By Lindsey Price
I sometimes hear from people who ask me how good the Medifast diet really is. I often have to ask them to clarify. Do they mean "good" in terms of the taste of the food, or in terms of effectiveness? Are they talking about terms of ease of use? Usually, they mean a combination of all of these things. So in the following article, I'll tell you my opinion on how Medifast stacks up in these categories.
Is It Good In Terms Of Ease Of Use? I would give this diet an A in this category. And the reason for this is that there are no calories to count or points to tally. The only that you really have to keep track of is how many meals you have eaten. Because they want for you to eat five meals and one larger "lean and green meal" that you provide each day. You are also allowed to have two approved snacks. But other than just making food choices out of the food that you are provided, you really don't have too many responsibilities.
Admittedly, some people don't embrace the lean and green meal at first because you realize how nice it is to have your meals provided for you. But the lean and green meal is important because it teaches you how to make good choices, which you'll need later when you go off of the diet. And, after a while, you realize that it give you variety.
Is It Good In Terms Of Effectiveness? This diet has been repeatedly studied at places like John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Studies show a weight loss of 2 - 5 pounds per week the first couple of weeks and 1 - 2 pounds per week after that. So you're looking at an average or around 6 - 12 pounds of weight loss that first month and 4 - 8 pounds each month afterward for an overall average of about 7 and 1/2 pounds per month. In my opinion, this is reasonable, safe and sustainable weight loss.
I know that drastic weight loss or fad diets are sometimes tempting, but I think we all suspect that they aren't lasting. And do you really want to have to repeat this in a year or two? I'd rather chose a diet that allows for realistic and lasting weight loss so that I only have to do it once.
How Good Is It In Terms Of The Food? I think that most people assume that Medifast is made up of just shakes and bars, but it is so much more than that. There are well over 70 food choices like: cereal; oatmeal; eggs; soups; stews; chili; sloppy joes; pudding; soft serve ice cream; brownies; chocolate chip soft bake cookies; pancakes; various drinks and coffees; and cheese puffs and chips.
I will admit that I find some of the foods better than others. Like many, I like the shakes and bars. And I totally get why these are the most popular choices on the diet. The shakes are rich and not at all chalky and the bars are chewy and almost dessert like. But I am also quite fond of the cold cereal, the brownies, the soft bake, and the ice cream. I like the sloppy joe and chili. I am less fond of some of the cream soups, but I don't have a problem finding plenty of options. And I fully realize and acknowledge that there aren't many diets that allow you brownies, chocolate chip pancakes, and ice cream.
How Good Is It In Terms Of Price? Once you use the coupons that are almost always available, you can generally count on spending about $8 - $10 per day for all 5 meals. Of course, you will need to buy groceries for your lean and green meals, but many try to incorporate this into what they are already buying for their families.
But to answer the question posed, I do believe that Medifast is a good diet. To me, it checks off most of the boxes. No one loves being on a diet. But if you need to embrace one, I think that this is one of the best.
If you'd like more information about what life is really like on Medifast, feel free to check out the free eBook "Getting The Most Out Of Medifast" which includes coupons, tips and support at http://easiest-diet.com/free-medifast-ebook/html
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