Medifast knows that you will not remain on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan forever. At a certain point in time, you are expected to reach your goal in terms of the weight that you want your body to have. When you reach your goal, Medifast will help you “Transition” from the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan to the “Maintenance” phase.
The “Transition” and “Maintenance” phases are aimed to provide you with a strong and solid program that will help you sustain your weight loss results on a long-term basis. They are the important phases necessary to form and put structure into your new and healthy lifestyle. You will be reintroduced to foods that you have previously not been able to eat such as fruits, whole grains, higher carbohydrate vegetables as well as low-fat dairy products. Keep in mind that Medifast is not just a short-term weight loss solution. Rather, it is aimed at providing you with a lifestyle change necessary to maintain your weight loss results as well as the healthy habits you have acquired.
During the Transition and Maintenance phases, it is important to think about your initial reasons for wanting to lose weight. Contemplate on the goals you have set when you started on with the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan. Reflect on those factors that motivated you to lose weight and use the same goals to keep you focused and motivated to maintain your weight loss efforts.
When you started out with the Medifast 5 & 1 program, you may have realized that goals are easier to achieve when you break them down into small steps. What may seem to be hard to achieve becomes simple and easy when they are planned properly.
The next phase of the Medifast 5 & 1 Program is the “Transition” phase. This phase will start once you have reached your goal. As mentioned above, you will be re-acquainted with foods that have been temporarily put on hold during the 5 & 1 Program such as fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains and higher-carbohydrate vegetables as well as a variety of foods that you can prepare yourself.
In the Transition phase, calories are added to your system in a progressive manner. It gives your body an opportunity to adjust to the new level of calories and carbohydrates. Transition likewise assists you to control your portion sizes.
When moving to the Transition phase, it is important to do so in a gradual manner. Do not stop the 5 & 1 Plan abruptly but rather do so, carefully. It is recommended that you proceed with the 5 & 1 Plan for one additional week before you begin with the Transition phase. A smooth and careful “transition” will not only guard you from rebounding to your old weight but it will also allow your digestive system to get used to handling other types of food.
It is recommended that you gradually increase your daily caloric intake by reintroducing a different food group each week. This is done in weekly “stages” as noted below:
- Stage 1 – Additional vegetables
- Stage 2 – Fruits
- Stage 3 – Dairy
- Stage 4 – Whole Grains
Please note that the actual number of calories you need during Transition phase is not going to be the same for everyone. This will depend on factors such as: height, weight, gender, your lean muscle mass, and activity level. Likewise, the amount of time you should remain in the Transition phase will vary depending on the amount of weight that you have lost. To give you an idea, below is a guideline for your reference:
- If you lost less than 50 pounds, allow 8 weeks to transition
- If you lost 50-100 pounds, allow 12 weeks to transition
- If you lost more than 100 pounds, allow 16 weeks to transition
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