Optifast Program

Pros: Oh You will Lose the Weight Fast, but at What cost??
Cons: All Liquid Diet which Causes you to go absolutely Insane, and worse of all the weight comes back!

Over a decade ago, I was evaluated and accepted by the Optifast program. I participated in this program for close to nine months, and I personally will tell you that this was nine months of living hell.

Optifast is a liquid diet only diet....

Pros: Easy,shakes taste great,loss of appetite,cost effective versus normal food cost for overeater
Cons: NO FOOD, quick weight loss, medically supervised,follow entire program through maintenance or risk gain

I am an Optifast success!! I had to lose 85 pounds, and it was easy, in six months I met my goal...BUT that is only the beginning of Optifast..you must know going into the fast that you will stay on the program,attending meetings after your weight loss...

Pros: Fast weight loss, no physical hunger, shakes convenient & tast great!
Cons: Some say it's expensive, but my insurance covered the costs.

Many of the reviews here appear to have been written reviewing the "old" Optifast program (i.e., Oprah,1986).

Optifast has changed, for the better. I know - I have been on it twice. Once when I was 18 and my parents made me do it - I was not...

Pros: You will lose weight, it's medically monitored, classes to teach you to eat.
Cons: Horrendously expensive, not covered by insurance, shakes taste AWFUL, no food.

I went on the Optifast diet a few years ago through a local hospital. I was only on it for a month (I landed in the hospital for an UNRELATED problem, went off it in the hospital, and after eating real food again, couldn't go back), and in that time I...

Pros: Quick, no choice, weight loss plan
Cons: Cost, Eventually need to go back on food

When my knee became so painful that I was forced to see my doctor, I knew he would say something about my weight. It has be creeping--no, actually galloping,up--to an unacceptable level. I finally broke down and saw my doctor, and warned him first...

Pros: Rapid weight loss, confidence surge.
Cons: You have to come back to reality and eat food.

I sometimes return to my early reviews that were ridiculously lacking in content, and I repair them. Some are so bad I have to completely delete instead of overhaul. My Optifast review needed a complete face-lift so here goes.

On my quest to...

Pros: My mom lost 47 lbs. in about 7 weeks.
Cons: My mom died on this program.

My mom worked for a hospital in North Carolina that sponsored the Optifast program. She weighed 247 pounds, and she really did want to lose weight. At the urging of her boss, she enrolled in the Optifast program. The year was 1988, and her three...

Pros: Easy program, will promote weight loss
Cons: Not a healthy choice, expensive

In all fairness, I would like to say that I tried this program over 5 years ago, and, therefore, the product very well may have improved. However it would have had to improve tremendously to even reach an acceptable level.

I was on the...

Pros: A head start to weight loss for the morbidly obese (not just overweight)
Cons: You need to learn lifestyle changes for the weight to stay off; expensive

I thought that Eopinions readers would like to hear from a successful graduate of the Optifast program!

I was in the Program in 1990-91. That year, I was at a high (I think - I was afraid to get on a scale for years) of 265 pounds when I was...

Pros: A great moneymaker fro the manufacturers
Cons: Unbelievably dangerous program

I had been in an accident and hurt my back. I was prescribed painkillers, anti-inflammatory meds and Optifast (for quick weight loss to relieve pressure on my back). After filling out piles of forms (asking about meds and medical treatment) and getting...

Pros: Fast Weight Loss
Cons: Not a long term fix

I worked with the dietician department in our local hospital. They were using the optifast program with some of their patients. I personally didn't use the product. It is supposed to be for people who are quite a bit overweight.

I was...

Pros: Fast, it works!, perfect nutrition, low calorie, never hungry, counseling, medical monitoring
Cons: expensive, possible hair loss, loose skin, may regain weight

I have tried to lose weight on every diet in the book, weight watchers, Jenny Craig, The Zone, Atkins, etc. I was only ever able to stay on the diet a month or two and would get discouraged by the slow results and the temptation of eating food off the ...

Pros: Structured program helps with changing life style. Very safe. Truly effective.
Cons: Shakes don't taste too good. Oh well.

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 ...

Pros: fast weight loss, medical supervision, simple, excellent track record.
Cons: No Food, variety or choices; cost; some initial discomfort (but consider medication for appetite)

Here are some facts that I used to evaluate my decision to choose Optifast. You can find this study at the Optifast website. My review/experience will follow: 1. The average BMI entry into the diet is 39. Do you know what your BMI is? OptiFast is ...

Pros: No dishes, groceries, meal preparations;
Break destructive eating habits;
Fast results are motivating;
Delicious
Cons: Bad breath;
First few days, you'll be hungry;
Social situations (some can't understand);

I have nothing but good things to say about Optifast. I think of myself as a picky eater and I don't mind the taste of the shakes at all. I find that the vanilla tastes like soft serve ice cream and chocolate is good too. You can also use instant ...