Bistro MD Diet Review

Losing weight can be the most difficult goal to accomplish in one's life. Millions have tried it, time and time again, only to either fail or gain what they have lost again within a year.

Due to the difficulty of shedding unwanted pounds and making the right food choices, diet delivery programs are increasing in popularity.

The convenience of having food delivered to your doorstep each day takes the guesswork out of dieting and makes it virtually impossible to fail. One of the diet deliver programs that has recently increased in popularity after being featured on the famous Dr. Phil show is the Bistro MD Diet Delivery Program.

Introduction

Bistro MD is a meal replacement diet delivery system that will deliver meals throughout the United States. The program was developed by Dr. Caroline Cederquist, who is a board certified weight management physician with over 20 years experience in the field.

Dr. Cederquist was raised in a largely overweight family. While growing up, she decided that she would change her genetic disposition and achieve this feat by leading a healthier lifestyle.

After helping many patients to lose weight as a bariatric expert and consultant, Dr. Cederquist went on to create a program that would offer the correct nutrient balance to help sustain weight loss that was healthy and balanced. Her goal was to develop a dieting program that would provide more than just the vehicle for shedding pounds on the bathroom scales.

The focus of her program was improving the overall health of its users and based it on real science and that food is a form of medicine.

One major difference between her program, Bistro MD and several other diet delivery programs such as Medifast, Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig for example is there is no promise of fast or extreme weight loss. It does not limit daily caloric intake excessively. BistroMD was developed with a team of Registered dietitians on hand to ensure all the foods met with nutritional requirements.

Each meal has been created to help establish long term weight loss. To achieve this, each meal contains a healthy balance of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Each of the Bistro MD programs offers 1,100 to 1,400 calories a day. The caloric breakdown is:

In addition to providing foods with nutritionally sound ingredients, BistroMD is also committed to being environmentally responsible. BistroMD always uses rBGH-free beef, hormone-free chicken and produce from local, family owned farms when possible.

How the Plan Works

Now that you have some background on the inception and success of BistroMD, let's look into how the plan works and what it has to offer. The goal of Bistro MD is to eat better, not necessarily eat less. When you decide to begin with BistroMD, you will first have to choose between the women's and men's plans, both explained in detail below.

After selecting between the men's and women's plans, you must select whether you wish to receive five or seven days of entrees. If you opt for the five day plan, you will have the option of making your own meals two days a week. This plan fits well into the lives of individuals that eat out often on weekends or have many functions to attend where food will be served.

Opting for the seven day plan means that every meal of the week will be a BistroMD meal. It is an option that suits those that want to take the guesswork out of dieting and not depend on having to make any meal themselves.

After selecting the five or seven day plan, you also have the option of adding the snack program. This offers you an all-in-one plan that will include everything you need to be on the program, without needing to do any grocery shopping for snacks or additional meals.

Once you have decided on a plan, the number of days you wish to receive it and whether you wish to add the snack program, you can then begin to customize the plan to fit your tastes and nutritional requests. You will access the member interface by logging into My BistroMD online and there you can select preferred ingredients for your meals.

On the member interface, you can also review your list of approved entrees and make any changes to control your menu requests. After selecting your preferred ingredients and making your menu requests, a group of in-house dietitians will take the information you provided them and build a daily and weekly menu tailored specifically to you.

Once your order and menu customization is complete, you can await your first week of meal delivery. Each entrée arrives fully cooked and frozen. Entrees can be stored in the freezer and heated in the microwave once you are ready to enjoy them. All entrees are served in a recyclable, BPA free tray.

Bistro MD Diet Plans

Bistro MD is simple in that it offers two plans, each with a five or seven day option. It offers a Women's and a Men's Plan. Recently, it has also begun to offer a Gluten-Free version of the men's and women's plans. This option is fairly new and is not available online yet. For more information on the gluten-free plan or to order it, you have to contact their customer service and order over the phone.

One other option with BistroMD is the popular 17 Day Diet Meal Plan. This is based on the book "The 17 Day Diet" by Dr. Mike Moreno. The book gained popularity on the Dr. Phil show after Dr. Moreno explained to the live audience how most people manage to gain an average of 12 pounds during the holidays.

Bistro MD joined forces with Dr. Mike Moreno and began offering a special version of the 17 Day Diet Meal Plan in late 2010. For more information on the plan, you have to contact their customer service via phone. The plan is very similar to the Men's and Women's plans below, providing breakfasts, lunches and dinners, at approximately $180 per week.

Women's Plan

The Women's Plan is specially formulated to take into account a woman's age, hormonal changes and stress. The plan is focused on correcting a woman's metabolism so that it can adjust and work efficiently for the remainder of your lifetime. This helps end the cycle of yo-yo dieting and makes lifetime weight maintenance more attainable.

BistroMD recommends the Women's Program to women that are 5'0" to 5'5" tall and lead a sedentary to moderately active lifestyle. If you are more active than this or the height guidelines do not fall within the plan's averages, you can contact BistroMD and its dietitians will create a customized plan for you. The plan will be created specifically for your body type, fitness level and caloric need.

When selecting your plan, you will decide between the five and seven day plans. The five day plan offers five days' worth of breakfast, lunches, and dinners, with five of each meal. It will cost $129.95 per week for all meals. Shipping is an additional $24.95 and all orders are shipped via FedEx Ground service.

The seven day option provides you with a total of 20 meals, broken up into seven breakfasts, seven lunches and six dinners. The reason there is one dinner missing is that the seven day plan allows for the "My Night" meal option. "My Night" is the one free night you get each week to enjoy your own meal and take a break from the program. This allows for dinners out with friends, special occasions such as parties and weddings or just a break to cook dinner at home and learn how to incorporate healthy entrees into the program.

BistroMD conducted research and found that, when customers are able to choose their own meal outside of the program once a week, they learn how to make healthier choices and remain dedicated to the program longer than they would if there was no break. If you find that the "My Night" meal does not work for your lifestyle or you do not see yourself making healthy choices for that one meal per week, all you have to do is notify their customer service and they will add the meal back into the program.

The additional meal will cost approximately $8 more. The seven day plan with the "My Night" option costs $159.95 plus an additional $24.95 per week for shipping and handling. If you opted to receive 21 meals and not include the "My Night" option, it would cost you approximately $168 per week plus $24.95 shipping and handling.

In addition to the five and seven day options, you also have the option of adding the EATS program, known as the Essential and Tasty Snacks. The EATS plan is described in detail below and includes two to three snacks per day. For your meals, you will have a total of 200 unique entrees to choose from and all are guaranteed to have no MSG, never frozen, zero trans fats, never freeze dried and free of aspartame.

BistroMD prides itself on top quality meals and, from the looks and sounds of some of their entrees, they clearly provide that.

Men's Plan

Like the women's plan, the Men's plan was also created with the male lifestyle in mind. Age, genetics, stress and even yo-yo dieting were all taken into consideration when formulating the plan. The Men's Plan is aimed at men that are 5'6" to 6'0" tall and lead a sedentary to moderately active lifestyle. If you do not fit these guidelines, you can contact BistroMD and they will customize a plan specifically designed for your body type, weight loss goals, activity level and daily caloric requirements.

Just as with the Women's Plans, the Men's plan is also offered in a five and seven day option. There are over 200 meals to choose from and all are trans fat free, never freeze dried , contain no aspartame and no MSG. The price for the Men's plan is the same as the Women's. The five day plan is $129.95 and the seven day plan is $159.95. Shipping for either plan is $24.95 per week. Men also have the option of adding the EATS program if desired.

A few examples of meals included in both the men's and women's plans are below. As previously mentioned, if you have food allergies or do not like a particular meal, all you need to do is contact BristroMD and they can substitute it for another meal of your preference.

EATS Plan

The EATS plan is the Essential and Tasty Snacks plan. It is considered an essential piece of the BistroMD program and was created to help prevent those on the BistroMD plan from reaching for unhealthy, preservative filled snacks. Snacks in the EATS plan contain approximately 8 to 15 grams of lean protein and are offered either two or three times per day.

The EATS plan for women provides two snacks per day and can be purchased daily or weekly. It will cost $3 per day individually, $15 per week on the five day plan or $21 per week on the seven day plan. The EATS plan for men provides 3 snacks per day and can also be purchased daily or weekly. The men's EATS plan costs $4.50 per day, $22.50 for the five day plan or $31.50 for the seven day plan.

Meals and Entrees

BistroMD offers a wide variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One main difference between BistroMD and some of the other meal delivery programs is that BistroMD does not offer a plan aimed at vegetarians. Bistro MD also does not offer kosher meals, soy-free options or dairy-free products. One program it has recently begun offering is the gluten-free program.

With the current gluten-free craze, BistroMD has decided to follow suit and offer the program. It cannot be ordered online at this time but it can be ordered over the phone.

Breakfast Entrée Examples

Lunch Entrée Examples

Dinner Entrée Examples

Online Tools and Support

BistroMD features a thorough member interface to assist its customers in every phase of weight loss. Once you have signed up for the food delivery program, you will receive weekly program material that includes the latest tips on weight loss. This includes webinars from Bistro MD experts and Dr. Cederquist herself. You also have the option of addressing your questions and concerns with their registered dietitians and a fitness trainer.

As a member, you can set up online consultations with your own personal Registered Dietitian via email, phone, chat or Skype. In addition, you can also consult with the Bistro MD fitness trainer to customize a workout routine that fits into your lifestyle.

Lifestyle tips from all of BistroMD's experts are regularly available to help you stay motivated while on the plan and help you incorporate fitness into your daily routine. Weekly emails, interactive tools, newsletters and the option to interact with registered dietitians are all free perks to being on the Bistro MD program that will help guide you and help you attain your healthy, weight loss goals.

Cost Breakdown

At $130 to $160 per week, the BistroMD plan is one of the most expensive meal delivery plans available. One of the reasons it is more expensive is that it prides itself on providing gourmet foods designed by a team of Registered Dietitians and renowned chefs. It is also one of the only programs that offers its customers personal online consultations with nutrition and fitness experts. BistroMD also uses the best ingredients possible and none of their foods are freeze dried or contain MSG.

In addition to the $130 to $160 per month, there is also an additional $24.95 weekly delivery charge added on and the optional charge for the EATS plan. The EATS plan will add anywhere from $15 to $31.50 per week to the plan. This brings the monthly total for the program to a minimum of $679.60 for women on the five day plan and $823.60 for women on the seven day plan.

The men can plan on paying approximately $709.60 for the five day plan and $865.60 for the seven day plan. The cost per meal, including delivery charges, comes out to approximately $10.32 for meals on the five day plan and $9.25 for the seven day plan.

Each of the EATS snacks remains at $3 regardless of your choice to order them daily or weekly. With an average grocery bill for most Americans ranging from $400 to $500 per month and a typical meal at home costing between $4-6, Bistro MD is substantially higher. With so many people watching their wallets and looking for the best deal out there, the high cost of Bistro MD may discourage dieters from choosing this plan.

Coupons & Discounts

BistroMD has offered our readers $50 off EITHER PLAN! Use the code RatingDietPlans50OFF (Valid until 9/30/13). Currently, BistroMD is offering to waive the $24.95 shipping charge for your first order.

Pros vs. Cons

While it can certainly make dieting easier to receive meals at your doorstep each week or month, it can get costly and it is not always what it is cracked up to be. Some may find that this option works for them and others may find that it is not what you expected.

Pros

Cons

Testimonials

"After having my baby, I thought the weight would fall off thanks for breastfeeding. I was mistaken and I ended up gaining weight instead. Breastfeeding made me incredibly hungry and I could not seem to control my cravings. I also did not have the time to make healthy meals like I did prior to becoming a mom. I heard about Bistro MD on the Dr. Phil show an decided to give it a shot. I needed a plan that would bring every meal and snack I needed to my doorstep. I also needed healthy, natural food since I was also feeding my baby. After two months on the plan, I lost the baby weight and gained the confidence back I'd forgotten I had."

Shannon Ritchie

"I grew up in an Italian family that revolves around delicious family dinners. I struggled with my weight for most of my life and decided it was time to make a change when I had children of my own. I had seen my entire family give in and accept their unhealthy physique but I refused. I worked over 50 hours per week and had little time for exercise, so I needed a plan that could accommodate my schedule. I did not have a lot of time for the gym and I needed home delivery since time seemed to be something I didn't have. I wanted to avoid going through the drive thru on the way home and have a healthy meal waiting. After researching several meal delivery programs, I decided on Bistro MD because of the company's dedication to the environment and their constant strive to provide natural, healthy foods. After a month on the plan, I dropped 15 pounds. The weight continued until I had lost almost 50 pounds with Bistro MD."

Janae Couto