Any Optifast users out there?

The beauty about a medically supervised Optifast plan is that while Optifast does the work, and the physician makes sure that you are not hurting yourself while you lose a substantial amount of weight, your job is to attend weekly meetings, receive and digest a significant amount of information about living a healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life. This involves a well rounded look at what is necessary to be healthy and succeed in terms of nutrtion, portion control, exercise and mindfulness about the choices you make on a daily basis. In addition, quite frankly, as with any "ism"...whether your demon is over- or poor-eating habits and weight issues, alcoholism, drug, gambling or other addition, chronic illness or some form of mental disorder, you are well served, I believe, by engaging in some self-reflection and personal care, whether that involves yoga or meditation, a course in mindfulness study, addiction treatment, or personal therapy/counseling. After all, after you peel away the layers of the onion and "feel" better (symptomatically), wouldn't it be great to attack the root of our problems and truly "get" better. Good luck to you, and all of us as we try to be the best we can be for ourselves, and for others.

I read people saying they are on optifast 800, some say 60 or 70. What do these numbers mean? My optifast packets do not have a number on them. I intend to take 4 a day to have 640 calories.

VLCD? Could you translate that acronym?

I am only aware of Optifast 800 which refers to 800 cal/day....not sure where you see the 60, 70 references- maybe those are the pounds people want to lose?

also I thank poster -llghterlemur- for summarizing the program so succinctly The post was on 2/27/14

I'm sure that Optifast & Medifast are 2 diffferent things but Medifast sent me to the emergency room. It was not safe or healthy for me. Just sharing my experience. This was how I found out that I had an intolerance to soy & Medifast is soy based. I can take soy in small doses but this is ALL soy. Be careful when dealing with things like this. You are better off eating real food & learning how to eat instead of doing this type of "diet". I found out the hard way & would never want anyone else. to.

Out of curiosity, would any of those original supporters/posters in this thread from a year ago or six months ago come back and say how they are doing today? It seems a lot of them just kind of disappeared. It's hard to compare long term results and sustainability between the ones who lost 20 or 30 pounds rapidly and then disappeared to someone who's lost over 150 pounds through real lifestyle changes.

I am on day 2 of Optifast. I just want to drop the weight quickly, then slowly transition back to food. Is it possible to adjust the calorie count on myfitnesspal to reflect that you are doing Optifast? It tells you how many calories you are supposed to take in based on your weight/height but that is not how Optifast works.

Hi guys,
I am looking for some people who are on Opitfast for some support. Im a 27yr old female currently weighting 196lbs, I need to lose 77lbs on request of my Cardiologist. I was born with a heart condition that caused a narrowing of my aortic valve. While this was repaired I have to be extremely careful.
Today I received some news, after doing a 24hr blood pressure test I have been diagnosed with hypertension. I also have polycystic ovaries so I have struggled with my weight for the last 7-8 years and it has gradually gotten worse.
It has been recommended to me by my mum who is a preassessment nurse to try this programe. Optifast is what they put overweight patients on who are needing to lose weight prior to surgery.
My mum has offered to do this with me as support as she has gained some weight after giving up smoking.
I'm a little scared because I don't have the best track record when it comes to self control and I am definitely a foodie. My partner while extremely supportive, used to be a chef and as anyone who knows a chef will tell you, they are all about taste not about whats low fat, low carb.
Although my mum is going to do this with me, I really want to give myself the best possible chance at having some self control and getting through even a week (my diets tend to last about 2 days before I cave), I would like to friend some people who can be supportive and honest about their experience with this diet.
I am not looking to be told this is a fad etc, I have medical reasons for doing this and rather than have people point out all the things they feel are wrong with this I would like people to do what MFP is all about and be supportive.
Thanks and please feel free to friend me if you are on the same journey.

Hi everyone, Just started optifast today on optifast 800 so far I'm hungry..lol.

...because it's a starvation diet.

trogalicious
I have read a few of your posts on this board and I wish you would stop being such a negative Nancy. This board is for people who are using Optifast, which you clearly are not.
MFP is supposed to be a supportive place for people who want to lose weight. Please let people make their own decisions about what is best for them and take your negative comments elsewhere.
Although you may not agree with this diet or think it would work for you, it is a diet that hospitals use to get patients to a healthy weight for surgery.
It is not recommend that anyone do this without medical advice they even advise you on their website to seek medical advice. However this is a diet that works in conjunction with learning about food, it has the advantage of breaking your addiction to carbs before you go it alone.
Anyway good luck with whatever weightloss path you are on but please don't try and discourage others when it's hard enough to lose weight when you have all the support in the world

Hi everyone, Just started optifast today on optifast 800 so far I'm hungry..lol.

...because it's a starvation diet.

trogalicious
I have read a few of your posts on this board and I wish you would stop being such a negative Nancy. This board is for people who are using Optifast, which you clearly are not.
MFP is supposed to be a supportive place for people who want to lose weight. Please let people make their own decisions about what is best for them and take your negative comments elsewhere.
Although you may not agree with this diet or think it would work for you, it is a diet that hospitals use to get patients to a healthy weight for surgery.
It is not recommend that anyone do this without medical advice they even advise you on their website to seek medical advice. However this is a diet that works in conjunction with learning about food, it has the advantage of breaking your addiction to carbs before you go it alone.
Anyway good luck with whatever weightloss path you are on but please don't try and discourage others when it's hard enough to lose weight when you have all the support in the world

so let me understand, 800 calories per day is something that should just be accepted? I'm negative for calling it a starvation diet? I'm sorry you're mad that other people have success without having to pay a lot of money to not eat, but that doesn't make me negative. As for my post history, feel free to read back a few pages. I bash stupid ideas, not the people that follow them. Not that I have any experience in losing weight or anything, but that's fine too.

Hi everyone,

For those who are wondering about long-term Optifast success stories, my husband's good friend (best man at our wedding 30 years ago) had gained quite a lot of weight over the last 10 years (he has a son who was diagnosed as autistic which I think took a toll on him). Anyway, he started Optifast in July 2013 and has lost 165 lbs -- he is still in the maintenance group and following all the rules of the program -- and he looks great! He's basically at goal weight and maintaining.

I think, like anything, this program works if you work it. I would only suggest doing Optifast if you are medically monitored and participate in the support group and classes. I have lost 28 lbs in 7 1/2 weeks and plan on staying in the program for the full year and a half they offer it. I am a 52 year old woman and have less to lose than he did so I am losing slower than he did -- but I am losing! I tried many other programs but was not motivated to stay on them -- the accountability and support from the same group every week is keeping me on track

Congratulations to those of you who have lost using other strategies -- I tried to and was unsuccessful for many years. Finally, with Optifast, I am successful. To each his own.

I seriously don't understand why people who do not use Optifast are posting on a board that says "Any Optifast users out there?" What are you doing here? Go spread your hate elsewhere - this board is for positive people

Kjo is there a reason you don't exercise? Surely that would form part of any health plan? From research it also seems the key to maintenance.

You are on a program gram called MyFITNESSpal and you come in here to boast you don't exercise?

What is your point exactly?

I do exercise but not as much to say it's a routine.

My point was that there's a lot of people who say they use Optifast because they can't exercise due to injuries, bla bla bla and therefore can't lose weight any other way. Well news to all! Yes, you can.

Also it's not the key to maintenance. The key to maintenance, as the word implies, is doing something you can actually maintain all your life. The way I currently eat and how I incorporate exercises every now and then is something I can maintain. Can Optifast be maintained forever? Maybe. But it doesn't sound like a good idea only eating that thing for the rest of your life. Especially if it's so low in calories (800? That would be bragging in www.myproana.com - it's crazy low). It's super unhealthy! Anyway, to each their own. But I don't think MFP is the ideal place for people using a product that provides such a low amount of calories into people's diet because starvation is certainly not the point MFP wants to make.

Great supportive comments. . .I have to say it is hard to be on the low calorie diet of shakes, meal bars and packaged soup, however, I am super motivated and have never had more energy. I am able to get out there and exercise and am setting down healthy habits that will see me maintain this weight loss. I have lost 23 pounds and have about 35 to go. I am being realistic. I am being honest with myself in trying to deal with the food addictions I have developed over the past decade. It is time to take charge and Optifast and medical monitoring are allowing me to have that opportunity (and I am taking it). I am saying to myself when confronted with food, that I am choosing NOT to have the offered cookie (never one btw) and I am choosing NOT to go off program. I am enjoying the fact that my blood pressure has come down and I am able to move more. So, keep up the good words, work in the wonderful world.

Sarah

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I'm sure that Optifast & Medifast are 2 diffferent things but Medifast sent me to the emergency room. It was not safe or healthy for me. Just sharing my experience. This was how I found out that I had an intolerance to soy & Medifast is soy based. I can take soy in small doses but this is ALL soy. Be careful when dealing with things like this. You are better off eating real food & learning how to eat instead of doing this type of "diet". I found out the hard way & would never want anyone else. to.

I hope for your health you are reading all the labels on your REAL food foo. I am sensitive to soy (hypothyroid) and cannot tolerate it except tor soy lethin. Soy is in many many prepared foods and fitness shakes too! no teriyaki chicken for you!