Medifast is a diet plan and food delivery service consisting mainly of low-calorie, fortified meal replacement products. It offers shakes, bars and many other items. The diet is intended to produce significant weight loss of 2 to 5 lbs. per week. A very low-calorie diet and rapid weight loss can cause health problems. Medifast recommends consulting your doctor before starting this or any other weight-loss program.
Features
Medifast offers tailored plans for men, for women and for people with diabetes. Its products are low in fat and fortified with protein, vitamins and minerals. Medifast products include bars, brownies, oatmeal, pancakes, pudding, scrambled eggs, shakes, soups and more. You can order these products online through the company's website or from independent distributors.
Specifics
The most popular Medifast plan involves eating five Medifast snacks per day -- one every three hours -- and having a lunch or dinner that the company calls the "lean and green meal." The lean protein in this meal consists of a 7-oz. serving of chicken, turkey or fish or a 5-oz. serving of beef, pork or lamb. The meat must be baked, grilled or poached, reports the Every Diet website. Vegetarians can substitute low-fat cheese, eggs, tofu or veggie burgers. You also may have 1 tbsp. of a condiment such as ketchup or barbecue sauce. The required three servings of vegetables in this meal can include a salad and other raw vegetables, as well as cooked vegetables. Medifast also encourages drinking a minimum of 64 oz. of water per day.
Food Restrictions
While losing weight with Medifast, you'll eliminate fruit, dairy products and starchy foods, because they are high in carbohydrates, explains Diet.com. Starchy foods include carrots, corn, peas and potatoes. Drink no more than three caffeinated beverages per day, because this low-calorie diet may increase sensitivity to caffeine. Also, avoid alcohol, because it boosts appetite and adds calories to the diet with no nutrition.
Health Considerations
Calorie intake on this program is 800 to 1,000 per day, considered a very low-calorie diet. Very low-calorie diets and rapid weight loss are associated with gallstone formation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Some people report unpleasant side effects during the Medifast program, including constipation or diarrhea, bad breath, dizziness, fatigue, lightheadedness, leg cramps, headaches, dry skin and hair and hair loss, notes Diet.com. Rapid weight loss also may increase estrogen levels in the blood, which can affect menstrual cycle regularity, worsen symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and increase fertility.
Medical Supervision
Medifast recommends following this plan with medical supervision. If you choose to replace all your meals with Medifast items, you must have medical supervision. This is particularly important if you have any health problems besides being overweight, or if you take any medication, are over age 64 or under age 18 or if you need to lose 50 lbs. or more.
Contraindications
People with certain health disorders should not go on a low-calorie diet, according to Diet.com. These include anyone who has had a heart attack within the last three months, or who has unstable angina, a clotting disorder or liver or kidney disease mandating a low-protein diet. Other contraindications are uncontrolled seizures, a gastric ulcer, an eating disorder or a severe psychiatric disorder.
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