Diet Overview: OPTIFAST
KEYWORDS: OPTIFAST, optifast diet program, optifast weight loss program
If you're trying to lose weight, it pays to be realistic. You have to decide whether you should try a radical diet program and an exercise routine that will match it, or simply work it out with natural methods of consuming less calories and being more active. But many women do not have this capability nor the genes in their bodies to burn off the fat. Others live a sedentary lifestyle that has caused their obesity in the first place. This is where the OPTIFAST weight loss program comes in.
The OPTIFAST diet program promises to deliver weight loss results by following a four-step procedure: evaluation, counseling and management, liquid diet followed by self-prepared meals, and weight maintenance.
The diet consists of OPTIFAST products, in addition to any meal that is less than 100 calories you can eat with it daily. OPTIFAST products come in all sorts and sizes. Other than the ready to drink shakes, they also offer powder drinks, soups, and nutrition bars.
So how do people succeed in losing weight under an OPTIFAST diet? First, we must clarify that not everyone who commits to an OPTIFAST weight loss program truly loses weight. It's always a matter of discipline, remembering the counseling sessions, and having supportive people around to help you get through the program. If you wish to undergo the OPTIFAST weight loss program, you have to understand that it takes a lot of work. This means that while you are on the diet program, you have to avoid the temptation of calorie-rich foods which other friends and family try to offer you. It also means you need to take the recommended amount of OPTIFAST shakes (soups, etc) in one day, plus any healthy food that will not add pounds on the scale. OPTIFAST diet really works for a lot of obese people. But as mentioned, how you respond to the diet program will dictate the success of your weight loss.
Before committing yourself to the OPTIFAST diet program, you have to consult with a good doctor and have yourself evaluated if you are a good candidate for the program. Remember that there are situations when you don't have to resort to meal-replacement shakes for 18 weeks if you can have a better option. It's true that it is going to be almost a totally liquid diet. In some cases, people don't succeed in this program because they do not like the idea of taking shakes instead of regular food. OPTIFAST, however, gradually provides a transition from shakes to solid food and finally to regular meals after halfway through the program.
The decision to lose weight always depends on you. If you are comfortable with the idea of temporary switching to low calorie nutritional shakes and giving up on sugar, carbs, fats, and other high-calorie foods with the hope of finally shedding off the pounds, then give the OPTIFAST weight loss program a try. There are always pros and cons. It is wise to learn as much as you can about this program before trying it. Above all, enlist the support of your family and friends to help you shape the true healthy body that you always dreamed of having.
