DO'S AND DON'TS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

We have heard clients who are not losing as fast as they would like express ideas such as, "A small apple (or a glass of milk, or one piece of whole wheat bread, or a half cup of black beans) can't possibly hurt; it is only 100 calories and it has lot's of fiber (or vitamins or antioxidants...)."

Those foods are good for you, and they are a healthy part of the transition and maintenance program. But they are NOT part of the weight loss phase of the program.

It is important to remember the Medifast /Take Shape for Life program is NOT a "calories in, calories out" weight loss program. The real benefits from the program, which include rapid weight loss, energy maintenance, and appetite control, are a result of staying in the fat burning state. Any cheating on the program can take you out of the fat burning state and reduce the benefits of the program to merely a "calories in/calories out" diet.

It is important to carefully evaluate your snacks and your lean and green meals to be certain they follow the progrm strictly in order to achieve the best results.

Review these helpful tips...

DO’S & DON’TS For Weight Loss
The 5 & 1 Plan allows for a flexible weight loss program where you can mix & match ANY Medifast Meal 5 times a day.

DON’T…
Eat extra carbohydrates - Just one slice of bread or a single piece of fruit can take you out of the fat burning state.

That means you risk:

Losing energy
Becoming more hungry
Having stronger cravings
Experiencing slower weight loss

DO…
Eat your first Medifast Meal within one hour of waking
Enjoy a Medifast Meal every 2-3 hours
Eat slowly! - It should take no less than 15 minutes to finish your Medifast Meal (Helpful Hint: Cut bars into small pieces to help you slow down while eating. Stay mindful of your meals’ flavor, quantity and texture
Drink lots of water (minimum of 64 ounces per day)
Use an optional snack if needed - (Up to 3 stalks of celery, Medifast Soy Crisps or Crackers, calorie-free diet drinks, 2 dill pickle spears, ½ cup sugar-free Jello®, 1 sugar-free, fruit flavored Popsicle®)èExercise moderately at least 3 times per week, for up to 30-45 minutes per session (Walking is a great way to stay in shape and keep stress levels low)

Broiled Seafood Fillets

Great idea for a delicious lean and green meal...

Broiled Seafood Fillet
(makes 1 serving)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
7 oz. flounder or cod or sole
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspon dillweed
1 teaspoon bottled capers (optional)
1/2 C. fresh mushrooms, sauteed in 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)

Arrange fillet on nonstick baking sheet. Combine lemon juice and oil and brush filet with 1/4 the lemon-oil mixture. Broil 2 minutes on one side.

Combine tomato and dill with the remaining lemon-oil mixture; turn over fillet, and top with the tomato mixture. Broil 3-4 minutes, until fish flakes ealily with fork. Top with capers and sauteed mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over 11/2 cup mixed salad greens of your choice. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon buttermilk dressing (or your favorite dressing...you can use more dressing if it is very low-carb and fat free).

Health Benefits of Eating Fish...

"When you eat fish, you're not only choosing a great protein source--you're also significantly reducing your risk of disease. Eating fish one to three times week is an important Habit of Health and can have a profound impact on your well-being over time. In fact, one serving of fish a week may reduce your risk of fatal heart attack by 40 ercent!" Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, Dr. A's Habits of Health, Habits of Health Press, 2008.

Soup Tips...very important!

This is a very important tip that makes a HUGE difference in the soups...

SOUPS -- You will be rewarded for your patience...

There are many tasty soups that are available to you on the TSFL program. However, they need to be completely reconstituted to be fully enjoyed.

To do this, you will need a thermos-like insulated container (get one for work and one for home). Put about 8 ounces of very hot water in the container then add the soup packet and any seasonings, such as onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt, Mrs. Dash, etc., and stir well. We do not recommend microwaving the soups, as they have a tendency to boil over and some of the ingredients don't get reconstituted. DO NOT SHAKE THE CONTAINER – IT WILL EXPLODE!

Put the lid on the container tightly and let the soup sit for 30 minutes at least. If your container is well insulated, you can let the soup sit for up to 1 hour. The soup only gets better with age. Take the lid off the container and stir well.

The soup will be deliciously hot and tasty. The soups that are offered include: Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Chicken, Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Tomato, Chicken and Wild Rice, Chicken Noodle, Beef Vegetable Stew, Homestyle Chili, and Maryland Crab.

Tasty Tarter Sauce

Fish is great to have as part of your "lean & green" meal---two to three times a week is ideal. This tartar sauce is a family favorite, and a great way to add some zest and variety. Use 1 Tablespoon as a condiment...and it is not even cheating!

MARTHA'S TASTY TARTAR SAUCE
In small bowl stir together with fork:
1 C Kraft FreeMayo (or other nonfat mayonaise)
2 T. parsley flakes
1 to 2 T. minced dill pickle
1 to 2 T. minced onion
1 T. bottled capers (lightly chopped)
Mix well and refrigerate for several hours before serving so flavors can blend
10 calories per tablespoon (0 from fat).