weetabix diet restricts calories to 1,500 calories per day — which, for many people, is too limited. Adult men may need anywhere from 2,400 to 3,200 calories per day, depending on their activity levels. Women may need anywhere from 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day. Still, these ranges can vary.

Cutting calories too quickly usually isn’t doable over the long-term. Oftentimes, this causes the body’s metabolism to slow down, which blunts weight loss efforts. Overly restrictive diets can also lead to an unhealthy relationship with not just food, but also your body in general.

And while the Weetabix diet does incorporate many aspects of a healthy eating plan, it also encourages people to eat products from the Weetabix Food Company. Even though these foods are made with whole grains, they’re packaged products. Keep in mind, too, that although Weetabix products are sold in several countries, they are mainly sold in the U.K.

Is the Weetabix Diet Right for You?

The Weetabix diet promotes some healthy foods. But you don’t need to buy specific Weetabix products to eat healthy. What’s more, limiting yourself to 1,500 calories a day likely isn’t doable over the long-term. Talk with your doctor before starting any diet.