The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Nite Izes]

As you know, when I started Medfast I had an intestinal disorder that by 1999 was quite serious causing my health to deteriorate. I have been treated since that time and last year in January 2004, I spoke of Medifast with my doctor, since I was on it back in 1990 and lost the weight and kept it off for 9 years, until my stomach disorder took over and started causing rapid weight gain. My doctors recommended that I can be on Medifast, but not a full liquid plan (due to health issues) and must eat a meal to help my system along. 10 months later, I can say I am happy that it helped me alot when other plan of treatments was not working well for me. I may not have lost the weight as fast as I wanted, but I lost it and in a safe and healthy way without causing any health problems. All I can say is the fiber and nutrients in Medifast helped me alot and my stomach condition has regulated to almost a normal condition.

Since my doctors advised me to eat a meal with my Medifast, I want to instead of preparing and cooking my meals use this in its place, the Essential One. I know that Essential One is for weight management, but if I use this instead of the home meals that I am required to take, I think it will help me along. I plan on buying 1 month's worth of the grilled chicken, tuna & chicken salad.

*** Should I include the grilled beef within my 1 month plan?
*** What is the fat, protein, carb, fiber and calorie values of the grilled beef?
*** Does the grilled items have any additives or preservatives?
*** Should I buy only the tuna and chicken salads?
*** Should I buy even amount of all 4 (grilled meat ok)? I want to buy more of the salad ones and have about 4 each of the grill meats. What do you recommend?
**** Is eating just the Essential One sufficient as a meal replacement or do I have to add a veggie or salad to complete as a meal? I have to eat 1 solid meal a day that is high in protein and fiber, low in calories and carbs and can not go against what has been prescribed to me.

I feel that buying Essential One will help me along with my weight loss and keep me out of the kitchen more as well as from straying in the supermarket buying food for myself. All I have to do its open one of these bag and eat as a dinner meal or just nuke the grill ones. Can you please give me advice before I go see the nutirionist, I want to present the info to her and use this as my required daily meal that I am to have. Thanks

[Nancy]

Hello, Nite ~

While I am not your personal Health Advisor, I am happy to answer your request.

The Essential One meals are a great addition to the Medifast pantry of nutritious meals. I like to refer to them as MRE (meals ready to eat).

The Essential 1 meals are perfect for fulfilling the "One regular" food meal for the 5 and 1 Program or can be used for people who want to get a nutritiously balanced meal that is convenient and simple to prepare.

Essential 1 Meals are not to be used to replace one of the 5 Medifast meal replacements for the 5 and 1 Program.

The Grilled Beef Patties and the Chicken Breast are fully cooked, seasoned and freeze dried. The Chicken Breast and Beef Patties are packaged 2 servings per box. A cinch to prepare, you just carefully open the plastic 'tray' and pour a small amount of boiling water over the meat. It's about 1/2 cup of water. You allow the meat to absorb the water - it takes about 3-4 minutes.

The Tuna Salad and Chicken Salad are premixed with a light mayonnaise and seasonings. One serving per foil pouch. Needs no refrigeration.

Essential 1 Chicken Breast
120 calories
2.5 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 0 grams Trans fat)
90 mg Cholesterol
350 mg Sodium
350 mg Potassium
0 grams Carbs
0 grams Sugars
0 grams fiber
24 grams Protein
0 mg Calcium
% of daily value of vitamins and minerals: 0-8%

Essential 1 Beef Patties
90 calories
3 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 0 grams Trans fat)
45 grams cholesterol
280 mg Sodium
200 mg Potassium
2 grams Carbs
1 gram Sugars
2 grams fiber
14 grams Protein
0 mg Calcium
% of daily value of vitamins and minerals: 0-15%

Essential 1 Tuna Salad (also formulated for diabetics)
90 calories
3 grams fat (.5 gram saturated, 0 grams Trans fat)
15 grams cholesterol
390 mg Sodium
180 mg Potassium
6 grams Carbs
2 grams Sugars
<1 grams fiber
10 grams Protein
20 mg Calcium
% of daily value of vitamins and minerals: 2-10%

Essential 1 Chicken Salad (also formulated for diabetics)

100calories
3 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 0 grams Trans fat)
20 grams cholesterol
360 mg Sodium
200 mg Potassium
7 grams Carbs
1 gram Sugars
2 grams fiber
10 grams Protein
20 mg Calcium
% of daily value of vitamins and minerals: 2-6%



In order for the meal to be considered balanced, one must also have a small green salad consisting of 1-2 cups of any kind of salad greens plus up to 1/2 cup chopped raw vegetables with 1-2 Tablespoons of low-fat or no-fat salad dressing. Of course we recommend one of the Medifast Salad Dressings! (4 varieties from which to choose: Honey Dijon, Caesar, Creamy Italian, Ranch)

AND up to one and one-half cups of cooked non-starchy vegetables.


Asparagus
Beans - green, wax, Italian
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplants
Green Peppers
Greens - Collard and Turnip
Lettuce - ice berg, Romaine
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Radishes
Snow Peas
Spinach
Tomatoes
Turnips
Zucchini
Yellow crookneck squash

Vegetables are best when selected fresh and eaten raw or steamed.

The Chicken Salad and Tuna Salad are sold as individual servings in a foil pouch. The chicken breasts and beef patties are boxed two servings per box - a serving is considered one chicken breast or one beef patty.

Should I include the grilled beef within my 1 month plan?

It is a matter of personal preference. The beef patty would be my least favorite choice - it seems like a puny serving to me.

What is the fat, protein, carb, fiber and calorie values of the grilled beef?

See above

Does the grilled items have any additives or preservatives?

Yup

Should I buy only the tuna and chicken salads?

Again, it's up to your taste buddies and your whim for the day! Do you want a chilled salad and veggies or a warmed entree with veggies and salad?

Should I buy even amount of all 4 (grilled meat ok)? I want to buy more of the salad ones and have about 4 each of the grill meats. What do you recommend?

Two boxes each of the Chicken Breasts and Grilled Beef Patties = 4 meals of each. Again, it is really up to your personal preference. I like the taste of the Tuna and Chicken Salads very much and I like the convenience of them - they are fast food and they are healthy. Ditto for the chicken breasts for those days that Terry doesn't feel like barbecuing with an umbrella in one hand or for when I don't feel like cleaning up George (the GF grill) and the kitchen! Oh, I am a lazy Leopardess...

[Nite Izes]

Thanks Nancy for all the info and your help.

I guess I will buy the pre-packaged tuna and chicken salads for the month, since I also noticed these has calcium in which I need. I will also continue eating these with my meals as I am currently, having a green salad and my veggies. I usually have the salad plain with no dressing, but noticed you also have Medifast Salad Dressings and it is ok to have. I'll get some of those too. Honey ranch sounds yummy.

[Nancy]

The Medifast salad dressings are good.

There is no Honey-Ranch. There is Honey Dijon. Ranch is a separate kind.

You mix them with water and vinegar for a no-fat version and you may have a teaspoon-tablespoon of canola or olive oil if you want a low-fat version. The dressings are great drizzed over steamed veggies, too or as a marinade over chicken or fish.

[Nite Izes]

oh dear, I meant the honey dijon (got carried away typing). I did not know you can use the dressing with cooked veggies, thanks for the idea. It will boost my sometimes bland salad and plain steamed veggies

[Nancy]

Lemon juice is another good thing to use for seasoning. I use just a small amount on steamed broccoli - and some lemon pepper - very good. Mrs. Dash has a variety of sodium-free seasonings that are wonderful for salad, meat and veggies.

Here's a weird one for you - I line a bake sheet with foil, shred a couple cups of cabbage onto the foil, drizzle the cabbage with a bit of vinegar and dry mustard (mixed together) and ker-plunk and chicken breast on top of it. Sprinkle with paprika and lemon peppa and bake. I like it. I'm probably creating some kind of a chemical reaction with the foil and vinegar combo but since I have better things to do than scrub pans, I like to just wab up the foil and toss it; then slink outta the kitchen. Because I can...

[Nite Izes]

I like lemon juice on my seafood and Colguin liquid smoke on my chicken breast. I do not have a smoker (need to buy one), so I broil the chicken marinated in liquid smoke and it is not bad, but many times, I just eat a can of tuna or crab with some green lettuce and some grilled or steamed veggies.

Regarding the cabbage, I definitely have to do that one, but I try to keep out of the kitchen because I tend to have an inquiring tongue to nibble and taste test things. What type of vinegar you use, I have rice wine vinegar, red, white, wine and balsalmic vinegars. I actually have everything else, green cabbage, lemon, dry mustard, chicken breast, all I need to know which vinegar would be best for this. I think balsamic might be too strong. Is ker-plunk known as a wooden cedar plank, I am not sure what that is?

[Nancy]

Nite ~

I use wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar - whatever happens to be within my grasp. Sometimes I just sprinkle the dry mustard on top of the shredded cabbage and on top of the chicken breast - it is spicy hot and I love it!

When I said, 'ker-plunk' I just meant that I put the chicken breast right on top of the mound of cabbage. The cabbage cooks down quite a bit, the chicken breast helps to hold some of the moisture in the cabbage. I fold the sides of the foil up around the edge of the cabbage/chicken.

The liquid smoke sounds very good. I'm sure it truly enhances the flavor of the chicken.