How To Lose Weight Faster On Optavia and Maximize Your Results?

Are you trying to make progress on the Optavia diet but not quite seeing the results you had hoped for?

The truth is, weight loss can be an exasperatingly slow process — and if you’re not seeing any changes after weeks or months of effort, it can seem downright impossible.

But don’t despair just yet!

Although there’s no such thing as a “quick fix” when it comes to health and fitness, in this blog post, we’ll discuss how to lose weight faster on Optavia and give you the results that you want!

Keep reading as we dive into simple yet effective tips for shedding those unwanted pounds quicker than ever before.

1. Eat enough proteins

According to an article published in the Nutrients Journal in 2018, “the amount of protein that adults are supposed to eat may not be enough.”¹

“This could cause problems with muscles and strength,” states the journal.

For me, most of the Optavia fuelings have too many carbs and not enough proteins. Each Fueling has only 11 grams of proteins.

If you feel like your weight loss results have plateaued, consider adding more high-protein foods to your Fuelings.

This can not only help to increase your satiety (and combat food cravings) but also make it easier to maintain lean muscle mass.

Also, when cooking your Optavia lean and green meal, ensure it includes 5 to 7 oz favorite lean proteins.

Once you feel more confident in getting more proteins, try to include leaner protein sources. For example, you can substitute a grilled protein instead of a fried one.

2. Add more fruits and vegetables

Good nutrition includes eating a wide variety of vegetables (even when you cannot choose the healthiest options.)

Here’s the photo of my lean and green meal that I picked up at the Miami International Airport.

Here you see quinoa, tomatoes, chicken, and a whole avocado.

Yes, it has more fats than I would normally have, but it’s still a better option than getting a meal from KFC or Mcdonald’s.

I also like to hack my Fuelings with Optavia diet foods.

My favorite shake hack is to create a Super Shake that is packed with nutrient-rich foods.

Here’s a photo of my favorite shake hack – made from Optavia Peanut Butter Shake Mix.

It has blended pea protein powder, chia seeds, spinach, and cinnamon powder.

Start by choosing low-calorie fluids like water or green tea. Ensure to mix Optavia shake with 1-2 scoops of protein powder.

Next, blend a handful of beets, kale, spinach, or other green leafy vegetables. To finish, you can garnish with nuts, yogurt, or dried coconut.

3. Stay hydrated

Identifying your hydration status on the Optavia diet can ensure you have enough energy throughout the day, a restful night of sleep, and (most importantly) minimum food cravings.

There are plenty of low-calorie drinks you can have like fruit-infused water, teas, and coffees.

Start by drinking when you are thirsty and monitor your urine color (usually lighter shade can indicate you are well hydrated).

If you notice a darker color, drink about 500ml of water.

A good idea is to have a bottle of water handy in your workplace to enhance drinking behavior. As long as you replace what you lost, it’s no big deal.

4. Drink black coffee

Drinking black coffee is one of the easiest things that helped me to speed up weight loss on Optavia.

Black coffee, especially robusta, has high caffeine content, which may help you to suppress your appetite, according to a study published in the Nutrients Journal.²

Although I don’t usually count calories, I prefer to drink my coffee black without any milk or creamers.

(Nothing can beat the taste of the morning espresso.)

I drink doppio in the morning, then before and after workouts.

I even created a small 5-minute Optavia coffee ritual (our little daily ceremony) that helps us to set the right tone for a positive day.

Here’s how I like to drink my coffee, right before sunrise.

On the contrary, my wife likes to load up her cup with almond milk, oat milk, or add some of her low-calorie Optavia approved coffee creamers.

5. Eat slowly

For me, eating slowly is one of the simplest things I’ve changed to decrease calorie consumption and burn fat faster on Optavia.

It not only helped to control my overeating habit but also allowed me to enjoy my food better.

According to a randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, “eating slowly may help to maximize satiation and reduce energy intake within meals.”³

Some studies also suggest that eating slowly may help to ensure that the digestive system processes your food properly, avoiding common digestive issues like bloating and indigestion.⁴

Instead of gobbling or rushing, give yourself 15-20 minutes to indulge in and enjoy your lean and green meal.

You can do the same with Optavia fuelings. Instead of eating one fueling quickly, slow down.

Breathe deeply, put your fork down between bites, and chew each bite a little longer than usual.

A good idea is to set up a timer for 20 minutes and focus on the smells and flavors of what you eat.

This may increase feelings of fullness.

6. Write down what you eat

To lose weight faster on Optavia, instead of using calorie trackers, write down what you eat, and capture how you feel throughout the day, and what you thinking about.

This practice helped me not only choose better foods but also recognize which foods were throwing me out of fat-burning mode.

Here’s a screenshot of how my meal journal looks. I use a simple Excel sheet to track my meals; you can use a notepad and pen – both work.

Writing down what we eat helped me and my wife to understand our eating habits and patterns.

We also focus on physical cues before and after each meal (e.g. how full we are on a scale of 1 to 10).

7. Use smaller plates

I would never expect that eating from smaller plates can influence how much I eat – but it does.

Although research is not conclusive, some studies have shown that people ate more food when they had larger plates.⁵

The article states that “when eating from a larger plate, we may automatically serve ourselves more food than needed while when eating from a smaller plate, we tend to serve ourselves less and eat less overall.”

8. Stop eating when you are satisfied, not full

Dr. Pavel Somov is an experienced psychologist with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from SUNY Buffalo University in New York.

Dr. Somov suggests “assessing satisfaction levels every five minutes while eating and stopping until you reach a level of 7-8 on a scale of 1 to 10”.

Staying in touch with your sensations and finishing eating when you are “no longer hungry”, instead of full, can help you reduce food intake (without counting calories or measuring food portions).

You can make a mental note of your hunger and fullness level before and after each meal.

9. Practice eating without any distractions

Remember that distraction can make you eat more (and even forget about what you eat or how much you eat).

“Ensure you are eating without doing anything else like scrolling your Instagram account or watching new Netflix series, even if you feel bored,” says Karen R. Koenig.

Before, I used to eat as fast as I can while watching TV or reading the news, just to get back to work. To be frank, I didn’t even notice how tasty food I was eating.

10. Organize your kitchen environment

Instead of relying on motivation and willpower, you can get faster results when changing your eating environment (so it helps you to eat less.)

Here’s the photo of how my lean and green meals look after doing Optavia meal prep for the week.

“You can choose smaller plates, start your meals with salad, or remove the bread basket from the table,” says Brian Wansink.

11. Reduce stress and get more sleep

I learned the hard way that stress and lack of sleep can take a toll on my health, both physical and mental.

Having too much stress can be one of the reasons why people do Optavia and gain weight after, despite ‘eating less’.

Making time for relaxation before bed became my top priority, as this helps me wind down and feel more at ease.

Today, I try my best to make reducing stress and getting more shut-eye part of my regular routine.

12. Have a de-stress action plan

If you experience distress during the week, organize your schedule to add activities that help you relax.

First, look around your home and workplace and see if you can spot the cues that aggregate your stress. Then, de-clutter stressful spaces (bedroom, office, kitchen, etc.)

Consider taking regular walks with your partner, getting a massage, or (if possible) finding the time to start a new, relaxing hobby. – HelpGuide.

13. Improve your sleep environment

If you need to improve your sleep and recovery, consider organizing your bedtime routine.

Start by setting up your most comfortable sleep temperature, and cover up your clocks and other devices that can create noise.

Putting all screens away 30 minutes before bed, dimming the lights, or reading calming books can also help you promote deeper rest. – Jennifer L. Martin.

14. Start your day with energizing routine

When waking up, it’s important to start your day feeling energized.

Every morning, I and my wife wake up mindfully by slowly increasing the light in our bedroom.

We also try to get active early in the day, stretch, and get morning sun or light as soon as possible.

If you are not sure about how much activity you can do on Optavia, start slowly and work your way up, or talk to your physician or another healthcare provider.

15. Stay active and exercise daily

When trying to lose weight, it’s always worth getting enough physical activity (both strength training and cardiovascular fitness).

Getting more movement is always a good idea.

I do regular workouts on Optavia becasue it helps me to burn extra calories and also lowers my appetite and hunger pangs.

Here’s a photo my wife took on our Saturday 5K running sessions. (Yes, it was raining.)

I like to walk (or bike) as much as possible (that includes cycling to work or taking a metro and walking afterward).

On the contrary, my wife does not cycle to work. Instead, she likes to take a 3-minute walking break every hour to move. She puts that into her daily reminder app that sends notifications.

16. Schedule time for the exercise ahead of time

One thing that really made a difference for me was adding my workout routine to my daily calendar.

Finding the time to train is as important as the training itself.

In case you don’t have much time, try to see what activities could you do a little less of (like social media or TV) so that you can be more physically active. – Dr. Roger Adams.

17. Choose the activity that you like

Going after the activities that you like can help you stay more consistent (and potentially lead to faster results).

“You can gain more muscle and strength when you choose to do exercises you actually like, instead of following some cookie-cutter program that has been endorsed by media or magazines,” says TL Luoma, an author, and columnist at T-Nation.

18. Use one day for active recovery

You may encounter times when your body feels achy and lethargic (usually after a long week or strenuous exercise).

Active recovery is key to ensuring you have enough physical and mental energy. Begin by taking part in physical activity with a group of friends, or try doing an active hobby like gardening or woodworking.

Alternatively, you can try doing a yoga class, stretching, foam rolling, or taking a trip to the nearest lake for a brisk walk. – Alan McCall.

19. Start the 2-week Fat Burn Blitz challenge

Do you wanna know one thing that helped me to skip the weight loss plateau?

I wasn’t skipping on Fuelings.

I wasn’t doing any juicing, fasting, or detoxing.

None of that stuff.

I took part in the 2-week Optavia fat burn blitz challenge.

The goal was to cut any additional calories and focus on following Optavia guidelines. No more snacking or drinking high-calorie coffee in Dunkin Donuts or Costa Coffee.

If you like Starbucks, consider choosing Optavia approved Starbucks drinks that have zero to little calories.

Is Optavia a healthy way to lose weight?

The medical community is divided on whether Optavia is a healthy method for losing weight. While some doctors believe that the Optavia diet can result in rapid weight loss, others express concerns about the program’s long-term sustainability and nutritional balance.

In fact, some Optavia reviews by doctors suggest that the program may not be a healthy way to lose weight.

To answer the question of “what risks and side effects are associated with following the Optavia diet,” it is important to note that like any diet, there are potential risks.

These risks include headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues, as well as the risk of regaining weight once the program is completed.

However, you can minimize these risks and maximize the potential benefits of the Optavia diet by consulting with your healthcare provider and following the program as directed.

Lessons learned

I hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, just hit reply and let me know.

In the future, I’m gonna add more points as I reach out to more experts.

There are a couple of lessons that I learned from these conversations. The first is that losing weight is never easy and it may require trial and error.

The second is that there are more ways to skin the cat.

And, even with an optimum eating plan that includes whole, minimally processed, and nutrient-rich foods, there are always psychological factors (stress, sleep, environment, etc.) that can play a role.

References

¹ (Nutrients Journal) Lonnie, M., Hooker, E., Brunstrom, J. M., Corfe, B. M., Green, M. A., Watson, A. W., Williams, E. A., Stevenson, E. J., Penson, S., & Johnstone, A. M. (2018). Protein for Life: Review of Optimal Protein Intake, Sustainable Dietary Sources and the Effect on Appetite in Ageing Adults. Nutrients, 10(3), 360. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030360

² (Nutrients Journal) Shokouh, P., Jeppesen, P. B., Christiansen, C. B., Mellbye, F. B., Hermansen, K., & Gregersen, S. (2019). Efficacy of Arabica Versus Robusta Coffee in Improving Weight, Insulin Resistance, and Liver Steatosis in a Rat Model of Type-2 Diabetes. Nutrients, 11(9), 2074. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092074

³ (Journal of the American Dietetic Association) Andrade AM, Greene GW, Melanson KJ. Eating slowly led to decreases in energy intake within meals in healthy women. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108(7):1186-1191. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.04.026

⁴ (Nutrients Journal) Hawton, K., Ferriday, D., Rogers, P., Toner, P., Brooks, J., Holly, J., Biernacka, K., Hamilton-Shield, J., & Hinton, E. (2018). Slow Down: Behavioural and Physiological Effects of Reducing Eating Rate. Nutrients, 11(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11010050

⁵ (Obesity Reviews) Robinson E, Nolan S, Tudur-Smith C, et al. Will smaller plates lead to smaller waists? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect that experimental manipulation of dishware size has on energy consumption. Obes Rev. 2014;15(10):812-821. doi:10.1111/obr.12200