Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Medifast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Bars left to right - S'mores, Caramel Crunch, Cookie Dough and Lemon Meringue)

There are a plethora of weight loss programs out there. Equally as such, there will always be both positive and negative reviews. Prior to joining the Medifast Go diet plan, I wasn't exactly sure how it worked. Obviously I knew you ate their food, and I saw an abundance of amazing before and after photos, but I still wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Now 4 weeks in and I have a good handle on how it works.

Getting Started with Medifast:

Select your food. It's not all meal bars (although the above photo of them are some of my faves.) For a 30 day supply on Medifast Go, you select 22 boxes of Medifast Meals and 5 boxes of Flavors of Home. There are 7 meals per box. The meal boxes are the foods you will eat 5 times per day, and Flavors of Home are your one "lean and green meal." The lean and green meal contains protein and your 3 servings of veggies. Right now my two faves are Chicken and Rice and Beef Stew. Your lean and green meal does not need to be dinner. If you want to eat it for lunch, you can, and just eat one of the Medifast Meals for dinner.  As for the regular meals, these consist of bars, chocolate chip pancakes, cereal, Gingerbread Soft Bake, shakes and ready-to-go drinks, meal options like Beef Soup, Vegetable Chili, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and then "snacks" like BBQ Bites and Cinnamon Pretzel Sticks.  There's obviously a lot more to choose from, so you have a lot of options and diversity. The great thing about all of the meals is that they are nutritionally all the same (except Flavors of Home.) The same calories, protein, vitamins and minerals and all are low in fat. That means you can eat oatmeal at lunch or for your mid-afternoon snack, or if you're feeling that sweet tooth earlier in the day, the Caramel Crunch Bar is perfect. Oh and least I forget one of the additional items I discovered - their Flavor Enhancers! You need to increase your water intake and if you are anything like me, you're like no thanks, because water is meh. I usually add a freshly cut lemon slice, but started using the Calorie Burn Mixed Berry Flavor Infuser. OMG so good! There's been a definite increase in my water consumption since I started using it. 21 packets come in each box.

Gingerbread Soft Bake

Exercise on Medifast

While you should lose weight from reigning in your caloric intake, cutting down on sugar, fat and carbs, this isn't a miracle diet plan or "an easy way to lose weight without exercise!" During my research I actually saw that as a pitch of many reps and reviewers. However, Medifast does not at any time in its tips or literature tell you that you don't have to exercise. They do tell you to start slowly if you've never really been active, but they encourage you to exercise to complement, and many times, to help expedite weight loss. Of course, exercise helps you to tone up too, which you'll want to do as the pounds melt away to avoid loose, sagging skin. Here's what I do - aim to meet my 6500 steps per day goal (I work from home, so this is actually a high number for me), I'll either jog for 15 minutes or do a HIIT workout for 15 minutes (there are a bunch on YouTube) and then I do about 5-10 minutes of planks, push-ups and side twists (again, YouTube is your best friend for this.) I try to mix it up each day so that I don't get bored.

Cook Your Own Food on Medifast

You are not "confined" all day to strictly eating Medifast meals. You can choose to cook your protein and veggies from your own storebought items instead of eating a Flavors of Home meal. I do this quite often, actually, because I don't want to get into the habit of not cooking healthy meals for myself. I want it to become a habit of shopping the produce aisle, choosing the meat or fish item and learning a recipe (their Simply Well Cookbook is bomb and lends lots of ideas!) Cooking my lean and green meal has actually become my favorite part of the day. While cooking my family dinner, I also make my meals (which I'll often hear how good it smells.) The Simply Well Cookbook has become a trusted friend, so far I've made Shrimp Scampi (where linguini is swapped out and replaced with spaghetti squash), Hamburger Mac and Cheese and Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers. I also love making salmon with spinach, mushrooms and broccoli in a skillet. Making your own lean and green meals can also help you to avoid the dreaded "backing up" that I mentioned in my last post.

Don't Miss Out on Dining Out

Wait, what? You can actually eat out and get take-out on Medifast? Oh, yes you can! One of my biggest anxieties was around my family's love of weekend take-out and restaurant hopping. My husband and I work really long days, so come Friday through Sunday, we do not want to cook. In my initial shipment, I received a Dining Out Guide. It not only gives you lots of tips when eating out, it tells you what to look for and avoid with different cuisines. Then it goes on to list, by restaurant chain name, which meals from their menu keep you in line with your weight loss plan. Some are Applebees, IHOP, Chili's, Outback, T.G.I Friday's, etc. From reviewing the options, it has helped me to decipher the menus of the locally owned restuarants in my area, as well. For example, when my family orders pizza, I can order their Chicken Caesar Salad (no croutons.) And no, you are not just eating rabbit food, there are also seafood, chicken and beef items listed for each restaurant as well. Just choose to load up on non-carb/non-starchy veggies and eat a smaller portion of the meal and take the rest home. And this is what I love - the Medifast Go plan is both convenient and non-limiting. So far it's working for me and is really also helping me to become more mindful when I grocery shop and when I eat out. My 4 week stats - Starting: Weight: 183 lbs BMI: 35.7% (I’m 5′) Bust: 43″ Waist: 44″ Hips: 46″ Butt: 47″ Arm: 13″ Legs: 25″ Neck: 13.5″ Four week mark: Weight: 178.5 BMI: 34.9% Bust: 42″ Waist: 42″ Hips: 44″ Butt: 44″ Arm: 12.5″ Legs: 24″ Neck: 12.5″ TOTAL:  4.5 lbs lost, 0.8% BMI loss, and  10.5 inches lost. While I may not have lost a lot of weight in one month (and yes, I am disappointed but blame myself), the inch loss has made a difference in how my pants fit. They are definitely much looser and have me at an in between size. I'm determined to work harder for month two to decrease my inches and weight loss. Follow my journey from the beginning: How to Lose Weight at Home What the First Few Weeks on Medifast are Really Like If you’ve already worked this weight loss program with success, I would love your encouragement and tips in the comments! *Average weight loss for Medifast Direct® customers using Medifast Go™ is 11 pounds. Medifast Direct customers are in weight loss, on average, for 8 weeks. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!