Has anyone tried Medifast.....
 

Hey there i was just wondering if anyone has tried this diet what was your experience.......

Ummmm.....I thought that the food was NASTY, but that's just my opinion. I would think that Nutrisystem would be a lot better. I didn't even last a week on this diet. I even gave the food away and the person I gave it to threw it away because they thought is was gross.

Lori

Medifast is basically a semi-liquid diet. You get 5 or so servings of their liquid meals a day (chocolate/vanilla/fruit flavored drinks, soup mix, and other similar things) and and one "meal" which is basically a small serving of chicken or fish, and some salad greens.

This is what you live on, in a nutshell. It is low carb as well-so you cannot have pasta, fruit, etc. for your one "meal".

A lot of people think that their drink mixes/soup mixes are gross...and others have problems because they aren't "eating" anything except for their one meal.

Is this something that you could live with? That is the key...

I am a Medifast user. It is a very easy diet to stay on plan with.

Yes a lot of the meals are liquid shakes, puddings, soups, cappuccino, etc.. But you can also have 1 bar a day, soy crisp snacks, medifast scrambled eggs and oatmeal so, it is not all liquid. You get 1 lean and green meal a day and that is a large enough meal that a lot of people split it into 2 meals so it is more like a 5 and 2 plan. All the vitamins are in your food so there is no need to take supplements.

The taste of most of their products never bothered me but, there were some I did not care for. But generally you can turn them into something else. An example: cream of tomato soup is not a favorite with a lot of people, tomato soup cracker crisps -excellent. No..........none of it is going to taste like a sugared donut. I for one don't want to be craving sugared donuts all my life.

One of the strong points of Medifast is all the foods you can make with your 5 packets a day. Oatmeal muffins, shake cookies, pita bread. Your calories are 800 - 1000 a day and carb 80-85g. Is this a do-able plan yes and people are losing a lot of weight doing it. The support boards are great for newbies, a lot of info there. But the hard part for me is the PRICE.

This probably sounds like a plan you would be starving on but it really is not. You eat small meals every 2-3 hours. A lot of new people have trouble actually getting all their meals in every day. It's a great way to learn portion control and how little you actually need to stay satisfied, not hungry and not overly full (which for me would trigger more eating 30 minutes after a meal).

The transition phase might be a little more of a challenge, but that is only because medifast meals are very convenient to grab and go.

I came to this site looking for an alternate diet and found I like the one I'm with!

I'm also on medifast. I just got done eating eggs a min ago and I love them. They taste like regular scrambled eggs to me. Someone in my support meetings suggested adding 1-2 tbsp of fresh salsa (the kind in a tub not the jar) and that's turned into one of my favorite meals. I can't drink the shakes because they make me gag. Something with the soy and sweetner just doesn't sit right with me. My mother who is doing this diet with me can drink the shakes with no problem. There are soups she likes that I don't and soups I like that she doesn't. It's really a matter of finding the products you do like or fixing the ones you don't into something you do. I don't eat the bars because I don't want the extra calories (they are 160 vs. 100 for a soup) and I'm also on the full fast (through my doctor) so I don't eat the lean green meal unless I'm really needing it. I take in just under 500 calories a day and I'm not in the least bit hungry. I do have the soy crisps for when I'm really wanting something crunchy but I don't usually need them to snack on.

The first week really sucked, as it usually does on any diet. I was tired and more lazy then I've ever been in my life. I was hungry and cranky and just not happy with the world. Then about 4 days into it things got better and I started to adjust to it. I got all my energy back and started feeling good. I've been on the diet for about 2 1/2 weeks now and I'm down 17 pounds.

It's honestly the only thing that has worked for me. :) ...welllll...that I didn't get discouraged with...because Medifast works fast for me, and it's really easy to follow.

the food isn't really the best thing ever... but I just keep in mind that nothing tastes as good as thin feels, so I just... deal. But after the first few days I have a ton of energy, and I just feel better about myself.

I went from 220 to 180 with medifast. I really recommend it. :D

I've not really written about my journey because some people can be very judgmental about how I got to where I am and so I've not really wanted to get flamed by people that are uneducated about the plan I chose. But since you asked... :D (warning - LONG)

I *think* my heaviest weight ever was 245 but when I hit 235 I quit weighing because I just didn't want to know. So that being said I lost the first 20 pounds by working out alone. I joined a gym and five days a week I spent 1 1/2+ hours walking on the tread mill. That took about 6 months to lose that 20 and it was not a long term solution for all my weight loss. I just couldn't keep up with that type of routine so it faded by the wayside. I was able to keep that 20 pounds off for about 10 years so that's good. Three years ago this summer I got married and although I wanted to be "skinny" for my wedding I didn't do a good job at that at all with all the pressure a wedding brings and managed to gain weight instead. I was a fat bride but it was still a great day. Then one morning last April 2006 I knew I'd been gaining weight again so I stepped on the scale and realized I weighed 217! That's what my husband weighed and I could totally see I was heading toward being heavier than him<<<again!>>>.

At that time my mom had lost what I thought was over 75 pounds. She was coming to visit for the weekend and I hadn't seen her for almost a year. Well when I saw her my jaw hit the floor. She'd actually lost over 90 pounds and looked fabulous! A little background on her. She has diabetes and very high blood pressure. Her doctor had been ready to add two more blood pressure medications to the four she was already taking. She couldn't handle that so decided to find a more holistic doctor that would work with her to use diet and exercise as part of her plan not just push pills down her throat. Her new doctor recommended Medifast. I can tell you that it's nothing compared to it's original plan of years ago. It's a program originally design by Johns Hopkins for very obese diabetes patients. Years ago it was a liquid only diet. Through the years they have modified it to what it is now and it's a very good program. You actually eat food - 6 small meals a day. Through Medifast my mom not only lost over 90 pounds but is now off all her diabetes and blood pressure medication. She works out 3 times a week with my dad and is super happy. BTW she's 70 years old.

Well I took one look at her and was floored. I decided I'd try the program and see how it worked for me. The reason I thought it might be a good fit for me is that I was so sick of trying every darned diet on the plant and having nothing work. I'm not a person who likes to journal AT ALL so the thought of calorie counting or even counting Weight Watchers points is a real turn off. I've tried Jenny Craig, New Day, Atkins, Slim Fast, WW, you name it I've tried it. Nothing worked. What I really wanted was something like my cat gets. My cat gets one thing and one thing only. He eats what he gets and that's all. I was so tired of food and thinking about food and planning food and cooking food. Yuck! I wanted "cat food", LOL! So when I talked to my mom about Medifast. You eat 6 times a day. You eat their food for 5 mini-meals and 1 "Lean & Green" of your own. So you are learning to eat smaller quantities and you are eating often enough that you don't get hungry. I just grabbed a packet of food from it's box and there's my food. It's not a low carb diet but it is lower carb, lower fat, lower calories. You can tailor it to you needs. I did a bit higher calorie version (1000-1200) so my weight loss wasn't as slow as some peoples is. All the meals are nutritionally balanced so you are getting what you need each day. Some of the meals are: eggs, oatmeal, soup, chili, bars, cold drinks like shakes, tea, fruit drinks, hot drinks like chai tea, hot chocolate. This is NOT a liquid diet. You can eat anything from that group you want/like. Then once a day you eat your Lean & Green. Some type of lean protein (chicken, fish, eggs, lean beef) and a green salad or veggies.

The plan worked for me, it was a God send! Totally a good fit. I averaged about 1 1/2 - 2 pounds per week, perfect for me. Then after I lost over 50 pounds I began to tire of it and started going off plan occasionally. That wasn't such a good thing because it stalled my weight loss. However I found 3FC and because of what I'd learned about my eating habits on Medifast which were reinforced by what I've learned here at 3FC's I was able to maintain through the holidays. NOT gaining any holiday weight was a first for me in my life!

So here I am maintaining at 160 and have maintained since Thanksgiving of 2006! I would like to lose about 10-15 pounds more. I'm really tall but have really small bones (Ha! that's not what I used to say, LOL) so I really could stand to lose about 10 more. My body fat is still pretty high. But if I never lose this last ten I'll be fine with that. I am wearing size 12/10's for the first time 17 years. I so love to shop now that I can actually try things on in a "regular" department store and everything looks good! Hopefully I'll get this last 10 off by the end of the summer.

I'm so very grateful to have found Medifast! It was exactly what I needed and has worked wonderfully for me and my mom too. She's maintained her loss for over a year now. I'm also so glad to have found 3FC to help me maintain. There are so many great people here and such great inspiration. When I get blue (or like last week I totally felt bad, like I was on that slippery slope to going back to my old weight) I know I can come here for great help and support.

I wish you all the best in your journey! BTW Medifast has a great support website similar to this one that would be good for you to look into.

Beth

I have a question for all you that have had success on this program, did you gain weight back when you stopped the program? If you stop is it easy to maintain the weight loss when you go back to eating "regular" food? That is something I am always concerned about with these types of plans. Please let me know your experiences.

Well I've been maintaining since before last Thanksgiving, so nearly six months. My mom's been maintaining for about a year. We both followed their transition plan back to regular food.

I now choose to eat Superfoods/whole foods the vast majority of the time thanks to what I learned here at 3FCs. So far maintenance has been really good, not easy but good. I have bad food days of course like everyone does but I think people who've always been thin probably have bad food days as well. I just practice what I've learned and can get through the bad times so they become the rare blip in the week or month. If I have a bad meal I don't use it as a license to make the whole day/week bad. I still eat small meals and snacks through out the day so I'm never horribly hungry. I try to think about how I feel before eating so I eat only because I'm actually hungry, trying to practice Intuitive Eating.

I really think Medifast is no different than any other plan. You will lose and maintain your lose if you're ready to do that. Most plans will work but only if you can learn why you got to where you were in the first place and learn coping skills to keep from going back to your old habits once you reach goal.

Transition off of any diet plan is really key or else you can regain the weight back.

If you are interested in Medifast, I was just on the 3fatchicks.com front page and there was an ad for a free week of food. They also seem to have a 30 day guarantee but how many people use 30 day guarantees for products they buy/use once and never use again?

I would say do your research, consult with your doctor and see if it would be something that would fit with your lifestyle.

As for Medifast, it is a great program. I found that the Medifast supplements tasted much better than Nutrisystem. However, tastes are as individual as the people on such a program. So, what tastes good to some, not all will agree. Both programs have their good points.
It takes approximately 3-4 days to get into a state of very mild ketosis(fat-burning). Those three days can be difficult with headaches, crankiness, hunger, for some people. Others sail through them, just fine. Consulting a doctor is recommended if one is going to do the 6-0 program(all supplements). There is not much difference in the amount of weight lost by using 6-0 as opposed to 5-1 program.
Of all the programs, I have been on, this one is the best. Weight loss results are seen right away, and I think that this is all important motivation to keep going. Also, one's energy is increased, as well as the absence of hunger. It also offers a transition and also a maintenance program. But, like all programs, it is up to the individual to make it work for them. No weighing food, no measuring, no guesswork. Love Medifast!

Medifast
 

Thank you everyone for expressing their opinons on Medifast. I have been reseaching it and believe after I delievery, I will try it. I tried LA Weight Loss ~ no luck. And WW with some luck. Lost almost 40 lbs prior to this pregnancy ( was only 20 lbs away from my goal) but gained and gained and gained with this guy. It is my 4th one and I am aware of healthy eating not at all like the other ones but it did not help. As of two weeks ago, I gained 37 lbs. It's amazing, it took me almost a year to lose 39 lbs and only 31 weeks to gain 37lbs. :o Please if anyone has information ( good or bad) let us know so we can make an educated chose on this diet.

Sarah-
During pregnancy, it isn't all just fat, though. Your breasts gain 1-2 pounds preparing for breastfeeding, 1-2 pounds of that is amniotic fluid, your actually gain extra blood volume during pregnancy which is 1-2 pounds, 1-2 pounds of extra weight from the enlarged uterus, and many other things happening as well. So, if you have an 8 pound baby, then he/she along with the things I just mentioned, is about 16 pounds of that 37.

;)

Aphil ~
I know it's not totally like gaining fat, I am looking forward to that 15-20 lb lost the day of delievery. :carrot: It is just so frustrating to see the scale rise so... I feel I can lose all ( and the rest I wanted), it's just so hard after almost being where I wanted to be. The weight I was losing was from my first preg. 15 years ago. I just got the motivation to do something before I found out I was preg again. And it was so difficult to find time to exercise and eat healthy with three, I am worried about finding any time with four. My mom will be up here for the summer so that will help. And this time I have found these boards to recieve encouragement and that is a HUGE help.