Bacon, a cured and smoked meat usually made from pork belly, gets much of its flavor from fat. Of the 43 calories in one slice of bacon, 30 come from fat. The Medifast diet plan calls for low-calorie, low-fat meals that include lean meats. Since bacon is not a lean protein, it does not make the list of acceptable Medifast options.
The Plan
Medifast is a meal-replacement diet, with its products replacing all but one of the meals you eat each day. Under the Medifast plan, you eat six times a day -- every two or three hours -- to keep your metabolism moving and your hunger at bay. Five of the "meals" consist of a Medifast shake, soup, bar or other snack; the other meal, referred to as the Lean & Green, includes a lean protein and non-starchy vegetables that you make yourself or order in a restaurant.
Lean Options
Another strike against bacon in the Medifast plan is that it is usually pan-fried. The Medifast plan allows meats that are broiled, grilled, baked or poached -- but not fried. Medifast recommends eating between 5 and 7 oz. of meat or fish in the Lean & Green meal, depending on how lean the meat is. For example, you could have a 5-oz. pork chop, 6 oz. of chicken breast or 7 oz. of tilapia. Meatless proteins, such as vegetarian patties, eggs or tofu, can be used as well.
Maintenance
After you've reached your weight loss goal, Medifast recommends staying on a reduced meal-replacement plan. Still eating six times a day, you would consume three small Lean & Green meals, plus three snacks from the Medifast line or another healthy option, such as fruit, vegetables or low-fat dairy. Even in maintenance, Medifast says, you should stick with skinless, lean meats and stay away from fried foods such as bacon.
Considerations
Medifast says dieters can lose 2 to 5 lbs. a week with its plan. The website provides summaries of clinical studies on the plan's safety and effectiveness. One such study, published in "Nutrition Journal" in March 2010, found that Medifast dieters lost almost twice as much weight as those eating a self-selected diet with the same number of calories over a period of 16 weeks. After 40 weeks, the Medifast dieters had regained more weight than the other group but still showed a greater loss overall.
