I need you to pretend that I posted this on a Monday. I know I could technically back date this post so that it looked like I posted it on Monday. But that would be lying, and I choose to keep my lying to a less publicly recorded format.
Since the focus of this blog is to document my quest to be healthy, I thought it might be fun and helpful to highlight how the Medifast program is helping me. To be clear, I do not work for Medifast, nor am I being paid to talk about Medifast products and programs. I am truly a case study into what it is to be a part of the Medifast program. I want to be as transparent as possible when it comes to the good and bad of this being on the Medifast plan.
First off, I did a write-up of what the program entails under the "Medifast" link on the right side of the page. For a quick recap, I am on the 5&1 program with Medifast. This means I eat five Medifast meals (packaged meals made by Medifast) and one lean and green meal each day. The lean and green meal is a combination of protein and vegetables. There's a lot more to the program, so I would encourage you to check out the plethora of Medifast websites and blogs that are available. I also have a health coach that I am happy to put you in touch with if you're interested in being a Medifaster.
As I mentioned earlier, I have had my skepticism about this program, mainly due to the large amount of processed foods that are included in the plan. Over the past few years, I have made a conscious effort to consume more locally grown and organic foods. Medifast sort of flies in the face of that. I won't say that it still doesn't bother me, but I will say that I have come to a compromise with myself. Since I do have control over the lean and green portion of my meals, I always choose organic, free-range, pesticide free, and local foods whenever possible. I also read another woman's comment on the Medifast site that said something along the lines of being overweight is so bad for her, that if she has to lose weight by eating processed foods, then so be it. This resonated with me. I would rather make a short term sacrifice of eating foods are packaged and highly processed, so that I have more freedom in my decisions once I make it to a healthier weight.
That said, the food is actually pretty tasty. I have had some red herrings (not literally) since I started seven weeks ago, but overall I enjoy the taste of the food. There are also a lot of great ideas for creative lean and green meals online as well. I'll be posting some links to my favorite sites, as well as reviews of recipes in the coming weeks. I have tried to keep my lean and green meals as simple as possible, mainly just to get used to being on the plan.
So for the first week, here are a few recommendations for how to survive. In the interest of full disclosure, I have had a really easy time following this plan. The convenience of the food means I can just throw some bars or munchies in my purse and not have to worry. I keep a stash of meals in my desk at work, and I can easily nuke the other meals at home. I even enjoy making my lean and green meal every night. I know others struggle, especially in the first week. I hit my first week o' struggle last week, so I have some ideas on things that help.
Medifast allows a certain number of "snacks" per day/week. These include things like pickle spears, sugar free popsicles, and jello. I would recommend stocking up on a few of these items. It really helped when I needed just a little extra something to get me through. I would also recommend ordering a variety of foods for your first order. Your health coach will likely place your first order for you, so don't be afraid to let him/her know what types of food you like. I have a great combination of savory and sweet foods, so I never feel like I'm missing out.
I have had a great amount of success so far, and have lost over 27 pounds since starting the last week in January. The plan works if you stick with it and stay within the guidelines of the program. Good luck, and I'll have more tips and ideas on the next Medifast Monday!
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