Optifast is a medically supervised diet plan that is only made available to those who must lose weight to undergo a medical procedure. Typically, those who are scheduled for lap band or stomach stapling will be prescribed Optifast for a short time in order to lose enough weight to safely undergo surgery. Always discuss with your doctor the length of time you need to be on Optifast and if you are permitted any other foods. In most cases, it is a liquid only diet based on the Optifast shakes and soups. Here are some meal ideas to use those shake and soup mixes to create Optifast meals. You can also adapt these if you are on the Slim Fast plan to those products, but do not substitute Slim Fast if your doctor specifies Optifast.
Instructions
1. Prepare Optifast soup by combining a soup packet with 8 to 12 oz. of hot water. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired. You can also add other calorie free herbs and spices such as parsley, ground sage, seasoned salt or salt-free seasoning mix such as Mrs. Dash. One packet of soup mixed with water is one meal.
2. Make Optifast shakes by combining one shake mix pouch with 8 ounces of cold water or 12 ounces of cold water or diet soda. You can stir these together or combine them in a blender with ice. Try chocolate shake mix with a can of diet cream soda or root beer. Make a dreamsicle flavored shake by mixing a packet of vanilla shake mix with a can of diet orange soda. Use a large blender if you are mixing soda since blending it will cause the mixture to expand. This is because the blender will act in the same manner on the soda if you shook the can. One packet of shake mixed is one meal.
3. Combine ready to drink shakes with flavorings and spices to add some flare. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top of a chocolate shake. Nutmeg grated onto a vanilla shake make a drink reminiscent of egg nog. You can also add a few drops of flavored extracts such as vanilla, coconut, or almond to any of the ready to drink shakes.
