Medifast...anyone done it?

[ame]

A friend of mine just started Medifast, and I know of a few others who have done it before....anyone do this plan or have in the past? What did you think of the food? And how hard was it to keep the weight off when you went off the plan?

 

[charleston1]

I haven't done this myself. I am sure you know Oprah did this plan and she gained back the weight starting the day after she stopped Medifast.

The main issue is it teaches nothing about making good choices, a balanced diet from the food groups, portion size, etc.

I have done almost every other plan out there (but not Medifast). I have done Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Bernstein, etc. IMHO Weight Watchers is really the best as it teaches you that nothing is off limits but key is portion control, etc. Also, it is a balanced diet (and by diet I mean a healthy life long diet, not diet as in dieting).

IMHO, I think Medifast can be used for a short time to kick start the weight loss (maybe 20 pounds?) and that way it motivates you to continue on the weight loss journey but then switch to something like weight watchers than you can continue for a long time. Sorry if it sounds like a weight watchers commerical.

 

[ame]

I haven't done this myself. I am sure you know Oprah did this plan and she gained back the weight starting the day after she stopped Medifast.

The main issue is it teaches nothing about making good choices, a balanced diet from the food groups, portion size, etc.

I have done almost every other plan out there (but not Medifast). I have done Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Bernstein, etc. IMHO Weight Watchers is really the best as it teaches you that nothing is off limits but key is portion control, etc. Also, it is a balanced diet (and by diet I mean a healthy life long diet, not diet as in dieting).

IMHO, I think Medifast can be used for a short time to kick start the weight loss (maybe 20 pounds?) and that way it motivates you to continue on the weight loss journey but then switch to something like weight watchers than you can continue for a long time. Sorry if it sounds like a weight watchers commerical.

None of the doctors I see are in line with Medifast, but they all recommend it because they say it works well to retrain you for portions, as far as you're going to drop a ton of weight because you're not eating the insane amount of junk you had before and there is more nutrient to it. But the dietitian was telling me to supplement the breakfast and lunch meals with something like a fruit or veggie. Which I thought defeated the point. She was saying it slows the loss but incorporates more nutrients.

My doctor has said NO weight watchers, as has the dietitian, both said it encourages you to eat junk by assigning point values to it and making it "ok". And I have done WW several times and gained it back fast and furious every time I've fallen off. So I don't really know if I want to keep paying all that money for it again. The other one I looked at that they all liked was Seattle Sutton because it's fresh food in controlled portions. But that one has things I refuse to eat -- Seafood esp -- and offers no workaround for it besides trade with a friend which at that pricepoint, screw you, make me what I want to eat.

 

[kenny]

Diets by definition are temporary.
I'd never spend a dime on any diet.

Eat fewer calories and healthier and move more.
IOW, burn more calories than you eat.
There!

Now, mail me a check for $5,000.

 

[TooPatient]

I haven't done this myself. I am sure you know Oprah did this plan and she gained back the weight starting the day after she stopped Medifast.

The main issue is it teaches nothing about making good choices, a balanced diet from the food groups, portion size, etc.

I have done almost every other plan out there (but not Medifast). I have done Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Bernstein, etc. IMHO Weight Watchers is really the best as it teaches you that nothing is off limits but key is portion control, etc. Also, it is a balanced diet (and by diet I mean a healthy life long diet, not diet as in dieting).

IMHO, I think Medifast can be used for a short time to kick start the weight loss (maybe 20 pounds?) and that way it motivates you to continue on the weight loss journey but then switch to something like weight watchers than you can continue for a long time. Sorry if it sounds like a weight watchers commerical.

None of the doctors I see are in line with Medifast, but they all recommend it because they say it works well to retrain you for portions, as far as you're going to drop a ton of weight because you're not eating the insane amount of junk you had before and there is more nutrient to it. But the dietitian was telling me to supplement the breakfast and lunch meals with something like a fruit or veggie. Which I thought defeated the point. She was saying it slows the loss but incorporates more nutrients.

My doctor has said NO weight watchers, as has the dietitian, both said it encourages you to eat junk by assigning point values to it and making it "ok". And I have done WW several times and gained it back fast and furious every time I've fallen off. So I don't really know if I want to keep paying all that money for it again. The other one I looked at that they all liked was Seattle Sutton because it's fresh food in controlled portions. But that one has things I refuse to eat -- Seafood esp -- and offers no workaround for it besides trade with a friend which at that pricepoint, screw you, make me what I want to eat.

We had people over for dinner one night. I'd spent hours cooking a wonderful meal with all sorts of veggies, fruits, lean proteins, etc. When I put the food on the table, the wife said "Oh! So much. We're on a diet." The husband, wife, and one kid had reasonable portions of stuff but one kid hardly touched a thing. She told her mom afer dinner (while we were all still sitting at the table) loudly enough for all to hear, "I saved all of my dinner points so now I get icecream when we get home!"

I know you can't expect a 9 year old to know better, but I heard similar statements from her mom. Some people do great with WW and others don't.


I like using SparkPeople. I'm able to track what I eat and it breaks it down into fat, carbohydrate, protein, etc and you can add other nutrients (calcium, sugar, salt, etc) too. I've never followed their suggested meals, but it is a great way to keep myself balanced through the day. (if you've got blood pressure or diabetes problems they have special trackers to help you watch that too)

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Well, I started my weight loss goal 5 weeks ago and am half way there. I haven't reduced calories much, but instead worked on being more active and have doing high intensity interval training, step aerobics, and weight lifting. I don't think diets work. I would rather exercise a bit more and eat more and do that as a life style change, then a fad diets which just creates the yo-yo. I have found what works for me and that is an exercising daily - cardio & strength plus weights.

 

[nkarma]

Well, I started my weight loss goal 5 weeks ago and am half way there. I haven't reduced calories much, but instead worked on being more active and have doing high intensity interval training, step aerobics, and weight lifting. I don't think diets work. I would rather exercise a bit more and eat more and do that as a life style change, then a fad diets which just creates the yo-yo. I have found what works for me and that is an exercising daily - cardio & strength plus weights.

It's interesting to hear the different experiences that people have in this thread. I have a friend like you MC who works out a ton and has lost 20+ lbs and kept it off. I am the opposite, I would rather not eat a cookie or even something healthy then go run a mile. Looks like it's important to know what motivates you and how your body works. I am also a big proponent of weight watchers or calorie counting. I have almost always used it in a good way though, lessening my portions of everything in moderation. Smaller everything and I do leave room for a smaller dessert. But I have eaten really healthy foods my entire life, I think I just ate too much of them. I have a friend that did weight watchers who had unhealthy eating habits before, lost a ton of weight, but the habits came back and she gained some of it back. She is the very definition of comfortable in her own skin though and I am proud of her. For me, I am down 40 lbs from my peak weight, passed from obese to overweight to normal in my BMI and have kept it off since 2007 because I did retrain my ideas about portions and got to learn a lot about what an ounce of cheese looks like, the calories in common foods I eat, and cut out some of the superfluous stuff I ate everyday. I still portion exactly a cup of cereal out everyday for the past 6 years! Better than just guessing by pouring a ton to fill up a large bowl.

Sucks your doctor disses WW Ame, because I think it's really useful for people who just need to know the right portions. And also, it's great that everyone is in tune with what motivates them and gets the weight loss going (if desired).

 

[04diamond<3]

Diets by definition are temporary.
I'd never spend a dime on any diet.

Eat fewer calories and healthier and move more.
IOW, burn more calories than you eat.
There!

Now, mail me a check for $5,000.

Well, I started my weight loss goal 5 weeks ago and am half way there. I haven't reduced calories much, but instead worked on being more active and have doing high intensity interval training, step aerobics, and weight lifting. I don't think diets work. I would rather exercise a bit more and eat more and do that as a life style change, then a fad diets which just creates the yo-yo. I have found what works for me and that is an exercising daily - cardio & strength plus weights.

I agree with this. I usually don't change what I eat but as long as I work out everyday, I still loose weight.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I agree with this. I usually don't change what I eat but as long as I work out everyday, I still loose weight.

Yep, also exercise improves mood. I found that I've been a lot more energized and in a much better mood lately. If I was to instead cut calories, I'd be grouchy! lol

 

[lknvrb4]

You cannot live off Medifast forever so I don't think it is a good idea. Learning to eat "real food" is the way to losing weight without calorie counting.

 

[ame]

That's the only issue, is that when you're done then what.

Right now Im considering that Seattle Sutton thing. The biggest issue is that we like to go out on the weekends. So if that worked where we could do that for maybe two meals, great. Then we wouldn't maybe feel like we were deprived so much.

 

[aviastar]

Ya know, I am one of the ones that does have to diet if I want to lose weight. All the working out in the world doesn't make a lick of difference unless I am also changing my diet- I know, I've tried!

And I think a kickstart can be really helpful mentally and physically to help you get started on weight loss goals and lifestyle changes. My SIL is just finishing up a candida cleanse/diet thingy and it has done wonders for her. She's 20 lbs down in 5 weeks, no more acid reflux, way more energy. But best of all it really forced her to seek out new recipes, read labels, and rethink her food.

So I say go ahead and try the Medifast or Sutton- you will lose weight! But also take that time to get a plan together of how you want to maintain and eat after say 3 months of the diet plan- paleo, or candida, or portion control- whatever addresses your needs best and you think you can really stick with.

After watching what a HUGE difference cutting sugar consumption has done for SIL, I am also trying to cut down on the sugar and just be more aware if it in general- it's in absolutely everything!