The Power of Ketosis (fat burning stage)
You probably have questions about what happens to your body when you are on the Medifast Diet program. This article will help you understand how the Medifast weight loss program prevents muscle loss, and improves your health, while you lose weight quickly and safely through the power of Ketosis.
The Medifast meal replacement program creates a gap between the calories needed and those consumed, which keeps the level of protein and carbohydrates almost equal. This ratio shifts the balance in the bloodstream and causes positive changes in how the body burns calories and metabolizes fat.
The specific ratio of protein to carbohydrates in the Medifast program helps put the body into a mild state of ketosis, which means your metabolism is such that you are burning stored fat for energy. Once the body reaches ketosis, there will be significant changes, such as increased energy; less hunger and a new found confidence to stay on the program. These changes usually begin to manifest themselves after three days.
5 Steps to Ketosis
There are five steps the body goes through when adapting to the low-calorie program such as Medifast. First, since there is a fuel shortage due to the low amount of calories, the body uses glycogen (sugar in your bloodstream) as an energy source. Once this glycogen supply is depleted, the body becomes more desperate for fuel to function correctly. Thirdly, the body looks to fat stores to use for energy. By metabolizing fat, the body walks away with “free fatty acids” that it carries to the liver for help in manufacturing energy. Next, with the influx of fatty acids, the liver produces more ketone bodies for fuel. Finally, the body realizes that ketones provide high levels of energy and uses them for the brain as well as muscle tissues.
Ketosis is part of the magic that makes the Medifast diet so effective. It also provides many of the benefits by eliminating hunger and contributing to high energy levels. By maintaining a low calorie intake along with ketosis, Medifast helps reduce weight quickly and safely.
Research on programs such as Medifast indicates that ketosis does not cause physical harm, especially at the mild level that exists in the Medifast program. Instead, ketosis remains just high enough to provide energy while allowing the muscle tissue to remain untouched and unharmed. Ketosis is much healthier than the alternative of being overweight.
Keeping in Ketosis
Eating even small amounts of the wrong foods may be the body’s biggest hindrance in achieving ketosis. Consuming carbohydrate foods release insulin and forces the body to return to using glucose for energy instead of fat stores. While weight loss is still possible, eating decreases the power that comes from having a low intake of both calories and carbohydrates.
Any carbohydrate foods (bread, pasta, potatoes, fruit or fruit juices and most vegetables) will disrupt the delicate balance of nutrients, decreasing ketosis and jeopardizing its effects and the patient’s likelihood of staying on the program.
As little as one half a slice of bread or about fifteen grams of carbohydrate can shift the body’s choice of fuel away from the fat stores and back to glucose. For some people, going out of ketosis for one day can cost up to a week of weight loss progress. One must remember that Medifast puts the body into a very specific metabolic state that causes it to react much differently than when on a food-plan diet. If it is impossible to refrain from food, eat a protein choice, such as meat, eggs, milk or cheese. While this will increase caloric intake, it will allow the body to remain in ketosis, which will prove less detrimental to the program and long-term weight-loss goals.
Whatever happens, make sure to take the proper amount of supplements each day. Also, remember that ketosis is the ultimate goal. It will help keep up energy and protect muscle tissue. Work hard at staying within the boundaries of the Medifast program and allow ketosis to do its job so that your goals may be reached.
Need more information on ketosis?
View an article in our Support Forum on ketosis.
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[...] Ketosis [...]
How many calories it required to stay in Ketosis? I was always told that it was 500-800 calories. And if we need to munch on something just to simply chew something what is the best thing to do other than gum?
Hi Stephani, our 5 & 1 program provides approximately 850-1000 calories, depending upon the protein & vegetable selection. Typically we want to see the total carb intake between 80-85 grams; the meal plan you describe would be considered a VLC (Very Low Calorie). Our Take Shape For Life Program is not a VLC plan; ours is neither high protein nor carb free but rather provides adequate levels of protein to preserve muscle tissue and burn the stored fat. We really do not use the term ‘ketosis’ as people on our program are in such a mild state, it often does not register on keto stix. When hunger & energy levels increase, usually within a matter of a few days; these are indicators of being in fat-burning. The best part is that cravings eventually disappear, too. It is essential to not eat any extra carbohydrates – no fruit, no alcohol, no candy, no crackers, no cookies, no bread or croutons; drink copious amounts of water.
Regarding a snack – have a couple dill pickle spears, the sodium & crunch you desire may be relieved with a pickle! Or you might have a sugar-free Popsicle. You may have one half cup of s-f Jell-O. Jell-O doesn’t really do it for me but it might for you.
I go for a walk, drink a big old teapot full of peppermint tea or make a phone call when I wanna munch out.
I hope that helps you; call your Health Coach for personal assistance (or me, if you don’t have one & want one!). This is an excellent program, I lost 135 pounds of nasty life-sucking fat in seven months; I started on July 2002 & am enjoying an active healthy thinner life; I’ll be 61 in a couple weeks!
(Posted by Tim for Nancy)
I would like to get on this program!! Any help would be greatly appreciated
Hi Will,
Give us a call at 1.888.886.2629 and we’ll get you going.
You’ve made a great decision!
I have been doing this for 5 days now. The first day I screwed up and just figured out the carb thing. Yesterday was OP and so far today is, but, I am HUNGRY all the time. My stomach does this crazy growling thing and I have bad gas. What’s the deal. THe food is not that bad, some is actually good but all I keep thinking about is cookies and food in general. AGH!!! how much longer is this going to last???? Thanks, Jeanette
Dear Jeanette ~
Hmmm…still feeling hungry, eh? Let’s see if we can assist you with this. I’ll put on my Sherlock Holmes hat and ask you to hang with me while we sort this out.
You mentioned you messed up on Day 1.
It sounds like Day 2 & Day 3 were on-program.
On-Program means that 5 meal replacements were consumed on time (at two & a half to three hour intervals) and the Lean & Green meal was weighed, measured and the portions were in alignment with the Quick Start Guide for the type of protein, right?
How did you do with water intake?
You mention bad gas….
Yeah, well, some people experience evil toots if they are not drinking enough water, if they eat several bars per day or if they ingest sugar-free mints/gum/drinks…
Some sugar-free products contain Malitol which has given me a new nickname: Toots La Rue….I avoid it like H1N1…it turned our BR into a toxic dump; I absolutely avoid it at all costs. Some folks can also have blow-out results from Sorbitol and Xylitol can produce laxative-type manifestations if eaten in large quantities by others. Read the labels of everything you eat. Limit s-f gum and mints – no more than three total per day. They do contain some carbs; manufactures can claim ‘zero’ carbs as long as the content is below .5 gram so if you have three s-f carb-free sticks of gum, you may actually be getting 1.5 grams of carbs.
The above ^ paragraph is my personal opinion and based on my personal experience; it may not be yours and may not be true of others
But I mention it because some people tend to use s-f gum and/or mints when they first get started which may contribute to random gassy explosions!
I don’t know what your current weight is – the water intake recommendation is to take your current weight, divide it in half (got that number in mind?); slurp that number of OUNCES of water per day. It may be a lot more water than what you are usually accustomed to consuming so begin with a minimum of 64 ounces and ramp it up to the suggested amount as soon as you are able. Water is important for general health and well-being; it chases headaches and constipation away, keeps the tummy feeling full, assists the body with metabolizing fat loss, regulating blood pressure and lots of other good things.
Our experience is that the more bars people eat per day, the less water they drink which may contribute to higher octane emissions!
Since I am fully capable of producing gas in quantities that compete with Arco, I spoke to Dr. Lisa Davis, the TSFL scientist and researcher this past July at the summer convention. She suggested using the new Essential 1: Digestive Health supplement to reduce gas and bloating. I started using them mid-July and love ‘em; they’ve eliminated constipation and gas for moi…
Jeanette, I need to know every single thing you’ve eaten and at what time it was eaten; Sherlock will get to the bottom of this for you!
Hunger can manifest itself in various ways.
Is it true hunger or head hunger?
Hunger can occur if meals are spread too far apart. Never go more than 4 hours between meals. My experience is that most people do best when they eat at 2.5 hour intervals or two hours and forty-five minutes. When blood sugar levels begin to drop, the stomach feels empty and may begin churning or growling, energy levels can begin to decline. Some people get a slight headache or feel kind of shaky or puny.
When I started the weight loss phase in 2002, I set an alarm at three hour intervals and ate totally by the clock. If I felt hungry in between meals (and initially I did feel hunger!), I had a cup of peppermint tea, drank another glass of water or made a phone call/folded clothes/listened to a favorite CD/went outside/read a chapter or two from my book/went to bed early, etc. I distracted myself until it was meal time.
I determined there was a pattern to my hunger – I was rarely hungry when I was at work and was busy; hunger appeared on the weekends and in the evenings. I stopped watching TV for a while; I couldn’t hack the commercials – they are food- and drink-oriented.
Sometimes seeing or smelling food can trigger a ‘hunger alert’ which may not truly be physical hunger – it can occur because it’s been our habit to eat when we see/smell/think about or anticipate eating. Boredom/sadness/stress/ & other emotions can also trigger hunger but are not true signs of hunger.
Hunger can rear its ugly head if we have been ‘super-sizing’ our meals such as eating ‘just a little bit more’ meat, or a spoonful extra of veggies or a nibble of a cracker, or a corner of a cookie, etc. Consuming extra calories, especially carbohydrates can prevent us from attaining or maintaining the fat-burning zone.
While most guidelines indicate keeping carbs between 80 & 85 grams is best, it is possible to inadvertently mess things up when using extra things like seemingly carb-free foods such as sugar-free mints/gum, s-f syrups, extra sweetener packets, salad dressings, etc.
I love the fact that with the Take Shape For Life 5 & 1 Plan, we really do not have to get out the calculator, slide rule, abacus or pencil; they’ve done the research and dosed it out perfectly for us in our five daily meal packets!
When we follow the program exactly, it works well because it is a specific ratio of protein, carbs and fat. Messing with the program, ‘though can push us outside the fat-burning state and one can end up just far enough outside the zone, that hunger is present, making it more difficult to stick to the program.
I was accustomed to eating a lot of calories from fat when I first got started on the program. I used to eat a minimum of one cube of butter per day in addition to the other fat and high sugar content I ate on a daily basis. When I began the weight loss phase, I had a lot of stomach acid rolling around in my stomach, it growled and churned about as it laughed at the very small amount of food I was sending down the old chute at three hour intervals! Some clients with growly/prowly hunger sensations that linger past the first week may wish to take an acid blocker such as Tagamet or Prilosec for a week, it may tame the growls as the stomach acids adjusts to the smaller quantity of food.
We often have conversations with people regarding fruit & alcohol. Both are metabolized as a sugar/carbohydrate by the body. An orange is indeed good for us, it is considered to be ‘healthy’ by most but when eaten, our blood sugar is elevated and then when it drops, we begin searching for something else to eat. When a diabetic experiences a low glucose reading, they often have a glass of oj or a piece of candy; it raises their blood sugar immediately. During the weight loss phase, no fruit or alcohol!
Jeanette, I hope some of my comments serve as food for thought; I can better assist you if I see your detailed meal plan.
Here is a sample of what I’m looking for when I refer to a detailed meal plan…
Get up time: 7:15 AM
Water: 16 ounces hot water
Time: 7:45 AM Medifast Meal # 1: (list the specific meal) Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal with ½ teaspoon cinnamon
one 12 ounce cup of black coffee
Water: 16 ounces water sipped throughout morning until next meal time
Time: 10:45 AM Medifast Meal # 2: Dark Choc Antioxidant Shake made with 10 ounces water
Water: 16 ounces water sipped throughout morning until next meal time
Time: 1:30 PM Medifast Meal # 3: Chicken Noodle Soup with 1 packet crunched up MultiGrain Crackers, one 10-ounce glass of water
Water: 16 ounce bottle of water with Green Tea Lemon Flavor Infuser
Time: 4:30 pm Medifast Meal # 4: S’more Crunch bar and two cups of peppermint tea
Water: 16 ounces water slugged down between meals
Time: 7 PM Lean & Green Meal: list the exact meal Example: 5 ounces COOKED weight broiled salmon with ¼ teaspoon blackened seasoning, 2 cups Romaine with ½ cup English cucumber. Ten sprays Wish Bone Salad Spritzer Salad Dressing – Balsamic Breeze Flavor
One 10 ounce glass of water
Water: 16 ounces water sipped throughout the evening
Time: 10 PM Medifast Meal # 5: Hot Cocoa
The daily input for the above is 841 calories
99 grams protein
86 grams carbs
18.5 grams fat
Our experience shows that it is best to plan your day the day before you eat it, set out all five packets, mark off your water every time you slurp a bottle – I use a sticky note and make hash marks for each bottle completed. Treat your mealtime as you would if you were feeding an infant or taking a medication – be serious about eating on time; do all you can to put YOU first – it pays off by keeping your blood sugar in balance, hunger under control and the scale and measuring tape show consistent results when your mealtime & water intake is consistent. Keep linked in with your health coach and the supportive people in your life…
Hang in there; it WILL get easier!
Thinking thinny thoughts of you,
Nancy Pettit
OK, Ive started the program and been doing it for 5 days. I went through some headaches and hunger, but now feel more energetic and and confident that I can do this for the long term. I have about 60 pounds to lose, I weigh 260 lb and am 5′10″ tall. Waist is 38. I perform calisthenics daily and lift weights and brisk walk / slow jog (4.5 mph) the treadmill; alternating from weights one one day to treadmill on the other. I burn about 200 calories per workout on the treadmill (according to the meter on the treadmill) and probably that or more on the weights. I work at a desk most of the time, but also work an hour or two per day at jobs that require a lot of movement such as carpentry/plumbing/electrical/pole climbing/wood cutting.
When it comes time for the lean and green portion of the day, I want more protein and greens than the recommended amounts. I eat game meat; deer, elk, buffalo as I am a hunter and have plenty on hand. I also eat fish such as tuna and salmon as I am a fisherman and keep it on hand as well.
I eat 10-to-12 oz portions of meat and a Large (3-4 cups) salad with a variety of green vegetables like; cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, broccoli, onion greens, pepperoncini, pickles. Throughout the day I usually drink 2 tbsp of pepperoncini vinegar, eat 3-6 pepperoncini peppers and have
a couple of pickles. I drink a lot of water in the morning prior to my workout and then continue to drink lots of water throughout the day. I drink at least the recommended 64 oz. but I would say quite likely a bit more.
My Question: I am wondering if I can count on maintaining a state of ketosis even with the larger portions of meat and salad during my lean and green meal. Do the workout calories burnt help to keep the body in ketosis even when consuming a larger than recommended lean and green meal? Does the larger than recommended amount of lean and green eaten in a single sitting take me out of ketosis? If that is the case, am I allowed more lean and green if I break it into two smaller lean/green meals in one day considering the workouts that I do? The alternative is just to not eat more lean and green, but I am hoping for an excuse to keep the higher levels of protein and greens if possible.
I feel great, surprisingly I really do feel more energetic, have mild occasional cravings but very little actual hunger.
Hi Wayne,
My recommendation would be to cut your lean and green meal down to the prescribed portion sizes. Game meat is very lean and the portions for the proteins you mention is suggested at 7 ounces cooked weight. We do not recommend that people double up the meal portions; allow a couple hours between meals. For some of our very active clients, we suggest a 4 & 2 Meal plan – four meal replacements and two lean and green meals. To utilize the 4 & 2, you could have a Lean and Green meal for breakfast and supper or for Lunch and Supper. Although you do not mention it, be sure your daily food intake includes some healthy fats such as olive oil, flaxseed oil or canola oil.
Even though I eat fish, shrimp and crab three or four times a week and very lean meat, I include two Omega 3 supplement capsules daily.
That’s great that you are carving out time to exercise regularly; most of us find that it helps us to manage stress and exercise can actually help us to be more productive. It is good that you are interested in your fitness level and overall health but please remember to take it easy the first three weeks on the program while your body adjusts to the lower calorie levels.
Body weight is the result of calories taken in and calories burned; weight loss occurs when we eat fewer calories per day and/or when we burn more calories than we take in. When a person exercises more than the recommended 45 minutes per day, the body can actually begin to stop shedding weight and conserve or store fat. Check often with your Health Coach to be sure you are on track; there are times we have clients take an additional meal replacement and have their meals closer together at two hour intervals.
Since hunger does go away, it is really important to not skip any meals and it sounds like you are making every effort to drink adequate levels of water, the pickles and/or pepperoncini may assist you if you sweat during your workout or regular carpentry or woodcutting routines.
Our bodies are beautifully created and they need fuel spaced throughout the day to run with best efficiency; skipping meals or super-sizing the meals will effects the way the body operates and the way the availability of the nutrition.
Keep up the great work and stay committed to your goal.
Here’s to your health!
10 days into it. i lost 4 pounds the first 4 days. but, messed up day 10 at a dinner that had to go to. drank 3 glasses red wine. right back on it but does this disrupt it all ?
Hi Maria,
Yep….sorry to say it can disrupt your weight loss for a couple days. For further info on this, you can hop over to our support forum to see several discussions on this topic. (Do a “ketosis alcohol” search without the quotes)
From the Medifast FAQ’s:
“You should avoid all alcoholic beverages while you are on Medifast. Because alcohol is metabolized similar to a carbohydrate, it will decrease ketosis and slow your weight loss.”
Good luck and keep us posted.
Tim
Hello! I am a 55 year old female, weight: 176 pounds. waist: 35 inches,Height: 5 foot 8 inches tall. I live on a Beef cattle ranch, and grow a huge garden. I do not eat prepared, processed, packaged food, nor white flour/sugar/salt etc… I do grind my own grain and make whole wheat 7-grain bread, and I eat lots of that, plus potates/meat every day. I have just recently been diagnosed with FATTY LIVER DISEASE and TYPE 2 DIABETES. I was shocked!! My brother told me about Ketosis. I am wanting to know if it is a safe diet for diabetics?
Thanks,
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
Our program has been safely used since 1980 by diabetics and non-diabetics alike and it creates a mild dietary state of ketosis. The program was studied by comparing it to the basic nutrition recommendation of the ADA (The American Diabetes Association) After 34 weeks on the program, type 2 diabetics were twice as likely to stick to our program and lost twice as much weight as the people on the ADA food program. Our program is safe and very effective for short and long term use.