Guidance

5 Meal Replacement Myths…Busted

woman drinking a meal replacement shake

If you’ve never explored a meal replacement weight loss plan before, it’s likely that you have some preconceptions about how they work and whether they’re safe.

With OPTIFAST, our meal replacement plans are backed by science and fully customisable to fit into your lifestyle. It’s understandable to think that things will quickly get repetitive or you’ll be hungry all day, especially when you first start out.

However, with OPTIFAST, this isn’t the case at all – here, we take a look at the truth behind five common meal replacement myths.

1. I’ll Be Hungry All the Time

If you’re following any of the OPTIFAST diet plans, your calorific intake will be restricted.

As with any change in your eating habits, you might feel hungry at first, but your body will soon adjust. If you’re worried you’re going to struggle, read our advice on how to stop yourself from snacking.

OPTIFAST products are scientifically designed to give you nutritious meals, containing vitamins, minerals, macronutrients and micronutrients whilst you follow one of our diet plans. They are high in protein and a good source of fibre.

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2. It’ll Get Really Repetitive

Any eating plan can quickly get repetitive, especially if you’re only eating one thing or drinking nothing other than weight loss shakes for each meal. However, when you’re following an OPTIFAST plan, there are numerous options available, from bars to soups to shakes and desserts, to help create some variety and keep things interesting.

Consume your OPTIFAST products alongside conventional meals. For inspiration, check out our low-calorie recipe ideas.

3. Everything Will Be Tasteless

This couldn’t be further from the truth. OPTIFAST products are available in a variety of delicious flavours:

  • Bars – choose from cappuccino, berry, chocolate, cereal or almond, date & honey flavour
  • Shakes – flavours available are vanilla, coffee, strawberry or chocolate
  • Soups – pick from tomato, vegetable or potato and leek
  • Desserts – enjoy a delicious vanilla dessert every now and again for an occasional, well-deserved treat

4. Meal Replacements Aren’t Healthy

It’s understandable to be concerned that you won’t get all the necessary nutrients you need to be healthy if you’re swapping conventional foods with some meal replacement products.

However, every OPTIFAST product contains a blend of essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs at each stage whilst you’re on your diet plan.

Consuming conventional foods alongside your meal replacement products means that you’ll be still able to enjoy recipes like our cauliflower tabbouleh salad.

You can also add in exercise to your diet plan, which offers multiple health benefits of its own.

5. Meal Replacement Doesn’t Work Long-Term

We like to think of OPTIFAST as a lifestyle change, rather than a diet; as a marathon, not a sprint. To see long-term results, you need to stay focused on maintaining the changes you’ve made to your diet for longer than just a couple of weeks.

Our OPTIFAST meal replacement plans are designed to kickstart long-term weight loss and create an overall lifestyle change.

Our diet plans combine nutritional knowledge, exercise tips and behavioural strategies, equipping you with the knowledge you’ll need to confidently follow a weight loss programme for a more gradual weight loss, and eventually transition to a Maintenance Plan to continue your results.

We recommend keeping a food diary to keep yourself on track, so you can see where you may need to pull back and make a few more changes if you start to regain weight.

Find out more about how to get your diet plan off to a good start:

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Health & Nutrition Expert

Health & Nutrition Expert

Writer and expert