Optifast Liquid Diet

The Optifast liquid diet plan, introduced in 1974, is a weight-reduction program for those who are significantly overweight. It is a proprietary diet program marketed by Nestle's HealthCare Nutrition subsidiary and is recommended for those who are 50 pounds or more over their ideal weight and have a body mass index of 30 or higher.

What the Diet Promises

• If you're significantly overweight and would like to get on a program designed to take the pounds off quickly, this diet could be for you. It is a supervised weight-loss program, and you'll have to pay for both the professional counseling and the diet plan products that you'll be consuming. The official Optifast website cites a peer-reviewed study of 20,000 diet participants in a 22-week program that shows an average weight loss of 52 pounds, along with average declines of 15 percent in cholesterol, 29 percent in blood glucose and 10 percent in blood pressure.

It Isn't Easy

• If you're looking for an easy fix for your weight problems, be warned. There is no such thing. It will take all the dedication and determination you can muster to stick to 12 weeks or more of an all-liquid diet that doesn't offer much in the way of variety. You won't be allowed into the program if you have underlying health conditions that might make such a diet risky for you.
  Although programs may vary slightly from one Optifast location to another, prepare for an overall program that lasts an average 26 weeks, according to a profile of the program on the EveryDiet website. For the first 12 weeks, you'll be on the all-liquid portion of the diet. During the next six weeks you'll transition back to solid foods, while the remaining eight weeks are designed to teach you new eating habits to prevent weight rebound.

Pros

• If you're leaning toward an Optifast diet, you'll want to learn more about some of its positive points. Near the top of the list is the professional counseling and support you'll receive, along with the medical monitoring, which will safeguard your health during the period when daily food intake will be cut drastically, according to the Diets in Review website. Other pros include the vast national network of hospitals and medical clinics that offer the program, meaning you're likely to find one convenient to you; proven results over several decades; and meal replacement shakes---French vanilla, chocolate and strawberry---that are flavorful and tasty.

Cons

• Before making a final decision, take into consideration Optifast's drawbacks. These include the program's high cost; the monotony of 12 weeks of an all-liquid diet, no matter how tasty; and the fact that most doctors---outside the program---would probably view the program as a bit extreme, according to Diets in Review.
  Although the cost varies from one clinic to the next, the price schedule at a Little Silver, New Jersey, clinic is fairly typical. There is an initial charge of about $200 for a physical exam, medical history and dietetic consultation. The product cost runs $95 to $120 per week during the 12-week fast period, and you are advised to see an Optifast doctor once a week for the first four weeks and then every other week for the remainder of the program. The cost for the doctor's visit varies sharply.