Medifast
Medifast is a meal replacement program which uses the idea of a very low-calorie level along with a high proportion of protein. Thus, this allows your body to lose weight rapidly while protecting your muscle tissue.
With Medifast products, you create "shakes" similar to an instant breakfast drink. One of the options for Medifast is Complete Meal Replacement. This option requires five Medifast supplements a day, and no regular food. It is recommended if you have a lot of weight to lose or if you prefer to avoid all food choices.
Another option is the Modified Meal Replacement Plan, which requires 4 to 5 Medifast supplements a day plus a daily meal consisting of a serving of lean meat and a green salad. The modified plan is recommended if you have medical needs that make it difficult to avoid all regular food.
According to Medifast, "over the past 25 years, Medifast has been recommended by over 15,000 physicians." Research studies at Johns Hopkins University Teaching Hospital as well as the National Institute for Health have shown the plan to be very effective as well as medically safe.
Benefits
- Free personal support and education.
- Medifast claim that their products
- Contain good, nutritional foods.
- Are safe and doctor-recommended components.
- Help you to maintain a healthy lifestyle while preventing disease
Risks
- Some reported side-effects include diarrhea, stomach cramps, constipation, bad breath, chills, skin rashes, hunger, hair loss, or heartburn.
What do experts say about the program?
According to Dr. Theodore B. Van Itallie, "There are 1,500 to 2,000 such diet programs across the United States using such brand-name formulas as Medifast, Optifast and HMR. These diets often represent the only successful method for many severely overweight people - 40 pounds or more - to lose weight and thus reduce the risks of such obesity-related problems as diabetes, high blood pressure, high serum cholesterol and arthritis."
The above statement, which is roughly 20 years old, is arguably non-representative of current trends.
Cost
Based on 5 meals per day, total weekly costs are approximately $75.00.
Sources
- Official Medifast Diet site. Retrieved on Nov 7, 2006
from http://www.medifast1.com/ - Official Medifast Diet site. Medical Information. Retrieved on Nov 7, 2006
from http://www.medifast1.com/about/medical_information.asp - Burros, M. New York Times. Diet Formulas: Losing the Weight Is the Easy Part.
Jul 6, 1988. Retrieved on Oct 7th, 2006 from
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7DA153BF935A35754C0A96E948260&sec
=health&pagewanted=print