Medifast, the consequences and how it led me to Beachbody

The backstory to the start of this post is that my dad had his first heart attack at 32 and passed away at 53.  After that I vowed I would lead a better life and not follow in his footsteps. It worked. I ate better and worked out more, but I know now that I was really not eating that good.

Fast forward in life and I had kids.  Kids take a toll on you and we love them dearly but find me a mom who doesn’t want to shed the pregnancy pounds.  When the kids were a year old I started weight training but couldn’t drop the pounds.  I decided to try and move it along with Medifast.  I had no idea how bad this would be for me.

I went to Medifast, paid the fees and I followed it.  I did drop all of that pesky weight and was super fit.  However, looking back now I know that a 900-calorie a diet is NEVER sustainable, healthy, or should be an option for anyone! In addition to so few calories I was training for half marathons so I was burning all 900 plus some more calories.  I did eat extra protein but I know now it was never enough by what they told me.

Fast-forward again a year later. I had maintained my weight loss but was still eating some of their products every day.  I did feel that they really did not teach me portion control or healthy eating. I was just a number to make them money. An odd thing happened. I started gaining weight, FAST! In a matter of 6 months I put on 30lbs. I was working out the same if not more, and had switched to eating more whole foods.  This led me through quite a few tests, doctor appointments, and so many blood draws. 

Here is what I learned. I was severely vitamin D deficient (this is MN so a 9 is still really low), I had adrenal fatigue, and no one should ever eat the quantities of Soy Protein that is found in Medifast as it is linked to adrenal fatigue and thyroid issues.  Insert a shocked face here! This is an endocrinologist who told me this.  He told me if I didn’t change everything, I might need a weight loss drug to reset my metabolism as it was now so messed up from Medifast.

Adrenal fatigue releases cortisol into your body and it just don’t stop. It keeps you in the flight mode and explains a lot of the issues I had been having for about a year and a half. I could not sleep between 11-3 am (second wind), I could hardly get up in the morning no matter how much sleep I got, I was so dead tired in the afternoon I would always try and sleep or supplement with more coffee. 

This led me to Beachbody.  I was told I had to stop running to let me body heal and I needed to eat whole.  I had been eating whole foods, but when I found the 21-Day Fix I realized I had still been overeating!  I made the choice to change. I cut out all caffeine, I began doing work out dvd’s instead of running (T25, 21 Day Fix, p90x3, and Piyo are my favorites), I began to look at what was in supplements, I took supplements that were whole, I began to drink Shakeology, and I sleep again. The best part I realized is that with the 21-Day fix nothing is off limits for food.  With Medifast everything was off limits. 

I am glad I found my cure, Beachbody (specifically Autumn Calabrese and the 21-Dayfix)! In the last 4 months I have dropped 15lbs, kept it off, and my family eats whole now. If I can learn to eat whole, make 2- 4 year olds eat better and still find 30 minutes a day to work out I think this is a no brainer! Everyone  who struggles should look at the 21-Day Fix.  It is truly the only program I have ever seen teach people about real portion control vs. perceived sizes. 

I have run into many people who have done Medifast and have adrenal fatigue issues or thyroid problems. I now tell people to avoid Medifast and eat whole real foods. 

This picture is some of my favorite whole foods.