The Medifast Program
- The 5 and 1 Plan
- BeSlim Philosophy
- Your Health Coach
- Success Stories
- Clinical Studies
- About Medifast
- BMI Calculator
Phase One - The 5 and 1 Medifast Meal Plan:
The Medifast 5 & 1 weight loss program is designed to safely create a gap between the calories you take in and the calories your body burns naturally.
The average weight loss per week on the Medifast 5&1 program is 2-5 pounds.
Dr. Wayne Andersen
Within 2-3 days of starting our program your body will naturally begin to burn stored bodyfat for energy. In this fat-burning state of the program you should experience low hunger and good energy levels. You should also be losing 2-5 pounds per week. If you are not experiencing these benefits then talk to us! We are Health Coaches with plenty of experience in many situations. We can help you successfully get into the fat burning state. Then, once you are there, it's much easier to keep it going for as long as you want or need. Phase one is all about safe, healthy and quick weight loss.
Please listen to a short audio clip from Dr. Wayne Andersen, Medical Director and Co-Founder of Take Shape For Life as he speaks about this phase of the program:
The Medifast 5 & 1 Program is simple --- No counting calories and no cooking complicated meals.
You will eat 6 times a day, everyday. Eat every 2.5 - 3 hours.
Five Medifast Meals-
- Medifast Meals include your choice of shakes, soups, stews, oatmeal, chili, hot and cold drinks, scrambled eggs, bars and puddings.
- Each serving counts as one Meal, and you can customize your meal plan to include any combination; however, you should limit yourself to one bar per day.
One Lean & Green Meal that can be eaten any time throughout the day but most common is dinnertime. This meal includes lean meat or protein source plus salad and/or vegetables.
- 5-7 ounces of grilled, baked, pan-seared or poached lean meat including chicken, turkey, fish, beef, pork, lamb, shellfish, etc..
- Serving sizes will vary depending on the type of meat you choose.
- Salt, pepper, herbs and spices can be used.
Meatless Options are suitable for vegetarians or anyone looking for more variety in their Lean and Green Meal.
Downloadable Guides and Tools:
- Medifast 5 and 1 Information
- Condiments Lists for Medifast Meals
- Medifast Meatless Options Recommendations
Phase Two - The BeSlim Philosophy of Weight Management
Regaining weight after losing it on a diet is very common. Depending on which source is cited up to 90 percent of dieters will regain their lost weight within 1-5 years. But it doesn't have to be that way. Staying at your healthy weight is what Phase Two is all about. We can teach you how to "be slim for life".
Our BeSlim philosophy is based on the study and research of more than 5,000 individuals who have successfully maintained a weight loss of 60 pounds or more for at least five years.
Please listen to a short audio clip of our Medical Director Dr. Wayne Andersen regarding this research:
The BeSlim Philosophy of Weight Management
- reakfast: A good balance of carbs/proteins/fats/calories every morning, preferrably within one hour of waking.
- xercise: Something you enjoy enough to stick with regularly and long term. Get the blood flowing and muscles working.
- upport: It's what a Health Coach is for. Get the education and encouragement you need to live life at a healthy weight.
- ow-fat, nutritionally balanced meals 5 - 6 times a day. Not boring, bland meals but rather good whole foods. Yum.
- ndividual Plan: Don't plan to fail by failing to plan. We help all our clients develop a strategy to fit their life style and eating habits.
- onitoring: Minor weight fluctuations are common at any weight but there's got to be a trigger point to keep it under control. The scale is good but your clothes are better. You should know you are gaining weight by how your clothes fit. If you hit your "trigger weight" go back to Phase One to quickly get back on track.
THE VALUE OF A HEALTH COACH
Medifast studies consistently prove that having the support and encouragment of a Health Coach will dramatically increase the rate of long-term success.
We are Health Coaches with Take Shape For Life, a wholly owned division of Medifast. We are real people living in real life situations. We understand the challenges facing you every day. When you purchase Medifast through our division you get our support at no additional cost plus enjoy extra savings on your Medifast meals that you can't get elsewhere.
As Health Coaches with Take Shape For Life:
- We have each attained our healthy weight and now enjoy the BeSlim philosophy
- We are trained and certified by the Health Institute to educate, guide and support clients on the program.
- We offer our support at the level you desire.
The goal of a Health Coach is to help people optimize their health — leading to richer and more fulfilling lives.
Note: gohealth.org and Take Shape For Life recommend that you see your physician before starting this or any weight losst program. A Health Coach is not a substitute for a physician or qualified medical practitioner.
MEDIFAST SUCCESS STORIES
Jennifer Dillon, Tampa, FL
I have struggled with being overweight since high school and I continued to gradually put on more weight as time went on. I have tried to lose weight more than 20 times in my life, doing almost every plan and fad diet I heard of. I tried pills and prescriptions that were advertised on TV, but I was never able to lose more than 25 pounds and worse, was never able to keep off what I had lost.
My weight and lack of energy was really affecting my life. I weighed 270 pounds. I only had 1 pair of Jeans and stretchy pants that fit and that contributed to a lack of self-confidence. I rarely went out and dreaded going to work as a medical bill collector everyday. It is amazing how fast your life can go by when you are always wishing it away. April of 2006 was a turning point in my life. I saw a commercial for Medifast and started doing research on the internet and found gohealth.org. What I discovered was more than I had ever hoped for. I placed my first order and started the Medifast program 2 days after my birthday, April 23, 2006.
It had only been a little over 6 months after I started on the program, and I had already lost 110 pounds and had reached my goal weight. I felt great, looked great and had a great new career! I did it. But it doesn't end there. Maintaining your ideal weight is very important. The Maintenance Phase is the next step. I continued on into a regular exercise routine and lost another 2 pounds and was down to a size 6 in January of 2007!
In October of 2007 I wanted to celebrate my First Year of maintaing my weight by running a 5K Event on Thanksgiving morning. SUCCESS! Not only did I finish it, but I did it in under 30 minutes. This has greatly inspired me to do more, I have since ran 2 more 5K’s the following December. If anyone would have told me at any point in my life that I would be a size 6, running 5K’s and that my job would be to help others lose weight and regain their health…I would never have believed them. But look at me now… I look better, feel better and am more confident than I ever thought I could be. I can’t believe how Medifast, goHealth and Take Shape For Life has changed my life.
I am a new person inside and out.
Nancy Pettit
Lost 135 lbs in 28 weeks and has maintained her weight loss for 4 1/2 years. Years of Yo-Yo Dieting. Now a size 6!
Previous Medical Issues: High Blood Pressure, High Cholestrol .
That's when we found out about Take Shape For Life from our friend Scott, who had lost 35 lbs. in just six weeks on the 5 & 1 Plan. We started the program in July, and the weight came off rapidly.
Just three months in, I reached a major milestone. I hadn't weighed less than 200 lbs. for decades, and seeing the scale register 199 lbs. represented so much more than a nearly 70 lbs. weight loss.
It restored my self-confidence and renewed me physically, mentally, and socially. Take Shape For Life has changed my health, and my life!
Terry and I are proud to represent such a noble cause!
Shannon Wollam
Lost 63 pounds in 16 weeks - 75 pounds total, and has maintained her weight loss for 2 years. Off Medications now.
Previous Medical Issues: hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression and anxiety.
I was bored because I couldn't participate in things other people were doing (walking my dog, hiking, swimming, playing tennis, etc.) and this made me depressed to the point where I just wanted to stay inside and eat, which is a viscous cycle.
As I gained more weight, my health began to be affected and I often times experienced trouble breathing. I was also hypoglycemic with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. After experiencing the embarrassment of not being able to fit in my airplane seat, I said "ENOUGH!"
That's when I found Take Shape For Life and Medifast Meals. The program tells you what to eat and when to eat it.
As you begin to lose the weight, you gain confidence that you didn't have before, and it really makes you want to become healthier. Take Shape For Life makes this easier because it teaches you to make healthier choices.
All told, I have lost 75 lbs. on the program and I have never felt better! I have also been able to get off all of my medications. I love being in my body again!
Ted Hasse
Lost 132 lbs in 43 weeks and has maintained his weight loss for 4 months.
Previous Medical Issues: High Blood Pressure, Sleep Apnea, Borderline Diabetes, Acid Reflux "He feels almost twenty years younger."
I was sent to numerous doctors who all said I was obese and needed to lose weight before I had a stroke, heart attack, or full-blown diabetes.
I also felt tired all the time and couldn't do the things my kids wanted me to do with them. I was embarrassed to be seen in a swimsuit, so I didn't go swimming on family vacations.
My wife found out from a friend about Take Shape For Life and she helped me to start the program! I noticed results within the first three or four days!
I have lost a total of 132 lbs. and feel better now than I ever have. I have increased physical stamina and endurance, and I love to exercise now. My previous medical conditions are non-existent.
I feel almost 20 years younger!
Patricia Pangburn
Lost 120 lbs in 59 weeks and has maintained her weight loss for 6 months.
Previous Medical Issues: Hypertension "Everyone in my small town saw my transformation". One of my neighbors commented, "Now her body matches her pretty face!"
I have lost 120 lbs. total on the 5 & 1 Plan. I am now able to wear jeans in a size 8! I NEVER believed that I would be able to wear a size 8. My daughter and I have both been on the program for the same amount of time and neither of us has ever felt better!
Julie VanBelle
Lost 143 lbs in 59 weeks and has maintained her weight loss for 7 months.
Previous Medical Issues: High Blood Pressure, Plantar Fasciitis
"Tried almost every diet and never lost cravings until Medifast."
I've lost a total of 143 lbs. with Take Shape For Life and my self confidence has made a complete turnaround. My energy level has shot up, and I really enjoy doing the things that I wasn't able to do before, like ride my horse or shop for clothes that fit and look good! My husband of 26 years could not be more proud of me, and my two grown sons just break out in big smiles when they see me so happy and healthy. I can't thank you enough Take Shape For Life!
Raymond Velazquez
Lost 100 lbs in 20 weeks and has maintained his weight loss for 22 months.
Previous Medical Issues: High Blood Pressure.
"Became a marathon runner. Started at 5 shakes a day, down to 1-2 shakes a day. "
After losing 100 lbs. total, I've become a marathon runner, and have maintained my weight of 180 lbs. I am very glad that I was introduced to Take Shape For Life and Medifast Meals. My life has turned around and I feel like a new person!
Medifast Clinical Studies
Medifast Meal Replacements and Supplements have been clinically proven in studies conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and The National Institutes of Health.
In the study conducted by Dr. Cheskin and Dr. Crowell at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, males lost an average of 67.41 pounds and females lost an average of 47.5 pounds over a sixteen-week period. To read more about these studies, please click on the links below
Medifast Product Claims Chart: (PDF)
-categorically identifies each Medifast product according to the following: diabetic, vegetarian, kosher dairy, kosher parve, contains whey, low lactose, lactose free, caffeine content, gluten, contains milk, contains egg, contains fish, contains shellfish, contains tree nuts, contains wheat, contains peanuts, contains soy.
Medifast Product Nutrition Guide: (PDF)
- complete listing of ingredients and nutritional information for all Medifast products.
Medifast Product Allergen Claims: (PDF)
- complete listing of allergen claims for all Medifast meals. Physician Information Sheet: (PDF) If you are interested in discussing Medifast with your physician, please print this file and take it to your next appointment.
Researchers concluded that weight loss programs by Medifast provide a safe, effective means of weight reduction and are accompanied by significant improvements in coexisting health problems.
After the first year, preliminary results of the study show that volunteers using Medifast Plus for Diabetics lost twice as much weight with an average weight loss of 16 pounds. They were also twice as likely to stay with the diet.
To learn more about this study please download the Type II Diabetes Study (PDF format).
This 4-year study will help define the metabolic consequences of the mutation in the B3AR gene in the regulation of daily energy expenditure and fat metabolism in older women. Researchers at the University of Vermont chose to use Medifast and Take Shape products in the study based on the recommendation of Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, Director of the Weight Management Center at Johns Hopkins University.
"Medifast has been clinically tested and proven to be a safe and effective means of weight loss"
The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of a medically supervised, protein-supplemented, modified fasting program for weight reduction and to evaluate the impact of weight reduction on coexisting health problems.
The center selected Medifast products (Medifast 55 and Medifast 70) to provide the protein and calorie requirements necessary for the study. Researchers conducted an investigation of randomly selected patient charts from Medifast clinics across the nation.
The results of the study concluded that medically supervised, protein-sparing, modified fasts offer a safe and effective means of weight reduction and are accompanied by significant improvements in coexisting health problems. Of the samples taken, males lost an average of 67 pounds and females lost an average of 47 pounds during fasting. The study found significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as the normalizing of blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Efficacy of Two Diet Plans Designed for People with Type 2 Diabetes on Weight and Health Measures
The researchers randomized two groups of Type II diabetic volunteers: one group participated in the Medifast Plus for Diabetics modified meal replacement diet and the other group participated in a diet based on ADA nutrition guidelines. Both groups in the study shared the same guidance from the doctors, counselors and dietitians.
According to the results, dieters on Medifast lost twice as much weight after 34 weeks: an average of 16 pounds, compared to only 8 pounds on the ADA diet. The weight loss on Medifast resulted in significant reductions in blood glucose and insulin levels compared to pre-treatment values. Perhaps more importantly, significantly more individuals in the Medifast group were able to reduce their use of diabetes medications compared to those in the ADA diet group, and after 86-weeks, 36% of subjects on Medifast were off of their blood sugar medications, entirely.
The study examined whether women on a weight-loss program who are carriers of a genetic variant (Trp64Arg) lose less visceral fat than women who do not have this gene. Participants entered a medically supervised weight-loss program aimed at reducing body weight to less than 120 percent of ideal value.
Food was selected with dietitian supervision, with or without the inclusion of Medifast Meals. Results from the study showed that reductions in body weight, BMI, total fat mass and fat-free mass were not significantly different between carriers and non-carriers of the variant. Both groups experienced significant reductions in body weight (31.0 – 36.1 lbs.).
About Medifast
Medifast's operations are primarily conducted through two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Jason Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Take Shape for Life, Inc.
History of Jason Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
William Vitale, MD, founded Jason Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 1980. This subsidiary's primary focus is the development, manufacture and distribution of the Medifast program and Medifast products. Medifast is a medically supervised weight loss program, which specializes in multidisciplinary patient education programs and uses the highest quality meal replacements.
Medifast offers a wide spectrum of \eight management options depending on the amount of weight customers have to lose. The Medifast philosophy is meal replacement. The more meals you replace, the more weight you lose. Unlike other diets, Medifast provides life changing behavior modification programs and products that support customers through weight loss and weight maintenance. The Medifast program teaches people how to lose weight and keep it off for life.
The Medifast brand has been recommended by over 15,000 physicians nationwide and used by more than 1,000,000 customers. Medifast products are manufactured to exacting specifications in our state-of-the-art production facility in Owings Mills, MD. Product labeling, quality control and manufacturing processes and equipment are subject to regulations and inspections mandated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Maryland State Department of Health and Hygiene and Baltimore County Department of Health. The plant strictly adheres to all cGMP practices and has proudly maintained its status as an "OU" (Orthodox Union) Kosher-approved facility since 1982.
Medifast offers more than 50 years combined knowledge in our experienced and dedicated customer service and technical, nutritional support staff.
Healthy Weight Loss - Calculate your Body Mass Index
The National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute both support the use of your Body Mass Index (BMI) because it provides an accurate measure of your total body fat compared with the assessment of your body weight alone.
Start your virtual health assessment by determining your Body Mass Index (BMI). Simply enter your current height and weight into our calculator below.
BMI CALCULATOR:
What did you discover?
A BMI of 20 to 25 is ideal and healthy.
Physicians and Health Professionals generally consider a BMI below 20 to be underweight.
BMIs of 25 to 30 are generally considered overweight while a BMI of over 30 is generally considered very overweight or obese.
If you need to lose weight and would like to achieve optimal health, goHealth can help, our certified Health Coaches can provide you with the support you need.
Learn more about the Take Shape For Life 2-phase approach to long-term optimal health:
PHASE 1: Safe and Rapid weight loss with the 5 & 1 Medifast Meal Plan and the support of your certified Health Coach.
PHASE 2: Transition to the BeSlim Philosophy of lifelong weight control. This Maintenance Program is easy and affordable, we'll show you how.
*Please note: There are some limitations to the Body Mass Index calculation, because it does not measure body composition. BMI overestimates body fat in persons who are very muscular and it can underestimate body fat in persons who have lost muscle mass — e.g., many elderly. People with more muscular builds may be classified as overweight according to BMI numbers even if they have a very healthy body fat percentage. A high BMI from increased muscle alone is not associated with health risks.
