Hi all, I am going to orientation in a few days (finally! has been long awaited!)

Anyone else who is going through the program know is you are started on shakes the same night as orientation or do you have to wait for a follow up appointment?

I see that it's been a few days since you've posted. How are you doing?

Doing well so far - I haven't started yet because I have to go through all of the appointments but I should be in the program as of the first week of April - The earliest they could schedule my evaluations were on March 31st and April 4th so now I am just counting the days!

I'm into week two and it's not that bad. I had a couple of rough days but that was about it. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences.

Thanks! I am mentally preparing myself as I have heard that the first week is the toughest but I am so eager to begin the program I hope my willpower keeps me going strong!

Hello there,
So glad I found you here. I just started the program yesterday. I am completing my 2nd day. I have to say, I am really hungry but I just keep trying to visualize what I would look like 30-40 pounds lighter. The past few days I have been reading through various sites to hear of other people's successes. So far it help makes it a little easier. I wish you both the best of luck. I hope that we can share this journey to reach our goals. Keep posting, helps keep me motivated.

Thank you! I go for my physical tomorrow (the last appointment I need before starting).
Hopefully I can get into the meeting tomorrow if there is enough time after my appointment. I am dying to start the program and the next full fast meeting I can attend around my work schedule is not until Wed evenings...I don't want to wait another week! lol

I start my program tomorrow!!!! am SO excited!

Congratulations. I wish you all the best. Just know that you are going to get hungry whether its the first day or a few days down the road. Stay positive and think of all the positives you will receive once you lose weight.

Thanks. I am starting it while having a couple days off so that while I am adjusting I am not snapping at and scaring my co-workers!

So how is your optifast diet going? You should be finished with your first month by now. What is your weight loss? I am finished with 2 weeks and down 10 LBs. Added exercise this week and we'll see what happens at the next weigh in.

It is going well! Today will be my third weigh in. At my second weigh in last week I was down exactly 10.00lbs. It is a great starting point and definitely a motivation. I haven't cheated nor have I wanted to cheat. I have a goal and no amount of food will taste as good as losing weight is feeling.

I've been considering this program, but I heard it's expensive....it sounds like it works, can I ask how much you've invested so far and what you're expected to do to stay on the program?

Thank you!!

Hi, looking at the program, it does seem expensive. When I added up the amount I spend at Dunkin Donuts in the mornings, going out/ordering in for lunch, dining out at restaurants some nights or ordering Pizza with the hubby....wine/alcohol etc...and the fact that none of that would be happening on the Optifast program, it is really not a lot out of pocket in comparison.

In my area it is a $295 program fee (one time fee). $100 for the psych eval (another one time fee) (neither covered by insurance). There is also a monthly $125 fee for the program (most are 4/5 month programs (20-22 weeks usually) and then you can continue on afterwards with out the monthly fee - in my area at least!)

Two main programs - 1) Full fast - all shakes, no food. Eventually (after 12+ weeks usually) you are weaned onto the Modified program 2) Modified - some shakes, 1 "lean and green" meal. Eventually you are weaned onto more and more food.

Both programs have weekly meetings that you have to attend (also where you buy your shakes/bars/soups). You have access to an exercise coach, nutritionist etc.

I am doing full fast, which for my weight means 5 shakes a day - an 800 calorie diet total. Eventually I can have an Optifast Soup a day but I am not there yet. I can't have the bars until I am weaned onto Modified.
The shakes are $3.75 each premade/drink box ones, around $3 for the powdered that you shake with fluid. I have to meet weekly with the doctor (a full fast requirement, I think it is every few weeks for modified). My weekly co-pay is $30, the actual doctors visit is covered by my insurance.

If I average the costs of the shakes, co-pay and monthly fee, I am spending about $190 a week.

Before the program I was spending $35 a week at Dunkin Donuts ALONE. Lunch usually averaged about $10-12 a week....never mind dinner/drinks/snacks/sharing a bottle of wine at dinner or ordering a $10 martini....

When you compare what you ARE NOT paying for, paying for the program really doesn't seem as extreme.


I hope this was helpful!!!

Third weigh in last night, another 3.3LBs lost - - total of 13.3LBs in 19 days!

So happy. I was able to start on soups also. For the first week I can substitute one shake with one soup every other day. Next week I can do one soup to replace a shake once a day.

Alarkin - just to help each soup is about $3.20