you need to set your mind to it and it will work
Written: Jan 13 '06 (Updated Feb 01 '06)
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Product Rating:
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| Helpfulness of Suport |
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Pros: Structured program helps with changing life style. Very safe. Truly effective.
Cons: Shakes don't taste too good. Oh well.
The Bottom Line: If you aren't ready to change lifestyle, you won't be able to stay on the diet and even if you did you'll gain back the weight. Otherwise it works.
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| daisy_diaz760's Full Review: Optifast Program |
I'm 5'10 and weighed 310 pounds ten months ago. After being on the Optifast program (which was offered to me through my HMO) for six months, and two month on the maintainence program, I now weigh 175. Even after around two months of being back on normal food, I was able too keep the pounds off. A lot of complaints are about how horriable it is to change your lifestyle completely around for this all-liquid diet, and how horriable the shake tastes. Well, it is not easy to give up solid food completely for such a long time, and the shake doesn't exactly taste like milk shake. But let's not forget, losing weight is never an easy and pretty process. I was faced with the options of a stomach bypass or Optifast, or else I was risking diabetic complications and possible knee surgeries. I think I made the right decision. I'm not gonna lie to you. Being on a liquid diet for six months was not a walk in the park. The hunger was not the worst part, which went away after a couple of weeks. The worst part was the psychological craving. Even worse was the fact I had to cook for my husband and children, and I didn't get to eat anything I made! That was the worst. I felt like I was being abandoned or something. But I'm a stubborn person and I suffered through it. I did not have any major physical side effects. Small ones, yes. I had occasional constipation and diarrhea (I told you any weight loss process won't be easy and pretty). But in the end, like many of my friends in the program with me, I did it. I now eat more healthy and feel healthier too. I'll never forget how difficult being on the diet was for me - especially psychologically. But I'm happy and thankful everyday that I did not choose stomach bypass instead. If you really want to lose weight, you HAVE to change your lifestyle. I don't feel there is an alternative to it.
A few people have asked me to update my review with more details regarding my progrem. I hope this additional info helps:
- My program was offered through my HMO, Kaiser Permanente.
- Before going on the program, I had to complete a full physical, including EKG and optional psych evaluation.
- My program was the COMPLETE liquid diet. I had to take the shakes FIVE times per day.
- Shakes were offered to me in three flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and orange. Chocolate was definitely better tasting than the others (but still don't expect anything gourmet:). I could mix the shake with diet soda, water, coffee, tea and any other drinks with 0 cal/carb. I could also add sugar free coffee syrup to the mix.
- While on the program, I had to attend a weekly meeting. And every other week, my blood pressure and blood work were done at the facility.
- Once getting close to my target weight, I had to switch to the maintainence program where I added food to my diet gradually.
Recommended:
Yes
Approximate Monthly Cost (US$) 400
Food Variety Restrictions You eat the same thing for months
Restrictiveness of Portions Practically starvation
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Epinions.com ID:
daisy_diaz760
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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