By Chef K.T. Muphy

The Medifast Diet For You???

The Medifast diet is a medical weight loss plan that is based on calorie restriction where nutritious meals are delivered to your door. This makes it great for people looking to lose large amounts of weight in a short amount of time without having to plan, count or cook.

The meals are preplanned and work on what’s called a 5 &1 principle where you eat 5 Medifast meals daily and the other you get to choose yourself.

Once you reach your desired weight, you then enter a transition period lasting about 6 weeks where you ease into a sustained weight loss period that helps you keep the weight off. Unlike many diets, the eating habits learned here are meant to be followed over the long term.

What Are The Restrictions?

The Medifast diet has about 70 pre-designed meal options to choose from, all with various calorie restrictions and with or without certain foods, as prescribed by your personal plan. For example, those with diabetes or pre diabetes will get different meals than those without these issues.

Various restrictions exist, and it is important to follow the food guide that is provided to keep you on track and get the best results. There is a heavy emphasis on the consumption of lean meats, and healthy greens. You are also allowed one healthy snack daily as a treat to help you stick with the plan.

Medifast offers diet plans for various special needs, including diabetics, those with heart disease and vegetarians.

The Science Behind The Program

Medifast’s Scientific Advisory Board is made up of expert scientists and doctors that review the nutrition, safety, and effectiveness of the program on a regular basis.

This diet is based on calorie restriction and very nutrient dense foods. The calorie restrictions may seem severe especially for those who have not paid attention to caloric intake.

All meals in Medifast are fortified with 24 vitamins and minerals, and are designed to provide ample amounts of low-fat protein and healthy fiber so you stay full, and are deterred from snacking in between meals.

After a few days, the body will reach a fat burning state, to lose weight while preserving muscle. The low calorie intake is one of the keys to the speed with which you lose weight during the Medifast program.

This diet plan aims to change the way your metabolism behaves, promoting weight loss, and subsequent improvements in overall health.

The convenience of home food delivery cannot be discounted as a major benefit of this diet.

Any Health Concerns?

This is not your ordinary diet and you are encouraged to consult with your doctor before starting. The body undergoes several changes while on the Medifast diet and it’s important that you and your doctor have an understanding of possible health risks for individuals with certain pre-existing health conditions.

For example, people with diabetes can experience some benefits in terms of blood sugar control while on this diet, but if they are on diabetes medicine, the calorie restriction can result in sharp drops in blood sugar levels. This makes it crucial that you pay close attention to blood sugar levels with the aid of your doctor.

Your blood pressure can also be affected while on this diet. The extreme and swift changes in weight and cholesterol levels can have positive effects on your blood pressure levels for some individuals, but it’s important to check with your doctor about your risks depending on your body type and levels.

Conclusion

The Medifast diet is a unique diet that is formulated for those looking to lose a moderate to large amount of weight in a short period of time and sustain the weight loss over the long term.

It also aims to improve the nutritional intake of the overweight, as they lose the weight they also boost their nutritional profile to learn healthy habits for the long term.This diet is all about exclusion and calorie restriction with specially formulated meals that promote very real and drastic changes in the body through nutrient manipulation.

It’s a very popular weight loss program supported by over 20,000 physicians since the 1980’s. It is still important that you consult with your doctor about your specific health concerns.

All the best

Chef Murph

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