The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[disney..lover]

Why is it necessary to have a Dr. check tou up while doing the full fast?
And can it be any Dr.? And how often should he check me?

Thanks

[Arklahoma]

MediFast is considered a Protein Sparing Modified Fast or a Very Low Calorie Diet in medical jargon. This carefully proportioned nutrient mix places the human body into ketosis which is a state of metabolism that allows your body to stop burning glucose for fuel and begin burning fat. During this process, your body will begin to release a lot of water through urination. Every time your body excretes urine, one loses electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, etc.). Loss of these electrolyes can be very harmful if not replaced in adequate quantities.

Some people will have no deleterious effects to this low calorie plan b/c their body will adapt and "learn" how to hold on to these minerals but some can require extra vitamin/mineral supplementation. If your electrolytes are out of balance, you can have many issues. One of the most serious would be cardiac arrythmias which can be very harmful or even lead to sudden cardiac death. Most MD's will want to draw blood to check your electrolytes and do an EKG to see if you have any cardiac issues. Every doc is different but many will continue to draw blood and order EKG's at regular intervals. In fact, one prominent bariatrician (MD specializing in obesity) that I spoke to stated that if a person eats only one small meal per day then the danger of electrolyte imbalance drops dramatically. Scientists has been researching this diet for years and that's probably why MF endorses the 5/1 plan so heavily.

[Unca_Tim]

I have to add here.
I've never heard of Medifast being called a "Protein Sparing Modified Fast".

It is called a muscle sparing program, because it's adequately high in protein which keeps the muscled fed.

There used to be the full and "modified" plans, but the old modified plan is now called the 5/1.

Also, it's not so much from the diet or the mild state of ketosis (which is now called the fat burning stage) of Medifast that can deplete the system of electrolytes, but from the increase in water that most people aren't accustomed to.

VLCD's or "Very Low Calorie Diets" are considered anything below 800 calories.
The 5/1 Medifast program is not considered a VLCD.

[Arklahoma]

Unca_Tim,

All you have to do is read some medical journals or call the scientists @ Medifast. This is a Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF). This is a medical category not commercial terms used by one specific manufacturer. BTW, there are a plethora of companies out there selling the exact same products ... it's not exclusive to MF.

Just like you said, it's high in protein so it "spares" the body from burning its' own protein to create fuel. When I'm referring to MF being a VLCD, I'm referring to the full fast which is very much a very low calorie diet. If you're doing the 5/1 then calories should be 800-1000 which is obviously just barely over the threshold which is why MF encourages this approach (which I completely agree with). My main goal is to make certain that people realize the seriousness of the diet IF they're doing the full fast. It should ONLY be undertaken with proper medical supervision.

I don't know what you mean by ketosis now being called the "fat burning stage" b/c I'm not using MF or TSFL terminology. I have had many classes on human anatomy, physiology, metabolism, as well as, nutrition in my undergrad education and the words that I'm using are carefully chosen b/c they're common medical terminology. I will also have to respectfully disagree with your statement regarding electrolyte imbalances. It is ketosis that is causing these changes. Please feel free to contact MF or the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (which publishes a lot of data regarding this diet). I've been studying this diet for years and you'll see that I know what I'm talking about.

Respectfully,
Arklahoma
 

[Guest]

We LOVE YOU Unca_Tim!!!!!

[MusicalMomma]

Guest was me....forgot to log in

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Arkie,
I must respectfully disagree that there is not a plethora of companies selling the exact same products as Medifast. Some may have copied the general guidelines, but have not been clinically studied at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country. I know of no other "similar" program that is manufactured in an FDA approved facility and is Kosher approved.

I have done my share of reading about the various programs available.

The 5/1 Medifast program delivers about 100 grams of protein for women and about 120 grams of protein for men. This is beyond the amount considered as a "Protein Sparing Fast", which is generally considered as 75 grams for women, and 100 grams for men.

I'm not trying to argue with your position or minimize your point, that ANY change in diet should be discussed with your physician.

The early stages of liquid diet programs did have some problems with the type of protein they used. We've come a LONG way from those days.

For the purposes of this forum and to keep things less technical for everyone to understand, we'd like to stick to the Medifast terminology. It's confusing enough to understand for some people, without throwing a bunch of technical terms at everyone. There's a massive amount of information on diets and nutrition on the internet, if people would like to investigate things on their own. Some of this information is accurate and valid. Some of it, well.......

The "Full Fast" is an entirely different approach, and should ALWAYS be monitored closely by a physician.

I appreciate your input. That is why a forum like this is so valuable. Ideas and information can be shared and through the course of a thread, people can form their own opinions and investigate further.

Great topic....

[BerkshireGrl]

I just wanted to chip in my experiences with both the Full Fast and the 5 & 1 Plan. (To anyone out there weighing the pros and cons of both... of course if you prefer the Full Fast method, more power to ya!)

When I was on the Full Fast (about 3 months), my weight loss was not that different from when I am on the 5 & 1 Plan - about 1/2 pound more a week on the Full Fast. That's it. 2 pounds a month really.

I'm finding that getting to have a planned healthy 'real food' meal is making ALL the difference to keeping me going on MF. To be able to cut up vegetables, 'saute' some meat or make a veggie omelette, have a salad, mmmm!

What I usually do is kind of shop the 'European' way and buy what I need on the way home for 1 night or 2 nights, to keep the dishes ultra-fresh. It's a bit more money but that's ok with me.

I have been such a take-out/convenience food baby for YEARS that I forgot how quickly food gets stale or goes bad. I was mortified to learn a lemon will not last a week in a fruit bowl Plus my fridge is a bit wonky and often will decide to stop making the freezer cold so keeping a bazillion frozen chicken breasts in there could be a recipe for disaster... or at least losing a lot of weight in a very unpleasant way!

Anyway... I used to think going 100% Pure Medifast would be the best way to go about this (with proper medical supervision) but in my experience, learning how to make a healthy, low-fat meal gives me needed lessons for the future

But I still am not a big fan of cleaning up the pots and pans after!

p.s. Thanks for the posting from both Unca Tim and Arklahoma on the MF stuff - interesting reading!

[BerkshireGrl]

Why is it necessary to have a Dr. check tou up while doing the full fast?
And can it be any Dr.? And how often should he check me?

Thanks

Disney,

Thought you might be interested in this info from the official Medifast FAQ. I would say a general family practice doc would be a good choice, or whoever your primary doctor is would be fine.

Medical Monitoring

Do I need to see a doctor?
Medifast strongly recommends that you see your doctor for a general exam and blood test panel before you begin the program.

What lab tests should I have done?
If your physician feels that lab work is necessary, then lab tests should include a CBC, chemistry panel, lipid profile, thyroid panel, and urinalysis. If you are over age 40 or have a history of heart disease, please consult your physician regarding an EKG.

What is the doctor looking for with the lab tests and EKG?
The tests are designed to verify that you don't have any unknown illnesses or medical conditions that could put you at risk for coping with the Medifast plan. The reason for the EKG is to make sure you don't have any previously diagnosed heart problems or heart disease that would be a problem if you do the Medifast plan.

How often should I see my doctor?
Follow-up visits with your physician should be done from once a month to once every three months. At each visit, you should have a CBC and a chemistry profile that tests electrolytes, blood sugar, etc. Monthly visits are recommended if you have diabetes, heart disease or other significant history.

Can I use Medifast if I'm on prescription medications?
Yes, most medications for chronic conditions such as depression, thyroid or hormone deficiency, etc. may be continued while you are on Medifast. Check with your doctor regarding dosage adjustments. If you are taking more than 20 mg of prednisone a day, you should not do Medifast.

What about blood pressure medications?
Your physician may change the dose of you blood pressure medication while you are on Medifast. Watch for any of these symptoms that can indicate your medication dose needs to be changed: feeling tired, weak or "washed out," legs feeling rubbery or weak, headaches, feeling dizzy or light-headed, or becoming more fatigued after several weeks of feeling great.

[Arklahoma]

Unca,

You and I are just going to have to agree to disagree on this one b/c I know of several companies that have virtually the same plan. I could list them all here but for everyone's sake I won't muddy the water. Most are only sold through MD's but anyone can get their hands on them if they truly wish. Other formulations have been studied at other prestigious medical facilities (I know b/c I work for one of these world renowned medical facilities) for just as long if not longer. They are made in FDA facilities and many of them are kosher. I'm not trying to sling arrows at MF b/c I'm using the product and I'm very happy with it.

Just to clarify, Protein Sparing Modified Fast does not = liquid diet any more. It's any meal replacement formulation that has a minimum of 75 - 100 grams of protein daily to spare the body's own muscle tissue from being utilized as fuel. The only reason that I went into as much detail as I did in my original post is b/c I wanted people to realize that this diet (the full fast) is serious business and should only be undertaken with a physician in tow.

A healthy exchange of ideas never hurts anybody so thank you for letting me say my piece and not moderating everyone's post to skew your opinion, as I've seen done on other MF boards. I love the MF product, this open forum, and all the effort that you guys put into everything. Thank you for all your efforts!

[Pashta]

Yep thanks for all the info, both of you! Now no more , there's nothing wrong with some good stuff to read.

I was on one of those *other* boards out there, and the guy who ran it really censored and controlled everything said on there. He was telling all those people that he made that wonderful diet of his and these people were like almost worshipping him, but in my research I found that no, he didn't make any of that. He is buying it from a wholesaler and he is just a retailer. I asked about it on there very politely and everything, and he edited my post, then deleted it, then deleted ME from the forum there!!

I won't even say where it was but needless to say, I am very VERY happy to have found these boards here.

[Unca_Tim]

Hi Pashta,
When we made the decision to start this forum, we wondered about having to show the bad with the good, but Medifast and the TSFL program stand on their own. It's very easy to monitor a board with such a great product and program.

Although a couple posts have been edited by the author (you can edit your own post as a registered member), I have never edited one myself without clearly stating the reason in the edit. It's usually about flaming or inappropriate language.

I have NEVER deleted a post.

Glad you're enjoying the forum...

[Unca_Tim]

ohhhhh....and i respectfully agree to disagree Arkie....

[Arklahoma]

Thanks, Unca!