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- Established: 1980
- Founder: Dr. William Vitale
- Headquarters: Owings Mills, Maryland
- Stock Symbol: MED
- Accessibility: Online
- Diet Type: Meal Delivery, Meal Replacement, High Protein
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
Save time and energy by never having to grocery shop, count calories or cook your meals again. Medifast meal delivery service will send high protein meals directly to your home. By controlling portions, nutrients and calories, Medifast users can expect to lose 2-5 pounds per week for the first two weeks on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan and 1-2 pounds per week thereafter.
The Medifast Plan menu consists of shakes, bars, soups, and other sides you can pair up to create your diet or the day. Medifast offers 70 meal choices to satisfy different palates and dietary requirements. Kosher, low glycemic, lactose-free and vegetarian diets are all supported by the Medifast plan. Medifast even has specific plans for the unique needs of women, men and diabetics.
Medifast's success has been proven in multiple clinical studies, the Medifast website offers dozens of real-life testimonials, and its products and programs have been recommended by more than 20,000 doctors since 1980.
A John Hopkins study found the Medifast plan helps dieters quickly and safely lose weight by decreasing the amount of calories they consume each day. The study also found that participants with type 2 diabetes lost 2 times the weight of individuals following the American Diabetes Association's dietary recommendations. Medifast also shows positive results in participants with other illnesses, like hypertension and high cholesterol.
All of the Medifast products are available online, but Medifast does offer some physical centers throughout the country, in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. You can choose to go to a center, but you can complete the program online just as easily.
Medifast YouTube Channel
Medifast Recipes at iFood TV
Meal Replacement Shake Review
- Convenient, pre-packaged foods sent to your home
- Reasonably priced
- Large variety of foods so there is something for everyone
- Encourages and incorporates exercise
- Clinically proven weight loss
- Doctor recommended
- Provides detailed weight loss maintenance plan
- Plans made for diabetics and other medical situations
- Quick Start Guide available at TrustMedifast.com
- Must cut carbs
- May be tough transitioning back to regular diet
- Low-calorie diet has its critics
- Makes social situations harder to manage
A sampling of feedback and experiences shared by our community.
I am a 48 year old male with a fairly unactive lifestyle. On May 16, 2011 I started the Medifast diet following the 5/1 plan. My starting weight was 325 lbs. I am 11-1/2 weeks into the diet and have lost 58 lbs.
I come from a family of excellent cooks. Are the food offerings gourmet quality? No. However, they aren't, in general, as horrible as people say. Sure, there's a few clunkers out there but, for the most part, there are so many varieties that you should be able to find your way through. - Greg 8/5/11
I am 49 yrs old...5"5" and I started my program Aug 8th 2010 at 172 lbs I lost 45 lbs in 14 weeks! It's easy and the results are rapid. The first week I lost 8.5 lbs and the first month 17.5 lbs and then I averaged about 2.5 lbs a week. I have been reading lots' of discouraging people on here in regards to the food. Yes, there are some of the meals that you will not care for. But, you will figure out your likes and dislikes right away. Just don't eat more then one pkg out of each box for any returns.For me personally ..I love the bars and like the rice cakes, pretzels and puffs vanilla and mocha shakes yum! - Lorrie 8/4/11
I started medifast around October 2010. I went from 165lbs to about 142lbs in 3 months. I was very pleased. Unfortunately once I became comfortable being able to fit in my own clothes again I stopped the program. I did not start the maintenance program. My own fault. I ended up gaining my weight back and have started weight watchers and it's been successful so far. So depending on wether or not I would of stayed on the program I would have a better review. So it does work, and I do like it. But it was not for me and the food gets old quick! If you keep to it right, and do not cheat! I would cheat just for one day with some medifast and maybe a real meal with the family and I would be gaining a pound.. Just keep to it. - Alyssa 7/4/11
This diet works without a doubt as long as you can stick thru it. It is VERY difficult the first few days but once you make it thru week 1 the cravings pretty much go away. The food will also begin to taste better, however its best to try everything because not everyone like everything. I personally just do the shakes and brownies sometimes the scrambled eggs. They also have a great community site for advice and support and you can get great ways to doctor it up the meals too. The weight definitely comes off quickly and you see results weekly on the scale on with a measuring tape which is great motivation. Of course it has its downside like every diet the weight can come back quickly and more, but only if you don't go into the transition stage and gradual reintroduce foods back into your diet and maintain a healthy balanced diet. - Izzy 5/17/11
The Medifast diet consists of five prepared meals and one "Lean and Green Meal." (L&GM) known as the Medifast 5 & 1 plan. Your L&GM will consist of a lean protein (a seven-ounce serving of chicken, turkey or fish, or a five ounce serving of beef, pork or lamb) with a tablespoon's worth of condiment like ranch dressing, ketchup or mustard. You will also choose your side dish, which can include a salad, or raw or cooked vegetables. You will always eat at least three servings of vegetables in your L&GM.
The Medifast program encourages you to keep your metabolism high and avoid hunger by eating every three hours. It also recommends that you stay hydrated by drinking your choice of calorie-free beverage, preferably water, consuming at least 64 ounces each day. While your Lean and Green Meal and beverages are up to you, the rest of your meals will be chosen from the dozens of low-calorie, high nutritient meal-replacement items that Medifast delivers directly to you. With options like puddings, oatmeal, shakes, and scrambled eggs, it's hard to get bored.
At the beginning of the program, you will remove high carbohydrate vegetables from your diet like corn and carrots, to jump start your weight loss. You'll slowly introduce these items back into your diet over time and they can be a part of your diet in the maintenance phase, if you wish.
While on the Medifast program you don’t have to worry about counting anything; calories, grams of fat and carbs are all controlled and you can expect to lose between two and five pound per week. The Medifast meals are made with 24 different vitamins and minerals to keep you full and satisfy your nutritional needs.
A typical day of eating on the Medifast program looks like:
- Breakfast – Spiced Pancakes with Sugar-Free Syrup
- Snack – Chocolate Crunch Bar
- Lunch – Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
- Snack – Cinnamon Pretzel Sticks
- Dinner – Baked Tilapia Fillet; Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas with Mushrooms, Carrots
- Dessert – Coffee Soft Serve
The Medifast website offers an exercise guideline document, but there is specific workout program. Medifast recommends getting daily exercise, but your intensity, mode and duration are left completely up to you. They suggest running, jogging, swimming, dancing or walking, but with such a low calorie, structured program, getting your daily 30 minutes reccommended for health should be enough for you to successfully drop weight.
Medifast recommends waiting two to three weeks before introducing exercise if you do not already exercise regularly. You should also consult your physician if new to exercise. Start slow, and gradually increase you time and intensity as you feel things become easier. If you have been exercising consistently prior to starting Medifast, it is recommended that you reduce your intensity and duration of exercise for the first couple of weeks so your body can adjust to your lower calorie levels, and do no more than 45 minutes of vigorous exercise each day during this time period.
Medifast suggests, as do we, that you find something that you enjoy for your workouts so you are more likely to stick to them. The gym isn't your only option. You can take up jogging outside, dance classes, swimming, or biking to get in some exercise while finding a new activity you enjoy.
Common questions asked about the Medifast program by our community. Click each to see the full answer.
Does anyone experience an early plateau on Medifast? - NB 6/21/11
Is there any medical supervision on Medifast? - KJ 6/10/11
What is the cost of 3 months on Medifast? - Jeannie 6/8/11
Will my body adjust to hunger at the beginning of the diet? - Lisa 3/7/11
Ask or answer Medifast Questions now.
For more than 20 years, Medifast has been the answer for many people's weight loss struggles.. It’s also helped people with pre-existing health conditions, like diabetes and hypertension, lose weight safely. The taste and quality of the meals have gotten mostly positive feedback, so if you want to take out all of the guess work, Medifast may be the diet for you. You'll learn how to eat proper portions with balanced nutrition, while eating consistently throughout the day. Most programs and diets cannot boast the doctor recommendations, positive clinical findings and glowing testimonials that Medifast can. It's worth a look if you have weight to lose and are looking for a convenient, all in one approach to eating.
Other Slideshows About Medifast
7 Weight Loss Plans Fit for Fall
The Cost of Losing 20 Pounds
#29 Fastest Growing Company 2010 at CNN
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The Cost of Diet Plans on Today Show
Medifast on Twitter
Medifast on Facebook
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by Brandi Koskie
User Feedback
(Page 7 of 22, 438 total comments)Buyer Beware
-Been on the program for a year in a half. Lost 60 lbs out of my 120 I was going for. If you have food allergies don't bother doing this. I wish I would have researched this more before dropping all the money on this. I'm allergic to nuts & since joining I've become allergic to soy & dairy. That is over half of the food they offer. I have a very active physical job that this diet does not give you the energy or the feeling of being full. I was happy about losing the weight I did, but very difficult with the food choices they offer. What I'm not allergic to taste horrible.
posted Feb 5th, 2012 6:31 amCBAV
+My first 3 weeks on Medifast have been very rewarding. Between the convenience of the 5 Medifast meals and the 1 home cooked Lean and Green meal, I am never hungry and the cravings are gone. My doctor was very pleased when I saw him after 8 days on MF. My fasting blood glucose decreased around 40 points and I lost 18 pounds. These improvements came with Medifast being the only difference. No exercise, no medication, just Medifast.
posted Feb 3rd, 2012 1:58 amMy doctor and I are both big fans of Medifast.
Sisi
-Medi-fast is VERY expensive.
posted Feb 2nd, 2012 4:14 pmLook at the nutritional content of the "meals". Basically you get 5 100-120 calorie powdered food like substances a day and a 400 calorie meal you prepare yourself a day. Of course you'd lose weight, because you are starving your body!!!
For starters, their powdered eggs are a much pricier (and nastier) version of egg beaters. Buy some egg beaters and eat 100 calories of those. Or 2 hardboiled eggs (medium) will cost you 125 calories, only 15 calories more than a powdered egg packet.
Lots of companies make low cal protein diet shakes and bars, And those cost about 4-6 dollars for 5-6 portions, and oftentimes less. You can replace a snack or two wtih those.
How about a baby bell cheese and some celery sticks instead too? Or heck some nut butter and celery. Their items are 7 portions for 17 dollars!!!! even their cheapo powdered soups!
I've lost 12 pounds this month on eggs cooked without oil (or just a spray), lots and lots of homemade soup, trader joe mini brie bites, lean protein and veggie dinners, 93% lean ground turkey, my mom's borscht recipe with beans instaed of potatoes and a little low fat sour cream.
Eat sensibly. And eat more than 1200 calories a day. When you eat too little you lose weight, but in the wrong ways. You lose muscle (hence the people who mentioned they had a hard time exercising on the program) and eat more protein and fewer carbs. When you do eat carbs eat complex ones.
A great breakfast? 1 serving of steel cut oats (made with water), 1 tblspoon almond butter unsalted and unsweetened, and some unsweetened frozen wild blueberries or peaches or half of a fresh banana. If you really want to do the tiny meal thing then have half for breakfast and the other half for morning snack.
Then a baby bell cheese round (low fat if you want to conserve more calories) and some celery sticks... You get the idea. Pre-portion things for yourself and eat real food. Drink a slimfast or eat a fiber one bar if you need to too. Just be smart and save your money and don't eat powdered junk.
Miechia
-I am pretty sure you will lose weight on the medifast diet. The reason being is the food is so nasty, almost inedible that you will probably be starving yourself from the many skipped meals and passes on the food. This is absolutely the most gross food I have ever eaten. Please invest in a healthy cookbook and skip this waste of money!
posted Jan 23rd, 2012 5:33 pmroozie1
+The BEST food supplements ever!! The meals are NOT inedible. The "shakes" are NOT powder floating in water. The "bars" are NOT a little rice with something on them. Honestly, waste your money. You will lose weight because there is NO sugar in there, but you will be able to last because the food supplements are so good.
posted Jan 23rd, 2012 11:47 amPoobah
-I did this program a few years back and it started out good and turned to crap.
posted Jan 16th, 2012 8:44 pmI had hit a plateau and the counselors I had told me I needed to cut back on my cardio.
They tried pushing more products on me.
I cringe every time I hear their commercials on the radio .
owenshome
+I joined Medifast in Mid April 2011, and as of September 2011 (4.5 months) I lost 45 lbs. Now I am on Maintenance and doing fine. I still have 1 medifast meals a day...mostly the hot capuccino....what's not to like about a breakfast that has fiber, high protein, and only 100 calories---did I mention it tastes great as well. Generally speaking,
posted Jan 6th, 2012 2:21 pmthe food choices and food items are excellent. You really must find the items that suit your palate.....for me it was the Maryland Crab Soup, Beef Stew, BBQ Bites (think BBQ flavored & pretzel-like), the Brownies (Kaboom!!!), and Lemon Mirangue Bars, and Chocolate Shake (with appetite suppressant).....like I said, you've got to find a niche for your own palate. I recommend exercise 2 to 3 times a week....this makes the weight loss and transition back to 'regular' food easier. I emphasize 'regular' because even when you are on maintenance you are still in a medifast state of mind...by this I mean you are a stickler for portion control, you stare down candy bars and walk-away with a victorious smile, you prepare your healthy snacks and lunch the night before.....it's like being a member of Seal Team 6 taking covert action against regaining weight. When you are on maintenance you come up with all kinds of things to keep you on the straight and narrow...like, having a jar of peanut butter in your desk (at work) for that quick 1 teaspoon 30 calorie snack. Bottom line, this is a great diet program and it helps you to change your mindset towards food and eating. Its all about the lifestyle change. Hope this was help. A toast to success with your weight loss pursuit....with Medifast you'll see the results quickly and enjoy the journey all the more.
Cindy
Forgot to mention, if you sign up for auto-ship and your shipment is over $250.00, the shipping is free. You can customize your shipment and get only the items you prefer. Aso if you own/use a personal blender (they also sell one) the shakes, soft serve and puddings turn out better. The oatmeal was the only thing that I thought tasted like vitamins and minerals that they add in. I use a little sugar-free pancake syrup in it and it tastes better. You can be very creative with this plan and there is so much that you CAN eat while on it. Just don't over-do. If you do cheat and gain a few just go back to the plan and within two to three days you will be back on track. Good luck.
posted Jan 2nd, 2012 6:49 pmCindy
+I have lost 22 lbs on MF so far. I like the food. If you research Mf recipes you have much more choices. I make muffins using the oatmeal, egg beaters and b.p. Also you can make bread using tomato soup, add condiments and lunch meat and you've got a sandwich. Using the broccoli soup, you can make mini quiches,(3= one meal) Without some of these recipes, I would be very bored just eating what they provide. I plan to stay on this diet until I reach my goal of 30 lbs. This one is the only one that has worked for me. Good luck everyone and be patient.
posted Jan 2nd, 2012 1:37 amRay
-The worst food supplements ever!! The meals were inedible. The "shakes" were powder floating in water. The "bars" were a little rice with something on them. Honestly, do NOT waste your money. You will lose weight because there is almost nothing there, but you will not be able to last because the food supplements are so bad.
posted Dec 26th, 2011 11:34 pmTerry
+I've been on the diet for about two months now and I have gradually lost 2 to 4 lbs a week. I exercise regularly, but have noticed that exercise doesn't seem to accelerate my weight loss. More importantly than weight loss, I notice better fitting clothes even for the difference of a pound or 2. As to the foods, I love the eggs, oatmeal, nutrition bars, pudding, and cheese bites. I am not much of a fan of the milkshakes, which is why Slimfast never did it for me. It did take a little while to get use to the food, but when you restrict yourself like this, you soon learn to enjoy them. I'm just being honest about that. I've lost 28 lbs to date, and I have another 40 to go. People everywhere keep telling me not to lose anymore. Baloney. I am going to get to the right weight no matter what. What I like most about medifast is that it has taught me something about quantity control and making sure I eat throughout the day. Before that, I would eat 2 to 3 very large meals, that I thought were healthy and therefore justified. I'm glad to finally break that nonsense.
posted Nov 29th, 2011 6:01 pmPenny
I am waiting for my food to arrive so I can start the program. I ran into a friend about a week ago and she had lost 450 pounds. I was in such shock when I seen her. I asked her how she did it and she told me MF. So after talking to her I decided that if she can lose weight like that, I can lose the 40 pounds I need to lose. It was such and inspiration talking to her and seeing her after all that weight loss...
posted Nov 26th, 2011 5:12 pmJanalee
+I love the flexibility of the lean-green meal. I usually opt for chicken or fish with a spinach salad and another veggie.
posted Nov 25th, 2011 3:00 pmJanet221
+Finally a meal replacement diet with kosher options! So happy with Medifast. Excellent service!
posted Nov 23rd, 2011 2:16 pmSarah
+Great soft diet.
posted Nov 22nd, 2011 12:12 amCynthia
+Best way to change your life for good! This helps you to create life-long healthy habits that you can live with and therefor KEEP the weight off!
posted Nov 6th, 2011 7:05 pmamandacas
+I lost weight it is a good program.
posted Nov 5th, 2011 2:32 pmCPQ
I started 10 weeks ago and have lost 35 pounds and gone from a size 16 to an 8. It's the easiest and best diet I've ever been on and it has taught me to love vegetables (when you have only one opportunity a day to eat them, trust me, you savor every.single.bite) and how to fuel my body with what it NEEDS, not with what I happen to have in the pantry and is convenient (junk).
posted Nov 3rd, 2011 1:40 pmI have no more cravings for candy, french fries, bread, or pasta, and I've learned to make good choices when eating out. It's super simple to remember how to order (baked, boiled, steamed, or grilled and substitute veggies for the starch). I feel the best I have in YEARS, emotionally, physically, and mentally.
hanakimi
I was on MF for several months and lost about 27 pounds of the 40 that I had to lose (weight gain from antidepressant). MF is tough but it could certainly be tougher. It takes some time to get used to the taste of the food.
posted Oct 24th, 2011 12:23 pmI had to stop though, because I lost a TON of hair, about half of what I had when I started. As much as it works, I can't bring myself to start up again and lose the rest, since I hate hearing comments from my parents and others about how thin my hair looks.
Bottom line, it really does work, but there are a lot of unpleasant side effects.
Kim
+I have been on Medifast for 10 weeks and have lost over 30 lbs!! Some food is better than others, but there are enough choices of yummy food that I have a variety to choose from, so I don't get tired of eating the same thing. When I lost 15 lbs, I was no longer considered "overweight". I am well within the normal BMI range and I still have about 10 more pounds to lose. I will admit I am not completely faithful on the weekends, but the treats I allow myself (extra shrimp, crab legs dipped in butter, 1/2 cup of ice cream) are smaller potions of what I would have eaten before. Not only is this diet easy because of the convenience of the food, it is extremely helpful in learning portion control and making better choices. In my 10 weeks, I've lost at least 2 lbs. a week - even with my occasional off plan choices! I highly recommend this diet! Oh- I should mention I am a 43 year old woman whose metabolism had slowed down - the only other times I needed to lose weight was after having my kids, and back then, all I needed to do was walk 2 miles 5x a week and the weight disappeared! Not anymore - but that's why I love Medifast!!!
posted Oct 22nd, 2011 1:01 am