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Bistro MD Review: Online Diet Program |
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Rating: |
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| A solid, healthy diet plan that rated number one in our taste test; good for diabetics; lacks fitness component. | ||||||||||||||||
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[Editor's Note: Bistro MD is offering an exclusive deal to NextAdvisor.com readers. Simply click any Bistro MD link on NextAdvisor.com, then enter coupon code GetSummerFit for $25 off your next order.]
Bistro MD is the brainchild of Dr. Cederquist, a bariatric physician specializing in weight loss. The program was initially used at the Florida Wellness Center and went nationwide back in 2005. Dr. Phil has given Bistro MD his stamp of approval, and they have won Health Magazine's "best diet support" award due to their on-staff dietitians. How Does It Taste? A very important component of any meal delivery plan is how it actually tastes. After all, if it doesn't taste good you're less likely to stick with it. With this in mind, we conducted our own independent taste test with opinions from 8 individual tasters. The testers sampled meals from all the meal delivery programs we review, and provided ratings for taste and appearance. We then took all the data and created our meal delivery taste test. Bistro MD landed first place in the reviews, and was the only meal delivery program that scored all 5 stars for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We didn't include a snack category in our final report card, as most meal delivery plans don't include snacks, but Bistro MD did provide some very tasty snacks. Check out this blind on-air taste test with ABC 7Live, where BistroMD lands the top spot once again: Meals With Bistro MD there is no calorie counting or point calculation; they do all the work for you. Fully cooked meals are delivered to your doorstep via Fed Ex, all you need to do is heat the vacuum sealed pouches up in the microwave and put them on a plate. Customers give generally positive reviews for the amount of food they receive, the quality and taste, and Bistro MD states that all their meals are made from the "finest raw ingredients." There are four different meal plans available; two for a full seven days worth of food and two for a five-day "work week" type of plan. You can choose whether you'd like snacks included in your shipment or not. The seven-day plan is a little misleading, as it doesn't include dinner on one of the seven nights. This is part of their philosophy that having a "my night" where you can choose to eat what you want will encourage you to stick with the plan, but should be called out a little better on their website in case you think you're getting seven dinners a week. The five-day plan does include five dinners, due to the fact dieters have two days where they can eat what they want. If you're the type of person who likes some flexibility and are too busy during the week to make healthy meals, the 5 day plan will probably be your preference. If you don't want to think or worry about cooking any meals, the 7 day plan is more likely to be your cup of tea. Bistro MD provides approximately 1,200 calories per day for their complete plan (which includes snacks). However, the calorie count will vary between 1,200 and 1,400 calories a day. They state this is to ensure your body doesn't get used to a set daily calorie count and thereby incur a weight loss plateau. The theory is that the variable daily calorie count will enhance your ability to lose weight. The meals are not as flexible or personalized as other meal delivery plans we've reviewed, but they do make some allowances. Men and women receive the same meals, but Bistro MD recommends that men (and active/tall women) add a third protein snack and one serving of fruit every day to bring their total calories count up to 1,500 per day. You can either buy the extra serving from them, or provide it yourself. If you choose to purchase the protein snack from Bistro MD, you'll need to add another $2 per day to your total cost. Bistro MD was originally designed with diabetic (and pre-diabetic) people in mind, so it's appropriate for diabetics. They also will work with clients who have food restrictions due to preferences or allergies, and have a low sodium menu for clients watching their salt intake. Outside of that, what they offer is what you get. They don't offer vegetarian meals or other specialty plans. However, they are known for providing portions that are on the large size, so you shouldn't be lacking in food. Support and Fitness When you sign up for Bistro MD, you receive access to a registered dietitian, which is nice, although it will probably be more helpful for those on the 5 day plan rather than the 7 day plan. But if you're looking for an exercise plan or fitness advice, you'll need to look elsewhere. Bistro MD focuses strictly on meal delivery and doesn't provide this service. Their website states their position on the matter: In the battle between diet and exercise, they believe diet is more important. Pricing Bistro MD was in the higher price range, with costs ranging from $130 to $180 per week, depending upon the plan you select. For cost per day, the 7 day plan with no snack comes out to $22.85/day ($159.95/week), which is the cheapest option. The most expensive is the 5 day plan with snacks. Though this plan is $144.95 for a week, it is a steep $28.99 per day. If price point is an issue, this might be a consideration. However, since you won't need to supplement these meals with additional food (something you need to do for several of the other meal plans), this is pretty much your total weekly cost.
Bottom Line Overall, Bistro MD is a healthy way to lose weight and has the added bonus of being developed by an actual medical doctor who specializes in weight loss. However, they are on the pricey side, and don't provide extras like a fitness specialist or online chat room where you can get support from other members. For those who are just looking for a solid diet plan without the bells and whistles, and like the idea of full meals being delivered to you, this is a solid pick. Sign up for Bistro MD | Compare to Other Meal Delivery Programs |
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Card Details:
| Cost: | $22.85/day shipping: $24.95 PROMO: $25 off on first week's order with code GetSummerFit |
| Diet Types: | Freshly prepared meal delivery diet; diabetic and low sodium options |
| Support Types: | Access to licensed dietitians |
| Fitness Tools: | none |
| Taste Test Rating: |  |
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