a friends diet...good or bad???

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Hi there!
A friend of mine is doing the Medi Weight Loss Diet...the first week is a 700 calorie diet of only protein..no veggies even! After the first week you stay on the 700 calories of protein and get to add 25 g of carbs and their respective calories until you reach your goal weight.

she really wants me to do this with her and I just think it seems ridiculous! However I am not doing very well on my weight loss and wonder if I should just suck it up and give it a try...to be 100% honest though...I know that I do not do EVERYTHING that I am supposed to do to lose weight, I am probably doing the right thing 85% of the time and I really just want that to be enough! lol!

Anyway...I really need some opinions on this!!
Thanks :)

Replies

  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    I think it kind of sounds ridiculous. Is she doing it on her own or supervised?
  • dlovesjimma
    dlovesjimma Posts: 39 Member
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    Any diet that removes the macro nutrients that you need for your body to function is a no go. Protein only sounds like an incredibly bad idea.
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
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    Is your friend doing this doctor supervised? I know there are similar programs that are highly doctor supervised and the doctor must be specially trained. In addition, there is a "weaning" period at the end of the "diet" to get back to a healthy diet and it is highly recommended you continue on with classes with them to keep the weight off - similar to weight watchers. If you don't keep going to those classes or learn a healthy sensible diet after the fact, the weight will come back.....FAST.

    And it is NOT healthy unless doctor supervised. It just isn't. And by doctor supervised, I mean blood work done each week, a physical exam by the doc or PA each week, and occasional EKGs to make sure the body is staying healthy. Not just that some hack of doctor is giving the materials out.
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,231 Member
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    Uhh....not to be gross or anything, but won't you get really constipated only eating protein and no veggies (fiber!)?
  • StaceyL76
    StaceyL76 Posts: 711 Member
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    Bad idea.

    This is not teaching one how to stay healthy and stay trim. Most like loose lean muscle mass setting one up for long term failure...

    I just think they want repeat customers.

    Long term weightloss is about learning a lifestyle that creates a healthy fit bod and mind. I don't believe this diet will do that.

    Bad idea.
  • adventuring
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    That sounds terribly unhealthy.
  • mrsvatitagain
    mrsvatitagain Posts: 275 Member
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    Sounds ridiculous. It works of course because you are not eating. But think about it, if you are doing what you need to now, how will you change that on all packeged protein items? Just something to think about. Medifast is very restrictive and expensive, you should really think about it for yourself. None of OUR opinions on the matter should matter.
  • staceyb00
    staceyb00 Posts: 43 Member
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    My dad did the Medifast Diet (is this the one you are talking about?) He lost some weight on it, but when he went back to eating normal again he gained the weight lost plus a lot more. My advice is to eat healthy and exercise. There is no shortcut to healthy. You may lose, but I'm afraid in the end you will gain again. 700 calories for the rest of your life is not sustainable. I don't care who you are.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    I'm a reduced carb person my self so eating meat and vegetables isn't a problem for me but I don't think I'd be able to handle just eating 25g of veggie carbs for months on end. How will the diet transition her back to real life? For me, the way I eat now is the way I will eat for the rest of my life. I would worry that if she doesn't learn some good eating habits when she goes off the diet she might go off the deep end and gain it all back. Seven hundred calories isn't much to survive on.

    I just have to say your profile pic is stinking adorable and I feel the same way about carrots as that kitty does!
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    If you know you're not doing everything you need to do, why not try doing it right and see how it goes?


    Seriously - I used to struggle with weight loss when I wasn't applying myself too. Once I got over the hurdle and just started DOING IT, I started seeing results.
  • Aokark
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    I don't see the need of making things so complicated. A good balance will take you far and will make it easier to do groceries and cook in the future. If you have logged your food you should be able to see if you're missing something or if you're getting crazy amounts of something.

    Like many have said, and I say it too... If you are serious about this, it's a lifestyle change. Losing weight is not the hard part, it's getting rid of your bad habits that's hard.

    If you are eating too much, and aren't very active, then just reduce the amount you're eating, or increase your activity level. You shouldn't need to remove anything completely in order to lose weight.

    (I am not bashing anyone's diet, nor am I trying to say they are bad. All I am saying is that you want to find something long term and not something temporary)
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    Sounds like the "no / low carb" diet re-hashed to me. which, is really hard to keep on doing, and although you may have success, if you don't keep doing it, you usually stack the weight back on.

    In the "rules" is it a "lifestyle change"? are you supposed to keep it up forever when you get to maintenence, and is maintenance really low carb? if so, then only the very strong willed can keep it up in my humble opinion.

    my theory is in a calorie controlled diet, you can have a day off, and get back on the horse with no ill effects the next day.. but with a no/ low carb diet, it doesn't work that way, you pretty much have to go back to square one and do the hard yards again if you step of track.
  • dietqueen1978
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    When my doctor told me i had to lose weight, i asked her opinion on medifast, nutrisystem, and a few others. she told me they will help you lose weight for sure & maybe even really quickly, but when you start eating normal again you are at very high risk of gaining it all back, because lets face it.. no one can eat like that forever. i am struggling with "dieting" or "lifestyle change" i want to do lifestyle change, but it's hard for me to get the mind over matter thing going in the right direction!! Good luck to you... 4 pounds is 4 pounds & that is something to be PROUD of!! you must be doing something right :)
  • kelwaldron
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    Don't do it! You know what you need to do! You are strong and you just need to remind yourself! Stick to the healthy eating lifestyle that we have been taught!
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
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    ridiculous
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    I stopped reading after "700 calories" a day.

    Nuff said.
  • tracikearns
    tracikearns Posts: 138 Member
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    If you know you're not doing everything you need to do, why not try doing it right and see how it goes?


    Seriously - I used to struggle with weight loss when I wasn't applying myself too. Once I got over the hurdle and just started DOING IT, I started seeing results.
  • tracikearns
    tracikearns Posts: 138 Member
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    Thanks for all of the input! She is seeing a dr weekly and getting B6 & B1 injections...

    I feel like I have made a big lifestyle change...but I know there is more that I can do, I just have to be 100 % honest and real with myself!