OptiFast Program

Has anyone ever tried the OptiFast program that some hospitals are offering?  I was wondering what the success rate was and so on.  Thanks.

Can't remember her name but there is someone on here that is doing the Optifast program hopefully she will see post and comment.

A friend of mine just started it. they introduce the optifast in week 3, it's a 26  week ( I think) program, they ease into optifast then do I think 12 weeks of opti, then start to re introduce food. She goes to weekly support classes.

There is also a program with no opti, just support classes and nutrition education.

I'm referring to Humber, not sure how the other centres work.

If you ask in several weeks I'll be happy to update you on her feelings and progress if she's ok with that ( which I'm sure she will)

Terri

That would be great.  Thank you.

I am into my fourth week of the OptiFast program through my General Hospital Bariatric Clinic, here in Hamilton, ON.

The program looks like this: we meet every Thursday 9am for educational groups (I missed the first class because *blush* I slept in; I missed the second class because I was away on vacation -- which was pre-approved by the group). The rest of my group started shakes while I was away, I started on the 3rd week.  We do 12 weeks of shakes only (I'll get 11 weeks). Then we take 5 weeks to slowly introduce food (3 shakes and a meal, 2 shakes and 2 meals, etc). Then, at this point, we switch to meeting once a month for 6 months, which is called the "maintenance" period.  At the end of that time, you and your doctor can discuss options of going back into the 12wks of shakes only.

My first 3wks of shakes, I also upped my exercise from 0 activity, to approx 2km of fast-walking every night at 7pm. As well as 10-15mins of resistance tubing every evening around 9pm. Which means, I may be gaining muscle mass, losing inches, and not quite losing numbers on the scale as fast. I am looking to increase the walk and increase to other cardio choices at the gym soon. As well as working a regular swim into my schedule somehow. I am not measuring my inches anywhere, simply noticing that I need to buy a belt soon, if I plan to keep my pants up!

I am down 21lbs at this point; I'll admit that I cheated one night and had chicken breast (it was my daughter's leftovers.. gah!)

What do I THINK of the program?  Well, I have a whole person's worth of weight to lose, so I feel like, if I'm not aiming for surgery (which I'm not) then it is my only option.

The shakes come in either Vanilla (which my mom used before me, and she swears by, but I think are DISGUSTING) or Chocolate (which I don't hate) .... so since I'm only having 4 chocolate shakes/day, I'm kind of sick of them.

You also have to have fiber -- usually in the form of Metamucil (or another brand, just make sure it is the SUGAR FREE kind, I actually used the wrong kind for the first 2wks). Some people add it to their shake, I've been using it as a "snack" between shakes.  You need to take in at least 2L of water/day. You can drink black coffee or tea. I've managed the 2L by having four 500mL water bottles/day and I usually have one or two cups of tea (preferring Jasmine right now, as it tastes best with no sweetener!)

My schedule looks like this: 8am wake and shake, 10am fiber, 12noon shake, 2pm fiber, 4pm shake, 6pm fiber, 7pm walk, 8pm shake, 9pm resistance tubing (while watching TV) 11pm bed.

The first week was actually kind of easy for me. This past third week was my hell. I'm SO sick of the SAME shake EVERY day.

I am a single mom. My daughter is 9. She's on the border-line of food independence, so I end up interacting with food every single day for her. It is frustrating as can be! Some of the people in my group are single, or there is one couple who are doing it together. Only one other person has small children at home.  Those who are single are finding it the easiest -- they've just eliminated all the food from their house. I think it would be easier for me if I weren't cooking so often, and not getting to eat the yummi things I'm making! She's also been somewhat resistant to my evening walks, or complaining about having to eat alone. So it has been a very uphill battle for me, so to speak -- fighting against my own bad habits and not wanting to exercise, as well as fighting against my daughter's disapproval of any change.

The classes are dealing with emotions and motivation and responsibility and exercise -- we haven't gotten into the meal planning and grocery shopping stuff yet, but they're going to help educate us on how to eat healthy.

There is a Social Worker and a Psychometrist and a Nutritionist and a couple RNs and a Doctor, all who I have access to. I am weighed in every week by the Nurse and if I have no concerns, I see the Doctor every other week. I had to be approved by the Social Worker before I could start the program. I am going to see the Psychometrist next week, to talk about the emotions I am having -- I knew I was an emotional eater, its how I got to this size, but I never realized JUST how tied to food so many of my life interactions were.

Something that other members of my class are doing is adding sugar-free Torani or DaVinci flavour syrups to their shakes -- apparently they come in all kinds of flavours and make a huge difference.  I'm on a really tight budget. The shakes are $86/wk which is more than I would ever spend on feeding just myself, plus I still have to buy food for my daughter. My mom is looking to gift me a couple flavours of SF Torani, I'm hoping that will make the monotonous chocolate shakes somewhat more palatable.

Overall -- I'd say, yes, I would recommend it -- but the truth is, like any weight-loss plan, it just IS NOT easy!

Hope this was helpful; sorry it was so long-winded!!

I don't know if this helps but I had put a teaspoon of decaf coffee crystals in my vanilla along with a bunch of ice cubes and it tasted much better than plain.  (I too was on a budget and used stuff around the house to favor the shakes) ...

I wouldn't say that you were long winded at all.  Thank you for your thorough description of your experiences.  It really helps to hear what other people are experiencing with this.

When I was on Opti I used extracts that you can get at the baking section at any grocery store. Chocolate with mint extract was one of my favourites. Also, you can try using decaf coffee instead of water to make the shakes. Chocolate coffee flavour was really good. Good luck.

I know of two people that have gone through it.  It did work initially, however they both gained back their weight within a year of leaving the program.  (Neither were initially morbidly obese ~ just obese)

Okay.  That what I was wondering too.  Thank you for that information