Medifast Diet Reviews
Diet Plan Facts
Overview The Medifast diet plan is a very low calorie program designed for rapid weight loss. Participants on the program consume meal replacements which are available only through Medifast, and are encouraged to undergo medical supervision while on the plan. Dieters on the Medifast diet will consume five meal replacement products a day. In addition [...]
Overview
The Medifast diet plan is a very low calorie program designed for rapid weight loss. Participants on the program consume meal replacements which are available only through Medifast, and are encouraged to undergo medical supervision while on the plan.
Dieters on the Medifast diet will consume five meal replacement products a day. In addition to these meal replacements, dieters will eat one prepared meal per day, consisting of a serving of lean meat and 2 cups of vegetables.
A maintenance plan is involved after the dieter has reached their weight loss goals to help them gradually transition back to regular meals, which takes place for about 2 weeks. After this, 1 to 3 Medifast meals are to be consumed daily along with an exercise regimen to help keep the weight off.
Medifast provides a free quick start guide to help the dieter learn how to follow the program properly, as well as free online community support. Participants can enter contests to win prizes like makeovers or appearances in Medifast ads. Apps for mobile phones can be downloaded which provide meal reminders and helpful diet tips.
Dieters can access free Health Coaches who teach healthy lifestyle habits, or even visit local Medifast Weight Control Centers for personal counseling and medical reviews.
Participants can also access tools online such as a Daily Success tracker, Diabetes Guide, Dining out Guide, Exercise Guide, Maintenance Guide, and more. There is a variety of information online on their website, such as nutritional information, snack options and condiment recommendations, just to name a few.
Diet
The diet followed on the Medifast program involves a “5 and 1″ plan where dieters eat 5 meal replacements in a variety of forms, and 1 meal consisting of lean meat and 2 cups of vegetables. The meat cannot be fried – only grilled, poached or baked. Total daily caloric intake on this plan is anywhere between 800 and 1000 calories. Because of the very low calories allowed, medical supervision while on this diet is encouraged.
Dieters must eat every 2 or 3 hours, and water must be consumed in the amount of 64 ounces per day. There are 70 types of meal replacements offered on Medifast, including shakes, meal replacement bars, cereals, soups, stew, oatmeal, chili, scrambled eggs, pudding, fruit drinks, hot drinks, and iced teas. Each meal replacement has the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals to ensure optimal health.
At the beginning of the Medifast program, dieters will have to remove high carbohydrate vegetables from their diets, such as
corn and carrots. This will result in a rapid weight loss up front, after which these items will be slowly introduced back into the diet as time progresses. Foods prohibited on this program include dairy, sweets, fats, fruits, grains, alcohol and sweetened drinks.
Exercise
Although there is no exact exercise plan contoured to each dieter on the Medifast program, there are exercise guideline documents on the Medifast website to help the dieter incorporate a workout regimen to their schedules. About 30 minutes per day of aerobic exercise is sufficient to help speed up the weight loss process.
Medifast recommends dieters to wait a couple of weeks when starting the diet to introduce exercise into the program in order to help their bodies adjust to the cut in daily calories. If the dieter has already been involved in a regular exercise regimen, Medifast recommends cutting back on the intensity for the first couple of weeks, and gradually increase the time and intensity of each exercise.
Cost and Expenses
The cost to be on this diet is about $275 per month, or $70 per week. This includes either a 4-week plan package, or any 20 boxes of Medifast meals. Since weight loss is so much faster with Medifast than on other diet plans, the cost per pound is actually much cheaper since you won’t have to be on the diet as long to lose the necessary weight.
Advantages
Easy to follow
Convenient meal replacements are sent directly to your home
Rapid weight loss can be achieved
Nutritionally sound
Provides satiety due to the high protein content
Appropriate for just about any body type
Reasonably priced
Encourages exercise
Plans available for diabetics
Provides a maintenance plan after weight loss
Disadvantages
Very low in calories
Metabolic rate can slow down due to low caloric intake
Medical supervision required
Overall Rating
Weight loss on this diet is quite rapid. Dieters can lose up to 20 pounds in a month due to the calorie restrictive meal plan. Such rapid weight loss can really encourage the dieter as they can see the results of their efforts much faster than on many other diets. There are many success stories of people who have successfully used Medifast to lose weight and keep it off.
Studies done on a variety of low calorie diets have shown that Medifast outperformed other programs with similar calorie restrictions. In addition, the ability for dieters to maintain their weight loss was higher with the Medifast diet.
Medifast has received praise from doctors, and has also received positive clinical studies and testimonials. When followed properly, Medifast can conveniently provide you with both weight loss and sound nutrition.
