Good. I was surprised how much cheaper they were than New Hope and that worked out well for me! I have spent so much this spring on garden stuff and just on stuff in 'regular life' so to speak. Hub lost 75 pounds on Medifast since 1/3/13 and that has meant Medifast bills, grocery bills (all fresh veggies) and a new wardrobe including suits. Auto repair and house appliance repair etc. Now I will sell the extra 100 sweet potatoes and leeks I got in bulk to local folk on Craig's List. I needed around 375-400 sweet potatoes but they only come in 100 and 500 breaks. What I hate is that in MN you get your stuff last and that means you get the crap at the end.

Week II in Hi-Energy (post "Detox"): Yesterday was my "first service" visit to the Gilbert, AZ office. (Btw, the contract states you have until 7 days or within 3 days of the first service date to cancel the program, whichever comes first.) Interviewed by a counselor regarding my first week of "Detox" whom when asked admitted to no credentials relating to nutrition, dieting or any medical field. After explaining the program guide booklet and selecting my food choices for purchase ($148.69--I bought extra boxes to accomadate food choices), she administered a 10-lead electrocardiogram. I learned this is a 5 and 1 program where I eat six (6)times a day. Five (5) times with their "Medifast" food and one (1) time, i.e. dinner from my home refrigerator. Dinner, or "Lean & Green", in one sentence is basically any lean meat, e.g., fish, chicken, pork, turkey, lamb and so on. You can go meatless with eggs. The "Green" is broken down chartwise into a low, moderate and highest carb count listing from their guide. Bottom line: After listening to the counselors about taking the upcoming urine test for Ketones, studying the guide and the Medifast food boxes, the Hi-Energy program offered here in Arizona--is the very same Medifast program offered online, or what is is offered at any Medifast facility (e.g. Texas). Online, you are offered an opportunity to start a franchise or join the program. See the link: http://www.medifast1.com/index.asp and you will know "Hi-Energy." Everything is there to include the program guides and food information. However, the this rabbit hole goes even deeper. These programs work by spilling ketones, or more simply put, changing the body metabolism to primarily burning fat stores in leiu of carbohydrates. At the deepest depth of this rabbit hole--you will find Robert C. Atkins, M.D. He wrote a #1 best seller called: "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" 2002 latest edition for $7.99. May he rest in peace. I own this book and lost 20 pounds on the Atkins diet serveral months ago. I've kept off the weight because my girl-friend who does the cooking always has presented my dinners with lean and green! Btw, a prevailing media misconception of Atkins is that there are no carbs on this diet. Actually, the first week "limits" carbs to 20 grams to induce ketosis, and thereafter to around 40 grams per day. If you look at carb gram counts in different foods-you will notice this is an abundance of food. It's dark in this hole . . . let me get my flashlight out . . . alias Hi-Energy at $924.00 plus food, or the Atkins book at $7.99 plus the frig and sensible grocery shopping? Here is a link that might be useful: Medifast is Hi-Energy

rob333 it really is that simple 12 flights! That's awesome!! I usually try to fill out my food log in the morning for the whole day. That way I can see what fits my plan before I eat it. (there's a mobile app too) If somebody treats cupcakes, I will look at my food diary and see what I want to give up to eat it - or not eat it. I usually decide it's not worth it. (a Panera vanilla cupcake is 450 calories - I can eat a whole meal for that - or walk 6 miles to make up calories. But the idea is to burn more than I eat, so....) I fully expect this to someday be a normal habit. As it is right now, I do put a good deal of thought and energy into planning. I usually walk 2 miles on my lunch break and if weather is bad, I go up and down the back set of stairs at work for 20 minutes. I usually put on a t-shirt and change back before I sit down again. I try very hard to not eat back any exercise calories. Another bonus is I am definitely more fit and firm in all the right places! So far it is working for me.

I used to love KIND bars but they have added chicory root fiber to what used to be the lower sugar ones so I can't eat them anymore. Keep that in mind if you are inulin sensitive (bloating, pain etc) . The use of chicory root/inulin in so many foods is so annoying. A dietician acquaintance said a ton of her clients with stomach issues are finding their symptoms resolve after cutting that ingredient out of their diet. I also agree a bag of nuts is the best. Maybe make your own trail mix with nuts, low sugar dried fruit and other seeds. There are also homemade nut bar recipes online that you make in a sheet pan and cut up into bars. I have also ordered pemmican bars online which are a caveman inspired jerky/dried fruit bars.