Medifast Review
Review In a Nutshell
Medifast is a four-week low-calorie (800 - 1000 calories per day) diet built around meal replacement products (shakes, bars) and prepackaged foods. The "5 and 1" program is comprised of five meal replacements and one "lean and green" meal that you make yourself. The typical weight loss rate is 2-4 lb per week for women, or up to 5 lb per week for men. Physician monitoring is recommended while you're on the program to ensure you lose weight safely.
How Does It Work?
You select a plan (women, men, diabetics) and choose a four or two week "starter package" and any extra meal replacement items you want; the items are then shipped to you. You also have the option to build your own two or four week menu.
Who Is It Good For?
Medifast bills itself as a good plan for those who don't want to shop for, count, and measure food, so those looking for convenience and time saving may like the system. Specialized meal replacement items also are also available for those with diabetes, coronary issues, menopausal issues and arthritis.
Keys: Medifast Plans
- Medifast 5 & 1 Plan for Women
- Medifast 5 & 1 Plan for Men
- Medifast 5 & 1 Plan for Diabetics
- Medifast Transition and Weight Maintenance Plan
- Medifast 980 (special promotion at medifast1.com or medifast980.com: extra week of supplies for same price as four-week package)
Pros
- Simple: you eat meal replacement products and cook only one meal
per day
Promises fast weight loss - Special shakes, etc. with supplements for various health conditions or concerns
- Support message boards available through the Web site
Cons
- Little emphasis on nutrition, fitness or wellness education
- Reliance on processed foods and meal replacements rather than real food
- You do have to measure and weigh your meat and vegetable portions for the "lean and green" meal.
- Recommends physician supervision without ensuring it -- weight loss may not be safe if participant doesn't comply
- Costly: $275.00 for four weeks of food
Further Thoughts
Medifast claims to make weight loss simple by eliminating the need to make "decisions" – you just eat what they send you, plus one meal a day. Yet many weight loss experts emphasize the importance of learning how to make good decisions about what to eat.
Our Top Recommendation
Week of: 09-07-2010
eDiets - eDiets sees clearly that diet and weight loss programs are highly individual choices. Instead of a one size fits all approach, they provide a wide variety of choices and plans. We've found that customization, convenience and cost are huge factors for many seeking weight loss, and eDiets excels in all three of these areas. Their website contains solid information on food, exercise, and lifestyle change, member chat rooms, online counselors and nutritionists. Their free diet profile is a great way to get started.