Clinical Program Celebrates Five Years

It's been four months since I enrolled in the Medi Weight Loss Clinics Program®.

Wow! What a difference just a few months makes.

Medi Weight Loss® has been around for five years and has offices from Alabama to Virginia.

I started out at 226 pounds and am now at 204 with a goal weight of 140 though I really want to shoot for 130.

During Phase I the Ketogenic Diet (Acute Phase) is designed to force your body to burn fat. To do this, you must reduce your calorie intake to no less than 500 calories of protein. Very lean protein is 35 calories, lean is 55, and medium fat is 75. For instance, cottage cheese (which I love with peaches) is 70 calories in half a cup of 0 percent milk fat, 90 in
half a cup of two percent milk fat, and 110 in four percent milk fat, although the latter may depend on the brand. You can also buy the clinic's protein shake in chocolate which is 115 calories (30 grams).

Lean meat includes white meat of chicken, no skin, white meat, skinless turkey, skinless cornish hen, cod or haddock, non-fat cottage cheese, trout, flounder, halibut, egg white, deli meat (1 gram of fat or less per oz.), smoked salmon, tuna, and shellfish. These are all in the "Very Lean" (35 calories) category and they contain no carbs, seven grams of protein or one gram of fat, and 35 calories. Servings are all one ounce except for the cheese which is ¼ cup and the egg whites which are two servings.

The lean category, which is 55 calories, contains no carbs, seven grams of protein, three grams of fat, and 55 calories. You can have dark meat chicken, no skin, turkey (dark meat, no skin), lean pork, deli meat (three grams of fat or less per ounce), USDA Choice or Select, lean beef, low-fat cottage cheese, salmon, and uncreamed or smoked herring. All services are one ounce except for the cottage cheese which is ¼ cup.

Medium fat is 75 calories and has zero carbs, seven grams of protein, five grams of fat, and 75 calories. You can eat ground beef, short ribs, corned beef, prime rib, ground turkey, and eggs. All servings are one ounce.

According to the manual, these dietary measurements are estimates only and can vary on the food and prep techniques. For instance, three ounces of chicken breast equals 105 calories. A food scale is recommended to weigh your protein until you have learned healthy portion sizes.

During Phase 2, known as the Short Term Maintenance Program you cut out breads and rice. This is a transitional phase where you will be instructed and gradually weaned off of your medication.

Phase 3 is $35 per month and you continue taking your appetite suppressant.

"This step is very important since the majority of patients need continuous monitoring to maintain their desired weight," states the manual.