In case you are keeping score, I'm down 11 since starting the diet.  I've gotten rid of much of the excess water weight and the clothes are fitting better.  I've moved my official weigh in day to Wednesday, so we'll see how we do in a few days.  My nephew's birthday party should be a challenge, but other than that, no obstacles on the horizon.

 One of the things you hear when starting on a fast weight loss diet such as medifast is that it's not safe to lose that much weight that quickly.  For those of us who have heard the mantra "1-2 pounds a week" for so long, to hear of a normal rate of 4 per week sounds incredible.  Exciting, perhaps, but could it be dangerous?

My reaction to this:  is it any more dangerous than being 100 or more pounds overweight?  The health risks of morbid obesity are virtually endless.  It takes a lot to make a change and go in a different direction.  For many in this situation, this is the last step before surgery.  Bariatric surgery is being advertized by the medical community as a great stride forward in care for the obese.  I'm not a doctor, and I'm sure that there are some cases when it's necessary, but there are a lot of risks involved.  Before making a permanent, life altering decision, a fast weight loss diet may be the answer that avoids the surgical knife.

If a program is safe and proven, like Medifast, then it bears serious consideration and if you are smart, it can be safe and effective.