Medifast vs Ideal Protein Diet

SassySouthernGirl

Hi .... I'm trying to decide between Medifast (ordering online) and going to the Ideal Protein Center (an hour drive) .... they looks so similar to me so I'm stumped as to which to follow. Looks like Medifast has FRUCTOSE in the products, and I've heard that Ideal Protein doe NOT use Fructose.

Any good results with either of these two plans?? Any suggestions??

THANKS !!! Have a great day!

AllieK1030

Hi!
I am currently a Medifast user. I just started officially a week ago. I lost 9 pounds my first week. I really enjoy it and its pretty simple. You eat 5 medifast meals a day plus 1 of your own lean (meat) and green (veggie) meals. There is really great support on this site too to help you decide what meals to order and things like that. I struggled with hunger my first 2 days but now its very routine.

Medifast is a little pricey, HOWEVER if you break it down daily I am spending less now then before on food. Message me if you need any more help with anything!

mhotch

I haven't tried either, but I would think a healthy diet and regular exercise is as effective and cheaper.

SassySouthernGirl

Thanks !!!

LabRat529

[quote: Very low calorie diets. These diets drastically cut your daily calorie intake, usually allowing you between 400 and 800 calories a day. These are sometimes called modified fasts because your food intake is so low and because they're generally liquid diets. Your doctor may recommend a very low calorie diet if you need to lose weight quickly before a medical procedure or if you have serious health problems because of obesity. Don't try a very low calorie diet on your own. You need close monitoring by your health care team to avoid complications and to make sure you're meeting your nutritional requirements. Examples of very low calorie diets include Optifast and Medifast. [/quote]

From http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00616/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Key point from the statement quoted above (I'd bold it if this forum allowed me to):

1) DON'T TRY A VERY LOW CALORIE DIET ON YOUR OWN. YOU NEED CLOSE MONITORING BY YOUR HEALTH CARE TEAM TO AVOID COMPLICATIONS...

There are safer ways to lose weight.

Good luck.

SassySouthernGirl

Rebekah ... thanks!!! Yeah, my doctor is actually monitoring me on this plan. I'm doing the Ideal Protein Diet, which is very similar to Medifast. I do have LOTS to lose and my weight is causing me to have medical issues that will be reversed with weight loss. Plus, I have Fibromyalgia so I know that'll get somewhat better with a loss too!

Thanks so much for the info!!

LabRat529

Rebekah ... thanks!!! Yeah, my doctor is actually monitoring me on this plan. I'm doing the Ideal Protein Diet, which is very similar to Medifast. I do have LOTS to lose and my weight is causing me to have medical issues that will be reversed with weight loss. Plus, I have Fibromyalgia so I know that'll get somewhat better with a loss too!

Thanks so much for the info!!

Good I'm glad to hear that. Well not that you're having medical issues... just that this is supervised.

And I hope I didn't sound too snarky. I'm sorry if I did. I've just met too many people who hear about some gimmick and they're all over it without thinking about the consequences. They don't do any research. They just go with it. As long as you've got a doctor watching out for you, I'm totally okay with it. I sincerely hope it works for you.

tyrog11

I have been on IP for exactly 10 weeks today and have lost almost 55 lbs. This is the first "diet" I have ever been on and I expect it to be the last. I have followed the program strictly and have purchased everything through my doctor. It is kind of expensive, but to have my BP go from 150/100 (medicated with 2 pills/day for over 2 years) to 110/60 (no medication since starting) is completely worth it.

Just a thought, is it possible the "it's not healthy to lose weight too fast" message that has been hammered into us is really just to make sure the multi-billion dollar weight lose industry can keep people on their program as long as possible ensuring financial gain?

tyrog11

I have been on IP for exactly 10 weeks today and have lost almost 55 lbs. This is the first "diet" I have ever been on and I expect it to be the last. I have followed the program strictly and have purchased everything through my doctor. It is kind of expensive, but to have my BP go from 150/100 (medicated with 2 pills/day for over 2 years) to 110/60 (no medication since starting) is completely worth it.

Just a thought, is it possible the "it's not healthy to lose weight too fast" message that has been hammered into us is really just to make sure the multi-billion dollar weight lose industry can keep people on their program as long as possible ensuring financial gain?

PS...Good luck to you! I lost 15 lbs the first week which was a great way to kick things off...if you have any questions let me know!

SassySouthernGirl

Rebekah...oh yeah...I have definitely fallen for all the gimmicks! LOL You didn't come across as snarky at all. I'm glad you replied!!

SassySouthernGirl

Tyrog11 .... THANKS!! And, WOW!! Congrats on all that weight loss! That is really great progress in 10 weeks! I intend to do the same. I just started it on Wednesday ...so 2 days on it and I'm down 3.4 lbs and I will sure take it!! Thanks for your reply, and stay in touch to keep me updated on your amazing results. I will say this ... so far I LOVE every thing I've eaten of their products. I've used packaged foods before like this, but they NEVER mixed well....always so lumpy....and nasty tasting. This stuff is REALLY GOOD! The Wildberry Yogurt Drink was totally awesome! Do you have any favorites??

LabRat529

Just a thought, is it possible the "it's not healthy to lose weight too fast" message that has been hammered into us is really just to make sure the multi-billion dollar weight lose industry can keep people on their program as long as possible ensuring financial gain?

I mean no offense in what I'm about to say. I think this particular mind-set is dangerous. It's good to be skeptical about anything the weight loss industry is pushing... but when their advice lines up with medical advice backed by years of science, you should probably give it credence.

Rapid weight loss stresses the body. There's a concept in science- homeostasis- which pretty much governs your entire physiology. Homeostasis, in lay-man's terms, means keep everything the same (I'm over-simplifying, but I'd prefer not to write a novel). When given a choice, your body will maintain the status quo. Sudden changes will cause stress hormones to sky-rocket. Slow and gentle is better, almost always better.

Of course, if you're morbidly obese, you're risking 'sudden changes' like stroke or heart attack, which will certainly disrupt homeostasis. Your body is SOMETIMES better off if you can lose that weight fast.

And that's why it's best to trust your doctor on this... if you're morbidly obese and he/she says 'let's cut calories to 500/day'... well chances are he/she is concerned about something very serious that justifies a big calorie restriction.

Alternatively, the doctor is a quack and you should find someone new (only you can make that judgement).

One of the biggest problems that I have with a very low calorie diet is that you'll have a hard time getting the nutrients you need to function. That's why I strongly advocate you only try a very low calorie diet with doctor supervision. You need to watch for malnutrition.

It sounds like both of you are... so kudos.

ilyml

To Sassy Southern: How is the Ideal Protein diet going? I'm thinking about starting it.

lovingmyman29

okay so here's the deal, both will work, however they are expensive and i personally know from experience that when you get off the protocol, you can't go back to eating the way you did previously because you will just gain the weight right back. On both, unfortunately yes you will lose the weight fast, however your body will also be canibalizing on some of it's own muscle tissue (don't argue with me because yes it will and i've done my research and been through extensive counseling with nutritionists and medical doctors) along with also utilizing its fat storage. so yes you will lose weight, but you will not really have any muscle tone and yes once you throw back in your carbs and sugars and pizza or whatever, you will start to gain weight back. Sorry for the bad news, but the healthiest and safest way to take it off is the all natural way of exercise and proper nutrition. Medifast and Ideal protein strongly discourage working out while on the programs because you are eating so few calories that you don't even have the energy to work out.

__Karl__

bump

rowdygirl003

How does the IP taste? I've been doing body by Vi since February and haven't lost weight...thinking about going to the dr. For IP....

simplydelish2

According to your ticker you have 68 pounds to lose. A healthy diet and moderate exercise should garner you at least a one pound loss per week...most likely more to start. Why would you pay all that money when you can accomplish the same thing with MFP for free. Neither of the plans you mention are sustainable for life so most people gain the weight back.


Save your money! Eat healthy and move and the weight will come off.

wookiee2cu

I’m doing the Medifast plan, I’ve been on it for 8 months now and I’m down 90 lbs with 10 more to go to hit my goal and keep in mind this is without exercising. I have not tried Ideal Protein but have done some reading on it and it seems like the basic difference is with Medifast you have 5 of their meals a day and a lean & green meal. With Ideal Protein you do 3 of their meals a day and 2 salad or veggie snacks and then a lean & green meal. They are basically the same program but with Ideal Protein you get more salad and veggies. Both programs are based on a protein diet and put your body into a state of ketosis which is where your body turns to stored fat and burns it for energy.

The first month I lost 20 lbs, the second month I lost another 20 lbs and then it started slowing down from there. It makes sense though because in the beginning the stored fat is abundant but as the body burns it and time goes on it becomes harder for the body to find it (this obviously depends on how much extra stored fat the person has and will vary from one person to the next). Once you hit your goal weight then you start reintroducing HEALTHY foods back into your eating. This will be a bit of trial and error as everyone’s metabolism is different so you will need to find out what works for you and then it’s maintaining your weight after that by eating healthy and exercise.

If you go back to the way you ate before the program then you will go back to the weight you were before, this is just common sense. Sure you can have an unhealthy meal like pizza, pasta or whatever once in a wile like every other week but not every other day and you still need to monitor your weight. If you are not burning off the amount of calories you take in then you will gain weight, it’s simple math.

For a month’s supply of Medifast it costs me $330, I tried searching Ideal Protein but it won’t show me the costs so I Googled it and people said they spent between $350-$415 for a month’s supply. Now this does sound like a lot of money but keep in mind you will no longer be dining out like you used to, hitting the fast food drive through or drinking alcohol (at least on the Medifast plan but I imagine you’re not supposed to on the Ideal Protein plan either). The only other food you will be buying is your salad, veggies and lean protein meat. I find I’m probably saving about $40-$60 a month compared to what I was spending before the program.

I went with Mediafast because it has been recommended by over 20,000 dr.’s, been around for 20+ years, I was able to find more information/reviews on it and it seemed to be a little cheaper. I do know a few people who have done the Ideal Protein program and they had success so I don’t think you can go wrong with either one.

pinkledoodledoo

My Dad did Ideal Protein 2 years ago and gained back almost all of the weight and is now going back there again. I did Medi-Weightloss (very similar to Medi-Fast) last year and lost 60 lbs in 6 months, got bored and then gained it all back when I stopped the plan. I'd suggest staying away from high priced fad diets and sticking with a sustainable plan.

djrn144

what do you do once you have lost all the weight? do they gradually introduce real food and help you with this? that would worry me i guess but good luck and everybody is different so if it works great!

wookiee2cu

I did Medifast and there is a book called Dr. A's Habbits of Health http://www.amazon.com/Dr-As-Habits-Health-permanent/dp/0981914608 and it will give example meal plans when going from weight loss stage to transitioning (re-introducing other foods) stage to maintenance stage. the book is a good read regardless of what program you choose to do. The thing is you need to know that your eating lifestyle is going to change after this program, you will be eating healthy foods and yes you will need to pay attention to nutritional labels. We all know we need to/should eat healthy but junk food and fast food tastes good... but it comes at a cost. You have to decide if you're willing to make the change; if you're not then honestly I wouldn't bother spending your money on any program because you will end up right back where you are sooner or later. May sound harsh but more than likely it's true.

MCLA4mom

I did Medifast with a coach. I loved the book that is mentioned below. I had struggled to lose weight on so many other programs before I did this one. I have maintained my healthy weight for over a year now. I lost weight with the Medifast food but that was just one part of this program. I learned and implemented healthy habits and took a good hard look at myself. I have a thyroid condition that made me gain weight and I always blamed it on that. When I did the internal work I was able to figure out what part I played in becoming overweight Its not something that just "happened" to me. I learned what my triggers were and learned about my own chices and behaviors. You will learn absolutely nothing from eating meal replacements. If you use them, they will take the burden and stress off of weight loss so that you can do the deeper work and learn about yourself and what changes you need to make. Let me know if you have any questions about the program

fluffytuf

Filled out the forms and considering Ideal Protein diet. Apparently my metabolism is shot. I can't lose weight no matter what I do, even under 1200 calories a day. I'm not really a veggie eater and would have to eat 4 cups of them a day plus salads. Anyone know where to find Ideal Protein recipes for those yucky veggies? Reading all these posts I'm really on the fence about it. I have to lose 50 lbs and it seems with other's experiences, it wouldn't take long to lose that on IPD, then would have to learn how to eat not to gain it back.

corliss777

I like Ideal protein a bit better than medifast. Eating 5 medifast meals a day feels very artificial. I think Ideal's meals taste a little better. Medifast meals have strong after taste that takes time to get use to. I like ideal for me. Im allergic to alot of foods because I'm allergic to alot of trees, grasses, and molds. When I get off of Ideal protein I break out horribly from wheat and dairy. A vegan diet would probably be best for me. I know people that have lost the weight and kept if off for years on ideal and I know people that have gained it back. When I got off I did gain back but not all of it and only because I ate very badly all the time I also did not go through maintanence. I'm back on plan and my goal is to make it to maintanence. :-)

iWillGetCrowSomeday

I did Medifast 5 years ago. I lost about 35 lbs on it total (I don't remember over how much time, but it averaged out to about 1.5 lb/wk). It was expensive. More expensive than cooking on my own. The food was awful (although I hear it's better). If you do it, some caution regarding the meal bars: they will make you fart so much you'll think you could be responsible for global warming. Anyway, I (obviously) didn't keep the weight off. I went back to eating real food, and eating in my old ways. But this time around, I'm eating real food. I'm cooking. I'm exercising. And I'm losing at the same rate without sacrificing my wallet or flavor. And all that food is super processed and full of artificial sweeteners. And it restricts your calories A LOT. like, 700-900 calories a day. That's not healthy. I don't care what doctor is recommending it. That will destroy your metabolism.

I say all this, and two of my family members have gone into business with this. I love them very much, but this "diet" is not healthy, and you can do it on your own with real food.

Wetcoaster

Medifast Diet Deceptions:
In September , the MLM diet company Medifast (MED), agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle FTC charges of false product claims. These fines are for violating an earlier order to cease and desist from making unsupported weight loss claims. Despite its promotional use of references to doctors and “clients”, most of this company’s revenue is gained from ordinary low calorie packaged food sold by non-medical sales representatives in a multi-level marketing scheme

http://pyramidschemealert.org/2012-round-up-crimes-misdemeanors-and-charges-in-multi-level-marketing/

amtornberg

For those considering Ideal Protein, I recommend you check out the Forum at 3 Fat Chicks:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/ideal-protein-diet-236/

There is so much helpful information and links to recipes and creative ways to get the veggies in.

I have been on IP for 3 weeks and have lost 12lbs. This is huge for me because no matter what I did in the past, my weight refused to budge. My first week was $300 which included all of my consultations, 1 week of food, and a month's supply of vitamins. After that, each week is $87 plus veggies and protein.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask me.

amtornberg

Filled out the forms and considering Ideal Protein diet. Apparently my metabolism is shot. I can't lose weight no matter what I do, even under 1200 calories a day. I'm not really a veggie eater and would have to eat 4 cups of them a day plus salads. Anyone know where to find Ideal Protein recipes for those yucky veggies? Reading all these posts I'm really on the fence about it. I have to lose 50 lbs and it seems with other's experiences, it wouldn't take long to lose that on IPD, then would have to learn how to eat not to gain it back.

Hi! I am NOT a veggie eater either, but I have found great ways to get it in throughout the day. For example, I just had a salad (lettuce doesn't count) with 1 cup of cucumbers and 1 cup of green peppers. Half way there! Last night for dinner I had a steak with grilled zucchini and peppers. Even though I don't really like veggies, I have learned (even in 3 short weeks) that getting them in is just part of my new way of life. I recommend you check out the forum at 3 Fat Chicks:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/ideal-protein-diet-236/

There is a lot of great advice, including recipes and general support for those of us on IP. Good luck!

BrianSharpe

Just a thought, is it possible the "it's not healthy to lose weight too fast" message that has been hammered into us is really just to make sure the multi-billion dollar weight lose industry can keep people on their program as long as possible ensuring financial gain?

One of the main reasons that rapid weight loss diets are held in low esteem is that they're not a sustainable long term nutritional plan and frequently lead to yo-yo dieting which then results in even greater revenues for the diet centres and makers of these products.

With the exception of the morbidly obese whose weight may be triggering some other medical emergency the best approach is the one that is sustainable for the rest of our lives.

We didn't put on that extra 50 (or more) pounds overnight, why would we expect (other than our need for instant gratification) think we need to lose it in a matter of weeks?

seasonsofjoy

I did Medifast in 2010, through Take Shape for Life, vs. the much more pricey way of going into a brick and mortar Medifast center.
I lost 70 lbs., in 6 months, and felt and looked so much better! I am hypothyroid, also, have osteoarthritis, too, and within 2 weeks of starting, I felt like a new person. I have been a yo-yo dieter for about 40 years, so this was all amazing to me.
I loved my results, and how easy it was so much, that I became a "health coach" with this program. Many people joined me, friends, mostly, and friends of friends.
September, 2013: 60 of the 70 lbs are back on me. I thought I would never gain it back. Truth is, like others have said, if you don't change permanently, your lifestyle, your way of thinking, your habits, you will gain it back. In Dr. A's book (mentioned in an earlier reply, excellent book), you have a formula on how to figure out maintenance calories. You will forever have to maintain eating this smaller amount of calories, it's true. I did not transition back to adding in regular foods, and going off the pre-packaged meals, and I did not exercise. Both, mistakes. I still think the program is sound, you take in ideally 800-1000 calories a day while on the program. I went to a national conference, and I met MANY people who had maintained their weight loss for years! They honestly do have the goal of getting America healthy. Yes, part of their goal is also making money as health coaches. I quit because the truth is, everyone who needs to lose weight needs support, which at first was fun and I was so excited! Then I found it was exhausting (for me) to be on call all the time, with people's various needs while on program. I wasn't in it for the money, but was spending way too much time away from my family.
This time, I am joining this site, for the mutual support, vs. being the sole support for others. I am planning on a lifestyle change, using both my favorite Medifast foods as some meals, and low carb meals for others. I will exercise the entire time, and once in awhile, allow small, (VERY small) bites/servings of treats at events. I felt too deprived before, and I had the "on a diet" or else "eat whatever I want" plan.
I wish everyone the best, no matter what you choose to do!