I am 35 years old, and I have roughly 150 lbs to lose... I am very unhealthy. Problem is, like many others, I just cannot stick to losing the weight by eating better and exercising. I am feeling desperate. I really am. I am feeling unhealthy, and my weight just keeps creeping up and up...
I want very badly to try Medifast. I have read so many great things about it. And I believe it could be something I can stick with. Problem is the $$$ thing. My husband is pulling the plug on all of my "diets"... I have tried Nutrisystem, Bistro MD, Weight Watchers, etc... All have cost a LOT of money, and my husband (very supportive and loving) just feels that these are all a lost cause... just diet gimmics. I can't blame him so much, but he really doesn't understand the struggle I have with all of this weight.
I want to convince him (and myself) that Medifast is worth a try. Please help me! Please tell me your success stories, and why Medifast is the ONE that is working for you! I realize all people are different, and this might not work... but I have to believe that I'm worth trying it... I just don't want to give up. I just don't know how to do this alone.
Let me say upfront that I am a supporter of medifast. It has its pros and cons. Here are my thoughts. Medifast is a very strict meal replacement plan. Your total calorie intake is usually less than 1000 per day. You eat 5 of the medifast meals and one meal of your own. The meal of your own is called a “lean and green.” You are not going to have a potato, piece of bread, rice or any like carb while you are living medifast. Fruit is also not on the plan. This all may sound negative, but….you lose weight quickly and see results quickly. One of the keys to medifast is that it is low carbs and if you decide to eat something high in carbs – you throw yourself off plan and it will slow/stop your weight loss. I lost 125 pounds the first time I did medifast for 11 months. I felt great. I also did not go through the transition plan and started eating like I wanted to and over the next 3 years…gained 100 pounds back. I went on medifast again and have lost 70 or so pounds again. As I am approaching my goal again, I am adding some things back to my diet and approaching things differently than I did before. One of the other things I like about medifast is that it does not allow me to “make choices.” You are either on plan or off plan. If you decide to have a little bit of birthday cake….you are off plan. It became very easy for me to just say no. My challenge with medifast was not during the weight loss phase but in maintaining the weight loss. You are right in that it is expensive. I spent about $350 per month plus the groceries for my lean and green. There are a variety of foods available, but remember – the quantity is small and because most are soy based, they are different from “real” foods. The oatmeal is a perfect example of this – it really does not taste like, look like or smell like real oatmeal. But, it became one of my favorite meals. They have also come out with some “snack like” meals. The pretzels and puffs satisfy my craving for something crunchy. I have not tried the new brownies. There is a medifast community board that provides recipes and support just like the 3 fat chicks group. Like all diets, you have to commit. When I first tried it, I ordered a 2 week supply cause I figured I could do anything for 2 weeks. I then bought a second 2 week supply. And then I started ordering monthly. I never had any problems with my orders. When I decided to take off the pounds I had gained, I tried a couple of other programs...just didn't stick to them. I like the strictness and the "no choice" aspects of medifast. My colleagues always comment on my self-discipline. You have to want to do this.....Good-luck with your decision.
Location: Currently in AZ but my heart is always in Texas
Posts: 18
S/C/G: 330/262/170
Height: 5'7"
First I want to say that I think lovelife wrote a terrific post! The only things I can add are:
1. I think medifast is the plan for those of us who are desperate. We're desperate because we have large amounts to lose, need to see a result quickly and frankly we're desperate because we've tried other things.
2. I also believe it works for those of us who can not control ourselves on a more lax diet. I mean, I just can't handle making all the choices, decisions, weighing, preparing, planning a diet that deals with calorie counting or carb counting. Medifast 5&1 works for me because it's clear, concise and like lovelife said: you're either on program or off.
3. Now, you're going to have to get up and move if you want to see large results. I've lost 28 lbs since Jan 13th on medifast, but during week 2 I injured my left knee and can not exercise at all. I can barely walk at times and have to have surgery on my knee. It was not diet or exercise injury. But even though I can't get up and move I still have a 2lb or more weight loss each week. For me that's fantastic. However if I could exercise I'd see 4lbs a week gone. Make up your mind to get up and move.
4. It's convenient for me. I drive an 18 wheeler and frankly it's a bit difficult to prepare meals. And it's freaking expensive to eat out every meal. With medifast I have my little shakes or soups or my snack bars. It's easy for me. (unlike lovelife I can not stand the oatmeal and I'm a girl who LOVES her oatmeal.)
Look hun, let's face facts (and oh I hope I don't offend you) you're like me, we don't have 25 lbs to lose. It's not a matter of wanting to make our slacks loose. You have 150 lbs to lose.......I started on another diet last year needing to lose 160 lbs. I lost in 11 months 40 lbs and now on medifast I've lost another 28 in less than two months. 40/11 versus 28/2 which do you think works better for me? yep the medifast.
sorry, I started rambling. Anyway as I was saying you're a woman like me.
We're losing an entire person worth of weight. We didn't gain it because we're good at counting calories or because we love to jog. We need structure, help, ease of planning and we need a ton of support. We need cheerleaders in our living room (okay your living room.....my truck) doing cheers everytime we don't shove a cheesecake in our mouths.
Losing 150 lbs will be difficult...........BUT........YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!
Hun if I can lose weight so can YOU!!! If you want it.....do you? Do you want to lose that other woman who you're carrying around in extra weight? Do you want to look in the mirror and see a woman who can set a goal, keep to a plan and feel like she can be successful? I know I'm saying to much......and oh Lord I don't want to offend you but I read your post and just heard myself! I cried when I read your post. I use to look in the mirror and see a big fat failure. It didn't matter that my husband loved me thought I was beautiful, that my daughters love me, that other people respect me......I couldn't stand myself because I couldn't control my eating.
Now I do. I eat my medifast meals, I eat my lean & green (morning star makes a fantastic little soy burger patties) I control what goes in my mouth and I lose weight. I AM IN CONTROL.
You can be too.
Perhaps you can talk your husband into letting you try for two weeks. Make him a deal. Tell him if you don't lose at least 5 lbs in two weeks you'll not order more. Then you get your meals, get up and move and hun he'll be blown away by your progress. And you will too.
I calculate the cost this way: it comes out to just about $11 a day for the supplements. If you ate at McDonald's for 2 meals you'd spend that much.
I wish you great success in whatever you choose to do. And I'm in your corner with pom poms yelling "Go Team Go! Go MotoXMama Go! You can do it you can do it!"
P.S. I named my 160 lbs to lose. I call her Mabel. She's a big fat slob who rides my back and makes me feel bad. She stole my pretty clothes, my well being and my good looks. I'm killing Mabel one pound at a time. I hope you kill your Mabel too.
Also if money is an option there is a website dietdirectdotcom (replace the dot with .). They sell Wonderslim products that are very similar to medifast, but I've heard taste better. They are also only about $7 per box when you order a 12 week supply. $500 for 3 months of food...only about $170 per month - better than $350.00. I've been doing WS and it's actually really good tasting stuff....good luck in your decision and convincing hubby!
Thank you all VERY MUCH! Your words of encouragement mean so much to me!
I am happy to say that my husband decided that it is worth a try, and I ordered my first 5 weeks of Medifast! Yay! I can't wait until it gets here!
I will be coming here everyday for support and encouragement. I hope to get to know some of you better, and give encouragement also! I am really excited about getting this started!
What makes Medifast different???
My Medifast Journey
