Medifast's Shake-y History

Like many successful companies, Medifast got its humble start when a frustrated  doctor had trouble getting enough supply of the then-popular Optifast shakes to help his patients lose weight.

Dr. William Vitale experimented with various formulations before creating a competitive high-protein, low-calorie shake to help melt off unwanted pounds. When Oprah lost a ton of weight with Optifast in 1988, diets involving shakes became all the rage, and Vitale's company -- Jason Pharmecuiticals -- reaped millions of dollars in profits.

Not surprisingly, many people still think of Medifast as solely a liquid replacement meal diet, even though shakes are only one of the many meal options these days.

Medifast still offers a variety of shakes,
but they are no longer the foundation
of the company's weight loss plan

I still love the shakes for a quick on-the-go replacement meal, especially Dutch chocolate blended with crushed ice in my Hamilton Beach mini blender, which has a handy travel container that fits nicely in my car's cup holder.

But if all I could consume were shakes, I doubt I would have sustained my enthusiasm for Medifast. These days, I can choose from "meals" like chocolate chip chewy bars, chili cheese puffs and ziti marinara, providing enough variety to keep me interested and satisfied.

It's Not Your Mother's Medifast Any More (with apologies to Oldsmobile)

Unlike the old days, I do not need a doctor's supervision to participate

Old School Medifast Sign

in the Medifast program, eliminating the high cost of joining a Medifast center. Instead, I purchase my food online through my free Take Shape for Life coach. With so many meal replacement options, I never get bored and am able to resist the temptation of cheating with virtually no willpower.

Interested in learning more about Medifast's history? Read this fascinating article, "Medifast: A Soap Opera of Success," which discusses the ups and downs of the company's publicly traded stock.

If you're interested in learning more about how you can lose weight safely and more rapidly with the Medifast 5&1 plan, please visit my Take Shape for Life website.

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