Medifast? Extreme dieting?

Stacivogue

Here's the dope....

95% of diets fail.

you got this way because you made poor food choices in the past, and now all you are doing is switching the decisions of what goes in your food from the fast food/ packaged food vendors to someone else who promises you weightloss.

All you are doing is shifting responsibility from one place to another instead of dealing with it yourself.

Using any program is just treating the symptom and not the disease.

FYI, I don't remember the last time I had fast food. I am on medifast.

amuchison

To add I have successfully lost 50.6 lbs in 17 weeks and 2 days and I did have slips along the way but even on those days where I wanted to give in to just eating whatever I learned that that's not healthy!!! U can't eat like that wether on Medifast or not and workout and expect to lose weight....no matter what u do give it 100% U don't want to do medifast fine...eat 6 small meals a day n 2-3 hour intervals and drink 64 oz of water a day...workout 3-5 times a week for 30-45min alternate with strength training 2-3 times a week...it boils down to are u committed it seems from reading your post that is the issue because u r not..its not to do medifast or not or wether it is extreme its wether u r ready to make a change to achieve Optimal Health n your life...Have u asked yourself why u aren't where u want to be weight wise. Do u enjoy the high carb high fat foods too much if so why? U have to find out what is underneath your actions and how to fix your habits so that u can achieve your goals if not u will lose weight n then gain it all back not because u were on a diet or fad diet or just a lifestyle change with MFP etc...its because u didn't understand your own process of WHY? Get healthy? WHY lose weight!!?

Amy911Gray

This is a great place and congratulations for getting on!

As with anything worth the time, do your research. Figure out why you lose the weight and then gain it back. Figure out what you like. Figure out what is important for you to keep and to give away.

A very good friend of mine went on the Medifast diet in early August. I came home from that lunch and looked it up. Alas, couldn't afford that. So, I came up with a plan, set a calorie limit and got down to it.

Another good friend of mine suggested MFP instead of charting it in an excel spreadsheet. That was 51 pounds ago. The weight came off and continues to come off. I'm just an average girl with a lot of weight to lose.

Here's the truth about weight loss...YOU can do this! Really, you can do this! We all have bad days, good days and great days. I have to tell you, that most of my days are great days...Yours will be too!

starscreensiren

I was on Medifast years ago - lost a lot of weight but gained it ALL back and more when I decided to eat normally again. The problem I had with it was that I enjoy being active, and it did not allow me to do so. It didn't work for me, but that is just my personal experience. Using MFP, eating sensibly, tracking all my food and working out has worked the best for me overall. Even though MF may cause you to lose weight quickly, you have to be very mindful about going off of it and really follow through on the maintenance phase, or else honestly it won't work and you are better off sticking to the old fashioned way of watching what you eat and exercise.

vholifield

I'm also doing Medifast, I'm almost to one month and down about 28 lbs. Nothing else I've done prior has gotten me anywhere. I do at times feel like I'm spending too much money but I remind myself that I'm also not eating out as much, I'm not drinking soda - I'm even able to resist it being in the house as my husband is still getting it for him. In the past, if it was in the house, I'd drink it, case closed. For the most part, I'm not hungry but there are times I feel like I fail. There are times I feel dizzy but I'm not attributing it to the diet as of just yet - I've been getting dizzy spells recently since before the diet and I also have sinus issues, so that could be the cause as well. I'm not a real active person for the most part, I have numerous jobs that require sitting at this blasted computer a lot and I've never been real sporty to begin with. I do try to do some Wii Fit or Just Dance, though, the hard part is finding the time.
If nothing else, I feel like this is going to give me the jump start I need.

Pebble321

Thanks for all the advice!! I think I'm going to go with majority and at least try to make a more honest effort with MFP. I just feel hopeless.. I know that's dramatic but geez I really do. Hopefully I can dig up some motivation! Thanks for the support!

It's your call, but whatever you choose, don't sit around and wait to be motivated. I know that can be a very long wait!

Set yourself small goals and celebrate small achievements. You might not be losing 15 pounds a month but if you are making healthy changes in your life, then ultimately they will add up into big outcomes.

My suggestion: commit to logging everything you eat for a week. You don't have change anything, just write it down.
Then, pick one meal and commit to making that healthy. You could start with breakfast - make that a healthier choice and do that for a week.
Then, find something active that you like to do (walk the dog, chase kids around, dance in front of the telly, play on the wii, go for a swim, learn belly dancing.... anything that gets you moving!) and commit to doing 15 mins of that each day for a week.

You can see how eventually you are going to end up so much healthier and ulitmately slimmer by making one little change at a time.
Good luck!

KatrinaG2012

It boils down to more calories going out than in and COMPLIANCE. If you think the structure of the medifast meals might serve to keep you under your caloric goal for the day I say go for it. Different things work for different folks and it seems foolish to suggest that what did or didn't work for one might work or not for another anymore than my corrective lenses would give you 20/20 vision. I have tried the meals and some are certainly better than others. It isn't fine dining for sure but for someone like me that works 2 jobs, cares for ailing parents and a family of my own the conveniance has made the difference between making a bad choice and a good one on several occasions. Last week on my long commute I became very hungry and that meal bar kept me from whipping in somewhere for a less than optimal choice. I have a friend that does the 4 MF meals + 2 lean and green and and is seeing success though at a slower rate. Another lost all her weight in a more traditional manner and works out like a fiend. She uses the medifast meal bars for her snacks to control her craving for sweets which aids her in maintaining her weight loss. I guess my point is that one should listen to their individual, unique and amazing body. If something is not working, try something else. The most important thing that I know for sure is that no matter how you loose it you must not make the mistake of thinking you can go back to your former way of eating.

dpedi

I really appreciate all of the feedback from everyone.... It's interesting to hear about different peoples experiences! Good luck on all your weight loss journeys!! Thanks for all the advice,

kellybrownsays

I tried MediFast a few months ago and in my opinion it's not a healthy or economical way to go.

Medifast is actually cheaper than a lot of the programs out there (including WW) and it has more benefits (counseling, dietician services, etc).

They are 100 calorie meals so you are eating below 600 calories a day.

This is not true. MF meals range from 90-130 calories. You are supposed to eat 800 to 1000 calories a day. Yes, the Medifast meals are low calorie but you get the largest bulk of calories from your Lean & Green meal - which you can also split up throughout the day to satiate hunger.

Its the only program that works for me partly due to the structure. In 10 months I've lost 73 pounds. That's an average of just under 2lbs a week - a completely healthy and reasonable expectation for weight loss.

additionally the structuring of this program has allowed me to address the issues that contribute to my obesity. I've had many, many off plan days in which I ate whatever I pleased. But thanks to the structure of MF I'm in the process of conquering my obsessive binge eating...the reason most of us are here anyway. My off plan days are never a free for all disaster and I've never had a weight gain due to off plan days.

@dpedi (and anyone else) - if you want real, honest opinions and facts about this program I'm happy to speak to you about it at length. Medifast might not be for everyone but it works for many.

the reason diets fail "95%" of the time is because people don't take the time to truly address their eating habits. tracking your food is a fantastic tool. But until you start asking yourself WHY you stopped caring about yourself and eating your way into an early grave, you will not conquer obesity. It is entirely possible to lost weight on ANY diet plan and maintain it for the rest of your life. additionally, those that regain on medifast either didn't do what I just talked about OR they didn't follow the transition and maintenance plan. Medifast also teaches you how to transition and slowly re-introduce healthy, real world foods back into your diet.

Petria

Hi guys! I'm on Medifast too, and am down 50 pounds and 99 inches. I love it, it's easy for me, and it works and has motivated me to work out and have a much healthier lifestyle. I went from going out, drinking, eating terribly, to hiking, taking barre classes, eating clean, and cutting alcohol out completely.

However, I would recommend paying the money and going to a local center. My contract with Medifast started 8/2011, and ends 5/2013. After I lose the weight, they will contractually see me weekly for 1 1/2 years (18 months) after to make sure that I am not gaining back, and to help me get a handle on nutrition and how to make good, low cal choices. They structure it this way so that you don't go off and gain all the weight back, and to me, that's the best feature of the program.

On a typical day I eat 5 bars, every 2.5 hours, drink a gallon of water, and eat a "lean and green" meal. For my meal, I usually eat a Jimmy John's 'unwich' - basically a sandwich without the bread.

In the centers, they will do a monthly body scan that measures fat and muscle. Two months ago, mine showed that I was losing too much muscle for my activity level and diet. Immediately they upped my protein intake and adjusted the diet for me, and as of my last scan, my muscle is up, and my fat is down. The monitor everything, and I really like that. Going to the center weekly and being accountable has been a huge blessing, and I have an entire office of people cheering me on.

For me, it's been a huge blessing, and I'm excited to lose another 20 pounds. I truly couldn't have done this without their support and accountability. I would recommend it to anyone looking to lose weight and keep it off.

Best of luck.

AJHarman

I love threads like this. I weed out the responses from people with no experience on the plan themselves and really focus on the responses that have life experiences with the program. I as well as 15 others of my friends and family have had amazing success with losing weight using the Medifast diet but also maintaining a health weight thanks to Take Shape For Life program that acts as a cheerleader, drill sergeant, and counselor. We all have learned so much about our body and how it processes food and how we got to where we were that it empowered us to create healthy habits and knowledge to keep the weight off for good. Couldn't say enough amazing things about it! I really chuckled at the comment about losing muscle because that is so contrary to the truth. The diet actually preserves muscle mass. Check the science from John Hopkins University. It is the leading diet at that institution's medical obesity center. Not all diets are meant for everyone, but I was glad I gave it a try for 30 days. Changed everything for me and my family!

timrap

I am also on Medifast and love the program. It has taught me how to eat and I love the food. Money neutral for me cause I am not spending the money on the junk. I have kept the 40 lbs off since last May and am currently back on plan for the last 20 that I would love to lose. You hit a mild state of ketosis on this plan and the energy you gain is amazing. I would totally suggest you try it. Check out the medifast page on facebook and research it a bit more.

MeliNichole84

today is the first day i have ever heard of medi fast. my mom was telling me that her neighbor told her about it. she said that she only ordered the shakes. had a shake and store bought oatmeal for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and a regular dinner. she lost 80 pounds in four months and didnt work out at all. i am thinking of trying it to help get some of those weight off. tired of being obese. i just joined mfp last week, anyone please feel free to add me! thanks! good luck to you all.

MissingMinnesota

Here is a blog from someone I know that is using Medifast. They are almost to their 100lbs lost mark.

http://pukerainbows.posterous.com/

americaistoxic

For the most part, Happiness = Healthiness. If you can make the commitment to yourself to feel good about yourself, then you'll put good things into your body and exercise. Weight loss is normally most successful when it comes as a bi-product to living a healthy life.

Change comes from within.

k011185

I did it awhile back and lvoed it actually, it is definitely not the 'liquid fast' it used to be. Also, medifast has been around for years, it's reccomended by doctors, it isn't a fad diet.
The food is not delicious, don't expect that, lol. I loved the orange shakes and mint bars, but alot of it was pretty blah.

I found it easy to stick to, I had plenty of energy and was never hungry. I lost about 20 pounds on it before I started getting really sick, then found out I am allergic to a few of the common ingredients.
Once I weeded out what I could eat off their plan, the choices were so limited I couldn't do it.

I actually found my grocery bill went down a little, but if you are a thrifty shopper, you will find the food pricey.
Also, the weight didn't come back like it does with 'fad' diets, I kept it off for a long time.

As long as you have some willpower, and if you can't seem to get the weight off with what you are doing now, I would say try it. If I could do it again, I would.

Ready2Rock206

I know someone who did it and had great success - as far as I know she kept it off. It looked way too extreme for me. 600 cals a day?! I would die! She called the food space food - it was freaky and nasty looking. I need something where I can eat real food and enjoy meals w/my family...

CoachChelsey

The Medifast program is not 600 calories a day and it's not a liquid diet either. Many people buy Medifast and never properly do the program because they don't take advantage of the free health coach. I am a free health coach with Take Shape For Life (the health coach branch of Medifast) and I help my clients find success using the 5&1 plan. After a client reaches their healthy weight, we help them transition and then maintain their weight loss. Reaching a healthy weight is only the FIRST step, which is very different than the many diets out in the world. Also, this isn't a DIET - this concept took me a long time to wrap my brain around. This is a lifestyle change but done in small steps which become habits - this does not require some amazing will power either - it is about what you want and working with your health coach to reach your goals.

dawnohlendorf

I did medifast three years ago and lost around 50 pounds. I gained it back plus some. Don't do it!

IllustratedxGirl

If you have no willpower or discipline, they paying for an expensive weight loss system may not be the way to go.

Unfortunately, you won't be able to lose the weight and keep it off without willpower and discipline. I would say work on those issues first