Medifast is a low-calorie diet plan, based on you purchasing a two- to four-week supply of packaged food in the form of shakes, bars, soups, brownies and oatmeal. You can add items to the standard order, such as scrambled eggs, pretzels and pudding for an extra charge. Medifast does not require a prescription to purchase. While obese people, those with a body mass index of 30 or above are most likely to benefit from following the Medifast plan, there's nothing to keep people with less weight to lose from following the meal plan.
Plan
The Medifast diet supplies between 800 and 1,000 calories per day, NYU Langone Medical Center reports. Most practitioners suggest not eating less than 1,200 calories per day unless you're on a medically supervised diet. This is considered a very low calorie diet that will induce a mild state of fat burning called ketosis. You eat six times a day; five "meals" are Medifast-supplied and one meal per day, called Lean and Green, you prepare at home. The Lean and Green meal should supply 5 to 7 oz. of lean meat and 1 to 2 cups of salad or nonstarchy vegetables. Medifast states its meals are both low in fat and have a low glycemic index, which affects how fast they break down into glucose.
Weight Loss
The Medifast website states that you can lose up to 20 lbs. in one month, with average weight loss between 2 and 5 lbs. per week. People with more to lose generally lose weight more quickly than those with less to lose, so if you're not obese, you may not lose that much weight. People who currently eat 3,000 calories a day will have a 2,000 calorie deficit per day on Medifast. Since 1 lb. equals 3,500 calories, this equals 1 lb. every 1 1/2 days. If you normally eat 1,500 calories to maintain your current weight and cut down to 1,000 calories per day, it will take you one week to lose 1 lb. You may lose extra water weight in the first few days of the diet.
Medical Supervision
Severely calorie-restricted diets can have side, effects whether or not you're obese. Unlike Optifast and some other very low calorie diets, there is no medical supervision on Medifast, although the company does offer an online support system. You can also visit Medifast Weight Control Centers, which, of course, cost extra over and above the cost of the food. Medifast Weight Loss Centers offers a 45-minute initial session and 15-minute sessions each week thereafter. Nothing on the Medifast website indicates that trained medical personnel will see you at the centers. If you plan on following a low-calorie diet, Medifast suggests you see your own medical doctor first.
Considerations
The main protein source in Medifast products is soy protein. People with estrogen-sensitive cancers are sometimes instructed to limit soy intake; ask your doctor about Medifast before starting the diet plan if you have a history or are currently being treated for breast, prostate or uterine cancer. Pregnant women should not follow this plan, whether or not they're obese, without medical approval. Eating so few calories can cause lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue or feeling cold, whether or not you're obese.
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