anyone have feedback re: Optifast?

nua6305

I've been researching Optifast. I've read reviews both on the Optifast site and on independent sites. There have been good and bad reports but it seems like the people who were not successful either didn't follow the program correctly or they gained the weight back after finishing the program becasue they did not make lifestyle changes. I have met with the FNP who runs the program at the clinic where my physicians office is and am seriously thinking about signing up for the program. It is going to be rather expensive so I was wondering if anyone on this site has any feedback or information, good or bad before I make my final decision. I'd appreciate any and all replies.

jrich1

I think you answered it, you have to make a lifestyle change or you will gain the weight back, why not make the lifestyle change first and not have to join the program and save your money.

fiftyandfit

Hi....I just went to their site..........appears to be a mostly liquid diet with
protein bars and fiber supplements?
For me, I wouldn't spend the money........You can do the same thing
on your own with SlimFast, protein bars and broth soups. But why
would you want to deprive yourself of tasty healthy foods? fruits,
vegetables, lean protein? I could see this plan as a quick fix, but
not a lifestyle change.
Good Luck:flowerforyou:

CeleryStalker

Please save the money you'd have spent on those products and use it to purchase some nice equipment to work out at home, a gym membership, or use it to justify the expense of eating more expensive, more nutritious whole foods instead.

Optifast is similar to MediFast, which is a program I was on. There is nothing normal about giving up real food for protein powder disguised as food. Yes, if you follow the plan to the T, you will lose weight. That applies to every weight loss method out there though, right?

Being on a program like this is expensive and it may well mess with your head like it did mine. I became obsessive about macro nutrients, obsessed with finding ways to cheat the system and still stay within the allowed carb/fat/protein levels you need to adhere to (because the 'food' is disgusting, so whats the harm in blowing off a shake to have a nice yummy apple instead? but oh no, an apple will put me over my carbs for the day! now i feel guilty for eating a dang apple! guilt leads to feeling like a failure, failure leads to binge eating, which leads to weight gain and more self esteem issues)

Why not talk to your FNP about setting you up an appropriate eating and exercise plan instead? Or go speak with a nutritionist and skip the FNP altogether?

YourFriendBecky

My brother did Optifast. I remember him drinking his little drink while all the rest of us were eating Christmas dinner. He took a lot of weight off very fast. Because his metabolism slowed down so much he unfortunately did gain it back even faster than he lost it, just eating normally (i.e., not eating an excessive amount). It cost a lot, too.

CeleryStalker

"I could see this plan as a quick fix, but
not a lifestyle change. "

And that's how they get you. They say oh, it's just during the weight loss phase that you consume our high priced disgusting little bags of chemicals. Then after you lose the weight, we wean you off our stuff and onto real food and viola, you've got a lifestyle change.

Ya, and they've got several hundreds or thousands of your dollars, and you've got months of depriving yourself of healthy food (no fruit allowed on this plan until youre at goal weight) to look forward to, as well as having to learn how to eat real food in proper proportions when you start to wean off their junk.

Avoid the middle man. Learn how to eat properly first, you're going to have to do it at the end of the Optifast plan anyways, so why bother wasting money on expensive gimmicks?

LOL, yes, I have a strong opinion on these stupid plans. MediFast has too much of my hard earned money. Heck, if you want my MF stuff, I'll give it to you if I still have it. I may have thrown it all away after realizing I can do this without packets of chemicals in place of real food.

Mepheston

I've done those quick fix diets in the past and each time I've gone back to real food I've gained the weight back plus some extra. Those diets NEVER help you make a lifestyle change, they NEVER teach you should be eating and in what portions, they NEVER help you long term, in the end the only thing that will be lighter is your bank account.

Luckymam

Please don't waste your money. I went on a similar plan 3 years ago called Lighter life. Yes, I lost weight quickly - around a stone (14lbs) per month. I was delighted but the weight quickly went back on. Yes, it went back on because of the food I was eating, but I can honestly say that after that diet had finished, I have NEVER felt so hungry in all my life! I literally couldn't stop eating. I actually read an article yesterday about a science project in the 50s where a group of people were half-starved for 3 months. After the 3 months were over, the group couldn't stop eating and displayed hoarding behaviour - literally acting as if they were still starving.

A friend of mine went on Lighterlife too. She lost over 10 stone (140lbs), but she's unable to maintain her goal weight. She puts on around 10-20lbs and has to go back on the diet again. This has happened over and over again. And it's £70 per week! She's forever on that damn diet. It hasn't taught her anything about healthy eating or food behaviour. She was soooo dedicated to it. She even gave away her fridge so she couldn't keep any food in the house!

I have two other friends who went on it (because I was telling everyone how fantastic it was!). One gave up after 2 weeks because she was so miserable on it. And another, yes you've guessed it, put all the weight back on.

When I was on it, I was cold, lethargic and miserable for the first two weeks. Then I got into it and felt great. Then I put all the weight back on and felt worse than I did before!

Please, please, please don't do it. These people simply want your money. They give you little packets of powder and charge extortionate amounts of money for it.

A book I totally recommend is "I Can Make You Thin" by Paul McKenna. You can buy it on eBay and Amazon for next to nothing. Really, I have lost 63lbs in 8 months and I feel much more in control of food, rather than it controlling me

vineas

My wife is on Medifast right now, which looks to be a pretty similar system to Optifast. It's been working great for her, she's lost 56 lbs in the same time it took me to lose about 30-35, and she's continuing at the same rate of loss. The biggest thing for her that made her think she couldn't do a "normal" weight loss program is her sugar addiction, something that has sidelined her a few times in the past. The program has helped her curb that craving. With Medifast at least (not sure about Optifast), is that the program ends with a tapering off period of going back to normal foods and to get off of the shakes and bars, over a period of 60 or 90 days (can't remember). The biggest thing with these programs like this is to have a good support system that will tell you straight if you start to slide after getting off of it (which is probably true of most programs).

If done right, for people who have a lot to lose, these programs could probably work OK - but you need to follow it up with something like MFP for a long time after so you can learn the right way to deal with diet and exercise. In reality, a minority of people who do these programs actually fall into this category and do things right afterwards. For the majority of people, I agree with the rest of the replies that these programs are just plain crap - expensive as hell and not really teaching you the right way to live. My wife and I had many discussions about this before she finally did it, but in the end it was her decision and it's working out great for her. I'll be there (along with MFP) to kick her butt when she's done and make sure that she stays on the right path.

CeleryStalker

LOL Here's the thing about the plan I was on, and this might sound mean but it's really a tale of just deserts...

They had an AWESOME online community for support, but there was a group of people who claimed to be 100% on plan, 100% of the time and they were really mean and nasty to anyone who posted about cheating or having a hard time staying on plan. Called them rude names, created a lot of unnecessary drama, etc. Sure, these folks made it to the maintenance phase quicker than those who didn't stick to plan, but that only fortified their rudeness.

However,one by one, after weaning off the products and having to live in the real world with real food, guess what happened? Yep, even those folks who were so cocky about how they were able to complete the weight loss and transition phases by sticking to the plan 100% as written FAILED MISERABLY after a few months in maintenance. Then they'd come back, admit their follies, but of course THEIR excuses for gaining the weight back was always justified in their eyes, even though they blatantly attacked anyone else who posted about their own failures with the plan.

So ya, the best thing I took from that plan wasn't lifelong weight loss....it was watching those arrogant jerks who could stick to a diet fall flat on their faces when the apron strings were cut. Pfft, For all I know, some of them might be here reading this now. If so....

CeleryStalker

LOL @ vineas! I was talking about MF in my last post. Last I had been over to that forum, the big meanies had been run off, supposedly, but who knows. When I was still actively on the program, they all supposedly left back then too, but they were really just posting under new user names and it was so blatantly obvious who was who. It was truly pathetic. LMAO! I hope their forum is a little more peaceful these days, for your wife's sake!

bellanean

I tried a few Optifast products and they were standable with taste but I was NOT full at all!!! I would not waste the money on that, get a gym membership and some healthy food!

Babbs1977

Honestly, I would only do it if you feel that you have no other choice, and I'd go with Medifast over Optifast, but that's just my opinion.

I chose to go with Medifast after seeing a girlfriend lose a large amount of weight, but the biggest reason I chose the program was to break my sugar addiction (as my husband mentioned). I have PCOS and am insulin resistant, so I basically craved sugar 24/7 and could not stop eating it. I was actually at the point that I could NOT go without sugar after eating a meal, it just consumed me and in within a few minutes I'd be eating more sugar again......something I'm embarrassed to admit. Nothing I did could break the cycle, and after having gestational diabetes I wasn't too far away from being a type 2 diabetic, so for me Medifast really felt like my last option before I ended up having surgery like the rest of my family. Within three days of starting Medifast I broke my addiction to sugar and I can honestly say I feel better now than I have in years.

I realize that Medifast is not the end all or be all in my quest to lose weight and become healthy. It's only a tool I am using to start my weight loss, and I'm realistic that it's not going to be the only tool I'll use. I'm not exercising right now because of the low calories on the plan, but I know exercise will need to be incorporated as I get closer to goal. And I know I'm going to have to log my food religiously for at least a year after I transition from Medifast so that I can stay accountable to myself...and my husband!

Babbs1977

Please save the money you'd have spent on those products and use it to purchase some nice equipment to work out at home, a gym membership, or use it to justify the expense of eating more expensive, more nutritious whole foods instead.

Optifast is similar to MediFast, which is a program I was on. There is nothing normal about giving up real food for protein powder disguised as food. Yes, if you follow the plan to the T, you will lose weight. That applies to every weight loss method out there though, right?

Being on a program like this is expensive and it may well mess with your head like it did mine. I became obsessive about macro nutrients, obsessed with finding ways to cheat the system and still stay within the allowed carb/fat/protein levels you need to adhere to (because the 'food' is disgusting, so whats the harm in blowing off a shake to have a nice yummy apple instead? but oh no, an apple will put me over my carbs for the day! now i feel guilty for eating a dang apple! guilt leads to feeling like a failure, failure leads to binge eating, which leads to weight gain and more self esteem issues)

Why not talk to your FNP about setting you up an appropriate eating and exercise plan instead? Or go speak with a nutritionist and skip the FNP altogether?

I must be weird because I really like the Medifast food...and I know a lot of people hate it. I'll admit that I do think about cheating, but it's not as bad as I thought it would be and I don't think about it constantly either. My thought is that someday the foods I'm craving (chips and salsa) will eventually be allowed in moderation in my diet.

I like the simplicity of the program, but I agree that it can mess with your head...I see people all the time on the facebook page that just can't handle it. For me it's working and type 2 diabetes isn't my fear anymore!!

Luckymam

I wouldn't ask people who are *currently* on one of these weightloss systems (they'll all tell you how wonderful it is at the moment whilst they're in the weightloss stage. I know I did!) - I would ask someone who completed one 6 months/12 months/3 years ago and see if they are maintaining their goal weight. Every single person who I know who's been on one has told me "no".

CeleryStalker

I wouldn't ask people who are *currently* on one of these weightloss systems (they'll all tell you how wonderful it is at the moment whilst they're in the weightloss stage. I know I did!) - I would ask someone who completed one 6 months/12 months/3 years ago and see if they are maintaining their goal weight. Every single person who I know who's been on one has told me "no".

No disrespect to Babbs, but I totlally agree with this statement. I LOVED medifast when I was on it. Hell, I was one of their health coaches and took a LOT of people from my photography forum under my wing. I almost feel bad for misleading them, but I was so high on the success I thought I was having that I just wanted to share my joy and success with others so they could lose weight too. I at least stuck with the plan and tried my best for a year. All of the girls that followed me fell off within the first month.

MF was an interesting plan. You could use those packets of protein to make just about anything. Heck, I made 'chips' out of the cream soups, 'pizza' out of the tomato soup, etc, and a lot of it came out tasting really good.

Unfortunately, for the *majority* of folks with a considerable amount of weight to lose, adhering to the rigid guidelines of a plan like MF or OF for the long haul isn't an attainable goal. Granted, many ppl on MF have lost weight and their success stories are incredible. But they aren't the majority, by any means. And when it comes down to it, EVERY diet plan, whether its product-based, medical-based, or good ol fashion diet and exercise-based, will have success stories where people scream THIS IS THE BEST, LOOK AT ME!!

It's all a matter of what works for you. Had you asked me three years ago about Optfast, I'd have said oh no no no, but you should try medifast, its awesome! A year later, I'd be saying oh no no no, but you should try South Beach, it's not a diet, its a 'way of life!'. And now, I'm touting the basics: diet and exercise. And I don't mean dieting by limiting carbs, limiting fats, limiting anything. I mean being sensible, eating an appropriate number of calories, and making wise food choices for where those calories are coming from.


I can honestly say, I've tried a zillion of the gimmicks out there, a zillion diet plans, products, methods, tricks, flushes, you get the idea. But I've never been happier or felt better than I do now, and sticking to my routine is easy because I'm not denying myself things I should be able to enjoy without guilt, like fruit. I'm rarely hungry, and when I am, it's because I'm supposed to be because it's time to eat again. And the best part is, I'm not spending my hard earned money on anything other than food, not some stupid packet of powder or wrapper full of chemicals.

OK, stepping down off my soap box. LOL

nua6305

First, thanks for all the feedack everyone. I'll take all of the information into consideration for making my final decision.

Yesterday after reading many of your replies, I was thinking I would try to really seriously devote myself to eating right and beginning some exercise. I have successfully lost a significant amount of weight in the past doing it that way. I'm very aware that the key, no matter how the weiight loss is done, is to change my lifestyle and habits otherwise I'll just gain it back again +.
I feel like maybe I can do it again because now I don't just want to lose weight to look better, but for my health. I have a terrible family history of heart disease and strokes and I'm getting older and older and fatter and fatter. In a way I feel like I'm a walking timebomb. I am currently on 2 blood pressure meds and a fairly high dose of cholesterol medication

I also am considering possibly using Slim-Fast just to replace some meals. Slim-Fast is much more affordable and their
3-2-1 plan provides a lot of variety. I feel like even if I didn't use their plan I could still use the products.

Another thing is, I truly don't know if I could not eat any food at all for 3 months ! I discussed everything with my husband and he feels I should do the optifast initally to get a significant amount of weight off and then work on eating better and exercising. I guess I scared hm the other day when I first made the "timebomb" comment. He is very concerned that I'll have a stroke or heart attack or something, btw he is 6'4" and 170 lbs, he is literally thin a rail. He can eat ANYTHING he wants and doesn't have an ounce of fat on his body. He actually has to work to maintain his weight.
Anyway, I said how about I make a really serious effort to do it on my own and then if I'm not being sucessful by the first of the year, do the optifast program then.

What do you think of my idea to use Slim-Fast products occassionaly to replace a meal and/or their bars for snacks?
thanks

CeleryStalker

I've got a better idea than Slimfast......

Get yourself a Magic Bullet blender (if you don't already have one, lol. I got one during my MediFast days and LOVE it...its portable, so I can bring it to work! No excuses!!)

Then, get you some good food to throw in it. Maybe even a protein powder if you are concerned with getting in all your protein for the day.

Make some yummy shakes yourself, in about 10 seconds longer than it takes to open a can of Slim Fast. I'm really funny about diet products because they are always so choc ful'o chemicals. When I'm in weight loss mode, I get uber anal about wanting to do right by my body, and stuffing it full of chemicals and additives to make up for nutrients I'm not getting otherwise just seems like sacrilege.

Seriously......Magic Bullet, fresh produce, protein powder.....now you're getting in those nutrients in a quick, easy manner, and you aren't subsidizing some fat cat weight loss product CEO's wallet.

And if you REALLY want to live on the wild side, delve into the world of GREEN SMOOTHIES. A chick I work with makes them all the time and at first, I'd look at her and think how disgusting that green cup of crap must be. Then I had a sip. ZOMG! Not disgusting at all!!

My favorite green smoothie consists of:

Spinach- 1 large handful
Pineapple- about half a cup
Mango- 1 small wedge, about the size of one orange segment
Orange Juice- just a splash to moisten things up
Maca powder- 2 tablespoons
Ginger- very small amount, about the size of a kernel of corn
Coconut oil- 1 tsp


Blend it all up, and you've got one SERIOUS super healthy, very filling smoothie that you can take on the road or enjoy at home. They are seriously so freakin good, it'll blow your mind.

If you've never had a green smoothie before, you MIGHT want to find a juice bar or some other type of place that sells them before you try making them at home. I suggest this because they are going to be using a mega mixer like a Vitamix, which purees the hell out of the ingredients and makes it all nice and smooooooth and super creamy. When I make them at home in my Magic Bullet or other full size blender, they have a bit more texture and if you're not cool with that, it will put you off green smoothies forever, lmao! I know if I try something once and hate it, I'm not likely to try it again without some serious pushing, so I don't want your first green smoothie experience to be one that isn't the super duper best.

I love my green smoothies so much I'm saving up for a Vitamix myself. I just can't see dropping $400 on a blender as an impulse purchase, so I'm being responsible and putting aside money. Course, I did just burn out the motor in my current blender, so something tells me my savings program is going to be kicked into high gear. LOL!!