Opti day one

So today's my start with the opti.   I've researched an read everything I could about options and limited things I could do with it.   Generally it seems people like the chocolate better with less modifications.   So I decided to try it first.   He first couple sips weren't bad.  Not great but not bad.  Then it just turned nasty to the point where I had to force it down and even gagged once.    Did I mix it wrong or not long enough or something?  Cooking has never been my strong suit, part of the reason I'm here, but surely I can mix a packet!! I tried adding ice after it first changed.  Maybe I didn't add enough? Any suggestions?   I  am not a coffee drinker!  I have to have "lunch" soon and will be trying the vanilla next but I'm anxious about it.  I mean i know I'll get it down one way or another but that's gonna make for a long three weeks!

Opti can be a challenging thing to get through. It's too bad you're not a coffee drinker. I found adding more water (I preferred close to 500ml of water to mix it) and shaking it for almost a minute made it a good easy texture to drin**** is a necessity. Besides instant decaf coffee, I liked the sugar-free syrups from Starbucks in the Opti (just a couple of pumps)...works well in both chocolate and vanilla. I liked the hazelnut one in the chocolate and the cinnamon-dolce in the vanilla.

I also poured my Opti in to a small glass to drink it...it kept the smell from the big container away from the nose.

Good luck getting through this stage.

Tammy :)

Never been In a Starbucks.  Lol.  Guess I'll have to stop in tomorrow when I'm out.  Thanks for the idea!

I used to use 12 oz of really cold water (didn't have ice at work) and mixed it with my opti in a shaker bottle and it was alright.  Got the water cold by rinsing out the bottle after each shake and putting it in the fridge until it was time to do my next one.  If you have a blender or bullet, using ice is a great option.

You can add SF Syrups, decalf coffee, crystal light etc. in the shakes.  Also baking extracts and baking cocoa.

Another suggestion is to get a glass with a lid and straw or something similar, so you don't smell the opti before you drink it.  Sometimes that's enough to help get it down.

Cathy

I did use a straw but I guess I hesitated to add anything else to chocolate.  Think that would just make weird but hey I'll try it anything once! Lol

I used one of the shaker cups with a wire ball to help with mixing and added extra water (400-500ml total). I also kept the lid on the bottle to help with the smell. I would add my flavoring after a premix to make sure all the powder was broken up.

Meg

More water is just more crap to get down lol.   

Opticrap and I never became friends.  The entire 3 weeks was a challenge, but one that was worth every gag and cringe.  

Due to a chocolate shortage at the time, I ended up with only vanilla and NOTHING made it palatable.  I tried Mios, Crystal Lites, coca powder, coffee, extra water, less water, etc.  Nope.  Getting a lidded cup with a sippy straw helped (cut back the "aroma" of the opti), but I literally ended up chugging every glass of it just to get it down.  I drank a LOT of water with sugar free flavours added, broth and the occasional sugar-free mint.  

Remember, it's only 3 weeks and you can do it!  Worse comes to worse, just chug it back and get it down.  Hopefully you'll find some flavours that will work for you.

Good luck!

TES

I tried the vanilla earlier.   I think I might actually prefer it. It was still awful but maybe not quite as bad lol. I did have an over flavouring incident earlier where I spilled and put in too much and nearly made myself puke.  Again.   I know.  In the grand scheme of my life it's only three weeks and I know I can get through it .  Almost one day down! 

oh jeez.....I start my OPTI on the 15th of April and this is freaking me out LOL  Maybe plug your nose and get it down!  then follow with a SF candy???  OMG good luck girl