Medifast? Extreme dieting?

There are many different types of diet out there but each one has something in common, willpower. Find something that suits you and stick with it no matter what for 3 months, that's 12-14 weeks, if you lost 2lbs a week that would add up to 24-28lbs lost with very little damage to your muscles.

It's not any easier to get motivated to lose weight and exercise when you're only slightly overweight than if you were very overweight. Just wanted to throw that out there. Also, everyone struggles when they first start out with working out... especially if they spend the majority of their day sitting. Things get easier, you just have to push yourself over that hump.

It is hard to do anyway you do it.
Otherwise we would all be thin, right?

It's your choice whether you want to try something "extreme", I think you are still going to struggle with willpower, although maybe paying out the money and having something strict to follow will be a good option for you.

Personally I wouldn't do it - I tend to think that anything you can't stick to for the long term is only a temporary fix. You will still have to work on finding the healthiest kinds of foods to eat when you stop your "extreme" option. Because, I hate to tell you, but going on a short term diet might help you lose weight, but it won't help you keep it off for the long term. Learning to eat better and move more is the only thing that is going to do that.

If you aren't sure about Medifast then why not give MFP a go just as it is. Eat your calories (don't restrict yourself too much, make it a moderate deficit - 1 or 1/2 pound a week). Do some exercise, don't go overboard.
Do this for a month and I'd be surprised if you didn't see a difference. If this doesn't seem quick enough - well, that's right. Losing weight and learning to keep it off isn't going to happen quickly. Don't get suckered in by anyone telling you that it is!
It is, however, surprisingly easy to stick to when you don't go nuts and put yourself on an incredibly restricted diet.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

We don't have this, so far as I know, in the UK but we do have similar. I did the Cambridge diet some years ago when I was desperate to shed weight quickly and, whilst my nails and hair were in fantastic condition!, it did nothing for me long term - I was straight back onto the yo-yo at the end of it.

If you really want to give this a go - have a plan in place for when you come off it. But overall I'd go for calorie counting and not a quick fix as on the calorie counting road you will learn so much more about yourself and how you're body and weight respond to different foods, and just how much exercise makes a difference to your weight, self image and morale.

Good luck!

I would advise you not to try it if you can do it yourself. I actually did the Lipotrim diet before which is 3 shakes a day (around 500 calories) and although it did work, i lost bout 2 and 1/2 stone in 9 weeks it made me very ill. I did not exercise as my calories were so low it made me light headed and i drank between 3 and 4 litres of water a day. After 9 weeks i had to come off it as my blood pressure dropped so low i was having black outs! I came off the diet and for about 6 months my hair continued to fall out, my nails were peeling and breaking and have never fully recovered and the enamel on my teeth softened and lost colour. My doctor and dentist have advised me that this was as a result of doing this diet. To top it all off i felt so crap when i finally came off it, i just ate and ate to regain my strength! The more i ate the better i eventually became so of course i ended puting it all back on again. These diets affect everyone differently but i would not advise putting your body through that if you can do it some other way! Hope this helps.

It might sound a bit crazy but I actually like the "strictness" of extreme diets. I did Cambridge diet and yes it was hard but after the first 4-5 days it got easier and I liked that it took the options away from me.

I am now trying a more balanced sensible eating way of losing weight as I know that I have to fight my demons. Portion control and too much pasta and bread.

I think sometimes these diets are amazing and people lose a lot of weight fast but they are hard to maintain and the old food demons are still there waiting for you at the end of it unless you really stick to it and follow all the maintenance plans after. Which unfortunately many don't as when they are all slim and feeling amazing its easy to fall in to bad eating habits again.

Whatever you decide, good luck x

I did the medifast diet for 2-3 months two years ago....I lost 35 pounds on the diet....but I would not recommend it!! I gained back the weight as soon as I returned to a health diet and I even gained additional pounds which was very upsetting! I still have some medifast products left over from when I went on the diet that I didn't use. I know a lot of the product have a lot of nutrients so I still have medifast foods on some days...but just for one meal. I think this is a better way to keep yourself in check. Not to mention, just one day of messing up on the diet (even by having too much of a condiment or something) will throw you out of ketosis. It wasn't worth it to me in the long run and just felt as though I was messing with my body.
My boss actually started medifast before I did because she had soo much success....but she also regained back all of her lost weight and then some! Which is soo discouraging. Good news...my boss started losing weight the right way and has had much much much more success!!

This thread sure was interesting reading for me, since I am following Medifast. I could write line by line my thoughts on some other poster's opinions, but I'll spare everyone of that.

Medifast is not a liquid fast now. They build in lean and green meals of protein and salad or vegetables. You can do a 5&1 plan with one lean and green meal, or a 4&2 plan as well.

I did it before and had such amazing success with it. I lost 60 pounds in exactly 12 weeks. It was my fault for going off the program. My son had his 3rd open heart surgery and the stress got to me. I ate whatever I wanted and took pleasure in being 'naughty' food-wise, so I gained... but had I stayed on the program I would now be at goal weight, and have transitioned to maintenance.

The program works. No doubt about that. Personally, I find it tasty enough (certain meals I love, others I don't like at all, but there are many to choose from.) I find it affordable. It was designed by the Johns Hopkins Obesity clinic and will produce weight loss safely of 2-5 lbs a week, on average, and targets bad/belly fat loss. It preserves lean mass. Your body does not go into starvation mode because you eat in a structured way, every 2-3 hours. You are allowed to work out.

It is not the same as other fasting diets. The meals are all equivalent to each other and interchangeable. You could have oatmeal, pancakes, soups, puffs, bars, brownies, pretzels, hot cocoa, chai lattes, cappuccinos, 'soft serve' ice cream, choc chip soft bake, etc. I could go on and on. Yes, there are shakes, but you don't even have to have them if you don't want them.

It has a lot of medical science backing it up. Dr. Wayne Andersen's book The Habits of Health is encouraged reading for the take shape for life side where you get a free health coach to guide you through the process and support you.

I'll stop my rant now, but for anyone who is doubting the success of this program, please feel free to ask me questions or friend me and see the results for yourself. I am NOT falling off the program this time.

Best wishes to everyone!

Jackie

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 a fad diet. If you can't learn moderation, will power and self control you will gain all the weight back. A more sustainable weight loss program would be eat healthy and in moderation, do not go over your allowed caloric intake and you will lose weight and keep it off.

I'm glad that reading my perspective was interesting for a couple people.

It's a program that helps many, including myself, make healthy lifestyle changes. The physicians/scientists/nutrition support staff created the Lean & Green part of their 5&1 phase to help educate people in a strict weight loss phase about how to choose and eat better, and still have 'real' food. It's not a 'fad diet' in my humble opinion. How are regular portion controlled meals eaten at intervals throughout the day a fad? Their transition program before maintenance shows people how to add back in healthy foods, such as low fat dairy, fruits, starchy veggies, and carbs.

On Medifast, calories are NOT 600 a day. That misses the whole point of lean and green meal(s.) The calorie goal is 800-1000 a day for someone not doing more than 45 minutes of vigorous exercise daily. Yes, it is low calorie. That is not something ANYONE would dispute. But doing it at 500-600 calories a day is not following their program.

As for economical, well... I don't like seeing the lump sum charge per month for their food, but it's a heck of a lot better than what I would've done before having junk. I am not buying sweet/salty sludge which is a huge savings. I saw a dollar comparison to other programs once, which averaged several things (like $ per pound) and it came out to cost less than Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc.

There is a pretty good variety of 'packet' foods (some are dehydrated) but there are also bars, ready to drink shakes, etc. They often add new foods. I just tried 5 of the new products in my recent order (bites, cookie bake, orange drink, and the veg sloppy joe.) There is one food they offer that (to me) rivals a milkshake made by Bobby Flay, taste-wise. I could eat it 5x a day if I wanted, or I can mix it up. (And let me tell you... Bobby Flay makes some kick-*kitten* high fat milkshakes!)

I'm not a health coach, they don't pay me to say any of this, but I'm just writing to show more than 1 perspective. I also just found a MF group here on MFP for anyone following the program. If you are really interested, I recommend doing research to learn more about the program and whether you find personal truth in a lot of the common objections. It's not for everyone, but it has helped so many people. The success stories on the My Medifast board are amazing. I personally have MF buddies who have transformed themselves in a way that inspires me and I hope to replicate that success.

I wish everyone here lots of success and will support you all on your journeys, no matter what you choose to eat!

Jackie

/end rant #2 (lol, please no flames!)

Nothing like losing a ton of weight that includes fat and muscle. Only to gain back only fat again. Then repeat the horrid process over again and losing even more muscle in the process.

There is one food they offer that (to me) rivals a milkshake made by Bobby Flay, taste-wise. I could eat it 5x a day if I wanted, or I can mix it up. (And let me tell you... Bobby Flay makes some kick-*kitten* high fat milkshakes!)

Which one are you talking about??? You can message me back if you want.

I have been Medifast since August 20,2011 and have tried 6 week body makeover,weightwatchers,and trying to do it on my own but was never committed!! So it was my fault. With Medifast I have found a way that for me is more strict and I like it!! I also read Dr. A's Habits of Health which has taught me so far why we need food and what it is intendid to do as well as how I was spiking my insulin levels and what role that played in my body. I am learning hoe my habits okay a role in my health so u see its not just about diet and exercise...its about adequate sleep,how u feel and what your relationship is with food and exercising,etc...On Medifast u learn how to achieve Optimal Health and when u have reached your goal weight u r taught how to maintain and transition your body back to eating starches,fruits,dairy,etc...u transition back up to 1500 cal+ so eventually u do get off Medifast its not a life long thing...it is up to u to stay on plan and do exactly as the program says to have success..if U r not successful with it its because u chose not to be...some will some wont some do some don't...It's a personal decision like anything so do your research. I wasn't disciplined enough back in Aug to do MFP and be in control of what I ate to that extent and I like only having to chose 1 meal a day and prepare it...for me it helps to have this structure...so don't knock what u don't know..don't knock what u haven't truly given time to work...Medifast will work if U do!! Success is past your comfort zone. When Medifast didn't work for u where were u still comfortable....and when u went off if it did u follow the transition plan 100%?