Help! Optavia - concerned for my health.

brettakuss

Hi all! Haven’t really ever been active on here but I lack a community or knowledgeable person to ask.

I started Optavia 5 days ago. I’m down 7 lbs.
I LOVE how fast I’m losing weight. But what I’m really struggling with is how sustainable this is. For those of you that don’t know. It’s basically eating 6 small meals a day (5 of those are 100 calories each) for a total of 800-1100 calories a day.

I started at 230lbs, I’m down to 223 on day 5.

But I HATE the food. And my cravings are INSANE. Plus, I can’t really workout since my deficit is so high.

Wondering everyone’s thoughts and if there are any trainers/dietitians on here I can talk with.

lorrpb

Your concerns are valid. It's neither sustainable or healthy. put your stats into MFP, set for 2 lb per week and eat the calories it gives you.. It's generally recommended to eat no less than 1200 per day.

deannalfisher

Who prescribed the optavua? Are they monitoring you?

shadow2soul

I’d say it’s not the way to go.

For one, eating 800-1100 calories is going to create a extremely large deficit. Having a large deficit for an extended period of time can lead to the body using lean body mass (muscle, connective tissue, etc) as well as fat for fuel. This can cause problems with maintaining and lead to you having a higher body fat % at your goal weight than you would have if you had lost slowly (max 1% body weight loss per week). You could also end up in a binge/restrict pattern.

Is this “diet” going to teach you how to eat for maintenance? Are you learning correct portion sizes from it?

If you dislike the food, that tells me that this is not a sustainable plan for you.

5 - 100 calorie portions sounds like you are eating 5 snacks and 1 meal a day. Does that sound like something you can do at maintenance?

My vote, ditch this diet. It’s unsustainable and I’d wonder if you are actually meeting nutrional needs eating that little. Invest in a food scale. Weigh and log your food. Try new recipes (skinnytaste has some good ones). Have patience.

shadow2soul

deannalfisher wrote: »

Who prescribed the optavua? Are they monitoring you?

Looks like it’s similar to Nutrisystem or other food delivery services and then there is the option to become a “coach” like Beachbody, Plexus, etc.

Warning in fine print at bottom of website:

NOTE: Rapid weight loss may cause gallstones or gallbladder disease for those at high risk. While adjusting to intake of a lower-calorie level and diet changes, some people may experience lightheadedness, dizziness or gastrointestinal disturbances. These usually are temporary.

kshama2001

You are seriously undereating. That's going to set you up for failure or malnutrition / hair loss / muscle loss.

What Are the Risks of Rapid Weight Loss?

Rapid weight loss creates physical demands on the body. Possible serious risks include:

• Gallstones, which occur in 12% to 25% of people losing large amounts of weight over several months
• Dehydration, which can be avoided by drinking plenty of fluids
• Malnutrition, usually from not eating enough protein for weeks at a time
• Electrolyte imbalances, which rarely can be life threatening

Other side effects of rapid weight loss include:

• Headaches
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Constipation
• Menstrual irregularities
• Hair loss
• Muscle loss

brettakuss

I appreciate the comments guys! These are my bought as well. The points that keep me from immediately ditching immediately is this:

- the amount I’ve lost so far (I mean, let’s be honest, fast weight loss feels great right?
- The $400 I have invested into this month.

If I were to ditch it, does anyone have any resources I could use to find a replacement?

I’d love some kind of support coach, does MFP have that?

shadow2soul

brettakuss wrote: »

I appreciate the comments guys! These are my bought as well. The points that keep me from immediately ditching immediately is this:

- the amount I’ve lost so far (I mean, let’s be honest, fast weight loss feels great right?
- The $400 I have invested into this month.

If I were to ditch it, does anyone have any resources I could use to find a replacement?

I’d love some kind of support coach, does MFP have that?

MFP has an “adopt a noob” thread. Experienced users offer help and advice to new users who are looking for it.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10619586/2018-adopt-a-noob-discussion#latest

SparkPeople (a different website) might be more what you are looking for. They offer challenges and teams in the community. They also allow you to email a coach on their staff once a week with their premium service ($4.99 a month). Their coaches are certified personal trainers and licensed dietitians. They also offer meal plans for free that will fit into the recommended calorie range for your stats.

katrinabrown123

Intent app is also a very affordable coaching service done through app

jgnatca

You can recoup your investment by supplementing your plan with a 200 (female) to 500 (male) calorie meal.

If you haven’t done so get yourself a kitchen scale. Log your planned meal in to MFP to keep within your calorie goal.

Your weight loss was going to slow down anyways as your water weight has been shed. Don’t freak if you have a temporary bounce back.

Weight loss is a consistency game.

collectingblues

brettakuss wrote: »

I appreciate the comments guys! These are my bought as well. The points that keep me from immediately ditching immediately is this:

- the amount I’ve lost so far (I mean, let’s be honest, fast weight loss feels great right?
- The $400 I have invested into this month.

If I were to ditch it, does anyone have any resources I could use to find a replacement?

I’d love some kind of support coach, does MFP have that?

Is your health worth $400?

If it is, then that sunk cost doesn't matter.

snickerscharlie

collectingblues wrote: »

brettakuss wrote: »

I appreciate the comments guys! These are my bought as well. The points that keep me from immediately ditching immediately is this:

- the amount I’ve lost so far (I mean, let’s be honest, fast weight loss feels great right?
- The $400 I have invested into this month.

If I were to ditch it, does anyone have any resources I could use to find a replacement?

I’d love some kind of support coach, does MFP have that?

Is your health worth $400?

If it is, then that sunk cost doesn't matter.

Agree. Ditch that garbage and start over. Give yourself a huge pat on the back for realizing that something isn't right with the Optavia system, and that you figured that out early on. It's really just an MLM rip-off.

Also agree that the majority of weight you've lost so far has been water weight. So please don't get discouraged if that slows down. It would have slowed down on the Optavia, too.

Losing weight is simply a matter of eating less in a day than your body can burn off. You don't have to eat stuff you hate in order to accomplish that. Provided you are covering your nutritional bases, you can eat foods you like - just less of them.

I second getting a food scale (they're cheap!) and weighing and logging what you eat here.

Edited to add: OP, I just noticed from your profile that you're male. The bare minimum calories you should be consuming daily is 1500. Bare. Minimum.

vingogly

brettakuss wrote: »

I appreciate the comments guys! These are my bought as well. The points that keep me from immediately ditching immediately is this:

- the amount I’ve lost so far (I mean, let’s be honest, fast weight loss feels great right?
- The $400 I have invested into this month.

If I were to ditch it, does anyone have any resources I could use to find a replacement?

I’d love some kind of support coach, does MFP have that?

Seven pounds of fat is 24,500 calories. The laws of physics say there's no way you're going to lose that much fat and muscle in five days - unless you cut off part of your body (which is what liposuction amounts to). That's the reason people are saying it's just water loss.

I did a medically supervised liquid diet back in the late 1980s. The weight came off fast, but I lost a lot of muscle as well as fat. I had to have my liver enzymes monitored by my doctor on a weekly basis. A year after I lost the weight, I had gained it all back again. By the way, I had to have my gall bladder taken out some years ago - full to the bursting with stones. Not saying it's due to my attempts at rapid weight loss over the years, but they probably didn't help me any.

If by "replacement" you mean a magic bullet that's going to let you lose weight rapidly without serious risks, there are none. You're either in it for the long haul or not. Losing weight is easy and there are many ways to do it - it's keeping it off for life that's the hard part. That's why most "diets" fail. You need to change your attitudes and relationship to food and make permanent lifestyle changes - a lot of the battle is in your head before you ever get to the dinner table. For the behavioral part, you might want to get a copy of the Beck Diet Solution - a cognitive behavioral approach that works whether you're doing CICO, paleo, low carb, or whatever. Dr Judith Beck is the daughter of Dr. Aaron Beck, who invented cognitive behavioral therapy.

Their site has a number of useful resources, including a blog with good articles and daily tips:

http://diet.beckinstitute.org/

Her book and workbook are available on Amazon:

• "The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person", Judith Beck
• "Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook: The 6-week Plan to Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person", Judith Beck

SamonaLB

I did really well on Optavia, until I got tired of most of my food coming out of the microwave in a bowl. I tracked at the same time, to ensure I ate 1240 calories a day. The lean and green meal provided the remaining calories.

However, I can't swing the $400/month for the remaining 31 lbs. I am VERY happy about the weight loss and I was able to retrain my body for 6 meals a day (which I know I need); "Hi, My name is Samona and I am a non-eater." So it was helpful in that regard. Plus I was able to prove to myself that I could do lose the weight without killing myself at the gym (which, btw didn't work by itself). Preparing to switch to "grocery store" foods and staying with in calorie levels while staying away from the higher GI foods until I hit goal weight. An entire summer without fruit *just* about killed me. Goal is to be at goal before summer hits, if not before.

It taught me a lot about my meal plans and eating habits, however I am very happy to be heading back to normal foods and not incurring a debt at the same time. Have another few weeks of fueling left, so I have time to adjust.

Like any "diet" it has good and bad, the important part is knowing when, for you, the bad out weights the bad.

Steelkid

brettakuss wrote: »

Hi all! Haven’t really ever been active on here but I lack a community or knowledgeable person to ask.

I started Optavia 5 days ago. I’m down 7 lbs.
I LOVE how fast I’m losing weight. But what I’m really struggling with is how sustainable this is. For those of you that don’t know. It’s basically eating 6 small meals a day (5 of those are 100 calories each) for a total of 800-1100 calories a day.

I started at 230lbs, I’m down to 223 on day 5.

But I HATE the food. And my cravings are INSANE. Plus, I can’t really workout since my deficit is so high.

Wondering everyone’s thoughts and if there are any trainers/dietitians on here I can talk with.

It's Medifast with a new name. I did it from March 2010 to December 2010 and lost 150 lbs but couldn't keep it up. It does work but it's goal is to teach you how to eat better, it's not made for the long term, thats what I didn't keep in mind. It has helped me keep off 70 of the 120 consistent pounds I've lost since 2009. What it basically does is put your body in light ketosis. There are better ways to lose the same amount of weight without the high costs.

dontcallmecandi

Hello! I did Optiva (or as it used to be known, Medifast) twice and both times while I hated the food I lost a serious amount of weight in a short time.

Sounds great right? It's not and let me tell you why. It is not sustainable long term. It does nothing to teach you how to properly eat (while robbing you blind). 5 years ago I got to my lowest adult weight thanks to the plan and today I am struggling to get off the ONE HUNDRED POUNDS I've gained since then. Sure eating pudding or a bar for breakfast on the plan sounds great but it does not translate to real life. The plan does nothing to teach you how to correctly weight and measure food- which is needed for long term success.

Also, I believe it's a MLM and chances are your "health coach" has zero qualifications other than whatever literature came in his/her starter kit.

If I were you, I'd cut my losses (or finish out the month, whatever). Cancel your auto shipment and start tracking your meals with MFP. It's more sustainable and way less restrictive.

Stefhscherr

I also tried Optavia but only for one month and was literally sick from the food (if you want to call it food). Just wanted to let you know that you can return any of the items you have left, even if you've used part of the box. Unfortunately, the coaches rarely tell you this.

monicarn64

So glad you guys are talking about Optavia. What an absolute ripoff. Do you lose weight? Sure. The coaches are SO pushy. I am an RN, and don’t need to be told what to eat. I just have to do it!

LynnJ9

I eat the Optiviia bars. I like the macros of them and that they are only 110 calories. I don't follow their plan of 5 a day, but I use them in my calorie count. I also like the mashed potatoes which are great to add to a meal when I have some extra calories.
I also think their 300 calorie meals aren't bad when you are in a pinch and need to bring something premade but you don't have a way to keep it frozen until you heat and eat it.
I treat them like any other food, I count the calories and fit them in.
Some of their stuff though, chili, sloppy Joe's, are awful!

Venencia

I joined Optavia Nov 4, 2018 and have lost 33 lbs and my cholesterol is down too which is a big deal to me. I’m halfway to goal. The first order comes with Dr Anderson’s Habits of Health book. He advises Medifast aka Optavia in it because it’s balanced and easy. The book also lays out his approach on eating for health among other things. I’m great full for the plan in giving me direction! I’ve justified the costs too by saying it’s a trade off for groceries and eating out. However...

Myself and a friend of mine switched over to the plan in Dr A’s book, which uses real foods, and we canceled our Optavia orders. It’s only day 2 but I think we will continue our weight loss without the packaged fuelings. I’m Loving my fitness pal for tracking and planning!
I too think Optavia is a MLM program.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

Venencia wrote: »

I joined Optavia Nov 4, 2018 and have lost 33 lbs and my cholesterol is down too which is a big deal to me. I’m halfway to goal. The first order comes with Dr Anderson’s Habits of Health book. He advises Medifast aka Optavia in it because it’s balanced and easy. The book also lays out his approach on eating for health among other things. I’m great full for the plan in giving me direction! I’ve justified the costs too by saying it’s a trade off for groceries and eating out. However...

Myself and a friend of mine switched over to the plan in Dr A’s book, which uses real foods, and we canceled our Optavia orders. It’s only day 2 but I think we will continue our weight loss without the packaged fuelings. I’m Loving my fitness pal for tracking and planning!
I too think Optavia is a MLM program.

losing weight for some in itself can cause cholesterol to go down

RespiratoryScot

I am a health professional (not nutrition-based) who speaks about obesity 20-30 times/year at conferences. I think my wife and I have tried every major diet and lifestyle plan we've discovered. It's a journey!

I've come to believe that few diet plans are purely evil or purely good. Optavia is no exception. As you already know, it is a very low carbohydrate way of eating that emphasizes purchasing "fuelings" for each of 5 meal times a day. The 6th meal time is a lean-and-green with a substantial amount of protein and veggies. The goal is to maintain a consistent blood sugar level. Once you hit a healthy weight, you transition to more calories and a wider variety of food.

This concept of small meals with one bigger, healthy meal is a positive aspect, one we've tried to adopt as a long-term life strategy.


1. Your health coach is motivated by money made by purchases you make. It is not altruistic by any means, though the language of the program suggests it is. Higher sales result in special "levels," including trips, etc. My health coach has been quite disconnected, not a great match for my wife or I, but there is NO recourse in Optavia for getting a new one (it's not about matching, it's about their level above you in making money).

2. Eating the same few pre-packaged options is convenient but also gets tiring. Oh, and expensive. We found the average cost is about $400/mos/person. As a coach you are trained to emphasize that this is probably similar to how much you spend at the supermarket and eating out most months. That being said, we still use the fuelings sometimes ... they're well-balanced and great if you're on the go.
Here's the math:
$20 for 7 fuelings (+ shipping, but also some discounts if you get regular deliveries)
5 fuelings/day x 30 days = 150 fuelings/mos
= 21 boxes/person/mos, or around $400/mos

3. Is it sustainable? There's a passionate group that sustains the lifestyle, and the thought is once you buy into being a health coach (literally buy in, a couple hundred dollars if I recall) you'll be motivated to stay healthy as your success is your billboard for promoting sales. For most people, I would say it is not sustainable, but I know some great people that have adapted to it long-term.

4. De-emphasis on physical activity. You are discouraged from exercising (you're consuming too few calories), although you are encouraged to be active (find activities other than eating that you find value in).

5. Finally, the thing that bothered me most about the program is that it is heavily focused on secrecy. You post your own weight loss photos on social media, but you never, ever, ever publicly disclose how you are getting healthy. You message people and tell them you'd like to personally video chat and tell them how you've gotten healthy. It is heavily scripted with an emphasis on caring about your health, and you are closely monitored by your own health coach until you have the company script down. I hate, hate, hate secrecy. If it's that good, let's talk about it, be open, honest, educate on the weaknesses of Optavia, etc.

amy19355

brettakuss wrote: »

Hi all! Haven’t really ever been active on here but I lack a community or knowledgeable person to ask.

I started Optavia 5 days ago. I’m down 7 lbs.
I LOVE how fast I’m losing weight. But what I’m really struggling with is how sustainable this is. For those of you that don’t know. It’s basically eating 6 small meals a day (5 of those are 100 calories each) for a total of 800-1100 calories a day.

I started at 230lbs, I’m down to 223 on day 5.

But I HATE the food. And my cravings are INSANE. Plus, I can’t really workout since my deficit is so high.

Wondering everyone’s thoughts and if there are any trainers/dietitians on here I can talk with.

I think you answered your own question. Sustainability with things you hate does not seem like a realistic proposition.

eat what you like, just don't eat more than you need - calorie wise.

busylady48

If you follow the program it’ll teach you how to get rid of bad habits and maintain your weight loss. The program works, congratulations on your weight loss.

WilmaValley

No way to live

zeejane03

RespiratoryScot wrote: »

I am a health professional (not nutrition-based) who speaks about obesity 20-30 times/year at conferences. I think my wife and I have tried every major diet and lifestyle plan we've discovered. It's a journey!

I've come to believe that few diet plans are purely evil or purely good. Optavia is no exception. As you already know, it is a very low carbohydrate way of eating that emphasizes purchasing "fuelings" for each of 5 meal times a day. The 6th meal time is a lean-and-green with a substantial amount of protein and veggies. The goal is to maintain a consistent blood sugar level. Once you hit a healthy weight, you transition to more calories and a wider variety of food.

This concept of small meals with one bigger, healthy meal is a positive aspect, one we've tried to adopt as a long-term life strategy.


1. Your health coach is motivated by money made by purchases you make. It is not altruistic by any means, though the language of the program suggests it is. Higher sales result in special "levels," including trips, etc. My health coach has been quite disconnected, not a great match for my wife or I, but there is NO recourse in Optavia for getting a new one (it's not about matching, it's about their level above you in making money).

2. Eating the same few pre-packaged options is convenient but also gets tiring. Oh, and expensive. We found the average cost is about $400/mos/person. As a coach you are trained to emphasize that this is probably similar to how much you spend at the supermarket and eating out most months. That being said, we still use the fuelings sometimes ... they're well-balanced and great if you're on the go.
Here's the math:
$20 for 7 fuelings (+ shipping, but also some discounts if you get regular deliveries)
5 fuelings/day x 30 days = 150 fuelings/mos
= 21 boxes/person/mos, or around $400/mos

3. Is it sustainable? There's a passionate group that sustains the lifestyle, and the thought is once you buy into being a health coach (literally buy in, a couple hundred dollars if I recall) you'll be motivated to stay healthy as your success is your billboard for promoting sales. For most people, I would say it is not sustainable, but I know some great people that have adapted to it long-term.

4. De-emphasis on physical activity. You are discouraged from exercising (you're consuming too few calories), although you are encouraged to be active (find activities other than eating that you find value in).

5. Finally, the thing that bothered me most about the program is that it is heavily focused on secrecy. You post your own weight loss photos on social media, but you never, ever, ever publicly disclose how you are getting healthy. You message people and tell them you'd like to personally video chat and tell them how you've gotten healthy. It is heavily scripted with an emphasis on caring about your health, and you are closely monitored by your own health coach until you have the company script down. I hate, hate, hate secrecy. If it's that good, let's talk about it, be open, honest, educate on the weaknesses of Optavia, etc.

Holy Dang, my family of five's grocery budget for the month is $400 and that covers pretty much all our breakfasts, 4 of our lunches and then all our suppers (plus we host several times a month).

I can't even wrap my mind around having $400 a month, per person...can I come live with you?

mrscarnevale

RespiratoryScot wrote: »

I am a health professional (not nutrition-based) who speaks about obesity 20-30 times/year at conferences. I think my wife and I have tried every major diet and lifestyle plan we've discovered. It's a journey!

I've come to believe that few diet plans are purely evil or purely good. Optavia is no exception. As you already know, it is a very low carbohydrate way of eating that emphasizes purchasing "fuelings" for each of 5 meal times a day. The 6th meal time is a lean-and-green with a substantial amount of protein and veggies. The goal is to maintain a consistent blood sugar level. Once you hit a healthy weight, you transition to more calories and a wider variety of food.

This concept of small meals with one bigger, healthy meal is a positive aspect, one we've tried to adopt as a long-term life strategy.


1. Your health coach is motivated by money made by purchases you make. It is not altruistic by any means, though the language of the program suggests it is. Higher sales result in special "levels," including trips, etc. My health coach has been quite disconnected, not a great match for my wife or I, but there is NO recourse in Optavia for getting a new one (it's not about matching, it's about their level above you in making money).

2. Eating the same few pre-packaged options is convenient but also gets tiring. Oh, and expensive. We found the average cost is about $400/mos/person. As a coach you are trained to emphasize that this is probably similar to how much you spend at the supermarket and eating out most months. That being said, we still use the fuelings sometimes ... they're well-balanced and great if you're on the go.
Here's the math:
$20 for 7 fuelings (+ shipping, but also some discounts if you get regular deliveries)
5 fuelings/day x 30 days = 150 fuelings/mos
= 21 boxes/person/mos, or around $400/mos

3. Is it sustainable? There's a passionate group that sustains the lifestyle, and the thought is once you buy into being a health coach (literally buy in, a couple hundred dollars if I recall) you'll be motivated to stay healthy as your success is your billboard for promoting sales. For most people, I would say it is not sustainable, but I know some great people that have adapted to it long-term.

4. De-emphasis on physical activity. You are discouraged from exercising (you're consuming too few calories), although you are encouraged to be active (find activities other than eating that you find value in).

5. Finally, the thing that bothered me most about the program is that it is heavily focused on secrecy. You post your own weight loss photos on social media, but you never, ever, ever publicly disclose how you are getting healthy. You message people and tell them you'd like to personally video chat and tell them how you've gotten healthy. It is heavily scripted with an emphasis on caring about your health, and you are closely monitored by your own health coach until you have the company script down. I hate, hate, hate secrecy. If it's that good, let's talk about it, be open, honest, educate on the weaknesses of Optavia, etc.

I am on Optavia now, and I think much of what you say relies on who you get as a coach and how motivated you are to reach out to others for help, if needed. The cost is spot on, it is expensive. My coach is making some money, but is truly motivated by being a Christian and wanting to pay it forward. She has lost 70 pounds and is working on more and only has 3 clients right now. Sustainability is very personal, will I sustain it forever? Not the whole program, but I hope to sustain the pillars of health in the program (healthy eating, moving my body, behavioral strategies, support my body through vitanutrients, reduce inflamation, get good sleep, be involved in community). I'm not seeing what you speak about with secrecy. I am encouraged daily to tell everyone what I am doing and how wonderful I feel and about the 21 pounds I've lost in 3 weeks.

If a person needs to lose weight (I need to lose over a 100 and even considered surgery) and has the money for the program it is worth it, it does work. It will take motivation, hard work, consistency, and long term commitment to yourself!

texasredreb

I did Medifast several years ago and I lost a bunch of weight. I kept it off for a number of years afterwards by replacing the shakes and bars with store bought versions of the same and eating the same type of dinners. Over the years, my weight crept up and then "life" happened in a big, ugly way and I abandoned the store-bought bars and shakes and "lean, green" dinners. I gained all the weight back and more.

My coaches were an older couple. They were very sweet and very passionate, but could only spew what they knew. They really couldn't answer in-depth questions that didn't have a pre-written script that they could follow. I'm still Facebook friends with them and they are still coaches, but we don't talk about that.

The program was expensive, the food was meh--but I could "doctor" most meals with spices and low-cal condiments enough to make the palatable. To keep costs down, I bought a lot of food from people on Craigslist who found the plan unsuitable for them. Another tip I learned was to keep making up new email addresses and rejoining to get the "new member" deal every month--which amounted to a savings of 50%.

I did lose a lot of hair several months into the diet; but the coaches assured me that it was safe and normal. I have a lot of hair, so it was no biggie. My biggest problem while on the diet was the near constant constipation. It was severe--I had to go to the ER twice to get it resolved. This is a known caveat to the diet; one that has been around for years and the company has done little to correct it. It's all about the dollars. I had to keep enemas on hand to use every time I got "backed-up." This was at the recommendation of my coaches.

No thanks! MFP is cheaper and safer! Most of all, it's sustainable.

ultra_violets

It's just my opinion, but I think Optavia is nothing but a scam. $400 a month! There is nothing Optavia can do for you that you can't do for yourself.

kcmcbee

Yeah! Well “they” have scammed me out of 46 lbs in 81 days! I couldn’t be happier about it. I’m going to let them “scam” me out of 20 lbs more!

kcmcbee

I’ve read positive and negative comments on Optavia here. I’m not a “health coach” and am just a person trying the program after seeing a few people I know having success with it. I am not understanding some comments here. I received a 375 page booked chocked full of recommendations on modifying your diet for long term success. A 175 page workbook and another 2 week tracking workbook to help when starting. We all already know the gourmet meal packs are not going to stack up against that steak and baked potato meal we’ve been cooking every week so come on. But for a temporary plan while you also change your eating habits and learn more about nutrition (and I thought I knew a bit already) it has worked well for me and several people I know. The cost of the packaged meals “fuelings” are in line with other high protein bars/other out there and is offset somewhat from other food you would be buying if it’s just you so it works out. And the daily 1 “lean and green” meal we do prepare is a good one. So whether you try this or something else or just modify both your food and portions on your own you can do it. And tracking with MFP or other helps A LOT also! Keeps you in check. Bit it is work to make sure you’re being honest with yourself and getting the correct info on food and nutrition! And it has helped immeasurably in staying away from junk food and sugar (including fake sugar)! It’s killing us all.