Medifast Weight Loss Program
The Medifast weight loss program is a simple meal plan with five prepackaged, protein rich, meals and one lean, green meal the dieter prepares each day. The average weight loss on this program is two to five pounds per week. Calorie content of the diet is restrictive with only 800 to 1000 calories daily yet the plan’s meal replacements come in a wide variety of bars, shakes, and soups that curb boredom as well as appetite. As the dieter approaches the goal weight a gradual switch is made back to food in a transition period that allows for more food. Dieters are encouraged to continue with two or three of the Medifast meal replacements per day. The Medifast program also encourages regular exercise at least five days a week to help boost metabolism enhancing the dieter’s ability to loose weight.
Developed in the 1980s at Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the plan has been prescribed by thousands of physicians over the last thirty years. Currently dieters are able to order the components of the program online without a physician’s supervision. This is recommended only for healthy individuals. Those with diabetes and other health problems should be followed by their physician while dieting.
The program is effected because it is very structured. The high protein, low carbohydrate meal replacements put the body into a mild state of ketosis where the body burns its own fat reserves. By eating frequent high protein meals provided by the diet company the ketosis state is maintained longer than is possible with many of the low carbohydrate diets that are popular. By drinking large amounts of water the ketones that are produced are flushed from the system through the kidneys.
For healthy individuals with a great deal of weight to lose the Medifast program is an excellent choice. A steady weight loss of about twenty pounds a month the dieter will encourage the dieter toward the goal. The variety of meal replacements along with the opportunity to eat one lean, green meal daily along with the gradual transition to real food will help keep the weight off.
