Optavia beginner over here.

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I signed up this app a few years ago and just recently started using it daily. I began Optavia 2 weeks ago 10 pounds down. Ready to see where weight loss Journey will take me. I said I am going to follow Optavia without any hacks for 2 months to see how much weight I will use. I am always looking for new healthy foods/recipes

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  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,053 Member
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    What is Optavia?

    What is your current weight and how much do you have to lose?

    10 lb in 2 weeks sometimes happens at beginning if you have a lot to lose - but ongoing pace needs to be sustainable and realistic.
    Ie slower.
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
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    Optavia seems to be a VLCD with a very low long term success rate.

    I'd talk to your doctor before doing it as long as 2 months.
  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,477 Member
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    Terytha wrote: »
    Optavia seems to be a VLCD with a very low long term success rate.

    A quick Google search shows the plan (which is pre-packaged meals/snacks...hmmm that sounds familiar?) doling out a whopping 800-1,000 calories per day. Reviews I saw gave it 4/5 for "fast weight loss" but 1/5 stars for "long term weight loss" but I'm sure their "COACHES" (LMFAOOOOOOO) will dispute that. Caveat Emptor.

  • OHMEMEMETRICIA
    OHMEMEMETRICIA Posts: 2 Member
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    Lutinka2016, best wishes on your weightloss efforts. Any plan will work if you stick to the plan. I have a personal aquaintance who just recently lost 100+ lbs on Optivia and another close friend who is on week 2. I’m not into programs as such, so much but agree that a good program is a great jumpstart or focus plan, but proper balanced habits and nutrition are essential for long term. Happy to meet you here and cheering for your success!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,639 Member
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    Dieting like this is hardly ever long term success. Sorry, but doing this for over 35+ years I've seen all the "fast" weight loss plans and the majority of them are just extreme calorie cutting and food that no one would eat AFTER they lost weight. That's not living.
    Weight loss is really just about calorie balance. And once you truly understand that, then you can create the program that works for you to reach your goal without having to fork out a bunch of money.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • jdsass82
    jdsass82 Posts: 19 Member
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    This is going to sound harsh. I mean it gently and in love. Optavia (and whatever other silly fads there are) might work for the short term, but there is very little possibility that you'll keep weight off in long-term with a product/system whatever you want to call it.

    Look, I'll be real with you with. We're here because we're fat and don't want to be, right? And we've done the stupid fad diets, cleanses, detoxes, whatever else that HASN'T worked before. We lose it, put it back on, and swear we're never going back when we start the next ridiculous thing.

    You can't keep doing silly things like that and expect to have good, long-lasting outcomes. You have to change your way of eating, your relationship with food and exercise. It's a waste of your time, money, and efforts to adhere to a fad diet.
  • jdsass82
    jdsass82 Posts: 19 Member
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    Lutinka2016, best wishes on your weightloss efforts. Any plan will work if you stick to the plan. I have a personal aquaintance who just recently lost 100+ lbs on Optivia and another close friend who is on week 2. I’m not into programs as such, so much but agree that a good program is a great jumpstart or focus plan, but proper balanced habits and nutrition are essential for long term. Happy to meet you here and cheering for your success!

    "Just recently lost"...any super lower calorie diet will help you lose weight, but that's not going to stay off unless root causes are addressed. Optivia, and other fads like it, are not going to help that.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,744 Member
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    jdsass82 wrote: »
    Lutinka2016, best wishes on your weightloss efforts. Any plan will work if you stick to the plan. I have a personal aquaintance who just recently lost 100+ lbs on Optivia and another close friend who is on week 2. I’m not into programs as such, so much but agree that a good program is a great jumpstart or focus plan, but proper balanced habits and nutrition are essential for long term. Happy to meet you here and cheering for your success!

    "Just recently lost"...any super lower calorie diet will help you lose weight, but that's not going to stay off unless root causes are addressed. Optivia, and other fads like it, are not going to help that.

    And guaranteed some of that weight that comes off will be lean muscle mass….

    Steer clear of the fads and super low calorie diets.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,744 Member
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    I signed up this app a few years ago and just recently started using it daily. I began Optavia 2 weeks ago 10 pounds down. Ready to see where weight loss Journey will take me. I said I am going to follow Optavia without any hacks for 2 months to see how much weight I will use. I am always looking for new healthy foods/recipes

    Ten pounds in two weeks is pretty steep.

    Are you feeling OK? Any tiredness? How’s your energy level?
  • miriam193
    miriam193 Posts: 5 Member
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    I have been doing Optavia for 7 months now and lost 45 lb. With last 5 pounds to go, I am almost ready to transition. This is the only program that worked for me, and if you follow it in earnest and also read the books that come with it, I feel like we can be successful on the long run. The "super low calorie" people worry about is not forever but only during weight loss phase, and it's only phase I of the whole program. Transition and maintenance is the key and once you are there, the coach and the books should be able to help you on how to transition properly. You will do great on Optavia if you follow the program! Btw, I am not a coach and not intending to be one, so this is not an advertisement in any way but personal experience. You'll do great!
  • miriam193
    miriam193 Posts: 5 Member
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    jdsass82 wrote: »
    "Just recently lost"...any super lower calorie diet will help you lose weight, but that's not going to stay off unless root causes are addressed. Optivia, and other fads like it, are not going to help that.

    Optavia does address root causes and has two books that accompany the program - Habits of Health and Lifebook (the latter is literally for your own working on the mindset with weekly "assignments" to change your long-term habits and way of looking at food and exercise). If you follow the program in full and not just the "diet" aspect of it, I feel you will have long-term success.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,744 Member
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    miriam193 wrote: »
    I have been doing Optavia for 7 months now and lost 45 lb. With last 5 pounds to go, I am almost ready to transition. This is the only program that worked for me, and if you follow it in earnest and also read the books that come with it, I feel like we can be successful on the long run. The "super low calorie" people worry about is not forever but only during weight loss phase, and it's only phase I of the whole program. Transition and maintenance is the key and once you are there, the coach and the books should be able to help you on how to transition properly. You will do great on Optavia if you follow the program! Btw, I am not a coach and not intending to be one, so this is not an advertisement in any way but personal experience. You'll do great!

    The issue with super low calorie programs is health.

    People have had very serious health problems from restricting too much. Congestive heart failure, gall stones, hair loss.

    When people here worry about someone restricting their calories below 1200 (which is already pretty dang low) we’re worried that they’re doing themselves irreparable harm. And “just a few months” can be long enough to do harm.

    That’s why I asked about your energy level.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,053 Member
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    miriam193 wrote: »
    I have been doing Optavia for 7 months now and lost 45 lb. With last 5 pounds to go, I am almost ready to transition. This is the only program that worked for me, and if you follow it in earnest and also read the books that come with it, I feel like we can be successful on the long run. The "super low calorie" people worry about is not forever but only during weight loss phase, and it's only phase I of the whole program. Transition and maintenance is the key and once you are there, the coach and the books should be able to help you on how to transition properly. You will do great on Optavia if you follow the program! Btw, I am not a coach and not intending to be one, so this is not an advertisement in any way but personal experience. You'll do great!


    If you follow any program in earnest you will lose weight. Any program that has you in a calorie deficit will have that result if you follow it.
    Nobody is disputing that.

    Question is whether people do follow it long term and whether it is nutrition, value for money, appropriate calories etc

    I would say it is not, to all of the above.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,053 Member
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    I hope it isn't a VLCD - against MFP rules to promote such.

    Whether one is a genuine poster or a advertising schill.