The Vital Transition Period In Meal Replacement Diets
Meal replacement diets have been around for some time now. It has even transcended the "fad diet" label because of its success rate. A lot of celebrities and professional athletes have endorsed the different programs because they have become proof that the plans do work.
However, as with most diets, their success really depends on how far the program goes in following up with the dieter. The dieter may have successfully lost a tremendous amount of weight in their first month with the program. But what happens after is the really critical part--does the dieter maintain the desired weight through a continual series of follow-up's or education, or will the dieter eventually gain all the weight back?
However, as with most diets, their success really depends on how far the program goes in following up with the dieter. The dieter may have successfully lost a tremendous amount of weight in their first month with the program. But what happens after is the really critical part--does the dieter maintain the desired weight through a continual series of follow-up's or education, or will the dieter eventually gain all the weight back?
In a meal replacement diet program, the dieter literally replaces their usual meals with pre-selected foods that the program approves of. Most of these programs will even offer an entire menu of pre-approved meals that the dieter can choose from, basically allowing you to customize your own diet menu.
In recent years, the term "meal replacement" has even evolved to mean food that you can have delivered so you that do not have to cook at home. Even fast food joints got into the picture, offering their own menu of replacement meals. This is one major reason why the term itself gained a certain amount of negativity. So it is important to let those who have the wrong impression know the difference between the two.
Upon first joining such a program, the dieter is given a replacement menu usually made up of low calorie or low carbohydrate meals. This is the period where a lot of weight will be lost, a big portion might even be water loss. Nonetheless, the dieter gets to see immediate results. This initial stage usually takes about a month, but it all depends on the situation of the dieter. When the dieter graduates from the initial stage, there is and should be a transition stage. And this is the most critical point of all.
As mentioned above, this is where the dieter gets to keep the weight off for life or gains them all back in the blink of an eye. Failure to keep the weight off does not mean the replacement meals were ineffective or that it was the dieter's fault. It may just be the program itself was not very well designed. To borrow a wartime term, there is no "exit strategy". It is a battle of the bulge after all, isn't it?
A good program's transitional period will allow the re-introduction of foods that were put on hold during the initial stage. So foods with carbohydrates and calories will be sensibly allowed. Then there will be an educational process to explain the how's and why's of reintroducing previously disallowed foods.
The transition period itself will depend how much weight was lost. It can be anywhere from one to four months. The bigger amount of weight lost will mean a longer transition period because the body has to be allowed time to readjust to the new levels of carbohydrates and calories.
A good program should also incorporate moderate exercising. There really is no point watching what you eat if you do not complement it with some physical activity.
To summarize, replacement meal diets, just as any other program, can only be successful it can keep the weight off for life. When looking for one, make sure it has a transitional stage that will see you through. If you can find one that will stick with you even after the transition, then all the better.
But even with a well-designed strategy for transition, a diet is also doomed to fail if the dieter does not pay attention. It is not unlike an alcohol or substance abuser relapsing after undergoing treatment. All the good intentions of a diet program will only be for naught if the dieter does not practice self-discipline.
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To get information on a popular and clinically proven program, visit the Medifast Meal Replacement Diet website. Get four weeks of food and receive one week free.
In recent years, the term "meal replacement" has even evolved to mean food that you can have delivered so you that do not have to cook at home. Even fast food joints got into the picture, offering their own menu of replacement meals. This is one major reason why the term itself gained a certain amount of negativity. So it is important to let those who have the wrong impression know the difference between the two.
Upon first joining such a program, the dieter is given a replacement menu usually made up of low calorie or low carbohydrate meals. This is the period where a lot of weight will be lost, a big portion might even be water loss. Nonetheless, the dieter gets to see immediate results. This initial stage usually takes about a month, but it all depends on the situation of the dieter. When the dieter graduates from the initial stage, there is and should be a transition stage. And this is the most critical point of all.
As mentioned above, this is where the dieter gets to keep the weight off for life or gains them all back in the blink of an eye. Failure to keep the weight off does not mean the replacement meals were ineffective or that it was the dieter's fault. It may just be the program itself was not very well designed. To borrow a wartime term, there is no "exit strategy". It is a battle of the bulge after all, isn't it?
A good program's transitional period will allow the re-introduction of foods that were put on hold during the initial stage. So foods with carbohydrates and calories will be sensibly allowed. Then there will be an educational process to explain the how's and why's of reintroducing previously disallowed foods.
The transition period itself will depend how much weight was lost. It can be anywhere from one to four months. The bigger amount of weight lost will mean a longer transition period because the body has to be allowed time to readjust to the new levels of carbohydrates and calories.
A good program should also incorporate moderate exercising. There really is no point watching what you eat if you do not complement it with some physical activity.
To summarize, replacement meal diets, just as any other program, can only be successful it can keep the weight off for life. When looking for one, make sure it has a transitional stage that will see you through. If you can find one that will stick with you even after the transition, then all the better.
But even with a well-designed strategy for transition, a diet is also doomed to fail if the dieter does not pay attention. It is not unlike an alcohol or substance abuser relapsing after undergoing treatment. All the good intentions of a diet program will only be for naught if the dieter does not practice self-discipline.
---
To get information on a popular and clinically proven program, visit the Medifast Meal Replacement Diet website. Get four weeks of food and receive one week free.
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