Many people desire to lose weight as they become uncomfortable with their self-image when they add body fats that seem out of proportion.
Lately, so many people have been doing practically anything to shed fat, including surgeries. But with the Octavia diet, this health problem may have become a thing of the past.
The Octavia diet is a low-calorie, reduced-carb diet program that uses packaged or processed foods with homemade meals to encourage weight loss. Unlike other weight loss programs, there is no counting of carbohydrates’ calorie levels.
Instead, people are asked to add water to powdered food or unwrap a bar as part of six mini-meals per day.
The optavia diet is owned by a meal replacement company called Medifast, which focuses on two main diets: Medifast and Optavia.
The program combines several options, including using branded products called Optavia Fuelings and homemade lean-to Green meals.
The plan additionally recommends about 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise per day.
Optavia Fuelings
Optavia fueling is food that makes up the Optavia diet, and it comprises about 50 items that are higher in protein and probiotic cultures (mineral substitute and microns) and low in carbs (carbohydrates).
Probiotic cultures contain friendly bacteria that can boost the health of the digestive system.
Food that serves as Optavia fuel may include bars, puddings, cereals, mashed potatoes, soups, cookies, shakes, and pasta.
These processed foods often list soy protein (processed from soybeans) and whey protein (processed from milk) as the first ingredients. Lean and green meal fill out the rest of the diet, which can be purchased and prepared at home.
Although these seem high in sugar (which comes from carbohydrates), Medifast’s fueling designs use sugar substitutes in small portion sizes to provide lower calories and carbs than the traditional versions of the same foods.
Lean and Green used to fill out the diet of the fueling include;
- 3 servings of non-starchy vegetables like greens, vegetables, celery or cucumbers
- 5-7 ounces of cooked lean
- Up to 2 servings of healthy fats like olive oil or avocado
Optavia Diet Plan
Optavia diet program generally involves a weight loss diet and a weight maintenance diet.
Some versions of the program include:
Optimal Weight 5-1 Plan
This category of the Optavia diet plan includes the use of five Optavia fuelings and one balanced lean green meal daily. It is the most common version.
Optimal Health 3-3 Plan
It is designed for weight maintenance as it includes eating three Optavia fuelings and three balanced lean and green meals daily.
Optimal Weight 4-2-1 Plan
This weight loss category is for persons who need more calories or flexibility in their food choices, the plan involves four optavia fuelings, two lean and green meals and one snack per day.
Though the Optavia dieting program seems easy, fundamentally adjustable, it is unclear if this diet is safe for people with certain medical conditions.
Also, a special group of persons (pregnant, breastfeeding mothers, and teenagers) require unique nutrients and calorie needs that may not be met by the Optavia diet.
Side Effect of Optavia Diet
Although the Optavia diet is considered a high protein diet, as proteins make up to 40% of our daily calories.
However, the processed, powdered type can sometimes lead to less pleasant complications or consequences;
Firstly, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not regulate dietary supplements (like shakes and powders) for safety and efficacy the same way it does for food, as powders and protein blends can have undesirable ingredients which could interact with medications or may not be convenient for the body, making it very important to alert your physician before going into the dieting plan.
Protein additives like protein isolate plus, which give the diet its protein boost, can make you feel bloated and generate unwanted gastrointestinal side effects like constipation, diarrhea, and gas.
The apparent absence of noteworthy risks does not mean the Optavia diet is safe for everyone.
For starters, the body system may undergo some changes and may need to adjust to changes caused by the diet.
Side effects may include;
- Headaches
- bad breath
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Leg cramps
- Disease risks like gallstones and gallbladder for those at risk and for women, menstrual changes.
Lastly, no matter how meal/diet plans are set up, dieters will likely feel hungry only because they are reducing calorie intake and meal sizes, and calorie restriction can lead to the inadequate intake of essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals.
As the stomach shrinks, hunger often subsides, and your everyday meals are the new norm for your stomach.
Optavia and Weight Loss
Optavia’s dieting program may not be ranked among the top diets for healthy eating, but it is ranked second by U.S. News and World Report in its list of the Best Fast Weight Loss Diets.
The Optavia relies solely on intensely restricting calories to promote weight loss.
Most of its fuels consist of about 100 to 110 calories each, meaning a dieter could take in about 1000 to 1100 calories daily on this diet, which is about half the calories of what an average adult consumes daily.
The 5-1 plan limits calories to about 800 per day, divided between six portion-controlled meals.
A four-month study among 198 obese dieters revealed that Optavia’s 5-1 plan had substantial results.
Fat levels, waist circumferences, and weight of these dieters significantly decreased, with the dieters losing about 5.7% of their initial body weight.
For short-term benefits, the Optavia diet’s low-calorie, low-carbohydrate plan and ongoing support from coaches have produced great results. However, its long-term effectiveness is still unknown.
