When Gloria Kopp got fed up with diet after diet that just didn’t work, she took the advice of a friend who’d slimmed down with a commercial diet plan called the Medi-Weightloss Program.
This weight loss plan, which features medical supervision and a tailored approach to weight loss, helped Kopp lose 30 pounds in six months. Losing the weight gradually gave her the confidence to keep it off.
Here’s how Medi-Weightloss works and why it might be a good weight-loss plan for you in 2025.
Introduction to Medi-Weightloss
Entrepreneur Edward Kaloust, who’d spent 40 years in the financial services industry, launched Medi-Weightloss in 2005 with the assistance of physicians, dietitians and fitness experts. Medi-Weightloss has since grown to 112 franchise locations in 25 states.
The commercial weight management program, which is designed for people who have struggled with obesity and need to lose a significant amount of weight, claims to have helped 300,000 people lose more than 9 million pounds since its founding.
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How Medi-Weightloss Works
Medi-Weightloss is a comprehensive, physician-supported approach to weight loss that involves multiple components.
— Initial consultation. First, you’ll have a consultation that includes a complete medical exam and a body composition analysis, which determines your body’s ratio of fat to lean mass.
— Personalized plans. Based on those results, you’ll receive a personalized nutrition plan and exercise education.
— Meal plans. What and how much you eat depends on the phase of the program you’re in (see below for more details on how the program progresses from rapid weight loss to maintenance).
— Supplementation. In addition to supervised weight loss support and nutritional education, Medi-Weightloss franchises offer prepackaged meals and supplements for an additional charge. The company also offers vitamin injections as an additional service.
— Lifestyle modifications. Ongoing one-on-one meetings with a health coach aim to help you make behavioral and lifestyle changes to lose weight and keep it off long-term. Throughout the program, patients are encouraged to exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
[READ: Top Healthy Habits for Weight Loss, According to Dietitians]
What can I eat on Medi-Weightloss?
While on the Medi-Weightloss program, you’ll be able to shop and cook for yourself. Because the approach is low-calorie and low-carb, you’ll be focusing on eating the following macronutrients:
— High-quality proteins, such as lean red meat, skinless white-meat poultry, eggs, fish, tempeh and tofu
— Fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli and zucchini
— Healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil
Because of their high calorie or carb content, you’ll need to limit your intake of several categories of foods:
— Dairy products: butter, cheese, cottage cheese, milk and yogurt
— Legumes: beans, chickpeas and lentils
— Starchy vegetables: beets, corn, peas, parsnips, potatoes and yams
— Whole grains: amaranth, brown rice, oats and quinoa
Foods to avoid on the Medi-Weightloss diet
“Avoiding foods that are processed or ultra-processed is central to the Medi-Weightloss diet plan,” says Candace Pumper, a staff dietitian with the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
in Columbus.
Foods to avoid:
— Processed foods, such as canned fruits and vegetables, cured or smoked meats and plain potato chips
— Processed culinary ingredients, such as honey, salt, sugar, syrup and white flour
— Refined carbohydrates, including crackers, some cereals, white bread and white rice
— Ultra-processed foods and drinks, such as baked goods, candy, fast food, fried foods, frozen desserts, flavored potato chips, preprepared convenience meals, pretzels and sugar-sweetened beverages
Three phases of the Medi-Weightloss diet
On the Medi-Weightloss Diet, you’ll progress through three phases:
— Acute phase
— Short-term maintenance phase
— Wellness phase
Acute phase
In the “acute phase,” patients follow an individualized, low-calorie
and low-carbohydrate diet. The diet features lean protein, vegetables and healthy fats that support weight loss and induce ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body shifts to burning fat for energy. A self-directed keto diet can also induce ketosis.
The plan, which is low-carb — with between 5% and 20% of your caloric intake coming from carbohydrates — should generate a caloric deficit on the order of 500 to 1,000 calories per day, Pumper says. The plan does not discuss carbohydrates consumed, however. Nor does it require you to count calories.
How long you stay in the lower-calorie phase depends on a range of factors, including how much weight you have to lose.
Once you’re on the plan, you’ll have weekly consultations with a physician. Medications that can support weight loss may also be part of the program for people who are medically eligible.
Short-term maintenance phase
As you approach your target weight, you’ll transition to the “short-term maintenance phase” of the program.
“In this phase, patients gradually increase daily calorie and carbohydrate intake and are provided the tools necessary to achieve sustainable lifestyle and behavioral change to support long-term weight maintenance,” Pumper says.
You’ll continue receiving weekly consultations and individualized guidance.
Wellness phase
During the “wellness phase,” which occurs after you’ve hit your goal weight, you’ll move to monthly consultations that have a strong focus on continued accountability, support, education and guidance to achieve overall health and wellness.
You’ll also have the opportunity to undergo advanced testing and metabolic analysis, and your body composition will be remeasured.
During this phase, you’ll adopt a 40:30:30 eating plan. Also sometimes referred to as the Zone diet, this approach means:
— 40% of your calories will come from carbohydrates
— 30% will come from protein
— 30% will come from fat
The total overall number of calories is tailored to each individual based on their height, weight, age, activity level and other factors.
Medi-Weightloss options
In addition to the standard weight loss program outlined above, Medi-Weightloss also offers:
— Weight loss medication evaluation and management
— Weight management for people with Type 2 diabetes
— Hydration and vitamin IV therapy for optimal wellness
— Vitamin and nutrient injections
— Medically supervised weight loss for kids ages 12 to 18
[READ: How to Lose Weight by Shifting Your Mindset]
Benefits of Medi-Weightloss
For people who are overweight or obese, losing weight can bring numerous health benefits:
— Effective weight loss and health improvement. Medi-Weightloss may help people lose up to 20 pounds per month, with wide-ranging health benefits, from reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease to lowering blood pressure and improving overall vitality and well-being.
— Medical supervision. This program emphasizes the involvement of physician providers who are trained in obesity medicine and bariatric care. This offers peace of mind that you’re getting a safe, tailored weight-loss approach designed for your specific needs.
— Customization and support. Individualized support and plans may lead to better success for many participants, and the ongoing contact with a health coach provides accountability for those who need it.
— Long-term lifestyle change. Because you’ll mostly cook for yourself while on the Medi-Weightloss program, you’ll learn the lifestyle changes you need to make for long-term success.
Medi-Weightloss Success Story
Gloria Kopp, a Manville, New Jersey-based customer service manager at Academized.com, had struggled with weight loss for years. She had experimented with various diets and workouts, but nothing stuck.
After a friend shared that they’d had success with Medi-Weightloss, she decided to give it a try, since it was a structured program with medical assistance.
Kopp says she found the program to be relatively straightforward because it offered clear instructions and check-ins with clinicians.
“That accountability made keeping my promises so much easier, unlike with other diets where I felt more alone,” she says.
She also found the customized plan and constant updates from the Medi-Weightloss staff to be helpful.
She recalls, “I thought it was more of an extension of my weight loss journey,” which lasted six months and resulted in a 30-pound weight loss.
While Kopp would recommend Medi-Weightloss to anyone who’s trying to lose weight, she notes that “the food limits were occasionally difficult to adhere to, particularly at social gatherings. I also had to get accustomed to being more conscious of what I ate, which was kind of challenging at first.”
She also noticed some fatigue while her body adjusted to the new diet, “but that didn’t last long,” she says.
Potential Drawbacks and Challenges
While the Medi-Weightloss program has helped many people lose weight, it comes with some potential drawbacks and challenges:
— Cost and accessibility
— Effectiveness and sustainability
— Strict meal plans and nutritional adequacy
Cost and accessibility
The long-range nature of the program and the high price of each visit can add up quickly. If the program is not covered by your health insurance plan, that may make it financially inaccessible.
Kopp says she felt it was worth the price because of all the support she was able to get.
“The individualized treatment and regimen made it easy for me to stay on track and drop weight in a healthy, sustainable manner,” she explains.
While Kopp valued that support, which involves regular meetings with a coach, it may be an inconvenience for dieters with busy schedules.
Effectiveness and sustainability
The program claims to produce an average weight loss of 20 pounds per month, or five pounds per week.
“Hypocaloric, low-carbohydrate diets and, specifically, ketogenic approaches have shown to be effective in producing rapid initial weight loss,” Pumper says.
And seeing fast results can be a powerful motivator to continue.
However, that weekly weight loss is significantly higher than the 1 to 2 pounds most national health organizations recommend, Pumper notes. It’s also a restrictive diet, which why people tend to deviate from the plan and regain the weight they lost.
“The strictest diet is not always the best diet,” says Shaun Carrillo, lead wellness coach for Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California.
He also notes that “what works for one person may not work well for another.”
Medi-Weightloss does take this into account with its individualized, one-on-one counseling. However, all patients in this program are put into a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate plan.
“At present, there is limited data on the long-term efficacy of the Medi-Weightloss program,” Pumper says.
A 2020 study reported an average weight loss of 21% at 39 weeks in adults with overweight and obesity who were enrolled. There were also demonstrated benefits in metabolic markers, such as increases in HDL (good cholesterol) and lowered blood pressure.
However, the study had some limitations, including a low retention rate among participants over a period of one year and some missing data that may have skewed the results somewhat, the authors noted. The study was also funded by Medi-Weightloss, which could have influenced the results. More investigation is needed to confirm the findings.
Strict meal plans and nutritional adequacy
“In the short-term, this diet is not inherently harmful, but long-term continuation imposes increased risk of nutrient deficiency,” Pumper says. “Low-carbohydrate diets may displace other nutrients, including dietary fiber (and) B vitamins,” which may contribute to:
— An increased prevalence of gut diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease
— Subsequent bone breakdown and increased risk of metabolic bone disease and fractures
The final phase of the diet, which is intended to be lifelong, encourages consumption of carbs from whole, unprocessed fruits and non-starchy vegetables, but it continues to “demonize” dairy, grains, legumes and starchy vegetables, Pumper says. Eliminating dairy can heighten risk of calcium and vitamin D deficiencies.
Medical and Health Considerations
Any weight loss program will have some medical and health implications that must be managed from the outset.
Medical evaluation
Before you begin Medi-Weightloss, you should talk with your primary care provider to discuss the risks and benefits.
Some of the ingredients in the dietary supplements offered for sale by the company could cause adverse effects or interact negatively with medications. Be sure to check with your primary care provider before starting a new dietary supplement.
Safety
There are some people for whom this approach is not recommended.
— People with an eating disorder or those who are at risk of developing an eating disorder. “The rigid diet may lead to a dichotomous or an ‘all-or-nothing’ approach to eating, dieting and weight,” Pumper explains. “Keeping a food journal may also encourage this thinking, and it can trigger negative eating disorder behaviors and worsen one’s relationship with food.”
— Athletes and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also avoid this plan. “A healthy, varied diet providing sufficient calories remains the preferred means of meeting nutritional requirements in pregnancy, while breastfeeding and in athletes. These individuals are discouraged from participating in this program because it does not support them in meeting their increased nutritional demands,” Pumper says.
— People with preexisting medical conditions. If you have a medical condition, it’s extra important to speak with your health care provider before beginning Medi-Weightloss, as there can be some additional, unintended consequences. For example, rapid weight loss using a low-carb diet can increase the risk of developing gallstones.
Professional support
While Medi-Weightloss offers the knowledge and experience of its coaches, you may not always be working with a registered dietitian.
“The website is vague on this detail,” Pumper notes, “but it does indicate that all their physicians are members of the American Board of Bariatric Physicians and are trained in bariatric medicine, general medicine, endocrinology, family medicine, general surgery and obstetrics and gynecology.”
For Kopp, the medical supervision was a key feature.
“What the program valued most was checking in with the doctors and nurses regularly,” she says. “They assisted me with any changes to my plan and provided me with the feeling that I was getting professional counsel regarding my individual situation.”
Costs and Insurance
Program fees vary depending on the services you select. The cost of the initial consultation, which includes taking baseline weight measurements and drawing up an initial plan, typically ranges from $275 to $300.
Each weekly session typically costs between $75 and $100, and the average cost for 14 weeks of treatment can total more than $1,200. Food and supplements cost extra. You can call 1-877-MED-LOSS or contact a Medi-Weightloss location near you for specific pricing tailored to your location and needs.
Many Medi-Weightloss franchise locations accept insurance, so your costs may be at least partially subsidized by your health instance. Just be sure to check with your insurance provider to understand what’s available. For example, vitamin injections may be a covered benefit if they’re deemed medically necessary, but food and dietary supplements are rarely covered.
You may also be able to take advantage of discounts. The company sometimes runs offers and promotions on its products, such as free shipping for orders of $125 or more on signature supplements and products and an end-of-year bundle sale. Enrollment in auto-ship plans also triggers a 20% discount on food products and supplements.
Groupon and other coupon sites sometimes sell discount certificates for program fees at specific franchise locations.
Comparisons with Other Weight Loss Programs
The number of commercial diet plans available continues to grow, and some of these, like Medi-Weightloss, include one-to-one counseling and education. You may want to consider other comparable plans such as:
— Profile Plan diet. This customized, low-carb, low-calorie meal plan includes weekly appointments with a health coach to keep you on track. It relies heaving on preportioned meal replacements and snacks, which can make sustaining weight loss more difficult after leaving the program.
— Jenny Craig. This structured diet plan also uses prepackaged foods to help users lose weight. Members work with coaches to guide and support their journey. The company reports that participants can lose up to 24 pounds in the first eight weeks.
— WeightWatchers. Long considered the gold standard of commercial weight-loss programs, WeightWatchers uses a points-based system and behavioral change support and coaching to help members shed pounds and keep them off. It’s a favorite among many dietitians because it encourages more gradual weight loss than some other programs and can lead to significant, sustainable weight loss for some people.
— Nutrisystem. This long-lived commercial diet program reports it can help people lose 1 to 2 pounds per week with its prepackaged, portion-limited meals. High-protein, low-glycemic index meals and frozen foods are delivered to your home, which can make sticking to the plan simple, but it may miss the mark on assisting with longer-term lifestyle modification.
— Optifast. Optifast reports an average weight loss of 50 pounds in 26 weeks. Participants must have a body mass index of 30 or above, or 27 along with weight-related medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or hypertension. The program is designed to be used shorter-term than Medi-Weightloss.
— Health Management Resources, or the HMR program. HMR is also a shorter-term commitment than Medi-Weightloss and has no specific criteria for who should enroll. It claims its at-home program produces an average weight loss of 23 pounds in 12 weeks. Its in-clinic option reports losses of between 28 and 43 pounds in 12 weeks.
By comparison, Medi-Weightloss is marketed as a longer-term commitment for people with obesity. The website notes that the company’s “most comprehensive study” found that patients lost 14% of their body weight in the first 13 weeks of the program and 21% by week 39.
“While individual results vary, Medi-Weightloss claims to provide greater weight loss when compared to Optifast and HMR, presumably because it provides resources for individualized counseling in a medically supervised environment and because the gradual, phased, low-carbohydrate dietary approach may promote greater satiety due to higher protein and fat intake,” Pumper explains.
This increase in satiety reduces hunger and overall food intake and creates a calorie deficit.
Medi-Weightloss did not respond to interview requests.
Pros and cons
Every diet plan has pros and cons, and Medi-Weightloss is no different.
Pros
— Rapid, significant weight loss
— Medical supervision
— Tailored weight-loss plans
— Individual accountability provided by program experts
— Optional supplements
— May be covered by insurance
Cons
— Monthly costs can add up
— Cost of food is additional
— Restrictive eating plan could lead to nutritional deficiencies
— Weight loss may not be sustainable after leaving the program
Is Medi-Weightloss Right for You?
For people who’ve been struggling with their weight or have been diagnosed with obesity and haven’t found an effective way to shed pounds, Medi-Weightloss may be worth a try. Individuals who want the accountability of working one-on-one with a coach often find this approach keeps them on track and losing weight.
For some people, including Kopp, Medi-Weightloss is an effective choice.
“It wasn’t about being slim, it was about living differently,” Kopp says. “With the combination of medical advice, individualized treatments and accountability, it helped me when nothing else did.”
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What Is the Medi-Weightloss Program? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/06/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
