Optavia weight loss programs promise “Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time.” While this diet system is said to encourage healthy daily habits, the Optavia weight loss programs rely primarily on expensive, pre-packaged, processed foods.
Most health experts agree that eating real, whole foods is the key to lasting weight management. Can a program that is based on “proprietary products and programs” genuinely offer permanent results?
Our research team decided to find out. We researched Optavia’s programs, studied the pre-packaged food ingredients, explored the science behind the claims, and summarized all the data.
Optavia can be purchased through their Official Site.
Optavia Video Review
What is Optavia?
Optavia is a weight support program meant to help with weight management by providing nutritionally-rich foods and support. These diet programs are involved, and the company claims to include professional assistance from Optavia coaches, recipes to prepare your healthy meals, Fuelings, and daily motivation from the community.
When we checked out the three main ingredients used in Optavia products, we found:
- Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism – Fiber works to reduce calorie intake, possibly by helping you feel full, so you eat less.
- Nutrients – Some research out there that claims protein intake, including the whey variety, may help with fat loss.
- Sports (Basel) – When whey is compared to pea protein, the two work similarly for body composition.
Optavia Competitors
| Product |
Review
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|---|---|---|
| Metabolic Research Center | read | |
| Slim 4 Life | read | |
| Truvy | read | |
| Noom | read |
How Did Optavia Start and Who’s Behind it All?
Optavia is the new brand for the Take Shape for Life (TSFL) meal-replacement programs starting in 2016. Take Shape for Life began as a product of Medifast, Inc. in 1980.
Thus, the standard reference to the program is Medifast Optavia. The company’s location is 100 International Drive, 18th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, and it has been voted by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America. As of September 2022, the business is not accredited with the BBB, but they have earned an “A” rating. Despite 115 customer reviews with an average score of 1.5/5 stars, this rating was given.
They have now expanded to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Optavia Connect
Optavia Connect is the program used for Optavia’s coaches. These coaches are able to recommend and sell products for Optavia.
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
What are the Basic Optavia Claims?
Optavia claims that diet plans and programs are established to provide a “lifelong transformation.” Based on the company’s claims, this “lifelong transformation” will be implemented using “One Healthy Habit at a Time,” which means new habits are adopted gradually. Even the logo has been designed to express the idea of “lifelong transformation.”
Currently Available Optavia Products and Diet Plans
Now that you have discovered a little bit about the company and its claims, we should go further and talk about Optavia products. These products are meant to help you lose weight quickly and in a safe way while being assisted by health coaches.
Since Optavia deals with diet programs, products are provided as complex weight management plans:
- Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan
- Optimal Weight 4 & 2 & 1 Plan
- Optimal Health 3 & 3 Plan
Optavia also sells various kits, like Purposeful Hydration, to help you stay hydrated and learn when hydration is needed. (This kit is no longer listed on the official website as of September 2022.)
Optavia products are sold through coaches as part of a multi-level marketing program. Coaches are men and women who buy into the company or product and then sell to others. The real money in the program comes from recruiting people to sell under you. Coaches earn money from personal sales and recruit sales. The process repeats, and the base of the structure grows wide, looking like a pyramid. This is why MLMs are often considered synonymous with pyramid schemes.
Optavia Foods: Essential Fuelings and Select Fuelings
Meals included in Optavia’s approved list (and Fuelings) are smoothies, shakes, soups, drinks, crunchers, brownies, and bars. The company claims that its food should provide sufficient calories and nutrients to feel satiated and, at the same time, to lose weight.
Some of the foods offered by Optavia include:
- Cranberry Honey Nut Granola Bar
- Drizzled Berry Crisp Bar
- Chocolate Shake Mix
- Spinach Pesto Mac and Cheese
- Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
- Buttermilk Cheddar Herb Biscuit
- Cinnamon Crunchy O’s Cereal
- Jalapeno Cheddar Poppers
Optavia Fuelings Hacks
There are many individuals that want to follow the Optavia meal plan but feel limited by the food options. However, there are many who use “Fuelings hacks” to create new food recipes.
For example, Optavia shared one recipe for a chocolate milkshake that used their Double Chocolate Brownie, Fudge Pudding, and Chocolate Shake. When these three products were blended with a few other chocolate-based ingredients, users were able to hack their way into new Optavia recipes.
Optavia Fuelings Kits
Each program developed by Optavia includes meals and health coach support along with Optavia Fuelings kit. Each fueling kit holds an extensive range of products.
For example, suppose you choose to order the Favorites Kit. In that case, you receive Dark Chocolate Coconut Curry Bar, Wild Blueberry Almond Hot Cereal, Chia Bliss Smoothie, Buttermilk Cheddar Herb Biscuit, or Chocolate Cherry Ganache Bar.
Optavia bars are included in each package of Fuelings. You choose from Honey Chili Cranberry Nut Bar, Dark Chocolate Coconut Curry Bar, Drizzled Chocolate Fudge Crisp Bar, Caramel Delight Crisp Bar, and Raisin Oat Cinnamon Crisp Bar.
Optavia Food Ingredients Added to Support Weight Loss
Optavia ingredients aren’t like a supplement, but the foods do tend to contain some of the same ingredients, such as:
Fiber
Fiber is a carbohydrate found in plant foods. It is the nutrient from vegetables and fruits that can’t be digested. Insoluble and soluble are the two types of fiber. Fiber can be used in a weight loss diet for appetite management because it slows the digestive process, so you feel fuller, longer.
Additional research in the journal Nutrients concluded “the potential benefits of…fibre in controlling frequency of eating and in weight loss.” However, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that most fiber supplements were not able to reduce appetite.
Monk Fruit
Monk fruit is a perennial vine originating from China and Thailand. It has been used as a sugar replacement and is about 300 times sweeter than sugar. According to the Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, monk fruit extract helped reduce fatigue in mice.
Inulin
The soluble fiber inulin is found in a multitude of plants. That said, chicory root contains the largest quantity of inulin. Inulin can also be found in foods and supplements, such as cereal bars, yogurts and protein bars. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, “Inulin-type fructans (ITFs) are a type of fermentable dietary fiber that can confer beneficial health effects through changes in the gut microbiota…[and] leads to beneficial modifications of the gut microbiota composition and function.”
Whey Protein
The Journal of the American College of Nutrition examined the effects of whey protein and concluded current literature supported the use of whey protein as a part of a weight loss/maintenance plan or with resistance exercises.
Pea Protein
Pea protein may help with building muscle, according to research published in Sports (Basel). The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition concluded the use of pea protein promoted gains in the thickness of the biceps.
All About the Medifast Optavia Diet
The Optavia diet is intended to provide all nutrients and calories your body needs to achieve your optimal body weight. The menu includes food, recipes, and Optavia Fuelings. Sometimes motivation is an essential part of a diet plan, so the company also provides health coaches’ support.
To provide support and motivate their clients, the company has implemented a program of 30 days of integration into healthy habits. This program is called Optavia 30. You can choose recipes, develop healthy habits, and learn from a health coach. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, “a healthy eating plan gives your body the nutrients it needs every day while staying within your daily calorie goal for weight loss.”
Optavia Benefits and Results: What Can You Expect to Happen?
Optavia benefits and results can vary from body to body. They are different for each person, depending on the metabolism and effort needed to lose weight. The principal claimed benefits include a large variety of food, numerous recipes, and support from certified health coaches.
According to some clients’ opinions, Optavia before and after results include weight loss, which you’d expect. But, these results are not consistent across all customers.
Optavia and Weight Loss: Isn’t That the Point?
The series of diet plans are specially created for those who are interested in losing weight. Fuelings are designed to provide optimal calories and nutrients for better health. The company has developed diet plans and meal replacement programs.
- Optimal Health 3&3 Plan includes three meals and three Optavia Fuelings during the day.
- Optimal Weight 4 & 2 & 1 Plan is described as a perfect weight loss plan for those who want to enjoy interchangeable meals. The program consists of four Optavia Fuelings, two green or lean meals, and one snack.
- Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan is based on the healthy eating habit concept. This plan consists of six small meals that are distributed throughout the day.
What is Optavia Answers?
Maybe you have decided to try out one of the Medifast Optavia diet programs. After using your Optavia login, you’re provided access to support tools, in particular Answers.
It provides answers to customers’ questions regarding a wide range of topics, such as products and programs, ordering, payments, returns, Optavia sign in, refunds, and business support.
Cost of Optavia: How Much Can You Expect to Spend?
You have read about programs, diets, meals, and reviews regarding the new Take Shape for Life. Now, maybe you ask how much Optavia costs. Well, prices vary according to the meal plan, Fuelings, or Optavia dining out guide you order. Below are some of the Optavia plans available for purchase:
- Essential Optimal Kit (5&1 Plan): $378.25
- Essential On-the-Go Kit (5&1 Plan): $378.25
- Essential Optimal Kit (4&2&1 Plan): $423
- Optimal Weight 4&2&1 Plan Guide: $2.50
The average price per month is around $400. Depending on your options, this price will change, especially since the program promotes a lot of meal replacement food products. Additionally, individuals can only purchase Optavia products from the official website or an Optavia coach.
Some of the plans, including the Optavia vegetable conversion chart, are available for free on the official website.
Optavia Refund Policy
Individuals can only return products that can be consumed. In other words, the products must be unopened, unspoiled, and ready to be eaten. People may refund the products within 30 days of purchasing.
For more information regarding returns, customers can always contact the company’s customer service department by phone at 1.888 OPTAVIA (1.888.678.2842). Individuals may be able to find an Optavia promo code this way as well.
Potential Optavia Side Effects
The company claims that there are no Optavia side effects to be concerned with outside of basic hunger. No matter how meal plans are set up, dieters will likely feel hungry only because they’re reducing calorie intake and meal size. As the stomach shrinks, hunger often subsides, and your everyday meals are the new norm for your stomach.
Optavia Product Warnings
People who are using prescription medications should talk to their physician, and only after that, should they use supplements. Also, those who have various allergies or food intolerances must be careful when choosing their Fuelings.
Optavia Lawsuits and the Better Business Bureau
Searching on the Internet for any lawsuits against Optavia left us empty-handed. But we identified two cases involving the company suing someone else. The company brought these lawsuits against Barry Minkow and William Lobdell for defamation, but they lost the two lawsuits in the end.
There is a Better Business Bureau file for Optavia LLC. The business is not accredited, and it’s earned 1.5 stars out of 5 from 114 customer reviews. As of September 2022, there have been 397 complaints closed in the last 3 years, and 16 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
Optavia Reddit Reviews
Consumers flock to Reddit to find information about everything from dog breeds to television shows. They even head to the popular platform to learn more about supplements, pre-workouts, and meal replacements. Reddit is so popular viewers watch nearly 1.4 billion videos on the site each month. We researched Optavia Reddit to see what everyone is talking about.
We found good Optavia product reviews and those that weren’t great. A bunch of people had concerns about how effective Optavia actually is for weight loss and how soon users would start to see results. They also were not fans of the flavor and consistency of the drink.
What Users Are Saying
“I have been using Optavia for about 3.5 months, and I am blown away with their variety of fuelings! The vanilla shake is always my go to. It tastes just like vanilla cake and what is better than being on a weight loss program where you can still taste amazing things?! I’ve lost 40 lbs and gained so much more. This is my life journey and I’m drinking my cake too.”
“A nice indulging treat. I’ve been on plan for almost 4 months and have loved almost all of the fuelings. Optavia has been a great help to me and I plan to keep bars like these on hand when I go off plan soon.”
The Bottom Line on Medifast Optavia
On the plus side, Medifast Optavia offers a wide assortment of food choices. You get daily coaching and inspiration from experts to help you stay on track. But you must consider whether or not you’re willing to stick to a diet plan like this for the long term. A few things that concerned us include, numerous user complaints about the taste of the food, which cost around $300 to $400 a month and processed shakes and bars are not very healthy in the long run.
We love the idea of making lifestyle changes – changes that help you focus on your goals and reach those goals while eating the foods you love. However, changes to your lifestyle can be difficult to maintain and the last thing you want is another yo-yo effect.
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Optavia Questions & Answers
Optavia is a weight loss program that offers pre-packaged, processed foods as part of its diet plans. It promises “Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time” by relying on proprietary products and programs.
Optavia began as a product of Medifast, Inc. in 1980 and was rebranded in 2016 as Take Shape for Life (TSFL). Optavia is located in Baltimore, MD, and it has been voted by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America. It has now expanded to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Optavia claims to offer a “lifelong transformation” through the adoption of “One Healthy Habit at a Time,” which means new habits are adopted gradually.
Optavia products are sold through coaches as part of a multi-level marketing program. Coaches earn money from personal sales and recruit sales. The process repeats, and the base of the structure grows wide.
Optavia offers several diet plans, including the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan, Optimal Weight 4 & 2 & 1 Plan, and Optimal Health 3 & 3 Plan. Optavia
Optavia can be purchased using their Official Site.
Optavia is the rebranded name for the Take Shape for Life (TSFL) meal-replacement programs that began in 2016. It started as a product of Medifast, Inc. in 1980. The company is located in Baltimore, Maryland and has been voted by Forbes as one of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America.
Optavia offers smoothies, shakes, soups, drinks, crunchers, brownies, and bars as part of its approved list of meals, which the company claims to provide sufficient calories and nutrients to feel satiated and lose weight.
Optavia is a brand under Medifast, which replaces Take Shape for Life. Medifast has launched tons of new products under the Optavia brand since 2016.
Optavia food choices, also called Optavia Fuelings, include snacks and lean & green meals. Specific Optavia foods include:
- Wild Strawberry Shake
- Roasted Garlic Creamy Smashed Potatoes
- Rustic Tomato Herb Penne
- Red Berry Crunchy O’s Cereal
- Drizzled Chocolate Fudge Crisp Bar
Optavia Lean and Green Meals are a bit of a mystery. The company lists Optavia foods in that category, but we’re not sure how they are different from the others. Optavia Lean & Green Meals include:
- Beef Stew
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Chicken With Rice & Vegetables
- Chili Lime Chicken
- Ginger Lemongrass Chicken
- Turkey Meatball Marinara
Optavia ingredients (so to speak) are dietary and lifestyle coaching plans tailored for optimal weight and special needs customers like seniors and mothers. Some of the primary Optavia ingredients are whey protein, maltodextrin, fiber, peas, monk fruit, soy protein, and a proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals.
Some reported Optavia diet plan side effects are dizziness, headaches, nausea, cramps, diarrhea, or constipation.
Results vary depending on commitment and goals. If you follow the directions, you should see results.
Depending on the Optavia diet kit selected, the price may range from $300-400 for a thirty-day supply. Plus, extra costs incurred with the food needed for various recipes.
You’ll also have to spend extra on shipping. However, if your order is between $150-250, shipping is a flat $5, and orders above $250 get free shipping. Currently, their products cannot be shipped to Canada. If you live within the US, products are shipped within 5-7 business days.
Optavia is available through its official website at Optavia.com. You can also call 1-888-OPTAVIA to place an order. Optavia Premier is also available, which offers special deals and discounts.
Optavia customer support by calling 888.OPTAVIA (1.888.678.2842), or sending a message using the contact form.
You can return any Optavia product within 30 days of purchase for 100% of your money back, minus the shipping and handling costs. However, you will need a Return Authorization Number, which requires contacting Optavia’s customer service line.
Many Optavia complaints are about unappetizing taste, expensive monthly cost, and concerns over the long-term healthfulness of the food items and proscribed diets.
It is not recommended to drink alcohol while using any Optavia products.
With all of Optavia’s plans, you eat at least 6 times a day.
Optavia coaches provide general guidance and direction to those starting a diet plan.
According to some employee reports, health coaches for Optavia can make between $32-52,000. Other places report that coaches only make a 15% commission on product orders.
Optavia can cost up to $400 per month, depending on which kit is chosen. Additional food products can make the price go up even higher.
Optavia offers multiple plans, including ones for those who want to be on the go. Individuals who sign up for Optavia Premier, the company’s membership program, can take a quiz to see which plan is the right choice for them.
If you miss a meal, Optavia states that the rest of the meals should be spaced closer together so the missing food can still be consumed. It is best to avoid missing meals if at all possible.
The Optavia headquarters are located in Baltimore, so the comapny may ship from there.
Optavia has its main headquarters in Baltimore, but the company also has locations based out of Asia. The address for Optavia is 100 International Drive, 18th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202.
Medifast is the parent company of Optavia.
In order to follow the Optavia Diet and make your own food, you’ll need to only eat meals that are low in carbs, high in protein, and probiotic cultures.
To calculate your food on the Optavia Diet you’ll need to pay close attention to the nutrition label and decide if each metric is “lean, leaner, leanest.” This is based on the carbohydrate, protein, and fat content per serving. The total calories should be between 250 – 400, carbohydrates should be less than or equal to the 20g total. Protein should be greater than or equal to 25g, fat should be between 0g-4g.
Yes, on average, Optavia Dieters lose 12 pounds in 12 weeks.
No, to follow the Optavia Diet choose low-sodium lean turkey, roast beef, or ham instead of processed deli meats.
To maintain your weight loss, stick to sustainable healthy habits. For instance, commit to a regular exercise routine, keep a food journal, eat the appropriate amount of protein, weigh yourself regularly, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, keep your stress levels low, create a support system to keep you motivated, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Optavia recommends abstaining from alcohol while following its program. While some people may be able to enjoy the occasional drink, alcohol can have an unpredictable effect on your body and your progress. The Optavia program is designed to help you reach a healthy weight, so it’s best to limit or completely avoid drinking if you’re serious about reaching your goals.
Optavia Connect is the program used for Optavia’s coaches. These coaches are able to recommend and sell products for Optavia.
Yes, there are Optavia Fuelings hacks, which are recipes created using Optavia’s pre-packaged food products. These hacks allow individuals to create new food recipes using different combinations of Optavia products.
Optavia Fuelings kits are included in every program developed by Optavia and provide a range of products that include bars, smoothies, hot cereals, and biscuits.
Optavia foods contain fiber, which is added to support weight loss.
No, Optavia relies primarily on expensive, pre-packaged, processed foods, which most health experts agree are not the key to lasting weight management.
There is no guarantee that Optavia can offer permanent weight loss results, as weight management is best achieved through the consumption of real, whole foods.
Optavia is currently available in the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
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