When it comes to diets, many people look for a program that does most of the work for them. When it comes to weight loss, nutrition is key, and programs that can plan out your meals, tell you what to eat and when came make the whole process a lot easier. Two popular meal services are the Body by Vi program and Medifast. Both provide you with meal options, Body by Vi with meals replacement shakes, and Medifast that delivers full meals to your door. We’ve weighed the pros and cons for each so you can make the decision that is right for you.
Body by Vi allows you to purchase kits filled with meal replacement shakes to take the place of one or two meals a day, depending on your goals. Each kit that is available will come with a set amount of meal replacement shakes and range in price.
Medifast is a meal delivery service that sends high protein meals directly to your door step and was named #7 on the list of the Best Commercial Diets by US News in 2011. By controlling portions and calories, Medifast claims users can expect to lose up to 20 pounds in their first month on the program. Medifast’s success has been proven in multiple clinical studies. A Johns Hopkins study found Medifast helps dieters lose weight quickly and safely. The study also found Medifast helped type 2 diabetics lose 2 times the weight of those following the American Diabetes Association’s dietary recommendations. Medifast also shows positive results in those with hypertension and high cholesterol.
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With the first day of school already taking place in some parts of the country, and plans starting to be made for Labor Day weekend, it’s clear that summer is about to give way to fall. Checking in with yourself at the start of fall can be a good idea. As active as summer can be, summers like this where the heat seems to break a new record each day can leave us sitting inside just trying to stay cool, never mind working out. With the kids back in school and you back in control of your schedule, there’s no time like the present to re-start your weight loss efforts.
We’ve identified seven programs that, so far this year, really stand-out as leaders, offering their customers healthful, balanced approaches to weight loss and healthful living. Consider these for your fall weight loss resolution.
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U.S. News and World Report is famous (and in some cases infamous) for ranking products, institutions and services of all kinds, be it cars, colleges or diets. Yesterday, they released diet rankings in a number of categories, most notably the best commercial diets and the best diets for weight loss. They also created a list for both the best diabetic diets and the best heart-healthy diets, and a list of best overall diets.
U.S. News reports that they spent six month researching diets, and then had a panel of 22 health experts score the diet on seven different criteria. The diet was judged on its nutritional completeness, its safety, its ability to prevent or manage diabetes, its ability to prevent or manage heart disease, short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss and how easy it is to follow.
It’s little surprise to us that Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig topped both lists, as multiple studies have shown these two diets to be effective. Below are the top eight diets from the best commercial diets and the best diets for weight loss.
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This week, Jacqueline Laurita of Real Housewives of New Jersey showed off her new slimmer look in New York City. According to a press release, Jacqueline lost 50 pounds of post-baby weight using the Medifast diet. She even says she dropped 12 pounds in her first two weeks.
Many people find success on the Medifast plan, in part due to its convenient, packaged foods. On the Medifast diet, you will eat five small Medifast meals throughout the day and then prepare yourself a “lean and green” dinner. This dinner consists of lean protein and lots of greens and vegetables, that you can eat either raw or cooked. There are many items to choose from when it comes to your five Medifast meals, including bars, shakes, puddings, and soups.
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There are many factors that go into choosing to sign up for a diet plan, and cost is one of the most carefully considered. Jeanne Lee for CBS MoneyWatch takes a look at this question from a unique perspective: the cost to lose 20 pounds. She calculates the cost per pound lost for eighth different popular weight-loss systems. Most of these diets are meal delivery services that provide balanced, portion controlled foods. On the other hand, Weight Watchers and eDiets are support-only programs provide the customer with tips, goals and meal plans, but not food. These support-based programs are far cheaper per pound lost, but some may find them hard to follow.
In the end, the diet program that’s the best investment is the one that helps you lead a healthier lifestyle and see long-term results. MoneyWatch recommends the diets with proven track records and economical fees.
Flip through this slide show to compare the costs of Medifast, In the Zone Delivery, eDiets, Bistro MD, Weight Watchers, Nurtisystem, Jenny Craig and South Beach Online.
