Product & Plan FAQs

The LEAN portion of the Lean & Green Meal includes 5-7 ounces (cooked weight) of lean protein or meatless protein (serving size varies depending on your protein choice) and 0-2 servings of healthy fat ( serving size varies depends on your protein choice). For a complete list of lean options and portion sizes, please refer to our Lean Options List (PDF) and our Meatless and Vegetarian Options List (PDF).

The GREEN portion of the Lean & Green Meal includes 3 servings of low- carbohydrates/non-starchy vegetables from our Green Options List (PDF) ) Each serving of vegetables will be either 1/2 cup or 1 cup depending on the vegetable(s) you choose; choose any 3 vegetable servings to make up the full Green portion of your Lean & Green Meal. For a complete list of approved vegetable choices and their respective serving sizes, please refer to our Green Options List (PDF).

All vegetables promote healthful eating; however, during the weight-loss phase of your plan, we do suggest that you avoid "higher carbohydrates" vegetables in order to enhance your weight-loss results. Once you transition to the maintenance phase of the program, we encourage you to include ALL vegetables for long-term health.

Our Green Options List (PDF) will help you identify the relative carbohydrates levels of these approved vegetables. *NOTE: Carrots, corn, potatoes, peas, onions, edamame, and Brussels sprouts are not recommended during the weight-loss phase of your Medifast Program, but you can include them in your diet again once you transition to the maintenance phase.

One of the great benefits of Medifast Meals is that they may be used interchangeably, so you can choose any five Medifast Meals you want for the 5 & 1 Plan. (The Maintenance Bars - in the green wrapper - should be limited to one per day on the 5 & 1 Plan due to their higher calorie and carbohydrates content. The Crunch Bars - in the yellow wrapper - are completely interchangeable with other Medifast Meals.)

The only Medifast Meals that you should limit to fewer than five per day are:

• Maintenance Bars (in the green wrapper) (only 1 a day on the 5 & 1 Plan)
• Essential1: Calorie Burn Meals (up to 3 a day on the 5 & 1 Plan)
• Medifast Plus for Joint Health Shakes (up to 3 a day on the 5 & 1 Plan)
• Medifast Plus for Coronary Health Shakes (up to 3 a day on the 5 & 1 Plan)

In addition to your five Medifast Meals and one Lean & Green Meal, you may choose one of the following optional items per day (NOTE: Snacks are not to be eaten in place of Medifast Meals or Lean & Green Meals.):

• 3 celery stalks
• 1 fruit-flavored sugar-free Popsicle^®
• 1/2 cup sugar-free gelatin dessert, such as Jello^®
• Up to 3 pieces of sugar-free gum or mints
• 2 dill pickle spears
• Medifast Soy Crisps (Apple Cinnamon, Ranch, or White Cheddar flavors - one packet = one snack serving)
• Medifast Crackers (Multi-grain or Garden Vegetable flavors - one packet = one snack serving)

Eating more than one snack per day may hinder your weight-loss efforts. For tips to help you with slower weight loss, please refer to our Plateau Tips (PDF file).

Medifast does not recommend this. In order to maximize effectiveness and to ensure that you get all the nutrition your body requires, the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan (five Medifast Meals plus one Lean & Green Meal) should be followed as written, unless otherwise recommended by your physician.

The Lean & Green Meal contributes needed calories and dietary fiber, vital vitamins and minerals, protein to help protect lean muscle mass, and a small amount of dietary fat which is essential for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins and keeping the gallbladder at optimal health. The Lean & Green Meal also provides a once-a-day learning opportunity to better understand how to select and prepare healthy meals while still enjoying the convenience of the structured 5 & 1 Plan.

Medifast does not recommend frozen dinners (e.g., TV dinners) on the 5 & 1 Plan ? primarily due to their varying calorie levels, excessive sodium content, and lower protein and fiber levels than the 5 & 1 Plan provides.

Medifast uses a combination of fructose and acesulfame potassium to sweeten most products. This combination is used because we have found it to make the best quality products without contributing significantly to calories, sugars, or carbohydrates. For more information about acesulfame potassium, click here.

Our Crunch Bars contain sugar alcohols and sucralose. There are sugar alcohols in one flavor of Medifast Maintenance Bars (Caramel Nut). Flavor Infusers^? are sweetened with sucralose and do not contain acesulfame potassium. There is no aspartame in Medifast products.

Yes! Since 1980, Medifast is the brand recommended by over 20,000 doctors. Clinical studies by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as well as other major teaching universities, have shown the plan to be both effective and medically safe.

Medifast has been clinically proven through a number of controlled studies. Since 1980, more than 20,000 doctors have recommended Medifast Programs and Products to their patients and more than one million customers have safely used Medifast.

Individual results may vary. Clinical studies indicate that most people lose 2-5 pounds per week for the first two weeks and 1-2 pounds per week thereafter. The scale isn't the only test, so check other indicators such as your waistline measurement and how well your clothes are fitting you. Individual results may vary, and are dependent upon various factors such as your starting weight, targeted weight-loss goal, level of exercise, presence of medical conditions, use of medications, accuracy with diet compliance, etc. Medifast suggests that you consult with your physician prior to starting a weight-loss program.

No. Medifast does NOT contain any added herbal stimulants, ephedrine, or other ingredients that might be harmful to your body.

Please note that Medifast's Plus for Joint Health, and Plus for Coronary Health do contain some added herbal/nutrient components. You should consult with your physician before making the choice to use Health Management Shakes, especially if you are taking medications, have a medical diagnosis, or have specific concerns about the use of an item. Health Management Shakes are not included in any of our Variety Packages; they must be ordered separately.

Our Essential1: Calorie Burn product line contains an added stimulant in the form of caffeine. Each Essential1: Calorie Burn item contains 100 milligrams of caffeine and 90 milligrams of EGCG, a potent antioxidant found in green tea. This amount of caffeine is equal to one cup (8 ounces) of brewed coffee. Using Essential1: Calorie Burn products is a lifestyle choice, so if you would rather not consume EGCG and additional caffeine, you may choose other Medifast Meals. Essential1: Calorie Burn products are only included in Variety Packages that are labeled Essential1: Calorie Burn, and not in our standard Variety Packages for Women, Men, and Diabetes.

Weight-loss programs are generally not covered by medical insurance, but please check with both your doctor and your insurance carrier for information relative to your individual circumstances. Some policies may cover weight-loss programs in conjunction with specific medical conditions in which obesity is a factor (such as primary diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or heart disease) and weight loss can lead to management or improvement of these conditions. But again, you will need to ask your doctor and your insurance carrier this question in order to receive an accurate answer based on your coverage and medical status. Medifast does not bill insurance companies on behalf of its customers.

Yes! MyMedifast provides you with valuable tools, support, and information that will help you with your Medifast Program AND assist you with nutrition, exercise, and motivation. An easy-to-use meal-planning tool is available, plus you'll be able to connect with other people in the Medifast community just like yourself. MyMedifast is offered at no additional charge but is available only to Medifast customers. Click here to register.

The clinically tested weight-loss results of Medifast are designed to create a healthy gap between the calories you take in and the amount your body burns, thus promoting effective and natural weight loss. Many times, dieters on other low-calorie diets do not meet the minimum daily recommended nutritional requirements. Medifast Meals provide the optimal combination of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals to give you the quick weight loss you want and the healthy weight loss you need. The Medifast weight-loss program is an extremely effective diet plan to lose weight fast. Medifast fits your busy life because Medifast Meals are quick and easy to prepare, while still being a healthy diet plan.

Very! On the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan, you'll eat six meals a day -- 5 Medifast Meals and one Lean & Green Meal. You can choose any 5 Medifast Meals from our menu of over 70 delicious choices, including shakes, soups, stew, chili, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, fruit drinks, iced teas, hot beverages, bars, and puddings. Your daily Lean & Green Meal, which you'll prepare yourself, consists of a balance of lean protein (such as beef, chicken, or fish) and vegetables.

Medifast won't abandon you the way fad diets have in the past. The Medifast Transition, Maintenance, and Exercise Plans pick up where the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan ends, and teach you how to sustain your weight-loss results long term!