July 2005 Lean & Green Protocol Update

[Nancy]

I don't limit myself to 5 ounces of salmon either...it is fish, I scarf down 6-7 ounces...love it! It sure gives ya catfood breath though!

[Diana]

Yeah, I think it's inherent in communities to start creating some of our own unwarranted rules. I saw that happen in the professional realm -- I'd do site visits and find folks had "invented" regulations that didn't exist.

Thanks, Nancy, et al, for the reality check.

[elines]

Is it permitted to have half of your cooked vegtables so that you could also have half the serving of a salad? And if not, why do you think that is?

[Nancy]

Dear Elines ~

Thanks for your question…I am not the nutritionist for Medifast and my answer differs from hers.


Medifast says, do not mix raw and cooked vegetables for the Green portion of the Lean and Green.
You should have either a green salad OR cooked veggies; not both.

Her reasoning, I believe is this: when vegetables are cooked, the carbohydrate content can vary. When cooking vegetables sometimes the carbohydrate intake will be higher. She says, have either a green salad or a cooked vegetable, not both, or a combination of both.

IMO, it works fine to use a combination of cooked vegetables and a salad or cooked vegetables and raw as long as one keeps the portions to the right amount.

FYI, if you want to eat raw vegetables only – not cooked vegetables and no salad greens, the serving size is the same as the cooked vegetable portion: 1.5 cups of raw vegetables from the approved list.

So if you want to have mushrooms and cucumbers with a protein portion you can have 3/4 cups cucumber and 3/4 cups mushrooms. The reason again has to do with the carb content.

The Lean needs to be eaten with the Green – both components together = a balanced meal; we do not have meat only for a meal and vegetables only at a later time.

Have a happy healthy day!