"Got To Give It Up..."

Researchers are now saying that losing a significant amount of weight quickly with a strict diet and exercise plan, rather than doing it gradually, is the best way to take and keep weight off. Scientists at the University of Florida, who studied the link between the rate of initial weight loss and overall success long-term, said shedding weight QUICKLY is the best way to achieve lasting results.

Three years ago, I would have disagreed. All of my experience and training told me that losing weight slowly and steadily was the only way to prevent “yo-yo” dieting. I argued with my doctor about restrictive diet programs, believing they taught unrealistic habits and encouraged “all or nothing” eating behaviors. But at that time, despite any “healthy eating” patterns I tried to encourage, losing 1 or 2 pounds a week was more frustrating than encouraging for my family members trying to lose weight.

Our doctor again recommended a program called the Medifast Diet that had been around for over 25 years. He explained that seeing weight loss right away is encouraging and helps motivate participants to stick to the plan. They see great results early on and they want to continue their hard work!

My husband was on board and ready to make a change, so who was I to argue? He told my daughter about the plan that night at dinner and she said she wanted to make a change as well, so the Monday after Thanksgiving 2008, they started the Medifast Diet.

The premise of the Medifast Diet program is fairly simple. Frequent small meals with high levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates put your body into a state called ketosis. This state encourages your metabolism to increase and causes your body to use its own fat stores for energy. The frequent meals (usually six times each day) help to keep you from feeling hungry, so there is less of a chance of eating foods not on the plan.

The products were originally only available through physicians but can now be obtained through local and online distributors. The basic plan, called the 5 and 1 Plan, involves using Medifast’s meal replacements for five daily meals and consuming one main "lean and green" meal you prepare yourself that consists of a protein source and lots of vegetables. Meal replacement options include soups, chili, shakes, oatmeal, bars, and even brownies and soft serve ice cream. Their products require very little preparation, which makes it easy to fit the five small meals into a busy lifestyle. All of the Medifast Diet meal replacements are vitamin-and mineral-fortified to ensure proper nutrition (which can be difficult to achieve when you’re following a calorie restrictive diet).

You follow this plan rigorously until you’ve lost your desired amount of weight. They recommend having a physician monitor your progress, especially if you are going to be on the program longer than 16 weeks. (We worked with Dr. Paul Stein in St. Louis- www.paulsteinmd.com )

They followed that plan (with me as the “cooking & motivation assistant”) and lost between 7 and 13 pounds the first week and 18-25 pounds the first month. What began as a diet, turned into a total lifestyle change. They began eating frequently, keeping their metabolism steady, instead of going all day without food and being ravenous at night! For their main meal, they tried new and different vegetables and seasonings, along with various proteins allowed on the plan, learning to expand their taste and choose the best options. I actually started cooking regularly and they truly enjoyed most of what I made.

We are also a family who loves to go out to restaurants, so that was a real concern when they started the program, and as my daughter is in her 20’s, going out with her friends was a major consideration as well. So, because making this change needed to fit into their lifestyle, we spoke up when we went out. It is amazing how helpful the wait staff at most restaurants can be. Thanks to waiters like Brad and Brian of Brio Tuscan Grille, we could modify our orders! And with the help and support of friends and family, they have seen great success!!

As my husband began to see the weight come off, he wanted to embrace a healthy lifestyle. He was about to turn 60 and wanted to live well for a long time, so he continued to take charge of his health and well-being. He started to go to gym a couple of days a week. He loves the steam room and hot tub (at Lifetime Fitness), so as a reward for a good workout, he started allowing himself the extra time in the steam. As he began working in the gym more, he not only lost weight from his nutritional changes, but he kept his body and heart strong. He has lost over 120 pounds to date, and gone down six pants sizes and three shirt sizes.

My daughter’s journey has been remarkable as well. To date, she has lost over 75 pounds and works out 6 days a week. In September of 2009, she had seen a significant weight loss and was ready to take it to the next level. She joined the gym and had a fitness assessment to pinpoint what she wanted to work on. Her last Fit Point assessment showed strength increases and significant reduction in both her BMI and body composition. She has gone down four pants sizes and recently began a new weight training program and plans to see even more success.

According to researcher Lisa Nackers, whose findings are published online by the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, "(those) who lost at a faster rate,… had lost more and maintained a greater loss in the long run than… who lost at a slower rate…It shows if you get off to a quick start... it pays off more in the long run than making smaller behavioral changes". She suggests that physical appearance, body image, increased energy and better mobility may be improved more by shedding weight quickly.

I’ve seen this first-hand in my house!! The restrictive plan has become a healthy eating plan. As a result of starting with the 5 meal replacements, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, and healthy fats have become the norm. If either one feels they have let their weight get over a 3-4 pound gain, they go back to the original plan for a few weeks or the Medifast maintenance phase.

One of the real keys to success for both my husband and daughter is allowing occasional treats and drinks and “flex time” during vacations and celebrations. They have seen success and don’t want to go back. It’s not an “all or nothing attitude” like most diets. This is a lifestyle change. And as my daughter says, “If I slip up and eat something ‘bad’, I’m not gonna beat myself up. I’ll just work out harder at the gym tomorrow!” To order online, www.tsfl.com .

Just a quick sidenote. Many of you have sent me emails about the program , asking if it would work for you or someone you know. A big part of this program's success is having the support of your doctor, weight loss counselor and/or family and friends. It is very restrictive at first, but if you have a "cheerleader" to help coach you, you'll likely be successful!

You can view a videoproduced by videographer, Brad Gass of Lifetime Fitness that shows how exercise and training worked in their success!