You might hear a comment like: “what happens if I don’t want to drink the shakes on medifast? In general, I’d rather eat my food than drink it. I’m really not a fan or chalky diet shakes. But I’d be more than willing to eat some of the other foods. Do you have to drink the shakes? Because I notice that many of the packages have the shakes in them.” I will address this concern below.

I find that there is a real perception that the shakes are the most low calorie or diet friendly item on the medifast menu. I understand why people would think this. After all, it makes sense to assume that a liquid shake is going to contain less calories than say a brownie (which is also on the menu.) But frankly, all of the medifast foods are designed to be very similar to one another in terms of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber. Believe it or not, a Dutch Chocolate Shake contains 110 calories as do the Brownies, the eggs, the Hearty Vegetarian Sloppy Joe, and the chili. So, you’re not going to be complying with the diet any more if you stick with the shakes when you’d really want to have other foods.

As far as the shakes being included in many packages, this is true and the reason for that is that the shakes are a popular choice. Most people do like them because of their flexibility, their convenience, and yes, their taste. (They are actually quite good and if you haven’t yet tried them, I’d suggest giving them a try with an open mind. I find them better than the old diet shakes of former years that you might be thinking of. I think it’s worth it to at least try them, at least once.)

However, if you truly don’t like the shakes, you absolutely do not have to consume them. You can place an order that allows you to choose your own foods (Design-a-Menu – lose weight with Medifast!.)  Essentially, the packages often offer a sampling of many foods and they give you 143 meals. But if you choose your own, you simply choose twenty boxes of whatever foods are appealing to you. Since a box of food contains seven meals, twenty boxes will give you one hundred and forty meals. Sure, this is three meals less than you would get in one the sample packages, but you are getting exactly what you want and you don’t have to chose the shakes if you don’t want them.

I believe that this diet is really convenient, even at work. All you would really need to do is to pick out the food that you want to eat that day and then bring it work. Some of the meals do need for you to add hot water. But many offices have a coffee maker or a water cooler that can make or provide hot water. A good example of a meal that works this way is the Chicken Noodle Soup, the Homestyle Chili, or Hearty Vegetarian Sloppy Joe. You just bring the item with you and when you’re ready to eat, you add hot water to the dry ingredients, mix it up, and then consume it. If this isn’t convenient enough, you can chose one of the meals that don’t require any preparation like the ready to drink shakes (like the Mocha Ready-to-Drink Shake) or one of the bars (like the Chocolate Crunch Bar.)

There is one other option also. If you want the option of eating a larger lunch or going out to lunch with coworkers, then you could always chose to eat your larger lean and green meal at lunch time. Since you can have this meal at any time, having it at lunch shouldn’t affect anything. You would just have one of the prepackaged meals at breakfast and dinner plus three prepackaged snacks.

Whichever method you chose, it’s generally pretty easy to consume medifast at your work place.  Frankly, very few people are in a position that they are able to leave their work place in order to leisurely have their lunch. Many people are able to diet at lunch while also at their work place. Yes, it does require a little planning ahead of time. But so does bringing your lunch from home even if you aren’t on a diet. You shouldn’t need a kitchen or stove. Just hot water is typically enough.

I might hear a comment like: “I really want to start medifast, but I have a very important baby shower to attend in five weeks. I really want to enjoy my time there. But I don’t want to delay starting my diet either. I am wondering if there is anything that I can eat at the party that isn’t going to wreck my diet. Is it possible to eat something that is diet friendly at a baby shower?”

It is certainly possibly, especially if you save your lean and green meal for the shower. See, you have one main lean and green meal to play with each day. Many people have their lean and green meal at dinner time, but you can have it any time during the day, including breakfast and lunch. You’re supposed to have lean protein and three servings of vegetables. If you are careful at a party, you can accomplish this. How about lean roast beef wrapped in lettuce instead of bread? Quiche is also a popular choice at showers. If you take it upon yourself to make a safe quiche which contains egg whites and vegetables, then this might be an option also. An omelet can also work.

Also, you can graze on snacks also. Celery sticks are actually on the approved list of medifast snacks and this doesn’t even count for a meal. Chose lean means and low glycemic vegetables. Finally, if you take some liberties for a very special occasion, I don’t think that this is the end of the world. I’ve cheated on my diet at times and then got back on it the next day without any awful things happening. A diet is going to work best when you don’t feel too restricted. Obviously, you don’t want to go overboard and do something that is going to make you feel badly about yourself. But treating yourself within limits on a very special day doesn’t have to have any horrible outcome. You simply get back on the diet the next day and enjoy yourself during the party. I’m not saying that you should cheat. I’m just saying that you don’t want to go into any diet thinking that you have to be so restrictive all of the time that you will never be able to enjoy yourself at a party.

While I believe that you can eat healthfully if you chose carefully (and save your lean and green meal for the party,) I also don’t want to encourage anyone to think that they can never enjoy themselves.

Want more tips on how to make medifast a bit easier, feel free to check out my free medifast ebook which features a list of all of the medifast foods, recipes, tips, and coupons. It’s at http://easiest-diet.com/free-medifast-ebook/html

Most People Will Begin To Transition Off Once They’ve Reached Their Weight Loss Goals:  I will tell my take on this, but I do need to stress that I’m not a doctor or nutritionist.  And I would highly suggest that you contact the company on the Medifast Official Site if you have specific questions.  I’ve found that they are very good about clarifying how things work in a quick manner.  But it’s my experience that most people begin the transition process when they have met their weight loss goals.  Often, you begin the diet with a general idea of your target weight loss.  You might set out to lose say thirty pounds, as just one example.  Once you’ve reached this, you may consider beginning the process of transitioning.  Now, understand that transitioning is a gradual process.  I’ve known people who were reluctant to transition because they’ve worked so hard to take the weight off and they are afraid of putting it back on.  But, you don’t need to think that you’ll suddenly abruptly have to find your own way.  You very gradually begin to add back in regular meals and different types of foods.  You add in one thing each week until you are at a place where you are comfortable and keeping the weight off.  There is always room to tweak the plan as you see how your body will react each step of the way.

Determining A Healthy Weight For You: So how do you decide how much weight you want to lose?  Well, you want to be very sensible and healthy.  Your doctor can probably help you determine your goal weight loss.  Or you can consider your BMI index or where your body feels its most healthy.  There are plenty of weight and height charts that will give you general guidelines.  But, you never want to go overboard with your weight loss or take it too far.  The goal should be to get to and then maintain your ideal weight.    This is not about being super skinny.  It is about being healthy, strong, fit and at a weight where you feel comfortable.

If you’d like to learn more about life on medifast, check out my free ebook here.

I might hear a comment like: “will I pay the same for medifast if I use a center vs buying it online?  Is there any advantage to using a center?  Which is more expensive?  And if the center costs more, is it worth the extra cost?”

I am going to answer this question as best as I can, but I have to tell you that I have never used a center.  When I first started looking into medifast, I didn’t have a center within driving distance from me.   So, a center wasn’t even an option for me.   And frankly, one of the things I really like about medifast was being able to do it on my own terms.  I’m not someone who likes to have to pour my heart out or weigh in, so the idea of a clinic didn’t appeal to me anyway.

With this said, every one is different.  Some people really love support and accountability.  And people tend to discuss this topic a lot on weight loss forums.

The Cost Estimates I’ve Heard Regarding The Clinics: As I’ve said, I’ve never been in one of the clinics, so the ranges that I’m about to tell you now are really based on what I have heard from others.  I HIGHLY suggest that you call your local clinic and ask.  Because costs may vary.  So it makes sense to ask for yourself and get an answer from the clinic that you would be dealing with. I have heard that the cost of the clinic varies depending on how much weight you have to lose.  I have heard ranges from $800 to $1200 dollars and that is in addition to your food.   But, there is no question that clinics do offer you more support.  I have heard these clinics are more like the weight watchers or Jenny Craig experience where you go in and meet with someone.  I’ve also heard that they do body analysis, have you draw up your plans and goals, and help you use a food journal.  Some people thrive with this level of support and if this is what you are looking for, then the additional cost may be well worth it to you.  However, the clinics sell the same food that you can get online without paying any extra costs or fees.

The Advantage Of Ordering Your Food Online:  Of course, the major advantage is that you are going to save money by ordering medifast food online.  And the reason for this is that you can use the coupons this way.  You can see what is being offered on special here. Medifast Specials  But it is fair to say that you are almost always going to be given a pretty substantial discount or free food.  And, you are not paying for anything but your food, which can make for a big savings.  Plus, you aren’t paying for the overhead of a clinic or the salary of the counselors.  I mean, if you’re ordering a monthly package for medifast, you’d pay about $330 BEFORE coupons.  This is a substantial difference between having to put down $800 – $1200 before you pay for the food.

And, I think that it’s a mistake to assume that there is no online support.  There most certainly is.  I have found that getting my questions answered and even getting support is very easy.  I love the “My Medifast” community.  Every one is in it together.  And I have found wonderful tips and recipes.  But, if I don’t feel like checking in, I don’t have to.  No one is looking over my shoulder.  I think that it is a nice balance.  But that is just my opinion.

Which Is Better: The Clinic Or Medifast Online: Honestly, I don’t think either the clinic or the online experience is “better” or “worse” than the other.  I really think it is a question of what is going to be better for you.  Some people like having face to face support.  Others do fine reaching out when they need to.  For some, money is concern.  For others, it is not.  Many people will test the waters of the online community first, with the understand that they will try the clinic later if they need to.  But starting with the online ordering saves a little money and allows for you to test the waters (and the food) before you shell out a lot of money on a center.  That’s just my opinion.  I freely admit I haven’t been in a center and this article is just based on comments and information that I’ve heard and read.  I would encourage you to see for yourself if you’re still not sure.

I might hear a comment like: “I would really love to do medifast.   My sister lost a good deal of weight on it and she didn’t seem to be miserable in the process.  I want to get the same results.  But, my budget is limited.  Is there any way to do the medifast diet without having to buy their foods and their meals?”

This is a relatively common question and it’s completely understandable.  It’s hard to shell out money for something before you have had the results.  Sure, you may have seen friends and family have results.  But you haven’t seen them on yourself yet.  And no one wants to willingly waste money.

I looked into this question myself when I was considering medifast.  And, I ultimately determined that although you could try to buy grocery store items and / or make your own foods, you really don’t come all that close to the low amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and calories with the high amounts of protein and fiber with those types of foods.

To demonstrate my point, I’ll look at some popular diet bars, shakes, and brownies – all of which are popular choices on medifast.  And I’ll show the difference.  First, let’s look at a pure protein power bar.  I actually used to eat these and I will admit that I enjoyed them.  And, admittedly, they contain a lot of protein.  I’ll look at the chocolate deluxe flavor.  It has a very high 17 grams of protein.  That is the good.  But, it has 180 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.  This might not seem a lot.  But, it is when you compare the medifast bar.  I’ll chose the S’more Crunch Bar.  It has only 110 calories and only 2.5 grams of fat.  Let’s say you ate two of these each day.  You’d save 140 calories and 4 grams of fat.  That’s almost another bar’s worth of calories and fat.

Now, I’ll compare some shakes.  I’ll look at the Atkins RTD Advantage shake in French Vanilla.  It has  160 calories and 9 grams of fat, which is pretty substantial when you look at the French Vanilla Shake which only has 110 calories and only .5 grams of fat.  If you consumed two of these shakes per day, you’d save 100 calories and 17.5 grams of fat, which is quite a bit.

Finally, I’ll compare brownies. I realize there aren’t too many diet brownies.  And this is why people will make them at home.  I will be honest and tell you that I have tried this also.  But after a couple of days of making all of my own “special foods,” this gets very old.  But for the sake or argument and assuming that you would enjoy all of that cooking, let’s look at diet soda brownies, which are pretty well known.  They don’t contain much sugar because you use diet soda that is loaded with artificial sweeteners. Medifast doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners.  (This didn’t used to be important to me, but it is now that I’ve researched the harm that these artificial sweeteners can do over time.)  But let’s keep going and set that concern aside

The diet soda brownies are relatively low in calories and sugars, but they are loaded with carbohydrates at almost 24 grams.  The medifast Brownies in contrast only has 15 carbs.  This may not seem like a lot.  But as someone who has tracked her results very carefully, I can tell you that even a small deficit like this can make a difference between getting in ketosis or not, especially when you’re first starting out.

You can probably tell from this article that I believe it would be difficult to get medifast results without medifast food.  And frankly, I think that if you did it by making your own foods, you wouldn’t save that much money.  Many of the diet foods that you make yourself require special ingredients and yield a small amount.  Keep in mind you eat six times per day on medifast.

If you use coupons, you can generally get the meals down to just a little over $2.00 per day.  (You can see what specials are running here: Medifast Specials (And there are coupons on the side of this blog.) But generally, you are offered a substantial discount off of your order of a generous amount of free food.  I consider this to be fair.  And I can tell you that having it made for you is a huge relief.

Alternatively, you can just order some foods individually at first just to see the results for yourself so that you won’t feel as much hesitation.  I hope that this has helped.

Design-a-Menu – lose weight with Medifast!

The Best Tasting Breakfasts On The Medifast Menu:  Here are the ones that I turn to over and over again.  Your opinion may be different but this is mine.  I like the
Chocolate Chip Pancakes most of all. You’re likely to see a theme here.  I am a fan of chocolate.  In fact, I’m a fan of the chocolate lovers package.  But I like these pancakes because of the fact that they are topped with chocolate chips.  I like the regular pancakes just fine.  But if you can have chocolate on top, why not?

Blueberry Oatmeal: I am a fan of cereal.  In fact, I really like medifast’s new cold cereals.  But since the cold cereals are somewhat new, I’m already used to the oatmeals.  And the blueberry is my favorite because I like the taste and because I feel like I’m eating very healthy because of all of the medical research that calls blueberries super food.   Actually, all of the oatmeal flavors are good.  But if you’re making me chose only one, this is what I’d pick.

Brownies: I know that this is really a snack.  But I like it for breakfast.  In case you haven’t noticed, I like to have carbs at breakfast.  I know that would be a no no if I were eating normal foods.  But these carbs are very diet friendly and have been modified to be high in protein and fiber.

The Best Testing Medifast Lunches:  I know that when lunch time rolls around, it’s time to ditch the carbs.  I will admit that if I am in a hurry, I will sometimes have a bar or something else on the run.  But most of the time, I take a few minutes and assemble something.  Here are my top three.

Southwest Style Eggs with egg whites:  Yep, I know that this is technically a breakfast.  But I often eat it at lunch.  It seems very substantial to me and it’s a good lunch, when I want something very light for breakfast.

Macaroni And Cheese:  I am a big fan of this product.  I actually cook it for longer than the directions suggest because I like to create a very crispy product – sort of like there are bread crumbs on top.

The Chili Or Sloppy Joe:  These two items actually taste pretty similar to one another and I like them both very much.  Just like the eggs, they are very versatile.  And they seem to be the most filling of the soup or stew options.

You might notice that I haven’t yet listed any shakes or bars.  I know that this might confuse a lot of people.  Don’t think for a minute that I don’t like these items.  I do!  It’s just that I will typically have them as snacks rather than meals. I absolutely adore the Peanut Butter Crunch Bar.   I am very partial to all of the medifast snacks and am going to write about them soon.

Medifast Dinners:  I have to admit that the vast majority of the time, I have my lean and green meal at dinner time.  I like to eat as a family and I try very hard to avoid having a separate meal for myself, although I know that some people will do this.  I feel like that might be isolating or discouraging.  So most of the time, my family eats the same lean protein and vegetables that I eat.  Sure, sometimes we’ll make it a stir fry or a skillet.  But for the most part, I will just eat what my family eats, but I may add some carrot or celery sticks for myself or a carefully chosen drive through salad.

If you were going to have your lean and green meal at another time, then you could do any of the soups, sloppy joe, or chili for dinner.   I actually like the cold cereal for dinner if my family is out and I’m by myself.

As of this writing, any of the medifast four week variety packages are $339 per month.  This includes the favorites package (which is the most popular,) the on the go package,  the gluten free favorites, and the chocolate lovers.  Now, this is before coupons.  I keep all of the coupon codes on the right side of this blog.  And I will also place them within this article for convenience.  And generally speaking, they usually offer at least $60 off of the packages. You can look at the latest specials here: Medifast Specials

That said, they generally also offer an option of free meals if you choose to go with the auto ship option (which you can easily cancel once you have lost the weight.)  This is an excellent value because they will often offer you well over 50 free meals which is worth well over $100. Here is the coupon for that Get 56 Free Meals, Free Shipping

Now, do keep in mind that you do have one lean and green meal each day.  So, you do have to buy some groceries.  But, if you are very crafty about it, you can usually just modify what you are already buying for your family so that you aren’t spending that much additional money.  I think it’s very realistic to believe that you shouldn’t spend more than $50 for groceries (for yourself) per month especially since you’re only having to come up with one meal.

They do not charge you to use the website or to get counseling.  They only charge you for the food that you buy.  You won’t pay per pound like some diets.  And when you have lost the weight, you simply don’t place any more orders.  But to give you a hard figure as to how much medifast would cost per month, I’d say that about $320 per month is more than generous, including your groceries.  This works out to be just a little under $11 per day for five meals each day.  That’s about $2.20 per meal which I believe is extremely competitive.

It goes without saying that if you buy them as part of a package, you’re generally going to pay a little less for them.  But some people want more than even what comes with the packages.  As of this writing, they do offer the ready to drink shakes in a larger package than the 55 shakes.  Right now, they do offer the Mocha Ready-to-Drink Shake in a case of 24 shakes for a cost of $66.75.   This comes out to be about $2.75 per shake which is a little more than you would pay if you bought them as part of a package with a coupon.  (Coupons are always located on the right side of this blog.)

And, they offer all flavors in the cases of 24.  You can also get the Dutch Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake and the French Vanilla Ready-to-Drink Shake.   If you’re going to order a package and you only need a few more and either don’t mind mixing them up or actually prefer the taste of the 55 shakes, they do sell this variety in boxes of 7 for $16.95.  (All of the flavors are there too like Mocha Shake, French Vanilla Shake and Strawberry Shake.)

These work out to be about $2.40 per shake, which is cheaper than the ready to drink shakes.  But I suppose that with the ready to drink, you are paying a little more for convenience also.  All of the 55 shakes are sold in boxes of 7.  But, nothing says that you can’t buy more than one box.  If you think about it, if you were to buy four boxes of 55 shakes, you’d pay $67.80 but you would get four more shakes than you get with the 24 bulk pack in the ready to drink variety. 

Either way, you are able to get extra shakes for a little over two dollars a piece.  So, you aren’t limited to what comes in your package.  You are always able to buy the shakes (and all of the other foods) individually by the box. 

I might hear a comment like: “I’m getting ready to place an order with medifast and I’m trying to decide between the shakes and the bars. Which tastes better? Which are more filling? And which flavors are the most tasty?”

I’ll try to answer as best as I can. But I have to tell you that I make use of all of the foods. I like BOTH the shakes AND the bars. I don’t chose between them. In fact, I typically will order a package so that I have samplings of all of the foods. I don’t see the point of limiting yourself to one or a couple of types of food only. I think that this could potentially lead to boredom. I like the luxury of having variety. And I like that I can use coupons when I get packages. As an example, this special is good with a package, but not with an individual order of shakes and bars. Get 56 Free Meals, Free Shipping And this brings the costs of your meals down quite a bit.)

Yes, I regularly have shakes and bars. But I also have other yummy foods like the Chocolate Pudding, the brownies, the pancakes, the soft serve, and the Chocolate Chip Soft Bake. There are plenty of nice options to chose from outside of the shakes and bars. Now, if you were to force me to chose between the shakes and bars, then I admit that it would be a difficult chose. However, if pressed, I’d probably chose the bars simply because there is no preparation required for them. They are literally the easiest food on the menu because all you have to do is to remove their wrapper. As far as flavors, I like the Peanut Butter Crunch Bar.

With this said, I do find the shakes to be the most filling. I’m not sure why this is because the calorie and nutritional value between the shakes and bars is very similar between the two. But for some reason, I am fuller for a bit longer after consuming one of the shakes. My preferred flavor is the Mocha Shake. In case you can’t already tell though, I like them both. And I’d hate to actually have to chose between them. I think that the ultimate solution is to use both, as well as the other food options offered.