Comparison of Medifast's 5 & 1 Plan to a Food-based Plan of Equal Calories

Portion-controlled meal replacements have been shown to be an effective weight control strategy in overweight and obese individuals. Thus, the investigators plan to evaluate the effect of Medifast's 5 \& 1 program compared to an food-based diet plan of equal calories on the following indices: weight loss and maintenance of weight loss, satiety during weight loss, changes in biochemical markers of inflammation and oxidative stress following weight loss, and compliance and retention rates.