Medifast Diet Plan - An Overview

Have you been thinking about trying to lose some weight recently? Or, maybe you've been dieting but are still searching for the right weight loss plan for you? Well, whatever the reason you're looking for more information on the Medifast Diet Plan....you'll find it here!

I've been a dieter myself, and I thought it would be helpful to do an overview of this very popular plan so that it's easier for those who want to lose weight to find the information they need to make a decision that will work for them.

Medifast is a diet and weight loss plan that offers people a simple and convenient way to change their eating habits and learn about healthy nutrition, while losing weight....fast!

The plan is simple. Each day Medifast users eat 5 "Medifast Meals" of their choice. This allows you to easily eat the right amount of calories to help you lose weight while also eating food that is nutritionally complete; so you can lose weight without losing essential vitamins and minerals too.

Then, in addition to the 5 Medifast Meals, participants are also allotted 1 "Lean and Green" meal each day. This meal can be eaten at any mealtime and consists of 5-7 oz of cooked (but not fried) lean meat and 3 selections of veggies (ie. 1/2C Asparagus, 1/2C Broccoli, 1C Spinach, etc).

This very basic plan allows you to eat about every 3 hours, and, best of all, helps you lose weight, fast, without counting calories, carbs, points, or anything else.

Medifast was developed by a doctor in 1980. Initially, Dr Vitale sold his products directly to physicians who then were able to prescribe them to help their patients who needed to lose weight, lose it fast, and keep it off.

But, after the program was shown to be so easy and, more importantly, so successful at helping people lose weight, Medifast was made available to the general public, no prescription required!

One of the unique features of Medifast is that there are not only plans for the average man and woman, but also for individuals with conditions such as Diabetes or people with dietary restrictions like vegetarians.

Just like the standard Medifast diet plan, these specialized plans are simple, easy to use, and provide quick results; while also supporting the individualized needs of these special populations.

Some of the special conditions that Medifast provides diet plans for include:

• Bariatric - for those planning to get or who have had gastric banding surgery
• Nursing Mothers
• Diabetes
• Seniors - for those over 70 to help maintain a healthy weight
• Gout
• Teens
• Vegetarians

Medifast only costs about $11/day, which isn't that much when you think about it! And, you can also usually find some pretty good Medifast coupons online that can really help discount that cost/day even further. In the end though, once you lose that weight, every penny is worth it!

As with any diet, there are things you can and can't eat when you're following the Medifast diet plan. Your primary diet consists of Medifast Meals. These are the pre-packaged meals like soups, drinks, bars, puddings, etc. Then, there's the "Lean and Green" meal each day which is a meat and veggie dish as stated above. But then what?

Well, there are all kinds of variations and Medifast recipes you can try! Some can be found right at the Medifast website under the different plans. Other, more unique Medifast recipes can be found at different sites online, on youtube and Medifast even offers a special book that you can purchase.

With these ideas you can create things like Blueberry muffins, quiche and chili, and still stay within your diet! There are also some great recipes for your lean and green meal available. For starters, check out these videos I found on youtube.  There are recipes for both a lean and green meal, as well as a way to make pancakes using Medifast oatmeal, and egg substitute!

In the end, you're the only one who can decide if the Medifast diet plan is right for you. Medifast is just one of a wide variety of weight loss programs. It is highly effective for many, but, just like anything else, it's not for everyone.

To learn more about whether or not Medifast would work well for you, listen to the experiences of others. When you take a look at their site, you'll find a lot of testimonials and success stories from Medifast users. You can also search online and find quite a few blogs and postings about people's experience with the diet plan.

Or, you can simply jump in and try it out! Sometimes, you can't fully evaluate something without trying it yourself first. As with any diet though, make sure to discuss your plans fully with your physician.

Also, remember no diet will be successful without regular exercise. Working out at least 30 min a day several times a week is important no only for you to reach and maintain a healthy weight, but also for the well being of your entire mind and body. So, whether you choose the Medifast diet plan, or another weight loss program, be sure to get moving and stay healthy!