During the Medifast Transition Phase, you will be reintroduced to foods that you have put on hold during the Medifast 5 & 1 Program. You will now be able to eat foods such as fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, and higher carbohydrate vegetables.
Below are some helpful guidelines in selecting the kind of foods to eat during the Transition phase:
GRAINS
It is recommended that you select foods with Whole Oats, Whole Rye or Whole Wheat. These ingredients should be the first one listed on the label’s ingredients list. Bread that has at least 2 grams of fiber in each slice is also recommended. Be wary of foods labeled Multi-grain, Stone Ground, 100% Wheat or Bran as these are usually not whole grain products. As a general rule, it is best to choose foods with fewer added sugars, fats, or oils.
When choosing what to eat,
- Opt to have Whole Grain Bread instead of Refined White Bread.
- Choose Brown Rice instead of White Rice.
- Choose Whole Wheat Pasta instead of Refined Flour Pasta.
- Choose Whole Wheat Flour instead of Refined Flour.
- Choose Whole-grain breakfast cereal instead of sugary breakfast cereal
Here are some examples of one serving of grain food:
- 1 cup of unsweetened cereal
- 1/2 cup cooked cereal
- 1/3 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/2 cup cooked whole wheat pasta
- 1 slice whole grain bread
DAIRY
When eating dairy, opt for fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt. Cheese may occasionally be used as a substitute for Lean Meat. Keep in mind that sweetened milk products contain added sugars which increases your calorie intake. So, it would be wise to avoid them when you can. Try to choose sugar-free foods when you can.
When choosing what to eat,
- Choose either skim or 1% milk instead of 2% milk or whole milk
- Choose either fat-free or low-fat yogurt instead of whole-milk yogurt
Here are some examples of one serving of dairy food:
- 1 cup milk (skim or 1% low fat)
- 1 cup soy milk, low fat or fat free
- 1 cup low fat or fat free buttermilk
- 1/2 cup evaporated fat free milk
- 1 cup fat free non-nutritive sweetened and/or fructose sweetened yogurt
- 1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup soy milk
MEAT
When shopping for meat, always choose lean cuts of beef and pork such as loin and round cuts. Choose fresh cuts of meats when possible instead of processed meats as processed meats contain added sodium. Examples of processed meat include ham and sausage deli meats.
When buying some poultry, opt for skinless poultry. Keep in mind that boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices. It is also advised to eat at least one serving of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids each week. Examples of these are salmon, albacore, tuna, mackarel, trout or herring.
Should you want to consume meat substitutes, you may also choose meat substitutes made with soybeans or textured vegetable protein, legume-type beans, egg whites, egg substitutes or low fat cheeses. It is not advisable to use liver and other organ meats as these are high in cholesterol. If you must do so, use them sparingly.
When choosing what to eat,
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of chicken thighs with skin
- Choose lean ground beef (85-99% lean) instead of regular ground beef (70-80% lean)
- Choose grilled, baked, or broiled meats instead of deep-fried meats.
Here are some examples of one serving of lean meat (4-6 ounces of cooked weight of any lean meat or meat substitute):
- skinless chicken or turkey (white meat preferred)
- white fish (fresh or frozen cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, trout), tuna (fresh or canned in water), smoked salmon, salmon (fresh or canned)
- shellfish (clams, crabs, lobster, scallops, shrimp, imitation shellfish)
- duck, venison, buffalo, or ostrich
- egg whites or an egg substiture
- low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese
- fat-free cheese
- processed sandwich meats with one gram of fat or less per ounce (such as deli thin meats) including turkey, roast beef and ham
- USDA Select or Choice grades of lean beef trimmed of fat such as round, sirloin, and flank steak, tenderloin, roast (rib chuck, rump); steak (T-bone, porterhouse); ground round
- lamb: roast, chop or leg
- veal: lean chop, roast
- 1/2 cup beans or lentils (cooked)
More Transition Foods on next post.
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