Medifast Diet Program - How Does It Work?

The Medifast Diet Plan is in the news frequently as more people join the program and others want to investigate the effectiveness of the program. With a huge number of available weight loss programs, it is difficult to figure out which are mostly fancy advertising and inflated claims and which ones really work. This article explores the Medifast Diet and evaluates the validity of weight loss claims and the ease of adapting the program to a normal lifestyle.

The Medifast Diet program’s premise is fairly simple. Frequent small meals with high levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates put your body into a state called ketosis. This state encourages your metabolism to increase and causes your body to use it’s own fat stores for energy. The frequent meals (usually six times each day) help to keep you from feeling hungry, so there is less of a chance of eating foods not on the plan.

Medifast products were originally only available through physicians (hence the name), but are now easily obtainable through local and online distributors. The basic plan, called the 5 and 1 Plan, involves using Medifast’s meal replacements for five daily meals and consuming one main "lean and green" meal you prepare yourself that consists of a protein source and lots of vegetables. Meal replacement options include soups, chili, shakes, oatmeal and bars. Most products require very little preparation, which is optimal for fitting the five small meals into a busy lifestyle. All of the Medifast Diet meal replacements are vitamin-and mineral-fortified to ensure proper nutrition, which can be difficult to achieve when following a diet plan due to calorie restrictions.

The program has three phases, known as 5 and 1, transition, and maintenance. As explained previously, the 5 and 1 phase is the core part of the Medifast Diet. It is designed to be followed until you reach your desired target weight. The second phase, transition, gradually reintroduces "regular" food into your diet, and the third phase, maintenance, is a long-term plan for eating no more calories than you expend each day. By the time you have reached the maintenance phase, your taste buds will have become accustomed to healthier foods and any poor eating habits should have been replaced with healthier habits.

Weight loss studies have identified personalized support as a beneficial factor in the success of programs, so the Medifast Diet plan includes access to free online support groups. By connecting with other members of the program, you can obtain information from people further along in the plan, ask questions, and obtain motivation and support. In addition, online Medifast libraries contain resources to help with meal planning and recipes, information on dining out, and even exercise and fitness programs to enhance the effectiveness of the eating plans.