Losing the Baby Weight: My Medifast Adventure

We are excited to have partnered with our advertising sponsor Medifast Texas to bring you information about losing weight.

I was blessed to have been pregnant two times over the past four years, which led me to having my two wonderful children. These pregnancies also left me with two dreaded words: baby weight.

I’m not going to beat around the bush: I gained a boatload of weight while carrying my sons. During my first pregnancy, I broke my foot (on Mother’s Day nonetheless), which lead to time in a wheelchair and pretty rapid weight gain. I lost some of the weight after my first son, but then became pregnant again. I did OK with my weight, but I started gaining quite a bit during my sixth month, even though my diet hadn’t really changed. Turns out I had gestational diabetes (which I will address in a future post), and let’s just say I was not a dainty pregnant lady. I was pregnant all over. The saying “you can’t even tell she’s pregnant from behind”? Yeah, that never applied to me.

I left the hospital last April with a bouncing baby boy and an extra 25 pounds on my body. I breastfed for seven months, and I wasn’t one of the lucky ones whose weight “melts off” because she is nursing her baby. I tried a few different diets and would lose a few pounds here and there, only to gain them back. I even signed up for a boot camp-style workout class, which did help me feel better, but I broke my foot (again) during one of the classes, so I had to quit. In short, my weight-loss attempts were big, fat fails.

A few weeks ago, Medifast contacted Alamo City Moms Blog about a potential partnership. They asked us if one of our writers would be willing to try the program to see what she thought of it. Although I had heard of the program, I didn’t really know much about it. I decided that this was clearly divine intervention because I needed something to get me on the right track and feeling good about myself!

What is Medifast?

Medifast was developed by Dr. William Vitale in the early 1980s to help treat patients who needed to lose weight to save their lives. Up until about 10 years ago, Medifast was only available in a clinical setting with doctor supervision, which might be why you’ve never heard of it. Dr. Vitale and his team of scientists developed meal replacements that are high in protein and vitamins but also low in fat. These nutrient-rich foods help to create a “fat burning” state for your body in which you will lose actual fat, not muscle.

Two of my favorite Medifast foods.
Two of my favorite Medifast foods.

How does the diet work?

Using the Medifast 5 and 1 Plan, I eat five meal replacements every day along with a Lean and Green meal that I can prepare at home or eat at a restaurant. There are over 70 foods to choose from, and I have to say, these are pretty good. Do they taste like you’re eating at a five-star restaurant? Not really, but they certainly don’t taste like cardboard diet food. I’ve learned that the key is to eat every few hours, never letting myself get overly hungry. I also won’t eat only Medifast foods forever. Once I hit my goal weight, I’ll transition into a plan that phases out Medifast meals.

One of my first Lean and Green meals.
One of my first Lean and Green meals.

How do you start Medifast?

I perused the Medifast website and thought that I would order all of my food online and be on my own. I was, fortunately, wrong! You can do that, but I highly recommend going to a Medifast Center, which are located all over the country (we have here three in San Antonio). I would be so confused if I just did the online program. All you have to do is call and make an initial appointment to get started.

The entire Medifast team was fantastic! Thank you Patricia, Marla, Yolanda, Gabriela, and Andrea for making my first visit such a positive one!
The entire Medifast team was fantastic! Thank you Patricia, Marla, Yolanda, Gabriela, and Andrea for making my first visit such a positive one!

What happens at the first appointment?

It’s not as scary as you think it will be. I met my counselor, Andrea, whose kindness was apparent the moment we shook hands. You know those people who just make you feel at ease, especially in an awkward situation? That’s Andrea. I filled out some paperwork, and we talked for awhile about life. It truly was more of a counseling session rather than a “here’s all the stuff you need to lose weight—bye!” type of appointment. The moment of truth came when I stepped on the scale and had a full body analysis. While I cringed and died a little inside, Andrea assured me it’s OK and not to feel embarrassed, that taking the steps to lose weight isn’t easy but will be worth it. We then sat down and looked at short- and long-term weight-loss goals. She also helped me select my food for the upcoming week.

What makes Medifast different from any other diet program?

Everything is clearly laid out for you! There is very little guesswork, and it’s simple to follow. There’s no counting calories or points, and really the only calculating you need to do is for the Lean and Green meal. I’m a busy mom, and a problem I ran into with other diets is that I don’t have time to prepare healthy meals and snacks ahead of time. I’d start off strong, but then life would get in the way, and I’d find myself slipping back into old habits of grabbing a handful of crackers here and there, etc. Because Medifast foods are all but one of my daily meals, I don’t have to do much at all, besides plan my dinner. I also know that I couldn’t be doing this without the support of Andrea and the Medifast Center. Our weekly one-on-one meetings not only hold me accountable, but motivate me to stay on track. I also love the tagline that Medifast uses: Be the Best Version of You. It’s not about a number on the scale or the size of your clothes—it’s truly about getting healthy.

How has it been so far for you?

I’m two weeks into my Medifast adventure, and I’m not going to lie and say it’s been a walk in the park, but it hasn’t been completely miserable either. Have there been times when I wanted to throw in the towel and eat a delicious, carb-filled meal? Yes. But I like instant gratification. This is the first diet I’ve been on where by the third day, I not only saw a difference in the scale but felt a lot better, too. There are online support groups I’ll tap into for motivation, and my husband has been very supportive. So is it easy? Yes and no. But I know it is most certainly worth it!

I’ll be sharing a few more posts in the coming weeks about my weight-loss journey. Here are my stats as of now:

Week 1: 4.1 lbs. lost

Week 2: 4.9 lbs. lost

Week 3: 2.2 lbs. lost

Total: 11.2 lbs. lost

Questions? Feel free to email me or post in the comments below!

Medifast Texas is offering a special right now: Lose 10 lbs. for free! Learn more about Medifast Texas on their Facebook page, YouTube channel, and Google+ page.

Medifast Texas

 

 

Lindsay
Lindsay is the co-founder of Alamo City Moms Blog. A native New Orleanian, Lindsay found her way to the Alamo City via her husband, Steven, who is a born and raised San Antonian. She is a mom to three young children. Lindsay earned her B.A. in Psychology from Rhodes College and her M.A. in Early Childhood Education from UTSA. She was a preschool and first-grade teacher for 10 years and is now a Reading Specialist and Dyslexia Therapist.

1 COMMENT

  1. Don’t forget summer has come to an almost end. We want to invite all mommy’s, teachers, nurses, and other professionals to come by this Friday and Saturday August 28-29 for a get together at the Center. We will have door prizes and all our Programs at 50%, plus complimentary in-body reading for FREE. After that you will only have one more day to get in here and take advantage of this great deal and that will be August 31 on Monday.

    So join us with LIndsay this Saturday at Medifast Lincoln Heights Center, 999 East Basse Suite 158.

    Call ahead and get an Appt and beat the crowds. (210) 822-0276

    Look forward to seeing this weekend.

    Thank you
    Yolanda Vega
    Asst Manager
    Medifast Weight Control Centers.

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