[MotoXMama]

I am just wondering... I would like to start Medifast. I have approx 150 lbs to lose, and would like to try this.

I have a feeling that my doctor (who I love, and have seen for several years) will be against this idea. Every time we talk about my weight issue, she is pretty much against everything except eating better, less calories, and more exercise. I know these are all great... but I just am NOT able to do this so easily.

So I'm just wondering if I need to be under some supervision of some kind because it is considered a VLCD (very low calorie diet)? If she does not want me to try this, do I just move on to something else?

This is really something I would like to try... is everyone else here under supervision of their doctor? Is it necessary?

[DebbieC]

I told my Dr I was doing it, but she didn't say a word. You might feel better checking in with your Dr. That way you can track blood work, BP, etc. That's up to you. Good luck with your decision.

[ariesgirl5]

I am on MF 5/1 plan and I am not under my doctor's supervision. If you do a full fast you must be under a doctor's supervision. However, you will not lose any faster doing a full fast as opposed to doing the 5/1.

If you are under medical supervision and taking meds then you should be monitored by your doctor because many people need to have their meds adjusted.

I had the same amount of weight to lose just as you and low calorie diet and Weight Watchers did not work. I began losing on MF the day I started.

I lost over 87lbs in less than 7 months. It is the best plan for me.

[sidrah]

Nah....just me

[mykki35]

My doctor recommended it to me. I go in once every 3 months for blood work but thats about it. I love the plan. Good luck to you.

[BerkshireGrl]

Originally Posted by MotoXMama

...she is pretty much against everything except eating better, less calories, and more exercise.

Well, you would be eating better (at least in the sense of lower fat and better nutrition) and definitely less calories, ha!

The time I did MF before, my cholesterol dropped like crazy. I don't have the numbers in front of me right now, but about 75 points. The doctors and nurses where I had my cholesterol tested were amazed when I said I'd only been on it 2 months... and they copied down all the info on MF I gave them.

It's not an easy plan for some (I struggled with the deprivation), but it's incredibly nutritious and effective. Right now, I am eating low-carb, but I am reconsidering going back on MF because I want something easy and quick to prepare, and fast -- I am going on a trip to San Francisco in September and I want a lot more weight off by then. Those hills are not going to be any fun if I hauling more than 200 pounds The less, the better!

I did not do it with doctor supervision, but I am not on any weight-based medications or have any health issues besides asthma, high cholesterol and blood sugar a bit on the high side. All of those things I think will be really helped by weight loss, but I don't consider medical visits necessary in my case

Good luck!

[spaghetticat]

Yes, and I think it is very important that you are too, especially with 150 pounds to lose. While your dr may or may not agree- mine said it sounded okay in theory but if I started losing to fast he was going to pull me off (haha, def. did not happen lol) because he was concerned about muscle loss, which you eat over 80 (100?) g or protien a day so nothing to worry about imo.

Anyways for me its important as I have Hypothyroidism and the soy can sometimes mess up absorption so they have to retest my levels every now and again. You might consider talking to your dr about it and seeing if you have any contraindications, and instead of say, going against drs wishes so to speak, listen and see if their concerns are valid.
Most of the concerns my dr had were from misinformation. I also told him i would try it for a month and see how I felt. He agreed and its been 2.5ish months.

best of luck to you! You deserve to be healthy and happy by whatever means work for you!

[Lyn2007]

My understanding is that Medifast 5 & 1 is not considered a VLCD. A VLCD is by definition a diet of less than 800 calories. Usually Medifast is 800-1000 and is considered a low calorie diet. The difference might seem small but to one's body apparently it's a big deal.

I think it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about it. I did, and mine gave me the thumbs up. I don't go back in for regular "diet checkups" or anything though. If I wasn't feeling well I'd go in.

[ariesgirl5]

I had over 150lbs to lose. I tried the eat less, exercise more theory and it did not work. I went on WW and I was GAINING weight! I started Medifast and dropped 87lbs in less than 9 months. The plan works.

[cassandra4]

I am not doing MF under doctor supervision. I am going it alone, along with the 3FC and MF forums.

[sidrah]

all alone!!

[justducky2]

Maybe see a weight-loss clinic doctor who has experience in treating morbid obesity? Keep your PC doc for everything else...

I say this because I have struggled with my weight all of my life. My ONLY success in taking weight off (and keeping it off for 10 years) was doing Optifast under a doctor's supervision and with behavior modification, back in the very early 1980s. I gained the weight back when I started going to school full time at night and working full time and had a baby at the same time! I stopped weighing myself and watching my food choices and exercising.

Here's the thing. All my doctors have always cluck-clucked at me and told me to eat less and exercise more. I have done all the diets. Lowfat alone doesn't work for me; and I'm now diabetic. The ADA diet doesn't work because it is too high in carbs. I'm a vegetarian now (for the past 2 years) and I lost 25 lbs and my fat cells shrunk. But I can't seem to break the 238 glass floor.

I have a new doctor. He is a D.O., not an M.D., which I think makes a difference.

Both DOs and MDs attend four years of medical school and take comparable state licensing exams. Osteopathic doctors, however, have additional training in the musculoskeletal system and focus more on the whole person, as well as on preventive care. (from urmc.rochester.edu/primary-care)

He has been very compassionate to me; he recommended a medifast/optifast -type clinic to me that other patients have used and have been successful. He urged me to do this - to use it as a tool to get the weight off because it is too hard the "conventional" way, and the conventional way does not work for most people. I have been able to be healthy being veg; and my weight has been stable. I have no doubt that once I get the weight off I will be able to maintain it because I already changed my eating habits.

So, because I have a long journey with 100+ lbs to loose, I am choosing to be doctor-supervised. They will take a EKG once a month, do regular lab work (very important that you have enough potassium), you see the exercise trainer for personalized exercise instruction, get behavior modification classes, and learn nutrition. Their program is 18 months; average 6 months to lose, then a year of behavior mod. They are an evidence-based program and keep statistics on the success of their patients.

I changed my insurance to a PPO for this. They are in-network so my office visits should be $20, and then I have to pay for the product - between $11-15 per day, depending on the program chosen (which is similar to medifast etal).

I know that many people on here are very successful without a doctor; but some of us need that accountability to someone else to succeed. I tried New Lifestyle and being accountable to my hubby but that just was not fair to him to be my food police. I'm looking forward to starting the clinic soon!

I also look at the cost this way; is my life worth $3k? Yes, it is!

Lyn is right: VLCD is usually 800-1000 cals/day and needs to be doctor supervised. The online stuff is usually LCD of 100-1200 cals/day.

So do what works best for you - I just wanted to give you another take on it .