The fact that you are reading this website suggests that you are looking to lose weight; as we are completely independent from Medifast Inc we recognize that the plan is not the only way to achieve that goal. Before you go ahead and order a Medifast starter pack you need to ask yourself two questions.
Measure your waist and consult the chart below to find action that is suitable for your gender and size. Generally we encourage only truly obese individuals to follow the Medifast diet plan. If you are just a little overweight then you would be better off following another diet:
| Gender | Waist Measurement | Advice |
| Women | Less than 32 inches | Eat healthily and take regular exercise but weight loss should not be a serious concern for you and Medifast is defiantly not appropriate for you. |
| Men | Less than 37 inches | |
| Women | Between 32 and 35 inches | You are overweight and need a strategy for reducing your weight. However in our opinion the Medifast diet plan is not for you. Consider another diet such as the GI diet or the South Beach program. |
| Men | Between 37 and 40 inches | |
| Women | Larger than 35 inches | You are a definite candidate for a low calorie diet like Medifast. You are obese and you need to address your weight problem urgently. Talk to your physician about how to achieve this. |
| Men | Larger than 40 inches |
Source of figures: Varying Sensitivity of Waist Action Levels to Identify Subjects with Overweight or Obesity in 19 Populations of The WHO MONICA Project
Starting a very low calorie diet is not something you should take lightly. It will be an emotional and physical battle and it’s one that you should tackle in consultation with your doctor. Don’t let that put you off! If you are seriously overweight then the long term health risks of not taking action could be fatal.
Your will particularly want to talk with your doctor if you are under 18 or over 70, you are pregnant or you suffer from any serious health condition or illness.
Ordering your food is the way to get started on the Medifast plan. Medifast are keen to entice new members so they offer. Normally you should expect to get two weeks free but sometimes there are other offers too. To find all the latest deals use the search box below:
Medifast offer a range of packages that can be confusing (for a better understanding see guide to Medifast plan options: Medifast Product Glossary). For most people they just need to choose between the package for women and the package for men. The exception cases are if you are over 70, a vegetarian, need kosher food or suffer from diabetes in which cases there are special arrangements. If you suffer from arthritis or coronary health issues then you may wish to investigate additional options that address these problems.
You may also like to refer to our guide to cutting the cost of Medifast and our products guide to the best and worst Medifast foods.
You can find meal plans on this site (meal plans) and in the back of the Medifast book. Try to plan your meals for the coming week so that you can buy the groceries you need for your lean and green meals as well as purchase any extras to spice up your Medifast meals.
Read our weight loss tips for succeeding with Medifast. They will help you to stay focused on your target.
We wish you every success with your weight loss goal and hope that you achieve all you set out to.