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What Is Optifast?
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Maybe you've heard of Optifast, but you're not quite sure exactly what it is. Maybe you stumbled upon this blog looking for dieting information. In either case, I'll explain the nitty gritty here.
There are two types of Optifast. The most common version is called Optifast 800, and is the only available option at most clinics. The other type is called Optifast 70, and is available at only one clinic in the country that I am aware of. Most of the things written on this blog apply to both versions, but there is a definite difference and I will try to point those out as I go.
Optifast is powdered nutrition. When mixed with 8 ounces of water, a single serving package of Optifast provides you with 1/5 of most necessary nutrition your body requires. 5 Optifast "shakes" a day are required to stay fully nourished, and lose weight safely.
While Optifast provides 100% of most things your body needs to function fully, there are a couple things that must be gained elsewhere.
First and foremost are calories. A single package of Optifast 70 contains about 80 calories, therefore your daily caloric intake is only about 400 calories. Optifast 800 contains about 160 calories per serving, which not surprisingly equals out to 800 calories per day. This is the primary difference between the two products. The total calories you consume per day on Optifast is probably shocking, but if you are looking into starting the weight loss program then your own body can probably supply this missing ingredient. When on Optifast, your body is deprived of the calories it needs to do basic functions. It is then forced to use energy stores, namely fat.
Now we're getting somewhere. Optifast gives you all those vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive, but litteraly starves you of energy. This forces your body to begin a cycle of fat burning called Ketosis. You can follow the link if you want to learn more about Ketosis, but the basic idea is that once the emergency stores of energy are used (glycogen), your body will consume fat non-stop. This is the key to Optifast. After the first day or two on Optifast, all of your stored glycogen has been used and your body will not stop burning fat for a single second. Ketosis can only be interrupted by consuming food, which is obviously something you don't want to do while fasting anyway.
This is not 100% true of Optifast 800 though. While you are in a constant state of Ketosis on Optifast 70, you will consume too many calories on Optifast 800 to stay in Ketosis permanently. After you take a shake on 800, your body exits Ketosis and uses the calories from the shake instead of fat for a short amount of time. Once those calories are exhausted, your body re-enters Ketosis until its time for another shake.
The difference that matters to those on Optifast, is summed up in that last paragraph. You will lose about 1 less pound every 10 days on Optifast 800 as compared to Optifast 70 because of Ketosis. Not only does your body have to burn double the calories on 800, but Ketosis is also interrupted 5 times daily. Unfortunately, Optifast 70 is only offered at Kaiser Permanente's Positive Choice in San Diego, CA as far as I know. But Don't fret. Optifast 800 is still a wonderful product that WILL help you lose weight.
I will be back with more on the products in future posts.
There are two types of Optifast. The most common version is called Optifast 800, and is the only available option at most clinics. The other type is called Optifast 70, and is available at only one clinic in the country that I am aware of. Most of the things written on this blog apply to both versions, but there is a definite difference and I will try to point those out as I go.
Optifast is powdered nutrition. When mixed with 8 ounces of water, a single serving package of Optifast provides you with 1/5 of most necessary nutrition your body requires. 5 Optifast "shakes" a day are required to stay fully nourished, and lose weight safely.
While Optifast provides 100% of most things your body needs to function fully, there are a couple things that must be gained elsewhere.
First and foremost are calories. A single package of Optifast 70 contains about 80 calories, therefore your daily caloric intake is only about 400 calories. Optifast 800 contains about 160 calories per serving, which not surprisingly equals out to 800 calories per day. This is the primary difference between the two products. The total calories you consume per day on Optifast is probably shocking, but if you are looking into starting the weight loss program then your own body can probably supply this missing ingredient. When on Optifast, your body is deprived of the calories it needs to do basic functions. It is then forced to use energy stores, namely fat.
Now we're getting somewhere. Optifast gives you all those vitamins and minerals your body needs to thrive, but litteraly starves you of energy. This forces your body to begin a cycle of fat burning called Ketosis. You can follow the link if you want to learn more about Ketosis, but the basic idea is that once the emergency stores of energy are used (glycogen), your body will consume fat non-stop. This is the key to Optifast. After the first day or two on Optifast, all of your stored glycogen has been used and your body will not stop burning fat for a single second. Ketosis can only be interrupted by consuming food, which is obviously something you don't want to do while fasting anyway.
This is not 100% true of Optifast 800 though. While you are in a constant state of Ketosis on Optifast 70, you will consume too many calories on Optifast 800 to stay in Ketosis permanently. After you take a shake on 800, your body exits Ketosis and uses the calories from the shake instead of fat for a short amount of time. Once those calories are exhausted, your body re-enters Ketosis until its time for another shake.
The difference that matters to those on Optifast, is summed up in that last paragraph. You will lose about 1 less pound every 10 days on Optifast 800 as compared to Optifast 70 because of Ketosis. Not only does your body have to burn double the calories on 800, but Ketosis is also interrupted 5 times daily. Unfortunately, Optifast 70 is only offered at Kaiser Permanente's Positive Choice in San Diego, CA as far as I know. But Don't fret. Optifast 800 is still a wonderful product that WILL help you lose weight.
I will be back with more on the products in future posts.
Posts
Ryan ... where did you go? Your posts are over a year old and I'm just beginning Optifast 800 now :) Come back.. please
for those just finding this site in 2015 . . .
Optifast 70, the more stringent version that let you live on 400 calories per day, has been discontinued because (according to my doctor) not enough people were using it.
I did that diet on 1993 and was very happy with the way it worked. I stayed thin for about 5 years after I did it which, I understand, is the norm. I then did it again in 1998 and lost the weight again, but based on my reaction to some very heavy stress in my life, I did not keep the weight off for long. I now went to do it again under my doctor's care and was told that the only version left is the 800 calorie a day sahke. I have looked around the internet and see that some people are selling the 400 calorie version, but since it is such a drastic fast, I don't want to do it without being under the watchful eye of a professional, so I have passed on buying off the internet. I might try it and bring it to my doctor if the ad was more specific. But the ad on ebay says a case of the stuff is for sale at $475. I don't know how many boxes (10 shakes per box) that entails. It used to be $24 per box at the doctor's office and I wonder if there are 20 boxes in a case.
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