Medifast Diet Side Effects

One popular program for quick weight loss is the Medifast diet. Most people have benefited from this program, but there are some who felt otherwise. Here we would discuss the possible side effects of adopting the Medifast diet.
What is Medifast? It is one of the weight loss programs for people bothered with their extra kilos. This plan features the replacement of standard meals with pre-made meals, throughout the day. This diet is basically, a low-calorie, high protein one. The good thing about this program is, it lacks the involvement of something like diet pills, or other so-called weight loss drugs. It is safer option for most people, who are determined to shove off the pile of unhealthy food from their lives. One of the main aims this diet focuses on, is the importance of eating six meals a day. One main advantage of this is that the blood sugar levels can be maintained throughout the day. While, this diet has done wonders for most people, there are some who are not so full of appreciation regarding the same.

The Downsides of Medifast Diet

As mentioned, the Medifast diet can work wonders for people, but then it does not do the same for all. Some people just cannot cope up with such a drastic weight loss regimen, and end up suffering from side effects. The common ones have been described as follows:
  • Digestion problems happen to be one early side effect. In most cases, people come up with the complaint of having diarrhea, constipation, and gas. This may be because the body is adapting to the sudden changes in the diet.
  • The Medifast diet can cause leg cramps in some people. This may be the result of the decreased amount of potassium in the new diet.
  • It may be common for most people to suffer from weakness, dizziness, and a feeling of being washed out once they start following this weight loss diet. This is more intense during the initial period of the diet, most probably because of the less intake of calories.
  • Headaches may occur and so may skin rashes.
  • As mentioned, Medifast requires people to eat six smaller meals a day. This might be a troublesome job for some, especially those among the working class.
  • And, perhaps, the biggest side effects is the diet's pricey tag. For budget conscious people, this is something that may not be worth going for.
Words of Caution for the Diet Plan

There are a few things to remember before you follow this weight loss program. Inform the doctor or the health care provider, if you:
  • Have some kind of kidney problems. Such people are discouraged from following such a diet. The simple reason is, as mentioned, this diet is high in protein, more than standard meals. And high protein may have a damaging effect on the kidneys.
  • Are pregnant. The most severe way the diet can harm an unborn child is by causing malnutrition in the mother's body. The diet changes the food habits completely, and due to obvious reasons, an expecting mother would definitely be affected by it.
So that is it, for my quick output on the negative aftereffects of Medifast diet. Although the side effects may put up an intimidating figure of themselves, they might not be so bad after all, if you can discuss them with your doctor. Best of luck!
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Last Updated: 9/21/2011
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