Medifast Diet
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The Medifast Diet is a dieting system created and marketed by Jason Pharmaceuticals, based in Owings Mills, MD. It is one of a number of diet plans that requires you to purchase food from the company who markets the product.
[edit] Overview
Medifast claims to be a low-fat, low-carb, ultra-low-calorie diet plan that allows the typical dieter to remain healthy while losing weight at a rate substantially faster than one would lose under a traditional diet plan. Medifast's claims in this regard are based on their claim that, when followed properly, the Medifast diet plan induces the body into a mild state of ketosis, whereby fat is burned instead of muscle.[1] There is no cost to "join" any official Medifast program: the only thing Medifast charges for is its food.
[edit] 5 & 1 Diet Plan
The foundation of the Medifast diet is what is called the "5 & 1" meal plan. On the "5 & 1" plan, a dieter eats 6 times a day, with each meal recommended to be spaced approximately 2-3 hours apart.[1] 5 of the meals must come from the meals purchased from Medifast, and the remaining meal is called the "Lean & Green" meal. The Lean & Green meal is broken down as follows:
- "Lean"
- 7 ounces (cooked weight) of lean meat (fish, poultry, or seafood) OR
- 5 ounces of lean beef, pork, or lamb
- "Green"
- 1.5 cups of cooked vegetables (not including carrots, corn, potatoes, peas, or Brussels sprouts, due to their higher carb levels) OR
- 2 cups of salad greens, 1-2 tablespoons low-carb salad dressing, and ½ cup raw vegetables (excluding vegetables listed above)
On a typical day, the targeted amount of caloric intake for a Medifast dieter is 800-1000 calories. [1]
All of the Medifast meals consumed on the plan have additional vitamins, minerals, and protein added to them, and Medifast claims that this fortification allows dieters to receive adequate nutritional intake, even though they are consuming what would normally be considered an ultra-low level of calories. There is no limit to which meals may be eaten together or on the same day, with the exception of the Medifast bars, which Medifast recommends be limited to one per day. [1]
- ^ a b c d FAQ on Medifast website. Last accessed on 3-14-07
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