I tend to think that if I stopped ten people on the street and asked them to tell me the first thing that popped into their head when I said "Medifast diet," most of them would respond with a reference to the shakes. Like it or not, the shakes are what this diet is known for. So it's no surprise that many of the emails that I get ask about these. The other day, someone asked me if limiting yourself to just the shakes was the fastest way to lose the most weight on Medifast. I am going to answer this question in the following article by taking a look at several different food options along with their characteristics.
Why Medifast Works: Before I take a look at the foods, I want for you to understand that a low amount of calories paired with convenience is not the only thing that this plan has going for it. Sure, you're going to lose weight if you consume less calories than you burn. But, this diet takes a nod from low carb diets that take advantage of ketosis. Some people sort of cringe when they hear phrases like "low carb" and "ketosis," but what this means in terms of your weight loss is that your body can't do what it has always done - burn carbs, so it must then settle for what it has plenty of - which is fat.
\"The Fastest Way To Lose Weight\"
However, as you might suspect, eating without really paying attention to the characteristics of the foods is not going to cut it in terms of ketosis. There is no getting around the fact that you will have to eat foods that have all the characteristics that are required. This means that what you eat must be low in calories, but also low in carbs and high in protein and fiber.
Comparing The Shakes With Other Medifast Foods In Terms Of Fast Weight Loss: Needless to say, the company is smart enough to make sure that their most popular item is going to get you into ketosis. Taking a look at a typical 55 Dutch chocolate shake, this item contains a respectable 11 grams of protein, only 13 grams of carbohydrates, and 110 calories.
Now, let's see if some other foods on the medifast menu reach this threshold. Let's take a look at something more substantial like the chili. You might expect or assume that this item would run you more in terms of calories. But that assumption would mostly be wrong. The chili only has 110 calories which is the exact same amount as the shakes. And, it has more protein with 14 grams. It does have 15 grams of carbs, but the ratio is still quite good since the protein is higher also.
Let's look at another food. This time, let's check out the eggs. This time you're looking at only 100 calories. You're also looking at only 10 grams of carbs and 12 proteins. Here's another. Let's check out the pudding. As this is more of a dessert food, you might expect to have a problem with carbs. But, you actually don't. There are 15 grams of carbs, 12 of protein, and again you are only looking at 110 calories.
I could give you examples with each of the foods, but the information would not be all that different because each and every one of the foods (except for some of the more decadent bars) are under 110 calories, 15 grams of protein, and 15 grams of carbs. The point is, no matter which food you chose, you're going to be consuming something that puts you in ketosis and helps you lose weight.
The Momentum Line Of Shakes: Now, there are a line of shakes within this diet that have some metabolism boosting ingredients. So, I suspect that this may have been what the writer was talking about when she asked this question. However, this line contains roughly the same amount of calories, proteins, and carbs. The only difference is that this line contains some caffeine and EGCG (one of the active ingredients in green tea) to help decrease your appetite and increase your metabolism. In this way, you may have a slight time advantage with these shakes, but you would still easily get in ketosis (and pretty quickly too) with any of the medifast foods.
Are the Shakes the Fastest Way to Lose Weight on Medifast? I'll Tell You
Want more information on all of the foods? Lindsey's Medifast Review Website features recipes, a list of all of the foods (including all of the shake varieties and choices), videos, tips, coupons ( off or two weeks free),information and products related to success on this diet. She also offers a free ebook ("Getting The Most Out Of Medifast") to help you get started. You can visit her at http://easiest-diet.com/