Medifast Diet Meal Delivery Service Review

The Medifast diet, which has been around for decades, offers over 70 different meal replacement products in the form of shakes, bars, puddings and soups. According to a John Hopkins university study, individuals who used the Medifast diet had significant weight loss. This is because Medifast's meal replacement program only contains between 800 to 1000 calories per day.

How It Works

The Medifast diet, based on low caloric intake, naturally leads to rapid weight loss. In fact, most individuals can expect to lose between 2 to 5 pounds per week or even more. Their most popular plan, "5 and 1," consists of five low-caloric meal replacements and one actual meal consisting of lean protein and vegetables. Individuals on this plan will typically end up consuming between 800 and 1000 calories daily.

Specifically designed for obese individuals, Medifast's main intention is to serve as an alternative to gastric bypass surgery or other radical weight loss means. This does not mean, however, that individuals with less weight to lose cannot use this program.

Upon signing up for their meal replacement program, individuals receive four weeks worth of shelf-stable foods. Depending on the food package, individuals are allowed to choose from omega-3 enhanced meals or meals designed to overcome weight plateaus.

Once a meal plan has been selected, individuals are required to eat every 2 to 3 hours for a total of five Medifast meals and one "lean and green" meal. The "lean and green" meal should consist of a lean protein, such as chicken or fish, and a salad. By eating every 2 to 3 hours, the body's metabolism is unable to slow down, and blood sugar levels remain stable. This results in less hunger.

While Medifast encourages exercise, they do recommend that individuals cut their fitness routines in half when starting the diet program. After a few weeks of diet adjustment, regular exercise routines may be resumed.

What's Included With Medifast

In addition to receiving meal replacements, if individuals sign up for the "V.I.P. Membership," they will also receive access to:

• Online meal planning
• Online support community
• Registered dietitian support
• Free shipping
• Lifetime 5% discount on all future orders

Medifast also gives everyone who signs up their own self-authored book, which provides detailed information on weight loss, nutrition and exercise.

Advantages of Medifast

Medifast's biggest advantage is that it has been clinically proven to help individuals lose weight. Other advantages include:

• Several different lifestyle options to choose from, including senior, vegetarian and diabetic ones
• It is reasonably priced
• Can choose from over 70 different meal options
• Doctor recommended
• Encourages exercise
• Stabilizes insulin levels
• Low Glycemic Index
• Reduces the risk of diabetes
• Convenient
• Reduces junk food cravings
• Offers a maintenance program

Disadvantages Of Medifast

While the Medifast program provides maximum weight loss with minimal effort, it is very intensive and some individuals may not be able to handle it. Other disadvantages include:

• No fresh foods, including fruits and vegetables
• May require vitamin supplementation
• Tough transition to regular foods
• No support, i.e. dietitians or forums, included with the meals
• May be too pricey for some
• Rigorous
• Time consuming, since eating 6 meals daily is required
• Restrictive

Medifast Comparison

When compared to Weight Watchers, Medifast's weight loss program is more self-sufficient, which is ideal for independently minded dieters. Medifast is also more expensive than Weight Watchers, but has been proven to have a clinical effectiveness of between a 2 to 5 lbs weight loss weekly, unlike Weight Watchers.

Medifast, however, does not teach individuals how to eat correctly, which Weight Watchers does. Weight Watchers also offers weekly group support, while Medifast only offers online support at an extra cost. Overall, Medifast is best for individuals who crave convenience and who desire rapid results.

Pricing

The basic women's, men's, and diabetics four-week program is $299.50, and the basic two-week program is $154.50. Each basic meal replacement program comes with the exact number of meals for 28 days. Medifast's enhanced program, which contains meals fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, is $327.50 for four weeks, and their "Momentum" weight loss package, which helps dieters overcome weight plateaus, is $353.50 for four weeks.

Medifast's "V.I.P. Membership," which grants access to their online resources, differs by price. Individuals can see the current price when they register with Medifast.com and proceed to the checkout.