Are you ready for a diet that will bowl you over? It is just that special -- Special K, that is.

The marketing brains behind Kellogg cereal have fashioned the Special K Challenge where people on a diet stand to lose 6 pounds in two weeks by simply integrating the breakfast cereal into their daily meal plan. Within two weeks, it is possible to see results, according to their studies. It makes sense that just about anyone can lose weight on this program when replacing high-fat, high-calorie meals with low-calorie cereal.

Following the Special K diet is nothing if not easy. For breakfast, dieters eat a single serving of Special K (110 calories) with 2/3 cup skim milk and fruit. Lunch or dinner is also milk, cereal, and fruit.

The dieter consumes whatever they want for the third meal a day. Fresh fruit, veggies or a Special K Bar are the snacks which are recommended. There are no limitations regarding what can or can't be drank. There is an entire line of great-tasting snacks including Protein Snack Bars, Protein Water, Cereal Bars and Snack Bites to go along with the cereal.

The Special K Web site even offers customized weekly menus based on a person's preferences. By responding to a few questions about likes and dislikes, they create a complimentary meal plan based on their products. For example the menu for Sunday might look something like this:

Breakfast: Fruit and Yogurt Cereal
Snack: Special K20 Tropical Blend Protein Water
Lunch: Low Carb Lifestyle Protein Plus Cereal
Snack: Chocolate Delight Protein Snack Bar
Dinner: Your Choice

The average intake in calories of the individuals who follow the Special K diet is 1,590 calories. The brains behind the Special K diet look at a recent study which shows people who eat cereal on a regular basis have lower intakes of fat and cholesterol, eat more vitamins and minerals and have lower body mass indexes.

It's recommended that you consult with your physician before following the Special K diet as a more long-term maintenance program.

According to a disclaimer on the site, five pounds is the average amount of weight loss that occurs when people replace their regular meals with two cereal meals.

One of the drawbacks of following the Special K diet is just an overall lack of variety, a factor which often sends dieters back to their normal eating habits. A healthy diet should be one that will not bore a person and that you can stick to for a lifetime, although representatives at Special K do point out there are five different flavors of Special K for assortment.