It is a lifestyle
While Optavia is essentially a diet plan, it is a lifestyle at its core. Optavia is ideal for busy people on the go, the plan is easy to follow and effective. Time is valuable to all of us, opposed to this lifestyle consuming your time, it saves you time.
In a nutshell
Optavia is a lifestyle where you purchase pre-packaged "mini" meals which are called fuelings. Fuelings consist of everything from crunch snacks, shakes, bars, cereals, soups, pasta and more. These fuelings are designed by physicians, dietitians and scientists for not only weight loss but to ensure you are receiving proper nutrition on a daily basis.
The 5 & 1 Plan
The 5 and 1 plan is the secret to your success. Simplifying the plan, you consume 5 fuelings a day roughly 3 hours apart and one meal that is termed "Lean & Green" A Lean & Green meal consists of 5-7 ounces of a lean protein plus 3 servings of non-starchy vegetables as well as up to 2 servings of healthy fats dependent on your protein choice. You can consume your Lean & Green at any part of the day, I choose this meal as my dinner. There is a plethora of recipes available that allow you to have your required Lean and Green meal while being exciting and delicious. I have enjoyed amazing meals from paella (with cauliflower rice) to outstanding BBQ chicken pizza. You can always rely on a simple meat and vegie meal but on a daily basis that can get exhausting, you want to keep it fun!
Example 5 & 1 Eating Schedule
There are a number of ways you can plan your Fueling and Lean & Green meals on a daily basis, below is what my normal weekday eating schedule is: (note that the Fuelings below are all part of the provided meals)
6am Fueling: A shake on my way to work;
9am Fueling: Cereal;
12pm Fueling: A crunchy savory snack like Jalapeno Cheddar Poppers or Zesty Cheddar & Italian Herb Crunchers;
3pm Fueling: Another crunchy savory snack or soup;
5/6pm Lean & Green: My dinner (yum);
8pm Fueling: Something I can cook at home such as a soup, chili, cheddar and herb biscuit, or a decadent chocolate brownie with yogurt chips.
During the week while at work I like to keep my fuelings simple and easy, on the weekends I change it up, below is an example of an average weekend schedule:
8/9am Fueling: Pancakes, Chocolate Chip Pancakes, or Waffles. If you miss a fueling you our encouraged to have 2, you need to consume your 5 a day to ensure you consume your proper daily nutrition. I use this to my advantage on a Saturday morning by cooking myself 2 servings of chocolate chip pancakes;
12pm Fueling: I usually go for a soup, chili, or a delicious cheddar and herb biscuit which I dress up with everything but bagel seasoning and spread some Laughing Cow light cheese on it.
3PM Fueling: Another cooking option or a savory snack if I am on the go;
5/6pm Lean & Green: On the weekends my family likes to eat out. There is a wonderful Lean & Green dining out guide that helps you choose restaurant food that is in compliance with the plan. Note that Fajita's are a great option.
8pm Fueling: Again, something I can cook.
Dietary Restrictions you say?
Like many others I personally have dietary restrictions, a few years back I was diagnosed with celiac disease in which I had to forego all gluten in my life, yes even beer. My first question when evaluating this plan was if there were foods that accommodated by restrictions... there is.
With all the Fueling options available I was able to easily find foods gluten free, while there are many more choices for those that do not suffer from this restriction there was plenty for me to choose from. With Optavia, I can help you in accommodating any dietary restrictions you may have.