Did you feel fatigued doing OF?

I start tomorrow for two weeks and to optimize weight loss I wanted to work out every night while my family eats their homecooked meal LOL
But I recall hearing someone say how little energy they had while on it.

I felt very tired and had a bit of a headache for the first two days. I think it was just my body's way of saying "hey, what's up? I don't like this!" If I remember correctly, my body said this with more colourful language based on how I was feeling, but I think you get the idea. I don't think I helped matters because in the few days before I started I was eating a lot of my favourite unhealthy meals and treats during my bucket list (as I heard from many that Optifast was awful and the thought of not having a single good thing for three weeks, just yucky optifast was depressing. I was lucky that I actually really enjoyed the Optifast and looked forward to the Chocolate ones because they tasted just like my favourite food--chocolate milk). I was lucky that this was over the weekend and I could just relax on the couch, but by day three I felt normal again and the hunger was subsiding.  

Edited to add: P.S. Good luck! You can do this!

 I felt more energetic when I was on optifast. I no longer felt sluggish. 

HI RubyTues,
Optifast is a diet not intended to support an excess of physical activity as there are not enough calories to sustain you.  I believe this is listed on the box if memory serves.
Best of Luck!
TT  

I felt fine while doing my 3 weeks of optifast, no energy loss at all.

Also I have to disagree with toryt about the exercise. If you drink your 4 packets a day that is 900 calories and likely you'll be having other things as well that you are allowed so that will add some calories. My understanding is that post-op no one usually eats more than 800-900 calories anyway and the expectation is that we do have to exercise. I wouldn't be training for the Olympics on 900 calories a day but I can't see why you shouldn't exercise.

that would be a good idea, keep yourself distracted. But, it's only 900 calories a day you're getting in, you might be fatigued, for sure. See how you feel.

I did 3 weeks of it pre op and I didn't feel like a slug at all.  I continued to exercise daily throughout and never had any energy level issues.

 I was just fatigued in the first few days and then had more energy.  But I did as much as possible to keep my mind off of not eating.  Went window shopping, walked the track, etc!  Keep busy.
Keep your eye on the prize.
I use to feed the family and go up to my room and shut the door and read.  But getting out is much better.
I didn't do dishes or scrape the plates lol they had to!  I have older children though.

Best of luck!

Char

I'm on day 8 of Optifast, and I feel quite fatigued.  I'm a lot older than you (54) so that accounts for part of it, and I've been fighting a cough left over from a September cold, so my sleep is quite disrupted.

While I don't want to discourage you from exercise, I would like to point out something I realized just before starting Optifast; just like you, I was planning to avoid the rest of the family during meals so I wouldn't feel tempted or sorry for myself. Quite often we ate on the couch while watching tv, or some of us would eat in the kitchen and some at the tv or computer.

However, instead, we decided that we would all (husband, 19 yr old son, 22 yr old daughter and her boyfriend) eat dinners together. My daughter and her boyfriend take care of all the kitchen duties so I don't have to prepare any of their meals, but I sit with them all sipping my Opti while they eat.

I have to say this is one of the best decisions we've made, because every night so far, we not only chat through dinner, but we often stay at the table as long as an extra hour just chatting, discussing all kinds of things from politics to science, from art to feminism, from comics to video games, etc.

I really hope this continues post-surgery as well!

Good luck whatever you decide.
Sharon

Eating together as a family is supposed to be one of the best things you can do to keep a good relationship going with everyone. We almost always do and it feels weird when we don't.