OPTIFAST
Program offers 12 weeks of meal replacement to help you lose weight.
BACKGROUND
The OPTIFAST plan has been considered the ace of liquid-based diets since 1974. The meal replacement drinks and bars are recommended by physicians for patients weighing more than 50 pounds over their ideal weight or with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. OPTIFAST is recommended to help obese individuals prepare for gastric bypass surgery as well. All participants have full access to professionals like doctors, dietitians and counselors.
The OPTIFAST program follows strict guidelines to ensure the health and safety of patients with three key areas of concentration - medical, behavior and nutrition. Patients have an initial medical exam to make sure they meet the program criteria.
Progress is monitored during weekly one-on-one and group counseling, to help encourage healthy lifestyle changes.
PRO
- People will lose weight on the introductory phase.
- Your weight loss is monitored by their experts.
- Proven results with over 80 clinical studies and over 1 million participants since 1974
- Program gives support and counseling along with weight loss
- Medical monitoring while on the program
- Offers decrease in cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels
- Great tasting meal replacement shakes
CON
- Doubtful that most healthcare professionals would recommend being on a meal replacement plan for any extended period of time
- Program consists of all liquid diet
- Expensive
DIET and NUTRITION
To participate in Optifast, you must first complete a preliminary medical exam. You will be assessed to determine any risk factors and make sure you are a good fit for the program. After passing that exam, you are given a personalized weight loss plan that is based on your current weight and your goals. You are monitored throughout the entire process. Your meals will consist of the Optifast shakes and meal replacement bars.
EXERCISE
You get a customized activity plan for your fitness level and schedule.
CONCLUSION
Maybe the OPTIFAST meal replacement is nutritionally sound, but there are plenty of other programs that have you making sound choices with real food. This program is also very expensive. This combination can only lead to the conclusion that there are other choices that would come before OPTIFAST.
Common Misspellings
optyfast, opti fast, optifast progarm
Related Diets: Juice Diet, Slim-Fast, Medifast , VF Smoothie
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It has been eight yrs since I was on Optifast. I lost a total of 42 lbs. which was my goal. I kept it off for 2 yrs and believe I would've kept it all off as I changed my lifestyles and eating habits when I was through with the program. Unfortunately, I was involved in an accident that left me at the mercy of whoever was providing my meals until last year. I am going to go back on Optifast, with my doctor's blessing, in a few weeks. It is the most convenient way to diet especially if you have a busy lifestyle. Just pop open the box and there it is...I even enjoyed just the plain vanilla flavor. I never suffered from hunger pangs nor did I have any cravings once I started. Not sure if insurance will pay for any of this, but will make it happen some how. Good luck to all.
7 weeks in and I've lost 27 pounds. Like most other comments, if you get past the first few days, it gets easier. Supportive family also helps, not asking to go out to dinner, etc. Really think about the long term. So many posters note that they gained it all back. That tells me they didn't learn through the process and didn't alter their thinking. So far, best decision I've made about my healt.
I have been doing this diet MODIFIED, (which means 3 shakes, 1 nutrition bar, one real food snack and one real food meal). The weight loss is slower, but I have been able to stick with it through Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday, etc. - 16 weeks and I lost 27 pounds - almost halfway to my 60 pound goal. I find it is easy, does not involve a lot of measuring, weighing, calculating and thinking about it. Have controlled my borderline diabetes, and lowered my blood pressure.
I just completed my first week on the program and have lost 6 pounds. I only want to lose a total of 30 so only 24 more to go! If you mix the shakes in a blender with diet sodas they taste much better. My favorite is diet orange and vanilla shake! I use Benefiber in my shakes in the morning...can't taste it at all. Another favorite is to mix decaf coffee with a chocolate shake (either hot or even with ice for a treat!!) It really hasn't been too bad. The hunger is bad but I hope that it will get better!!
Well I am now into my fourth week of opti fast. I have lost 20lbs in three weeks and i feel great. After the second week my Doctor adjusted my program I now have four optifast products a day and i am allowed 460 calories. So can have some real food and it is great!! love it so far
I have been on optifast for 18 weeks...I lost 53 llbs and am 20 from my goal weight...i will transition back to whole food then back on opti for he last 20...i was considering bariatic but was just shy of the weight I needed to be to qualify. I'm riding my horse 4 days a week now like I used to before I gained all the weight and can't wait to make goal. I really like this program.
Yikes! Sounds expensive. But I guess the bareatric surgery is expensive and if this helps then it might be a good idea. Anyone do this yet?
It's rare to find a diet that has this much medical influence. I hadn't heard of this and I'm thinking about doing the surgery. I'm going to ask my doctor about this. I wonder if the cost of the meals are covered under insurance?
I'm on the fourth day of this diet,for now I dont see any weight loss.For me the diet is too sweet but the shakes taste good.at the beginning I felt hungry all the time.I want to lose 20pounds so I hope it wont last too long.I wonder when I will start loosing.
I love this diet because it worked so well. I lost 60 pounds and in one year have gained back 10. I was really motivated, so it was not hard to start. The best part of the diet is that I stopped craving food and then stopped thinking about it. It was soooo much easier than I thought. It really changed my life.
If anyone is thinking about using Optifast as a diet tool, let me tell them DO IT! But you have to be ready not ready to loose weight, but ready to become healthy to stay alive! This program is not an easy way out and if you are not ready to be healthy and will just go back to over eating, then this is not for you. Yes it is expensive but try and add up what you spend a week on all the food you are eating I bet it comes out to be more then what you would pay for the program.program.I Just went through the whole 18 weeks and I have lost 100lbs! My starting weight was 301 and now I am 201. The shakes and soups and bars are not gourmet foods by any means but you get used to them after time. You may be hungry the first week or so but after that you WILL NOT feel hungry. It is the best feeling to not have food control you. You will have lots of extra time because it takes no time to drink the shake or eat the bar, so pick up a hobby(maybe something active). You will stop thinking about food and almost wish you could stay on the shakes forever. The hardest part of the program is eating again, and yes it is hard to control, but they give you the tools to know how to always be working on a healthy lifestyle. I loved the doctors and classes that I went through every week and enjoyed having the support of others who were doing it the same time I was. This program has changed my life! You will not regret doing this program just always remember you do not want to die from being overweight, there are people who love you who want you around. My before and after picture is on the website for the doctor's offices i went through. www.cshp.net
I am considering this diet as I have tried many many many diets and because the results didn't come as I wanted I gave up. I agree, this is a mental change, but not everyone has that will power to begin and we need some assistance to jump start our change. I also learned that weight is gained back not because the program failed but because what was taught in the program was not followed through on the persons part. Losing weight can be difficult, be it can be done and maintained. By the way, nothing is worth having if it is easy...
Started this program 2 weeks ago and have lost 16 lbs... It is very tough but with the good motivation and people that have been helping me it has made it a little easier. The price is steep but it has only cost me 100.00 a week... Not sure where the 550.00 is coming from but it could be the initial visit with the doctor if you dont have insurance. Anyway... for those going to do this... make sure you surround yourself with positive people because without the support of my family and friends this is diet is not possible.
Started this program 2 weeks ago and have lost 16 lbs... It is very tough but with the good motivation and people that have been helping me it has made it a little easier. The price is steep but it has only cost me 100.00 a week... Not sure where the 550.00 is coming from but it could be the initial visit with the doctor if you dont have insurance. Anyway... for those going to do this... make sure you surround yourself with positive people because without the support of my family and friends this is diet is not possible.
I just finished my first week on Optifast, have lost 7 pounds, and am so motivated by that loss. The shakes taste fine if you mix the powder in a blender with ice and water, thendrnk with a straw. The Soups are a geat alternative, and I think I would eat the oats and honey bars even if not on a diet. Looking forward to retraining myself to eat healthy and exercise.
I am on my first day of Optifast in prep. for gastric banding surgery. The objective is to shrink the liver so that the surgery can be done laparoscopically. But, ugh, the taste of this stuff is disgusting. I have only had 2 of the 4 pkgs for the day and I don't know if I can bring myself to drink another before bed. It might be better to go to sleep hungry!
I had lost about 80 lbs on the optifast program, after seven months of being off of it, I had gained 23 back. I went back to optifast in order to get things back under control before I gained more weight. Today is my first full day back on it and I am very excited. I can't wait too finally see what I look like after I get the rest of this weight off. I needed surgery and my Dr. was scared to operate on me due to my origional weight (380lbs)...I was in Optifast the very same day. It is a really good program especially if you have A LOT of weight to lose and you are somebody who needs things to be in black and white like I do. As other people have said, it is very hard to get started, but once you do...hunger goes away and you feel very energized and motivated. This diet has been a blessing to me.
I just completed my sixth week of the Optifast program. I have lost 31.6 pounds. I was looking at having bareatric surgery. My doctor reccommended this diet as an alternative. I think the diet is worth the money and the effort, but it is hard sometimes to stick to the plan. You must be willing to put everything you have into it.
I have been on the diet for 16 weeks and have lost 70lbs. Its not as expensive through kaiser. I pay about $105 a week. Its a great program but you have to be willing to work out the reasons why you eat. For me, I had to work through my depression. Yes this diet is hard for the first 2 weeks but after you see the weight come off, it becomes so motivating that you don't want to get off track. I would recommend this diet to people who really want to change their life style.
Weight comes off very fast and comes right back on faster. I was so ready to eat and once I started I couldn't stop. Gained all back ++++. Cost was over $3500.
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