Medifast Reviews – The Pros and Cons

One of the most popular diets on the market today is the Medifast program. If you have done any research on this diet and read the Medifast reviews, you will find hundreds of simply amazing weight loss success stories. So, what is it about this popular weight loss program? Is it really what it’s all cracked up to be? Let’s take a closer look at the Medifast diet and see if this might be the solution to your struggle with being overweight.

The History of the Medifast Diet Program

Unbelievably, the Medifast diet has been around for over 30 years, originally introduced in 1980. Since that time, this diet has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors and used by more than one million people. The fact that the diet has been around so long and used by so many really goes to show that there is something about this diet that must make it work.

Initially, the Medifast meal replacement program was available only through a physician. But, since then, so many clinical studies, including those done by the prestigious John Hopkins, have shown this diet to be not only effective but also medically safe.  The proven safety of the diet was instrumental in allowing the general public access to the diet without the need for a physician’s order. Of course, with any diet, you really need to check with your doctor first to make sure it is a safe diet for you, especially if you have any chronic health problems.

How Does the Medifast Diet Program Work?

The Medifast Diet program is essentially a meal-replacement program. The basic weight loss program consists of having five Medifast meal-replacement drinks or foods each day, in addition to one ‘lean and green’ meal. The ‘lean and green’ meal is a controlled portion of lean meat or fish with three servings of lower carb green vegetables or salad.

This is a high protein, low carb plan that will provide about 800 to 1000 calories a day. Current research on the high protein, low carb diets is revealing that these diets are actually healthier for you and the result is fantastic and fast weight loss. With the Medifast program, the average weight loss is about two to five pounds per week. And this is real fat loss because the high protein, low carb diets promote fat loss while preserving your lean muscle.

In addition to the weight loss from the high protein, low carbohydrate combination, the calories are quite restricted in this diet. Of course, any diet that gives you such a low amount in calories should result in weight loss. But, typically, it is really hard to stay on such severely restricted diets.

Is it just as difficult with the Medifast program? Not really, according to the Medifast information. And that is because of a factor known as the fullness factor, which is based on something called the ‘satiety index’.

The Satiety Index

Do you know how some food seems to be more satisfying and fill you up faster and longer than others? Australian researcher Susanna Holt, PhD, studied this and developed a system to measure the ability of different foods to satisfy our hunger. For example, a 200-calorie serving of a baked potato satisfies your hunger more than a 200-calorie serving of potato chips.   Interestingly, all calories are not equal when it comes to satisfying your hunger.

Why some foods score higher on the satiety index than others has to do with their chemical composition, and the amounts of fiber, protein and water they contain. Medifast has used this valuable information and formulated their meal replacement foods and drinks so that they rate high on the satiety index. This helps to keep you full despite the low number of calories you are eating.

In addition to eating foods with a high fullness factor, you are eating a high-protein meal (or meal replacement) every few hours. This helps to keep your blood sugar levels even, controlling hunger and cravings. This also works to maintain your lean muscle while you are burning that unwanted fat.

However, transitioning from a few thousand calories a day to 1,000 calories or less is not necessarily easy. And Medifast does caution you that you might get some headaches and feel a little cranky and tired when you first start the program and until you reach the fat-burning stage.

Is Medifast Safe?

Yes. For most people, Medifast is a safe and very effective weight loss program. This is one very low calorie program that has enough research confirming its nutritional safety and weight loss effectiveness. It is this data that has convinced thousands of doctors and the American Dietetic Association to approve the program. Yet, once again, it is highly recommended that you go on the Medifast program with the supervision of your doctor, especially if you are dealing with any other health issue.

For people considering bariatric surgery, many healthcare practitioners recommend that they go on the Medifast program first. The effectiveness and ease of the program can help to avoid weight loss surgeries and the potential complications.

Exercise and the Medifast Program

For all its attributes, Medifast is not a magic weight loss solution and exercise is a part of the success of the program. But you don’t have to exercise hours a day. In fact, in the first few weeks of the program, you are cautioned not to exercise beyond your normal activity because your energy level may be somewhat low as you adjust to fewer carbs and low calories.

Once your body has made the adjustment and your energy returns, about three weeks into the program, mild to moderate exercise is recommended for five days a week. As with all diets, your initial weight loss may be rapid. To keep melting that fat, you need to keep moving. A combination of cardiovascular and strength-training will keep that scale moving down toward your ideal weight. And as you lose the extra weight, you’ll start to feel great and want to get out there and move, even if it’s just to show off your new body!

Medifast- It Can’t Get Any Easier!

One of the great things about the Medifast program is how easy it is to do. Drinking or eating the five daily meal-replacements provided in the program takes away the stress of having to calculate calories, measure portions, count points or prepare special foods. And food on the fly is perfect for these days of rush, rush, rush.

Scheduling set times for your 6 daily meals removes the nagging thoughts of “What can I eat now?” or “When can I eat next?” You eat on schedule, enjoy the food at the moment and then promptly put any more thoughts of food out of your mind until the time of the next scheduled meal. In fact, consider setting a timer so that you don’t have to watch the clock for the time of your next meal.

The ‘lean and green meal’ you eat once daily contains limited choices so that can also reduce the stress of making food decisions. When you are dieting, those food decisions can be overwhelming at times. Medifast helps you by giving you ‘loaded choices’, where no matter what you decide within the choices you have, you will benefit by continued weight loss.

Medifast Program Support

If you are fortunate to live in an area with a near-by Medifast Weight Control Center, you can take advantage of one-on-one counseling and weekly visits to set you on the road for a lifetime of healthy eating habits. But, if there is no weight control center in your neighborhood, online support is available through the Medifast website and its online community.

Long-term Weight Loss Success?

Having a reputation for long-term weight loss success is the goal of all weight loss programs. About 85% of people who lose weight gain it back, no matter what the program. Medifast works hard to help you keep your unwanted weight off permanently. It does this through a transition plan as you move from the weight loss plan to the maintenance stage. Of course, success with permanent weight loss really is under your control. You need to realize that you can never go back to your previous way of eating if you want to be at your ideal weight for the rest of your life.

A Look at Medifast Program Costs

According to the Medifast literature, the daily cost for the five daily Medifast meal replacements average about $11 or about $330 per month. This does not include the cost of the daily ‘lean and green’ meal you prepare yourself.

However, because your weight loss is so quick on this plan, your overall costs for Medifast are less than other weight-loss programs. And, there are an abundance of Medifast coupons available on the internet which you can use to lower the monthly costs even more.

Fortunately, because the Medifast meals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, there is no need of supplements on this diet. So, while they are available, they typically are not necessary. Even if you choose to purchase the enhanced package which includes additional nutritional supplements, your cost is only about $350 per month.

While that may seem high, you need to consider the fact that being overweight and staying overweight will cost a lot more than that throughout your lifetime. In fact, it can even cost you your life.

Too Good To Be True?

So, you’re probably thinking this is all too good to be true- safe and fast weight loss? While it is true that the Medifast Meal-Replacement program can help you to safely lose up to five pounds a week, some people have experienced some side effects from the program. Some of these include diarrhea, constipation, hair loss, insomnia, and headaches. Actually some of the side effects are experienced with other diets, too.

Medifast acknowledges the side effects that have been reported and offers a detailed PDF on the potential symptoms and side effects and what you can do about them. If you are going to start the Medifast program, it is a good idea to read this PDF prior to starting so you can be watchful of these potential issues and deal with them right away.

In this review of the Medifast program it may appear that there are a lot of pros and very few cons. The reason for this is because, truthfully, there are a lot of pros and very few cons to the Medifast meal-replacement program. If you have been struggling with losing unwanted and unhealthy weight, Medifast could be the solution for you.

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