I know I talked about it in my other post but I want a post just about my health program and with some links for more info. and stuff.
Medifast/ 5 & 1 Plan
You eat 6 meals a day, 5 Medifast meals, and 1 Lean and Green meal. You eat every 2-3 hours, and drink 100 oz. of water a day.
There are many delicious recipes to change up your Medifast meals if you don't like them just how they are, but I love most of them exactly how they are, maybe some of them I will add some extra spices, or some cheese (being care to keep that in mind when making my lean and green meal(s).
There are guidelines for the lean and green meals. Basically you're supposed to have about 5-7 ounces of lean protein a day, turkey/beef/chicken/pork/cheese/tofu/etc.
Here are some links for Complete Lean Meals
Also if you need, there's a link to how much raw meat you should use to cook the right amount for your lean.
For the Green part of your meal, you are supposed to eat 3 servings of veggies a day.
Here is a link to the veggies that we are allowed to have during the Fat Burn Phase.
Green Options (This is helpful when splitting your lean and green)
Before I move on to info. about condiments we're allowed to have, I want to make a point about water. Drinking enough water is key to this health program. If you don't drink your water you will get a lot of headaches, you will not have as much energy, you will get dehydrated!!
You are supposed to drink 100 oz. of water per day. Many people have helpful hints at how to make sure you consume all your water, (It is REALLY hard to do for the first week..ish. unless you have a plan). What I have been meaning to do is buy a 20 oz water bottle and drink the whole bottle in-between every meal. (Dewey helped me figure out if I drank 20 oz. between every meal I'd hit 100 oz exactly). I just need to go get a water bottle I like.
Other people get 20-30 oz. water bottles and write with sharpie on them what time they should drink a certain amount by. The point is, water is important, and it will throw you off big time if you don't get your water in. On the other hand, if you drink too much water there is such a thing as water toxicity, which you don't want to happen to you because it will kill you. :]
Now it isn't TERRIBLY likely that you'll drink that much water, but be aware that it exists and that too much water isn't good, even just a little too much water will flush out electrolytes which your body needs.
Now on to condiments! You should only have 3 condiments a day.
(Spices, baking soda, chicken broth, salad dressings, flavored extracts...) The list goes on.
There are also Healthy Fats that you are allowed to have, which are separate from condiments. The healthy fats you need depend on the lean you have for the day. I don't really want to go into detail of that right now because I don't really understand it exactly (oops!) But all the health coaches know, and you have to figure it out on a case-by-case basis.
You can also have 1 optional snack a day (I never do, I just never feel hungry! Sometimes I have to set an alarm to remind me to eat so I don't accidentally go an extra hour or two without eating)
If you have a question about a condiment not on the list, or if a certain recipe meats Medifast guidelines, contact Nutrition support, they are there to help you and usually get back with you in 1-2 days
If you have any questions about Medifast, its nutritional information, etc. here are some more links
That in a nutshell is the 5 & 1 Medifast Plan!
I have many other links to lean and green recipes, medifast meal recipes, (and I plan to make a page on this blog of my favorites that I try)
Like I said in my last post, the Medifast meals are not cheap, but there are ways to save some money on them, the best option being to get a health coach, (which would either be me, if I decide to do it, or I can refer you to my health coach Jackie if you are interested).
If you sign up with a health coach you will get free meals in your first two orders (with a minimum purchase) and always get free shipping. Definitely an awesome deal. If you're interested contact me and I can give you more info. on pricing and stuff. Feel free to check out the Medifast website and the meals they have, and even do the math yourself of the cost (knowing that you need 5 medifast meals a day, and that you'll get 28 free meals both first and second order--- that is 4 boxes per order just fyi).
I also want to give credit to Sandy over at www.sandyskitchenadventures.com for providing a lot of this information and links on her blog. Check out her blog, that is where I get most of my favorite recipes, she is AMAZING!
This program really is incredible. You don't go hungry, you get to eat things you like, and learn on the way to getting healthy how to STAY healthy for life. In my opinion that is the best kind of program there is. Most weight loss/health programs help you lose the weight but don't teach you how to keep it off and stay healthy, and people gain the weight back. I know because I've seen it, I've done it. I have been able to meet some amazing people who have been off of this program for 8+ years who have kept all the weight off and are still healthy and still using many of the awesome recipes from the program.
If you're tired of starting over, STOP GIVING UP! This is the last time you'll have to start over, if you just give it a try.
xoxo- cyd
