I took 4 Dark Chocolate anti-oxidant medifast shakes plus one medifast soup.
This is a very low calorie, very low fat/carb diet.
I also ate pickles and ‘better than bullion’ for the diabetes correction/weight loss phase.
Now that I’m trying to maintain my weight, I’ve added 2 oz of cheese, a can of kippers or fry up 1/4 - 1/2 pound of Black Angus beef. (In reality, I eat all the fish and beef that i want, I just rarely want more than 1/2 pound of meat a day.) I can eat chicken, but it’s not appealing to me at the moment.
When I add the beef, fish and cheese, the diet goes from 500 calories a day to up to 1000 calories a day and is better for maintaining and not so good for weight-loss. I do lose with this, but much slower.
I lost 25 pounds in 2 months and have been maintaining my weight pretty well (I did lose another 5 pounds - for a total 30 pound loss, but I wasn’t trying) for the the last month. I eat this maintenance diet for 5 days a week, then eat whatever the hell I want for two. (This give me an opportunity to go out to dinner or to enjoy a pizza party with my kids)
I now have normal blood sugars and I’m finding that I’m not gaining as easily as I used to on my ‘pig-out’ days. (So much for the ‘starvation mode’ hypothesis) I’ve gone from a size 20 jean to a size 12 and now the 12’s are getting lose.
I’m still dealing with the long-term side effects of PCOS/pre-diabetes, but that’s because I drank the wrong medifast shakes for the first two months. (Soy compounds those problems. The anti-oxidant shakes are whey-based.) I just switched to the correct shakes 3 weeks ago and I’m beginning to see an improvement.
(If anyone is interested, I’ll get into the details of how soy can cause symptoms of PCOS to get worse in pre-menopausal women)
This diet is not dangerous. You’ve getting all of your minerals and vitamins and it’s a heck of a lot better than starvation or fasting. The shakes even have pro-biotics and fiber.
I keep seeing the ‘warnings’ not to eat a very low calorie diet without a drs supervision, but I can’t see how it can hurt someone to go without food (while taking supplements) for a couple of months. Our bodies are designed to manage famine conditions. Heck, the complete *lack* of famine conditions is what causes the disease state of Type 2 diabetes in the first place. (Eating 500 calories a day for longer than 2 months IS a problem. We *need* fat in our diets and the 4 shakes/1 soup regimen doesn’t have enough fat.)
I would be very interested in hearing more. What is PCOS?
“I’ve gone from a size 20 jean to a size 12...”
I am extremely proud of you! That is a significant lower jean size. You have to feel fantastic! (both mentally and physically). I know losing weight can be very difficult especially if you are cooking for other people. You have to eat what you can have but still make good meals for others. Good job!!!
I would also like to hear more. I tried the Shallanbergers and it did nothng for me.
Private mail me if you like.
“We *need* fat in our diets... “
Yes, we do need fat in our diets, but it needs to be the right fat...coconut oil.
Twenty-five very overweight or obese adults, most in their 60’s, were documented over a 17 week period. All participants began with a full medical check-up. Health problems included diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, urinary tract infections, fibromyalgia and gout.
All gave up processed foods. Instead they ate fresh natural foods including ‘unhealthy’ butter and raw milk. The test subjects took cod liver oil and magnesium and a dessert spoon of coconut oil before each meal. They also engaged in moderate exercise.
So what happen to these 25 elderly people at the end of their 17 weeks as guinea pigs? Again, they were given a full medical check-up. Overall health was greatly improved. Weight loss ranged up to 38 pounds. Most were able to discontinue all drugs. Notably, blood fats had normalized, something no other eating plan had been able to achieve.
It’s not rocket science – but it works. Fresh nutrient dense foods, healthy fats (such as coconut oil), and moderate exercise can change lives. This means we can overcome many of the health problems we see today and we can stop the obesity epidemic right now.