Of all the more than seventy (70) food options available on Medifast, shakes are by far the most popular. They are quite tasty, quick, convenient and easy. Plus, they’re nutritionally healthy, full of protein and fiber, and low in sugar and carbs. This combination helps your body get into a metabolic state called ketosis which helps you potentially lose a lot of weight quickly. So there is a lot of interest in these and sometimes I get emails asking if there are any that are as good or as effective. I will answer this question in the next article.
Smoothies You Can Get at the Grocery Store: A Quick and Skinny Comparison: I find that when many people ask this question, most are really asking about losing weight fast because you can buy them at any supermarket or pharmacy. They are readily available, but how good are they? Well, they are not cheaper than Medifast shakes. They cost over $2.00 each, which is not a significant savings at all. And they are higher in calories, sugar and carbohydrates. Specifically, I’ll be looking at the slim and fast chocolate milkshake. It has 200 calories, 18 grams of carbs (which is a lot), only 2 grams of protein, and only 4 grams of fiber. In my opinion, this is too high a calorie/carb content for you to get into ketosis. Most people don’t understand this, so they’ll take a case thinking they’re really getting the same thing when they really aren’t.
In contrast, I will now look at the Medifast 55 Dutch Chocolate version. It has just 90 calories, 13 total carbs, 12 grams of protein, and five grams of fiber. As you can see, the real difference is in the calories and protein content and this can make a big difference. The Medifast option has half the calories and six times the protein. This makes a huge difference when it comes to ketosis.
The Atkins Advantage option has some of the same problems and issues. It’s a whopping 160 calories and, in my opinion, tastes much more chalky and artificial. The idea behind these diet products is to consume less of what is bad for you and more of what is good for you. These fall short in my opinion.
Smoothies are not the only option: Another important thing to consider with medifast is that you are not just limited to liquid options. There are over 70 foods, so while these drinkable meals are tasty and filling, you can also get great results from eating eggs, oatmeal, chili, pudding, stew, bars, etc.
Of course, some people will want a diet where they can just pop the lid off their drink and go. But it’s just as easy to unwrap a bar or add milk to a pudding. All foods have roughly the same nutritional makeup, so you’ll get the same results no matter which “food” you choose. Of course, the company sells items individually, so you can limit yourself if you want, but I think this eventually makes you burn out or cheat more quickly. I believe that variety is very important but this is just my experience and opinion.