Re:weight loss programs

[Guest guest]

Dear Grace,

I have been a health coach for Take Shape for Life for about a year. Mostly offer it to patients as another alternative to weight loss. It is a meal replacement program using Medifast soy based packets, (soups, oatmeal, shakes, etc) but also includes one normal meal per day that the client must prepare and helps teach them to change their eating habits to more frequent meals that are healthier. There is also a strong maintenance program, with support through daily/weekly emails, phone conferences, etc. I receive a portion of what the client purchases from medifast. I have some patients that have been very successful and found the weight loss to be relatively easy. Many continue to use some of the meal replacements even after they reach their goal weight. I usually contact patients that are enrolled via email to give them support and follow up in the office for any medical related issues, ie monitoring blood work. The program is really quite safe. There is a medical board that oversees the program. After one is a client, one has an option to become a health coach. It is a network marketing program, so there is the potential for problems there, however it's such a good deal for clients. They can actually buy the medifast products on line at the same cost as if they purchased them through tsfl, but then with tsfl, they get all the support. The other concern I have is that the replacements are mostly made with genetically modified soy and I'm not sure i'm totally comfortable with that aspect. It is a fairly easy way to lose weight and if one sticks with the maintenance program (no extra cost), one can be successful. website www.tsfl.com

Janice Pegels, MD

IMP FP or several years, Amazing Charts/Miadoc/EZclaim/Appt Quest

Vestal, NY