Once available only to patients under medical supervision, Medifast now offers a variety of meal replacement shakes, small meals, snack bars and soups for anyone looking to lose weight quickly. The Medifast website promises quick weight loss of up to 20 lbs. per month for those who follow the diet plan. Consult your physician before beginning any type of weight-loss program, especially one that is very low in calories.
Extreme Weight Loss
Following the Medifast diet as directed allows you to consume 800 to 1,000 calories per day, which is a very low amount of calories for any body type. Consuming less than 1,200 calories per day causes extreme weight loss until your metabolism reacts and slows down to save energy. Extreme weight loss leads to health problems such as gallstones, loose skin, gastrointestinal problems, dehydration and malnutrition.
Reduced Calories
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, diets of less than 1,100 calories per day pose health risks. Each Medifast shake contains approximately 90 calories. The plan recommends consuming five shakes per day, which equal about 450 calories. One meal of green vegetables and lean protein adds less than 500 calories for a daily caloric total of less than 1,000 calories. Low-calorie diets have negative side effects, including irritability, fatigue, headaches, hair loss, dizziness and possibly heart arrhythmias due to malnutrition. Very-low-calorie diets, like Medifast, are generally reserved for individuals with a BMI of 27 or higher who have medical issues due to obesity.
Lack of Education
Though you may lose weight following Medifast, the plan teaches little about making healthy modifications to your eating habits. Proper portion control, appropriate caloric intake for your body type and using whole foods in your diet are important elements of eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining weight loss. Reducing your caloric intake without replacing unhealthy habits increases the chance you'll regain the weight you lost once you stop the plan.
Monotony
The monotony of a meal replacement diet like Medifast makes it difficult to maintain long-term. Most meals and shakes are prepared at home using powdered substances mixed with water or the microwave. Due to the strict nature of the diet, there is little to no room for indulgences, which makes eating out difficult for Medifast dieters.
Foregoing Exercise
Due to the low caloric value of the Medifast plan, users are encouraged to cut back on exercise for the first three weeks of the program while the body adjusts to the low calorie plan. Once acclimated to the plan, dieters are advised to limit daily exercise to 45 minutes or less per day.
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