We are on the OptiFast intensive stage, this is the first day of our second week. We have stuck to it 100% so far, but the cravings (and just desire to eat something vaguely normal for a change) are horrible at times.

I've never been on a real diet before, so I have no idea - do you guys recommend sticking to it and just REFUSING to budge? Or should my boyfriend and I have a meal, once a week together, that is something "naughty"?

My thoughts are this weekly meal will help alleviate the pressure/depression a little bit, and help us get through the week (e.g. we can think to ourselves, 'Only two more days till Saturday and a normal meal!'). I was hoping someone with a bit more experience might be able to offer advice.

For those unfamiliar with the diet I'm on, it's 3 protein shakes a day, 2litres of water (minimum) and 2 cups of vegetables (only certain 'allowed' vegetables). So it is quite strict and we have been 100% cold turkey so far. The only thing we have done is I have had a 600ml bottle of Diet Coke last week just to try and fend off some hunger pangs/headaches. Diet softdrinks are on the "allowed" list for Optifast, but I am trying to avoid them as much as possible.

Some concerns:
1. Will it help the cravings, and help us survive the week, or make us worse?
2. Will a small naughty meal (1-2 cheeseburgers, for example) stretch our stomachs and ruin the diet?
3. If we don't allow ourselves a weekly (or fortnightly or whatever) break, will we inevitably crumble and go on a huge binge anyway?

Thanks in advance .

Nope. Don't break it. Period. I believe the philosophy of Optifast is to create a metabolic state whereby you are breaking down fat (and muscle) through severly limiting your carb intake. This is a similar concept, but more restrictive than Medifast and Atkins. I've been on Medifast. You will lose weight quickly. You will find this an extremely, extremely tough diet to follow mentally and physically. And at the end of it, you will have to figure out how to work real foods back into your life without gaining weight.
MY experience was that ANY SMALL DEVIATION FROM THE DIET WILL SET YOU BACK SIGNIFICANTLY in terms of weight loss and motivation. Your body will be thrown in and out of that metabolic state (ketosis) which your diet is designed to fit create. Your motivation to return to such restriction will be really, really hard to find after a weekend.
I really don't want to judge your weight loss program -- Optifast has been around and it is effective. Hopefully you are under medical supervision for this. And you need to be compliant. And I'll bet you that once "off" this diet, you are going to binge anyways. Like I did. And I gained back all the weight plus another 12 lbs.
Sorry! These are just the truths that I experienced with a very similar type of diet...
You might go to the Medifast and/or Atkins threads to get some other input from people with experience with this type of diet (neither are as restrictive, though...).
Good luck!
Kira

I am not familar with the optifast plan but have to add that when I "tried" to do Weight Watchers. I would eat on plan all week then on Saturdays I would go crazy. I actually told myself that I could eat what I wanted in reason but it never worked out that way and I would end of gorging all day. Then getting back on track was very hard and I would find myself saying, just one more day then it's back on track. So having said all that I don't think you should jump track, stick to the plan and you will have better success.

Just my two cents...

Good Luck