Medifast – Get the Facts And See What Real Users Are Saying
The Medifast Weight Loss Program is quite different than the NutriSystem and Jenny Craig type programs. This weight loss program is more of a weight loss meal-replacement plan, than a full on program. However, it does provide some information on exercise, diabetes, nutrition, etc. in the “Learning” area of the website.
If you are primarily looking for a meal replacement program, this could be what you are looking for. However, if you want a
good exercise program
to get that fat off, Medifast isn’t for you. You may want to try the
Everloss Fat Free Forever Program,
which gives you everything you need (at a great price!), including a Cardio Dancing DVD by Louis van Amstel, the star of “Dancing With The Stars.”
However, Medifast does work well most people who desire prepared meals and who stick with the program. Actually, it appears that a lot of people like it, but there are those who aren’t too crazy about it. You will see what I mean in the reviews.
In this article, you will learn a lot about the program and be able to read what real users are saying farther down on this page. The reviews are non-biased (not taken from sales sites) and the information is objective.
Some History About The Program
Dr. William Vitale MD formed the foundation for the Medifast weight loss program in 1980. He first created Jason Pharmaceuticals with the aim to develop a weight-loss program that included healthy products. This soon became Medifast.
Jason Pharmaceuticals Inc. now produces over 80% of its products under the regulations of the FDA.
The program began for use in the medical industry and was distributed only through the medical profession, utilizing good medical science and guidance. The program is now used less with medical supervision and more by customers who buy directly from the company and are receiving guidance from the company.
Consumers are finding that they can lose weight by following the program without a doctor’s supervision. Of course, if you have any health issues, it is always wise to be under a doctor’s care.
What Does The Program Consist Of?
This program consists mostly of liquid meal replacements that have been formulated to:
- Be low in fat
- Be low in calories
- Contain vitamins
They also have a “5 and 1 Program”, which consists of:
- 800-1,000 calorie a day meals
- 5 meal replacements
- One “real meal”, which consists of lean protein, vegetables, and a salad
Medifast claims that the “5 and 1 Program” will create a weight loss of 2-5 pounds a week. That’s 8-20 pounds a month. Four to eight pounds or a month can be considered normal weight loss. Losing 20 pounds a month is quite high and I suspect that it happens rarely, so don’t get your hopes up to high.
A Word About Ketosis
With any weight loss program, if you experience a high rate of weight-loss, you are likely to experience ketosis. Ketosis is the result of your body using fat for energy, which is precisely what you want. At a low rate, ketosis is rather harmless.
The result of this escalated fat-burning process for a healthy person is usually just short-term bad breath. However, if you have any health issues, especially diabetes, you may want to check with your doctor before going on any quick weight-loss program.
It is also important that you drink plenty of water. Water is a great aid to weight loss. For more on using water for weight-loss, see my
Drinking Water For Weight Loss Page.
About Exercise And Quick Weight Loss
Do you hate to exercise? I hope not.
Exercise is an important part of any weight loss program. Exercise improves muscle tone and metabolism, which helps you lose and maintain weight. Hopefully you already have a good
weight loss exercise program
in place. If not, get started...you will enjoy it more and more as time goes on.
If you have not been exercising, it is a good idea to wait until you are on your quick weight loss program for two or three weeks before starting one. This will allow your body to adjust to the fewer calories you take in before adding exercise to your diet. Also, keep your exercise light and slow at the beginning.
Walking is a great exercise. Make it your aim to walk daily. Start with a casual, short walk, and then slowly build up to a longer one.
If you already exercise, it would be good to do about half of what you usually do for the first couple of weeks that you are on your quick weight loss diet. Most importantly, listen to your body.
Is This Program Safe?
If you are concerned about the safety of your weight loss program, good for you. You want to lose weight, not health. Medifast appears to be safe for most people when done under the programs supervision. After all:
- Doctors recommend it to their patients in the United States.
- More than a million customers have used this program for over 25 years.
- The John Hopkins Weight Management Center has been using it for several years.
I wouldn’t advise that you try this program on your own. Make sure you have guidance from their website or a doctor.
What Type Of Programs Does Medifast Offer?
You eat 6 times a day (five Medifast meals and one Lean and Green Meal).
The meals consist of:
- Shakes
- Stew
- Chili
- Scrambled eggs
- Soups
- Oatmeal
- Hot and cold drinks
- Bars
- Puddings
Your Lean and Green Meal consists of:
- Lean meat (5-7 ounces of chicken, turkey, fish, beef, pork, lamb, etc.)
- Vegetables
- Salad
Also, they have a special package for men, women, and diabetics.
What Others Are Saying About This Weight Loss Program
Okay, let’s get down to the real nitty-gritty. The best way to find out how well liked any program is, is to ask those who have used it.
The following comments are excerpts taken from real users of the program. I did not include “testimonies” from any sales websites, as they can be manipulated and biased. These were taken from various forums or reviews and represent the most common responses.
“There's no question that if you follow this Diet, you will lose weight...But like most diets, once you are done with the special foods and go back to eating like a normal person, the weight creeps back on. If you can successfully change your lifestyle after you stop eating their product, then I think Medifast is quite effective.”
“I’ve been on Medifast for 2 weeks. I've lost 13 lbs and still going. I do not just drink shakes. I eat an egg or crackers with my shake, just something solid but small. I also eat 1 complete meal with my family (and it's not a low fat meal either). I drink lots of water. I think your body has to have solid food. I also take vitamins... I think the flavors are pretty good. Especially when you mix them with some ice in the blender...Just be sensible about it and don't starve yourself.”
“I had a friend who did this program years ago and she was huge. It amazed me how fast and quickly it worked...she was drop-dead gorgeous and perfect...she got cocky, and started to eat candy bars in front of everyone...got huge again...”
“There are two soups, Chicken and Minestrone. They are both tolerable... Both need more flavor, and I always added more salt, pepper and some hot Tabasco or salsa to the minestrone. I gave up on the Chicken... there are two puddings, banana and chocolate. They are described as "smooth, creamy and delicious". They are none of those things. What they are is powdery, chalky and gross.”
“Fast weight loss...I used Medifast around 3 years ago and lost 42 pounds in 2 months. Was hungry every minute of the day...”
“I myself have had success with Medifast. I see how you can get tired of the food. I am not a big fan of oatmeal anymore...there is a huge variety of food, so I can vary what I eat from day-to-day.”
“Although it works for some, it did not work for me. After being on it three weeks, I lost a whopping 2 pounds - something I could have done by just climbing on a Stairmaster while drinking a real milkshake. The food tastes like the bottom of my shoe (actually I think that would taste better!). But the thing that scared me the most is that a doctor told me it could cause high blood pressure, gall bladder problems and even stroke. That was enough for me to start making my own food.”
“I did this weight loss program for 6 months and lost 82 pounds. It worked for me, but most certainly is not for everybody.”
“I just received my Medifast and have to say the food is awful. I have already packaged it up and it is going back. I tried the oatmeal, chicken soup and a bar. They were all horrible and left a bad taste in my mouth. I am just going to buy the low sugar oat meal, protein bars and protein shakes from the store and do my own plan. Basically the concept is low calorie and low carb. They want you to have five meals a day, which consists of the shakes, oatmeal and one bar and then a salad for dinner... I hope I save somebody time and money on shipping.”
“I've been using Medifast for a month now, and have lost 14 pounds. It's easy to use. It took a few days to get used to the food. However, I add my allowed vegetables to the minestrone soup, and it actually tastes great. The eggs are actually wonderful, with a few added onions. The chicken soup is good, too, as long as you cover it, when it's done, and wait at least 5 minutes (while it expands).”
The above Medifast reviews were not taken from the Medifast website, but from unbiased sources.
Summary Of The Medifast Program
My original search for reviews on the Medifast program showed very few negative results. However, in my recent research I have found that Medifast does have some unhappy users. The biggest complaints seem to be that “it just doesn’t taste that good, it’s hard to stay on,” and some say “you gain the weight back when you are off it.”
This seems to be a good program, but is not for everybody. For some alternatives, see below.
Some Good Quick Weight Loss Alternatives
Here are several less expensive options you might want to try for quick weight loss. These weight loss programs are completely safe and sustainable for long-term weight loss if followed correctly:
- First of all, for a complete list of weight loss programs and exercise plans go to my
Huge List Of Weight Loss Programs
page. I have included links to each program’s website and a synopsis of what each is about.
- The Eat Stop Eat Diet.
This actually is the most inexpensive ($29.95 one-time charge), easiest and enjoyable diet you can possibly do. You eat well and then fast for a 24-hour period once or twice a week. Once you are accustomed to the fast, you will love it. It also has a full 60-day full money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Hey, try it for 60 days and, if you don’t lose a lot of weight, you can always get your money back. You have nothing to lose but weight.
- Fat Loss 4 Idiots.
“Learn the 10 idiot proof rules of dieting and fat loss and lose 9 every 11 days.” (Taken from their website.) Now that’s fast weight loss. This is an excellent program with a great track record. According to users, this program really melts the fat off.
- Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle.
This is a solid, solid, solid program that has proved itself over and over. This program, which is for weight loss and body building for both men and women, was developed by Tom Venuto. He teaches you how to “turbo charge” your metabolism, burn fat and gain muscle. This is one of the most popular programs available.
This is only a few of the programs I have reviewed. To see the whole list of only-the-best programs, go to my
Huge List Of Weight Loss Programs
For more on
Quick Weight Loss,
click on the links at the bottom of this page.
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Claude Anthony
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