Medifast: Going Off Plan
Most Medifast dieters go off plan sometime during their time trying to lose weight. I am often amazed at the different degrees of emotions I get from those that do digress from the Medifast weight loss plan either accidentally, or on purpose. Sometimes it may be considered cheating, while other times it may be simple ignorance. I would like to discuss the reasons why Medifast dieters go off plan, and I also would like to go over what can happen if someone deviates from the outlined Medifast plan. I simply want to discuss some of the reasons people use for Medifast not working, or not working fast enough. Since I am such a firm believer in the Medifast system, I wrote this article based on my observations over the years of not only what happens when people go off plan, but also why they go off plan. I will wrap this entire article up with how I have seen people personally respond to using Medifast, holding myself up to the world as my greatest critic.
I also want to precede this article with the statement that I am entrenched in my understanding and belief that if a person is healthy and follows the plan…weight loss will occur and a person can expect to lose 2 to 5 pounds a week. If that is not happening…if a person is not losing 2 to 5 pounds a week, (on average) then that person is either not healthy, or is not on plan. I do not want to beat down people about not being able to stay on plan, or falling off the plan, as that is not my intention or desire because I know how difficult weight loss can be for a person. It is simply my intention to discuss why some people go off Medifast plan and more importantly…how they pick themselves up again because I have learned that straying off plan is really when the Medifast failure stories begin. All too often we dwell on our shortcomings, and not enough time on the things that hold the potential of being able to achieve personal greatness.
This article does not pass judgement, and is really just a marker in my life of the emotions I have had to deal with recently. I realize that weight loss is a very personal thing and how I too am at the same crossroads each and every day. I have come to realize that we are all forced with stress and issues but what really matters is how we deal with the thing called life.
Reasons Why People Go Off Medifast Plan
- Accident:
There are many people that go off the Medifast plan by accident. I chalk this up due to a lack of knowledge the average person has when they start using Medifast for weight loss. Most “Noob” Medifast users have yet to make the leap of understanding as to how Medifast works. Many new users do not understand that Medifast is not about being hungry and the plan is not simply about eating less food. To fully understand Medifast, the main thing a person needs to understand is why the first 3 days is crucial. If a person has the knowledge of what is going on during the initial 3 days, they soon will be brought to the understanding that Medifast is about remaining in a constant state of mild fat-burn, which results in not having to suffer from hunger pangs. If you are following Medifast, you should not be hungry between meals. (Article on Medifast and Still Hungry) Once the first 3 days are achieved….Medifast starts to sail like a regal sailboat on a windy day, in all her glory.
All too often people that do not understand Medifast will grab small snacks of this, or a piece of that…not realizing that even the smallest deviation from the outlined plan can, and will cause the body to cease fat burn. Once the mild fat burning process is interrupted, hunger sets in and the Medifast plan starts to unravel as a failure. Simply speaking…if a person is on track with Medifast and deviates and goes off plan….hunger becomes an issue. If hunger happens, there is an undercurrent issue at work, because that is NOT how Medifast works. If a person IS hungry before meal time….there is a very, very good chance that they have gone off plan. - Too Much Exercise
Once again, this goes back to NOT understanding that Medifast is so much more than calories in, and calories out. This mistake occurs when a person mistakenly believes that they need to exercise, exercise and exercise some more to burn fat. This exercise is NOT the way Medifast is designed to work. To explain it as briefly as possible, I provide a link here to a Medifast pdf file that explains Medifast and exercise. To quickly explain I also supply a link here to another article on this website (Medifast and Exercise) You should do no more than 45 minutes a day of light to moderate exercises. If you are getting all huffy-puffy and sweaty…you are halting the mild fat burning process. The reason is simply that the human body is designed to ALWAYS preserve itself during times of starvation, or extreme periods of exertion. (Explained By Dr. Andersen) If the body senses there is a shortage of food it will compensate by STOPPING the fat burn and start going after the muscle for a source of energy. This is not safe and healthy fat loss and is NOT the way Medifast works. If you are concerned with NEEDING to exercise you need to get your priorities straight. The first thing you need to do is reboot the body by losing the weight and once that is accomplished, that is when you train to run the iron-man or whatever you feel the urge to get done. Too much exercise with Medifast WILL hamper the weight loss progress because that will take you off plan. - Emotions
By far, the most common reason people go off plan is due to emotions. I attribute this to the same reasons that causes a person to be obese. I attribute this to not having a healthy relationship with food overall. Emotional eating is an issue that needs to be dealt with, which is the single most common cause of weight loss surgery failure. (Click here and read the comment at end of article) All too often I get calls from individuals that are on the plan and then have some event that causes them to “pig out” and go off the plan. In reality what has happened is that the individual is just reverting back the person that really resides just below the emotional surface. What I mean by this is that there are issues that are going on where a person is merely using food as some sort of emotional crutch. That is where they run to, when there is emotional strife going on around them. A stressful moment like a Mother-In-Law being rude or a spouse saying something perceived as hateful. Whatever the reason for the emotional push that takes a person to use as an excuse to go off the Medifast plan….it needs to be understood that we are all the pilots of our bodies and it is all an excuse. If a person uses food as a life raft, it should be realized that this is the same reason ALL the weight will be gained back again sooner or later. If a person does not understand that food is just an excuse, it will always be an issue….Medifast or not. A person will often use emotions as a reason to go off the Medifast plan and then point to it like it really was not their fault. The truth is that nobody crammed that food into your mouth and you always were the Captain of your sailboat, and you allowed someone to get into your head long enough to control the rudder. You need to realize that no matter what weight loss plan you are using this moment…if you give up control of your emotional rudder…any of the plans that facilitate weight loss will lead you to become beached… and weight loss will never really happen. You need to keep people from affecting your emotions in all ways, and weight loss is often just an indicator of how well you are able to keep from absorbing the negative energy that some people just seem to emanate. - Events
Very often a person will be presented with an event that will create a situation that will “cause” a person to go off plan. It may be a cruise, a wedding, a family get-together or any other of a myriad of things that could present itself in the events of a typical life time. Whatever the event may be, a person may be placed in a situation that offers an abundance of food and when that is combined with a shortage of willpower…the result is going off the Medifast weight loss plan.
How People React to Going Off The Medifast Plan
- It Is All Up To The Individual
This is the subject this article was really so inspiring to write about because this is the crossroads where I believe ALL Medifast users will find themselves one day or another. I write this because there is this little thing going on all around us called life that always seems to get in the way of what we decide to do. We are all forced with things that happen and the issues of stress and events happens to each and everyone of us reading this article. There are no exceptions to this because life is always happening. I say this because it is how we deal with life that is important. I say this because how we deal with long-term events is what will decide whether we are able to attain a healthy weight. What we all need to remember is that losing weight does not happen in a vacuum where the events of living do not happen. I say this because it is so important to not only being able to lose weight, but it is vital to being able to keep the weight off. After we lose the weight we need to be able to make the correct decisions that will keep us healthy. Being able to lose weight and being able to keep the weight off AFTER the diet is vital and it really will all come down to the decisions we make day in and day out. Losing weight may be done when the scale reaches a certain number but the reality of weight loss is that achieving a goal weight is only another step in the journey. To be able to truly consider a diet to be a success a person needs to keep that weight off for life and then….and only then, can that weight loss be a success. If you have gone off Medifast plan and are looking for help to get back on plan, the only thing I have to say is that you should revisit the reasons you started the plan in the first place. Forget the number on the scale because that is not what is going to get the weight off, and it sure is not what is going to KEEP the weight off. If you are looking for reasons a person may go off plan, stop looking because all roads really only lead to simply giving up on one’s dreams of weight loss and health. If a person wants to lose weight….then just get back on plan and get it done. Stop looking for excuses and stop looking to point to some blame. Nobody can do anything yesterday. We can’t take action tomorrow. We can only do something RIGHT NOW. If you went off plan and you want to lose weight….then bottle up those emotions and uncork and use them the next time you are faced with a reason for going off plan. If you NEED to go off plan for some reason, that is alright because what is done…is done. Get over it…get past it. You can’t change the past because you can only change the now. If you really want to lose weight, you know Medifast works, so get back on plan. Get back to what you know works and just get it done, but remember that getting “it done” is not the end. Once you lose the weight you will still be faced with choices each and everyday…and being able to cope in the long term is what makes any weight loss plan effective.
It really does not matter how you ended up off plan, or how long you may have been off plan. The only thing that matters is that you get back on plan! I can say this because I was off plan the other day when my son shipped out for a 3 year tour in the military. I will not see him again for 3 years, and he is my baby! I had to deal with the preparation of him leaving,, and the day of him leaving… and now that he is gone. Seeing him go was so hard on me that I just fell of plan like a rock in the water. Now that he is gone, the only thing that matters is how I am going to deal with him being gone. The only thing that matters is how I will be able to cope, and that is my life, and yet I keep my hand on the rudder because I know overall that if I stay on plan to lose my weight, and keep that weight off…I will be able to hold onto that rudder for a much longer time.
That’s just life and I am glad I have the Medifast plan to help me get through it!
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Keith Quackenbush
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Cost of Medifast
I have been asked what is the cost of Medifast many times and for the person that is hoping to lose weight, it is one that is really difficult for me to provide a simple answer. The reason why I find it so hard to explain how much money it costs to use Medifast is because all too often the person asking the question really will not understand a straight forward answer. I say this because it is too easy to dismiss the program as too expensive when the cost of Medifast is first heard. In an effort to help you understand the answer I want you to think of the price you will have to pay as not being one cent more than what you are doing right now. Let me explain my explanation of what the cost of Medifast can be for you.
If you are overweight right now by 100 pounds it is easy to assume that you did not get that way by not eating enough food. Unless there is some fairly rare health reason most people do not become obese by not spending any money. I do not make this statement sarcastically or with ill intent. I make this statement to help you realize that you are spending some sum of money right now on food. As you calculate your monthly expenditure of food costs there is some dollar figure that comes to mind. I want you to help understand just how much money you are spending each and every month to either maintain your current weight or to gain weight. To understand how the cost of Medifast factors into your life you need to come to grips with just how much you are spending in your current monthly reality.
I am not asking how much you are spending on food. I am asking how much money are you spending on food for YOURSELF. I ask this question because I do not know your personal living arrangement. I do not know if you are a single Mom with children or a married woman without children. I do not know if you are a single Dad or a husband married to a thin wife with 3 children. For the purpose of this article I do not know what your living situation is, so I need to understand how to calculate just how much money it will cost for you to use the Medifast program to lose weight. For that purpose I need to have you (the reader) calculate just how much money are you spending on a monthly basis to feed YOURSELF.
Eating At Home
If you eat at home chances are you have some control of the food that is prepared. One of the strong points of The Medifast Program is the Lean and Green Meal. This is where an individual can add and subtract many different sources of protein and vegetables. Some people have become very creative as demonstrated by Spaghetti and Meatbals medifast style. What you need to take away from this is that it is very possible to follow the Medifast 5 and 1 Program if you are preparing a meal for the family. You will still be able to sit down with the family and eat what can be considered a normal meal. In fact, you will be able to introduce family members to the Lean and Green Meal without them even knowing they are participating. Pork chops and salad, chicken and broccoli…the list is as long as your imagination can take you. What you need to understand is that you can simply adjust the budget to buy foods that will work for everyone, which means that this portion of the cost of Medifast is one that is already being spent.
Eating at Work
For many Americans the choice of not working does not exist, which means that those can can find work, and keep a job, there is money being spent to eat out. Some eat out daily and that is a cost that is by far…more expensive than the cost of Medifast. If you eat one meal out you have more than likely spent more money than what it will take for you to follow the Medifast program for one day. A typical meal eating out costs 7 to 11 dollars, depending on where you live. Without any discounts or coupons a typical day of Medifast will cost about $12.00. With discounts and coupons, the price drops significantly, which is why we devoted an entire article to the best price for Medifast. What we hope you will realize is that eating out bears a cost and with Medifast you will soon realize that eating out at work can be one expense that you actually reduce.
Another factor that you must consider in the cost of Medifast is that if you go out to get a meal there may be the cost to get there. Gasoline has sky rocketed yet again and every time you turn that key…you have spent money. When you calculate your cost of Medifast you will soon realize that you would be better off using your car to read your Kindle as your lunch hour can now be used to relax in your car and simple read. When you are following the Medifast 5 and 1 Program you will soon realize that half of your lunch hour will no longer be spent “getting food.”
Total Cost of Food Calculation
I want to continue to prod your thinking of YOUR cost of Medifast as compared to what you are doing now and determine if it is an expense that you are spending anyway! People have to eat and food is not free and that expense is always right there and you need to gather your total cost before you decide whether or not you can afford Medifast. You need to add up all the pennies, nickels and dimes you spend throughout the month. As you think about what I wrote here most people will start to understand that the cost to do Medifast is not really much more than what is being spent right now anyway! The real question is quite often not if the program can be afforded, but whether or not that cost can be afforded all at once. The real question is whether or not you can afford to spend all the money on simply getting started.
A wise person can budget the 2nd month of money for Medifast by the money that is NOT being spent once a person starts the program. Once a person starts the program they will soon learn that the second month can be very affordable and easy to do by using the money that is not spent while living the program.
Other factors that many soon realize in the cost of Medifast is that once the program gets rolling and the weight comes off there are many people that no longer need to spend money on prescription medications. I have personally seen a friend of mine eliminate 7 daily medications with that cost being almost enough to fund the cost of Medifast! That is one factor he never really thought about until he was sitting face to face with his doctor.
The Cost of Medifast
Simply put, the cost of Medifast will vary by how you order the program, and whether or not you sign up for the Medifast Advantage Program. If you are interested in ordering Medifast you should plan on a one month supply, or 28 days. That means you will need a minimum of 20 boxes, or 140 meals. If a person were not to take advantage of the Medifast Advantage Program and decided to pay full price, (foolish choice) they could plan on spending about $315.00, plus shipping per month. With the application of the Medifast Advantage Program is used, the cost goes down and a person saves a total of about $132.00.
As you can see the options are out there and the cost of Medifast is not a simple answer. The real question is not the cost of getting started, it really comes down to how tired you are of being over weight. Medifast works and it works quite well and when compared to other programs, is really less expensive. I will calculate the real question is not whether or not the cost of Medifast is too high because there is a credit card that could easily push you through your first order. The real question is whether or not you can make it work and whether or not you are really ready to commit to weight loss.
Whatever you decide to do I just hope that you do not decide to use the cost of Medifast as something that stops you from making a needed change, when you really do have the power to make that change!
Good Luck and God Bless You!
Medifast Food Review
Links To Individual Medifast product reviews are listed at the bottom of this article.
This page contains links to other pages where I have reviewed individual Medifast meals that I have eaten and then reviewed. Below is a work in progress as I try each and every Medifast food that is offered in the plan. If you do not see a Medifast Meal reviewed below, please ask via email and I will bump it up on the list to be reviewed. This entire page is nothing more than links, that are listed in alphabetical order, to the different Medifast foods that are available to the general public.
What I want you to understand is that if you are NEW to Medifast and have not tried the food yet, you really should read the article I have devoted to understanding how Medifast food will taste. (Click here for article: What Are The Best Tasting Medifast Meals) Before you scan the list below please be aware that I really did not enjoy Medifast food at all when I ate my very first meal, which was scrambled eggs. If you are trying Medifast for the first time it is CRITICAL that you give the meals a three day period of time before you make a judgement on the taste. The article above explains that in detail, which is why it should be read.
As you look through the list below, please be aware that I have lost 112 pounds, using Medifast as the tool for weight loss. I am NOT a Medifast employee and Medifast did not pay me to start, nor ask us to start this site. I want you to know that I love the program, because it worked for my wife (Sue) and I. At the time of this being written she is still losing weight, as females tend to lose weight slower. She has lost almost 80 pounds and is going strong and I can tell you that we have been married over 12 years and I have NEVER seen her this thin and attractive. It is as if she has transformed herself into a new woman filled with energy, confidence and a personality that I have never seen before. Medifast has helped her become the woman she has always had the potential to become and I am thrilled to see that happen.
For this Medifast food review I just want you to know that I offer it merely as our point of view and perception of the taste the Medifast foods. Despite what I write, you may have vastly different opinions and different favorites. Before I close of this brief introduction please let me once again make you aware of the need to use Medifast foods for three to five days before you formulate an opinion. I feel as if this time period is critical to your weight loss success.
We have succeeded in weight loss and so can you. It is our goal to help make America healthy one person at a time. You can take control of your life and shape your life into whatever you desire. Losing weight should not be a long-term goal, it should be a short-term goal, and with Medifast that is very easy to accomplish. Sue and I wish you nothing but the best and if you find yourself here I hope you can feel the energy of trust we are trying to vibrate out through these words. Medifast is the real deal for those that want to take control of their life, by starting with their weight.
Enjoy the Medifast food reviews below and good luck! If you want to.. email me, I would love to hear from you concerning your weight loss journey and Medifast. I WILL answer all emails and this site is NOT some corporate mega monster. This site is really just Sue and I and it is our goal to help you lose weight using Medifast and this site is dedicated to helping people understand Medifast. Enjoy the Medifast food reviews.
Contact me and I will reply, if you feel so inclined. keithqbush@gmail.com
Medifast Official Site
MEDIFAST FOOD REVIEWS
by Keith Q.
| BROWNIE REVIEWS |
|---|
| Chocolate Chip |
| CHEESE PUFF REVIEWS |
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| Parmesan |
| CHILI REVIEWS |
|---|
| Homestyle |
| CRUNCH BAR REVIEWS |
|---|
| Chocolate Mint |
| Fruit and Nut |
| Lemon Merinque |
| Peanut Butter |
| HOT DRINK REVIEWS |
|---|
| Cappuccino |
| Cocoa |
| OATMEAL REVIEWS |
|---|
| Maple and Brown Sugar |
| Peach |
| PRETZEL STICKS |
|---|
| Honey Mustard |
| PUDDING REVIEWS |
| Chocolate |
| Vanilla |
| SCRAMBLED EGGS REVIEW |
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| Scrambled Eggs Review |
| SHAKE REVIEWS |
|---|
| Banana Creme |
| Dark Chocolate (antioxidants)td> |
| Dutch Chocolate |
| Soft Serve |
|---|
| Chocolate Mint |
| SOUP REVIEWS |
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| Beef Vegetable Stew |
| Chicken Noodle |
| Chicken and Wild Rice |
| Cream of Broccoli |
| Maryland Crab |