If you have a lot of weight to lose, Medifast and the New Lifestyle Diet may be programs worth considering. Both programs rely on a single fresh meal per day, plus multiple processed diet products that are delivered to your door. These programs offer low-calorie diets for rapid weight loss, so talk to your doctor if you are considering choosing one.
Program Basics
The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan provides 800 to 900 calories per day from five Medifast meals; each day you have one Lean & Green meal you make for yourself. The New Lifestyle Diet provides 1,080 calories for women and 1,230 calories for men. Women get a single meal from regular food and seven New Lifestyle Diet meals, drinks or snacks each day; men get the meal and eight diet products. Both diets have online and telephone support systems in case you have questions.
Options and Claims
Medifast and the New Lifestyle Diet both offer programs suitable for men, women and individuals with type 2 diabetes. Medifast also offers programs for adults over age 70, vegetarians, nursing women and bariatric surgery patients. The New Lifestyle Diet website says you can lose 20 lb. in your first 30 days, and both programs claim an average weight loss of 2 to 5 lb. per week. Both programs claim they can improve your blood sugar control, and the New Lifestyle Diet website claims the diet can improve your blood lipid levels, too.
Products
Most Medifast products, which include oatmeal, puddings, pretzels and scrambled eggs, are interchangeable options for your five Medifast meals. Up to two of your Medifast meals can be Medifast shakes. Medifast meals have about 100 calories and 11 to 15 g protein, and they are fortified with vitamins and minerals. On the New Lifestyle Diet, you have five puddings or shakes per day, a nutrition or snack bar for lunch, and a hot drink after dinner. Men should have an additional nutrition or snack bar for dinner. This program recommends a multivitamin and mineral supplement.
Regular Foods
You get one meal per day on each program that emphasizes proteins and vegetables. The Medifast Lean & Green meal includes 5 to 7 oz. of lean protein, three one-half-cup or one-cup servings of vegetables and up to two servings of healthy oils. Your New Lifestyle Diet healthy meal includes 8 oz. of lean protein and 2 cups of vegetables. Medifast allows up to three small servings of low-calorie condiments and an optional snack, such as celery or sugar-free gelatin.
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