How To Choose The Right Medifast Diet Program
Looking for an easier, more affordable way to lose weight fast? One option you might want to consider is Medifast. With Medifast, all the foods you eat are shipped directly to you, saving you time, money and effort, helping you follow through on your dieting plan.
You’ll notice however that there are actually several different Medifast diet programs available. How do you choose the one which is right for you? This article will teach you more about Medifast, and introduce you to the different plans. That way you can select the right one for your needs.
What is Medifast?
Medifast is a diet program offered through a company called Medifast, Inc. This company has been in operation since 1980, and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.
So this is not some newfangled diet program based on the latest diet craze. This is a well-established program which has been around for decades, and which has built up a significant reputation over the years.
Moreover, the founder of Medifast is a doctor named William Vitale. Originally, he sold Medifast products to medical professionals so that they would have healthy dieting products available for their patients.
Program Features
Now you know a bit about the background of Medifast.
But what is this dieting program actually like?
- Despite the name “Medifast,” this program has nothing in common with fasting. On the contrary, this is a diet for you eat small, frequent meals. In fact, you can expect to eat around six times each day. So you should never feel like you are going hungry.
- Dozens of options for meals and snacks are provided to you, and you are able to customize your menu to suit your tastes.
- There is an emphasis on simplicity. As you will be eating many small meals, most of them are straightforward and easy to prepare with basic ingredients to you probably already have access to.
- Meals are designed to be portable. That way if you are on the go and need to grab your food and run, you can do so.
- Some meal kits through Medifast additionally include supplements. These add to the nutrition and value of your plan, and help you save money.
- Medifast is designed as a long-term weight loss plan. Whether you just want to lose weight for the next month or two, or you’re looking for a plan you can follow reliably for years, Medifast is a great choice.
- This program is reputable and safe. Over 20,000 doctors have recommended Medifast to their patients since the inception of the weight-loss program.
- There are nutritionists on staff with Medifast. These professionals are available to you if you need a consultation. You may get in touch via phone or internet.
- There is a 30-day money back guarantee on your Medifast plan. Anytime within that timeframe, you can cancel and get a full refund on what you have spent.
To sum it up, these are the key advantages of Medifast:
- Fast, easy, simple to prepare meals
- Tons of food options to fit your tastes
- Eat lots of small meals throughout the day
- Support from a well-established, reputable weight loss company
Sound like something which might work for you?
How Much Does Medifast Cost?
“All of this sounds great,” you might be thinking. “But how much does this cost?”
Great question. Pricing for Medifast does change from time to time. As of the time of this writing however, here’s what you can expect to pay for the different Medifast plans:
- Medifast Go! 30-day kit: Regularly $455.25, currently on sale for just $329. This price includes several free bonus gifts: a Food Journal, the Medifast Go™ Plan Guide, a Dining Out Guide, and a Blender Bottle. Shipping is free. A gluten-free version is available.
- Medifast Flex 30-day Select Kit: Normally $443.60, this kit is currently on sale for $299. Shipping is free.
- Medifast Flex 30-day Complete Kit: This kit comes with supplements. It normally sells for $557.30, but is currently on sale for $399. Shipping is free.
There are couple of other plans as well. These include the Thrive by Medifast ™ Healthy Living Plan for long-term weight loss, and the Special Medical or Dietary Needs plan.
So these plans include extra customization, prices are not listed for them online.
Now, it’s one thing to read some numbers, and quite another to think about what they actually mean.
How cheap or expensive is Medifast?
First of all, you can expect to pay significantly more for many other dieting programs that are based on a monthly subscription fee. Many competing programs cost closer to $700 per month.
Now, programs that cost this much sometimes include weekly group meetings and other features, but if you are not looking for a lot of bells and whistles, a simple program like Medifast can help you save a lot of money.
You can also compare this cost to what you are spending at the grocery store each month. This pretty broad range of it comes to this kind of spending, so let’s take a look at the averages.
Gallup reports that the average household spends $151 a week purchasing food. That comes out to roughly $600 per month, or $21 per day. If you are actually spending less than that on food (especially if your household consists of more than just you), you are doing quite well.
Obviously Medifast costs significantly less than the regular grocery average. Of course, if you are the sole member of your household, you are probably already spending quite a bit less than the average. And keep in mind that the prices I listed above for Medifast each only cover the food for one person.
The best thing to do is to track your grocery expenditures over the course of a month, and then do the division to find out how much on average you are spending per day on the household’s food, and on your food personally.
Once you have those numbers, you can do the same math to figure out the monthly and daily costs for Medifast for one person or for your whole family.
My guess is that you will probably discover that Medifast is a little more expensive than the going to the grocery store and purchasing food, but this is to be expected.
After all, technically you are not just paying for the food. You are also paying for the research which has gone into the food, and this product is saving you time and hassles with dieting. This greatly adds to its value.
Plus, just think about how much money and time you’ve probably wasted at the grocery store in the past with previous diet attempts. Purchasing unusual ingredients and testing different recipes is rarely economical. Medifast spares you from that, and ultimately may end up saving you money as a result.
Who Should Choose Medifast?
Based on all this, you probably already have a pretty good idea of whether Medifast is a good fit your needs or not. Technically, almost anyone should be able to get decent results of this program. But Medifast may be particularly well-suited to you if:
- You want to avoid dieting programs which require you to fast or go long time periods between meals.
- You function better eating small, regular meals throughout the day, rather than just one or two large meals.
- You prefer simple dishes which are easy to prepare using common ingredients.
- You like lots of choices. If customizing your menu is important to you, you will probably like Medifast. This program is also an excellent choice if variety is something you value.
- You are looking for short or long-term weight loss. This program can be easily adapted to your needs and goals.
Medifast Plans
By now, you should have a pretty good understanding of how Medifast works, and what it will be like. But which Medifast plan is the right one for you? Let’s take an in-depth look.
Medifast Go!
According to the company, the average customer who uses this plan for weight loss loses 11 pounds, and most customers on average stick with the plan for eight weeks. So this is around what you probably can expect to burn in around two months.
The 30 day Medifast Go! Kit includes:
- 154 meals
- More than 65 meal options
- Choose between either of two kits
- 5 Medifast meals and 1 Lean and Green meal per day (breakfast, midmorning, lunch, mid-afternoon, dinner, evening)
- Free bonuses: Go™ Plan Guide, a Dining Out Guide, and a Blender Bottle
30-Day Go! Kit
According to Medifast, this weight loss plan is the company’s most popular one. If you purchase the kit, you will get to eat 5 Medifast meals every day along with 1 Lean and Green meal. That means you will be eating every 2-3 hours. The New Customer Price right now is $329 (discounted from $455.25).
30-Day Gluten Free Kit
If you need to eat a gluten-free diet, you can purchase the Gluten Free Go! Kit. This kit also includes 5 daily Medifast meals and 1 Lean and Green meal. With this plan too, you will be eating every 2-3 hours.
Some of the types of foods you will get to enjoy on this plan include:
- Cookie Dough Chewy Bar
- Dutch Chocolate Shake
- Original Pancakes
- Chili Nacho Cheese Puffs
- Mashed Potatoes
- Wild Rice and Chicken Flavored Soup
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Mixed Berry Cereal Crunch
- Rosemary Sea Salt Crackers
- Chicken Breast with Lime Vinaigrette Dressing
- Triple Berry Smoothie
While the foods included vary from one plan to the next, this gives you a pretty good idea for the types of meals and snacks which you can look forward to when you follow a Medifast diet.
Best For:
This plan was designed specifically as an “easy-to-follow program for busy people.” This is why it is called the “Go!” plan. As such, it is a great choice if you are looking for meals you can prepare in a minimal time. It is of course also ideal for those who need to steer clear of gluten.
Medifast Flex
Medifast Flex is designed as a “flexible meal plan that delivers steady, gradual weight loss.” Just as there are two Go! plans to choose from, there are also two Flex plans you can pick between.
Flex Select Kit
This is the basic version of the Flex meal plan, and includes 2 Lean and Green meals as well as 4 Medifast meals and 1 healthy snack every day. So with this plan, you are actually eating a total of 7 times a day. The price is usually $443.60, but new customers will pay $299.
Flex Complete Kit
If you have a little more to spend, you can purchase the Complete Flex Kit. This also includes 4 Medifast meals, 2 Lean and Green meals and 1 healthy snack. But the additional cost provides you with a 30-day Probiotic and Omega-3 supplement. The regular cost is $557.30, with the New Customer Price set at $399.
Best For:
If flexible, gradual weight loss is your goal, you should consider getting one of the Flex kits.
Thrive by Medifast™ Healthy Living Plan
A third plan which is offered by Medifast is Thrive, marketed as “common sense weight maintenance.” On this plan, each day you will eat:
- 1 balanced meal
- 2 Lean and Green Plus meals
- 3 Thrive by Medifast™ healthy fuelings
Best For:
This plan is designed specifically for maintaining weight as opposed to losing weight. If you have a hard time keeping the pounds off after you have lost them, then this plan is for you. So long as you follow it, it should help you to keep that slimmer waistline over the long term.
Being as this plan is tailored to your individual weight maintenance needs, you need to call for a consultation to establish a price.
Medifast Special Medical or Dietary Needs
Another plan which Medifast can tailor to the needs of the customer is the Special Medical or Dietary Needs plan. If you are simply trying to avoid gluten, you can go with the Gluten Free plan discussed earlier, but if you have another medical or dietary need, this plan may be right for you. As with the Thrive plan, you need to call and request a consultation if you are interested in signing up.
Best For:
Medifast can customize this plan to fit a variety of dietary needs and situations. For example, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, Medifast may be able to tailor a plan to your requirements. Medifast provides special plans for seniors and even can tailor plans to the needs of nursing mothers.
If you have soy intolerance or another food sensitivity or allergy, the Special Medical or Dietary needs plan can be structured around your needs. This plan also is a good option if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic and are looking for a way to lose weight and stay healthy.
Conclusion: Medifast Is Your Pathway to Fast, Affordable, Reliable Weight Loss
There are a lot of diet programs to choose from today, but few have been around for as long as Medifast. Since 1980, Medifast has helped thousands of customers to reach their short- and long-term weight loss goals and to do so affordably and quickly.
Ready to choose your Medifast weight loss plan?
Sign up for any of Medifast’s packages by clicking the button below. It’s time to say goodbye to your unwanted pounds and hello to the fabulous figure you’ve always wanted to see in the mirror!
Save Up To $35 Dollars On Your 1st Order Now
