The Medifast and Health Management Resources diet plans utilize meal replacements and promise rapid weight loss. Learning about both of these plans can assist you in determining which, if either, plan is right for you. Consult your physician prior to starting any weight loss program.
Medifast
The Medifast diet is called the 5 & 1 Plan, consisting of five daily meal replacements and one meal termed the lean and green meal. Each meal replacement contains approximately 100 calories and is high in protein. Your daily lean and green meal consists of a 5 to 7 oz. portion of lean protein and three servings of non-starchy vegetables. This meal contains approximately 300 calories, making this an approximately 800-calorie diet. Any diet providing 800 calories or less is termed a very low calorie diet and should only be executed under doctor supervision, according to "Handbook of Obesity Treatment."
HMR
The HMR at Home diet consists of three meal replacement shakes and two prepackaged entrees each day, all of which are delivered to your doorstep monthly. Each entree is supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables you purchase from the grocery store. This diet provides approximately 1,200 calories per day, which is the bare minimum required to sustain basic metabolic function, according to "Handbook of Obesity Treatment."
Similarities and Differences
Both Medifast and HMR utilize meal replacements that are delivered monthly to your doorstep. Medifast, however, includes one home cooked meal each day, whereas HMR's entrees are prepackaged. The HMR diet provides approximately 1,200 calories, making it suitable for some people, such as healthy inactive women, to undergo without doctor supervision, whereas the Medifast diet should always be pursued under doctor supervision because it is a very low calorie diet.
Considerations
Both Medifast and HMR are low in calories and are therefore not suitable for everyone, especially active people, teenagers and men. Long term weight loss requires a commitment to a lifetime of healthy eating and moderate physical activity. Making gradual changes over a period of time is more likely to lead to a permanent lifestyle change and lasting weight loss than a low calorie diet that cuts out food groups or consists mainly of prepackaged meals, according to "Handbook of Obesity Treatment."
References
- Medifast: Quick Start Guide
- HMR: HMR at Home
- "Handbook of Obesity Treatment"; Thomas A. Wadden PhD, et al.; 2004
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