Medifast

hawaiiandream
hawaiiandream Posts: 43 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have a couple friends who are doing very well on Medifast and I'm tempted to join. I haven't been doing very well on my own losing weight and I've tried other things like W.W but nothing extreme like Medifast. Anyone out there have any advice? Please no meanies, I know there are some strong opinions out there.

Replies

  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Nope don't do it. Log your food, eat at a reasonable deficit, educate yourself on nutrition. Stop looking for quick easy ways to lose weight.
  • derekj222
    derekj222 Posts: 370 Member
    Ditto. You can't have someone prepare your foods forever...this is you, all you. No one else.
    Nope don't do it. Log your food, eat at a reasonable deficit, educate yourself on nutrition. Stop looking for quick easy ways to lose weight.
  • Zaftique
    Zaftique Posts: 599 Member
    Honestly, it just looks hella expensive. You may be better off buying a chest freezer, a foodsaver, and a crap-ton of groceries to make into pre-portioned meals, and just stick to those. It's been working decently for me so far (I just need to exercise more, ha!).


    Stay off the faddy goodness, you can do this!
    :flowerforyou:
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    Nope don't do it. Log your food, eat at a reasonable deficit, educate yourself on nutrition. Stop looking for quick easy ways to lose weight.

    This. This. This.
  • whirlygig35
    whirlygig35 Posts: 4
    Isn't it a low calorie diet? Like 500-800 calories? It would probably be much harder to stick with than just following a small calorie deficit on MFP.
  • Jerseygrrl
    Jerseygrrl Posts: 189 Member
    I know it is SO tempting to jump on what looks like the quick-fix bandwagon. I hope your friends do well and are able to maintain their weight loss when they are done.
    As others have already said, it's not about just "losing the weight." It's really about finding what is going to work for you for the rest of your life.
    Find what works for you - and what doesn't - and you'll be on your way. It's not easy. It IS worth it.
  • Zaftique
    Zaftique Posts: 599 Member
    I know it is SO tempting to jump on what looks like the quick-fix bandwagon. I hope your friends do well and are able to maintain their weight loss when they are done.
    As others have already, it's not about just "losing the weight." It's really about finding what is going to work for you for the rest of your life.
    Find what works for you - and what doesn't - and you'll be on your way. It's not easy. It IS worth it.

    Indeed! :flowerforyou:

    iQLJo7z.gif
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I'm an idiot, and I lost weight doing the MFP method and listening to people here. You're not trying hard enough.
  • myjding70
    myjding70 Posts: 22
    I did Medifast many years ago...It made me soooooooo sad. Ugh ~ it still makes me shudder when I think of the "food". I can't speak to today's quality, but, I'm guessing it hasn't gotten any cheaper over the years. :)

    Maybe stick with MFP for a while, and keep an eye on how long your friends can stick with Medifast. You might be going a bit slower, but if you can do it for life? You win!!
  • Polishprinsezz
    Polishprinsezz Posts: 249 Member
    Multimillion dollar industries like this prey on the overweight and desperate. They depend on the overweight for profit. Just another gimmick. Invest in fresh produce and lean meats as a part of your forever life style change. I find it amusing how the call themself Medifast. It sounds like a medical option for assistance with weightloss. The gullible and desperate fall for that ploy too. Sad really. There is a whole industry depending on us to stay fat so they can make a profit.
  • atxboots
    atxboots Posts: 7 Member
    I have been using Medifast (via Take Shape for Life) for about 3 weeks. I have lost about 20 lbs (250 down to 230). I am happy with the weight loss, but not happy about the program (if that makes sense).

    My biggest gripe is I like to work out and the program wants you to really back off workouts. Supposedly to keep from getting hungry on <1000 calories per day and to convince your body to let go of fat.

    I have made some modifications (mainly breakfast) and am looking for input on how to use the TSFL/Medifast products and be more active fitness wise.

    Thanks in advance.
  • mcpostelle
    mcpostelle Posts: 418 Member
    I really like medifast and I recommend it. I lost 40lbs in a few months with it and kept it off, now I'm trying keto, but I'm thinking of going back to medifast since it's effective. The food is yummy. I mainly eat the bars since I'm on the road a lot.
  • machinistgoalie
    machinistgoalie Posts: 17
    4 years ago I was 407 lbs and started with Medifast. My sister-in-law and her husband were on it, and they are the poster couple for mindless self indulgence. But, they were losing weight, and looking and feeling good. So everyone, seeing those impressive and quick results, signed up. My mother and father in, as did my wife. By proxy I started trying it.

    I lost my first 50 lbs that way, and at a pretty good rate. I was finally able to start skating and playing hockey again and working out. I found that I needed more calories, carbs and protien once I did that, as I'd get very weak and shakey after playing and exercising.

    So I needed to shift from Medifast to real sustinance. I started to focus on paying attention to what and how much food I ate, and changed (still am, it's a process) how I saw and viewed food.

    And while losing the 135 lbs +/- have done wonders for my entire scope of life, I feel I can and do more. I've leveled off and maintained at the 265-275 range for the last year. I am not happy with that, which has prompted me joing this website. My sights are set for 200lbs, and I simply have it in my mind I will see to that end. For me, failure is not am option on my result listing.

    So 4 years out from Medifast, I can say it was a good way to help kick start a change, but for long term, I'd advise against it. As others' have stated, you'll need to get in the proper way of thinking. Reestablishing how you feel about food and exercise will serve you well, and go much further than Medifast ever could, and it's free. Something of which Medifast isn't.

    I lost my weight and kept it off, as has my wife. So out of the 6 of us, 4 have gained everything they lost, and gained back even more. It's because of the quick fix mindset. If you work to change your mind and your heart, and your body will follow. For them, it was just magic pills taken on a schedule, which is not a long term solution. Something can and will disrupt that, and then you are left with nothing to "help" you along in those times, and doomed to fall back into your same old habits and patterns.

    My 2 cents.
  • mauraea
    mauraea Posts: 2 Member
    I've been doing Medifast for about a month, and like the other posters who actually have recent experience with Medifast - and aren't just speaking on the basis of what works for them - it's a good program for people who are lost and need some direction. Saying, "just reduce your calories and pre-cook your meals and you'll be fine!" is easy - but we would't be overweight if it were easy for us, now would we? You've already said you've tried WW and that's the best program if your only problem was lack of knowledge about what to prepare.

    I think the best thing about Medifast is that its a cold-turkey type of program - and therefore got me off take out food (which I ate purely out of convenience, not because I love take out food.) Aside from that, it helped me develop good eating habits - but in baby steps and not all at once. First I worked on eating every 2-3 hours and learning to listen to my true hunger cues and not just thirst or boredom. Then I worked on preparing food for myself, but only one simple meal a day, and even that meal was a challenge sometimes because I had to learn to prioritize and plan. Next I'm going to work on finding what works for me when I'm no longer on Medifast, because as I'm sure you know - it's not a lifestyle - IT IS A DIET. It's temporary, and once you hit your goal weight you transition to a reasonable diet (that Medifast helps you develop - you wont be on your own!) that you're now ready to embrace as you've had lots of practice and success.

    Anyone who has had true lasting results on Medifast will tell you, it's not a quick fix. It's hard work because it's about breaking bad habits, developing new ones and finding all those trigger points in your day that causes you to eat poorly or loaf around on the couch instead of getting some exercise.

    Whatever you decide, good luck!

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