Medifast

Full Name: Medifast

Origin: William Vitale, MD founded Medifast in 1980

Description: A diet plan that recommends five Medifast meal replacements a day and one normal meal

Likes: Medifast shakes, chili, oatmeal, drinks, soups, pudding, green vegetables and lean meat

Dislikes: Every other food, alcohol

Looking for: A desperate dieter who's willing to give up normal food

Works Well With: Medifast line of shakes and food supplements

The Medifast diet is called a 5 & 1 diet plan. In phase one of the plan the diet is quite restrictive, permitting five meal replacement shakes or special 'Medifast' foods per day, along with one regular meal. The regular meal consists of lean protein and green vegetables.

Once the dieter reaches a desired weight, they begin a maintenance plan that should be followed for life. This plan consists of a higher caloric content, while still consuming at least 1-3 Medifast meal replacements a day.

Medifast claims to be a 'healthy' diet - but eating nothing but overly-processed foods can't truly be healthy, nutritionally balanced or satisfying. A dieter could stay on this plan for four to six weeks tops before breaking down and bingeing on real food. Aside from being very expensive, following this diet in the real world is also unrealistic. According to its makers, you never get hungry because you are eating every two to three hours. But if the creators were to actually attempt to follow this diet, they would soon realize how hungry and unsatisfied minuscule amounts of real food can leave you.