Fat Loss Tips.

I get a lot of questions about the specifics of the Medifast program. I also find that a lot of people have the perception that this program consists only of shakes or liquids. This truly is not the case. There are many food options and the shakes are not the only reason that many people have success on this diet. So, in the following article, I’ll offer an overview and review of this plan.

The Basics Of The Medifast Program: I suppose you would call this a meal replacement diet in that, for the most part, you replace what you would normally eat throughout the day with “Medifast meals” provided to you by the company. The exception is the one “lean and green” meal each day which is larger, more substantial, and provided by you. This will typically consist of lean protein and vegetables, but you can meet this requirement in a number of ways.

You will be eating six times per day (which is why the most popular package is called the “5 plus 1.”) Five of those will be the “Medifast meals” and one will be the “lean and green” that I discussed above. The popular shakes are one of the choices for these diet meals. But there are others, including oatmeal, chili, soup, stew, eggs, chips, protein bars, pudding, lattes, etc. There are many different flavors within each category also and there are many recipes that allow you to use the “meals” as dry ingredients so that you can give yourself a bit more variety.

This program helps you lose weight in a few ways. First, you’re most likely consuming a lower amount of calories than you normally would (usually around 1200 calories.) Second, the foods are high in protein and are probably lower in carbohydrates than the diet you are on right now. This equation forces your body into a metabolic state called ketosis where you are burning fat rather than carbs for fuel. Obviously, burning fat is optimal because it contributes to your quick weight loss.

Finally, the eating six times per day is important because: it keeps you from getting hungry; it ensures that you’re getting enough protein; and it’s giving your body the fuel it needs to burn the fat. it is so important that you don’t skip any meals. (I know that six seems like a lot, but getting used to this is a pretty quick process.) Skipping meals may seem like a good idea of the time, but it really does only slow or delay your progress.

My Review Of The Medifast Program: Fair warning here. I may just be biased because I’ve had a good deal of success on this plan. I’ve lost over 80 pounds so clearly I’m going to be pretty pleased about my results. But, I’m going to try to remain neutral when I describe the pros and cons of this plan.

I believe that ketosis really is the difference in this diet. Almost without exception, if you are able to get into ketosis, you will lose weight. It really all comes down to that. You can test yourself with ketone strips so that you aren’t having to guess. And, eating regularly, at least to me, really does make a difference. There is not much time to get hungry when you are eating every few hours.

If you are someone who likes to cook and shop for food, this may be a challenge for you because, other than the lean and green meal, there really isn’t much to do. You can, however, get elaborate with the meal that you make each day, but again, this only happens once per day.

Most of the foods are pretty tasty or can be made so with the addition of fat and sugar free add ons like sugar free syrup, fat free sour cream, etc. I’ve certainly had worse diet food and I like the idea that you get to eat snack type foods and some desserts. There’s very little work involved here because you don’t have to count calories or carbs and 5 out of 6 meals every day are provided for you.

Cost wise, I find this plan to be cheaper than groceries. If you can find a good coupon for the month you are in, you can generally get your cost down to $8 per day. Considering this covers six meals, that’s certainly not too bad.