Hi all,

I stumbled across this forum last week, and have had an absolute blast reading all of your threads, they have been really informative and i now know a little more of what i am to expect. I am being banded on March 17th and have been on Optifast for 5 days now. I started well, but am unfortunatly already thinking about slipping :tt2:...Does anyone have any tips as to how to avoid 'tempation', so to speak!

Also, just went out and bought a 21 pack of the vanilla shakes...and cant stand them! Does anyone have any tips as to how to make them, or any of the foods for that matter, a little more interesting, because at the moment I am barely managing to get through my 'sludge'!:smile:

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

Hi all,

I stumbled across this forum last week, and have had an absolute blast reading all of your threads, they have been really informative and i now know a little more of what i am to expect. I am being banded on March 17th and have been on Optifast for 5 days now. I started well, but am unfortunatly already thinking about slipping :tt2:...Does anyone have any tips as to how to avoid 'tempation', so to speak!

Also, just went out and bought a 21 pack of the vanilla shakes...and cant stand them! Does anyone have any tips as to how to make them, or any of the foods for that matter, a little more interesting, because at the moment I am barely managing to get through my 'sludge'!:smile:

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!

Hi, I did Optimuck for 4 weeks before banding. Check with your Dr before using additives but there are ways of improving the taste. I made an orange soda spider with the vanilla opti - just add your favourite diet soft drink instead of Water, some ice and blend. Also you could add some diet cordial to make different flavours, the little bottles of essence that you buy in the baking aisle in Coles can help. Melt some diet jelly crystals in a little hot water and mix - creates some great flavours especially if you also add essence. Also the colder the water is the thicker and better the Opti tastes. You can also freeze it and eat it with a spoon rather than drink it.

Are you allowed the veges? If so try making a salsa that you can pick at during the day - helps to tame the hunger. I was also allowed diet jelly, so this helped with the hunger as well.

good luck, it's worth sticking with it in the end.

Danna:cool:

thanks very much!

i tried adding vanilla esscence to the vanilla one today and just made it a hundred times worse :tt2: but ill deffinatly try adding the diet soft drinks instead of Water...ive been trying to stay away from the stuff but maybe if i just do it every couple of days it might work...

ive found the jelly to be a god send!! i have been adding strawberry jelly crystals to the strawberry shake and thats been going really well, and today i discovered the desert mousse stuff, and that i think is going to be my saviour - its fantastic!

In regards to the vegies, yes im allowed two cups a day, i have been trying to save them for dinner time and just stirfrying them up by themselves, purely for the reason that i have something to eat when the family sits down for dinner...

I wonder if you can verify something for me? With the vegies, is it 2 cups cooked or raw?

Thanks again - you have been very handy!!

thanks very much!

i tried adding vanilla esscence to the vanilla one today and just made it a hundred times worse :smile2: but ill deffinatly try adding the diet soft drinks instead of Water...ive been trying to stay away from the stuff but maybe if i just do it every couple of days it might work...

ive found the jelly to be a god send!! i have been adding strawberry jelly crystals to the strawberry shake and thats been going really well, and today i discovered the desert mousse stuff, and that i think is going to be my saviour - its fantastic!

In regards to the vegies, yes im allowed two cups a day, i have been trying to save them for dinner time and just stirfrying them up by themselves, purely for the reason that i have something to eat when the family sits down for dinner...

I wonder if you can verify something for me? With the vegies, is it 2 cups cooked or raw?

Thanks again - you have been very handy!!

When I asked my dietician it was 2 cups of cooked - which is good as you get that bit more.

With the chocolate, try adding either coconut essence or mint flavour and freezing (kinda like a choc-mint ice cream). I found lime cordial was great in the vanilla too.

Keep on the diet as best you can - it's a great kick start to the weight loss - people lose between 5 and 15kg on this pre-op (depends on how good you are and how long you're on it) It will also make the op easier and less risk of any problems or your liver being to big (then they would have to give you a full cut op not just keyhole- to be avoided!!)

Not long to go now!!

Danna

Im banded on the 19th March and due to start opti on the 5th. One thing Im really worried about is the fact that I am not really a sweet tooth so the thought of drinking only sweet stuff makes me gag thinking about it. I know Im going to struggle.

Get yourself some chocolate essence, strawberry essence, pineapple essence or coffee essence and add a few drops to change the flavour. You can also get rum essence, which is imitation rum flavour. Try adding it to the chocolate for a different taste.

You know I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes this stuff.

Makes you wonder why they can't improve the taste.

My tip, if you like coffee, add some decaf and it tastes heaps better.

And I agree it definitely is better really cold.

Im banded on the 19th March and due to start opti on the 5th. One thing Im really worried about is the fact that I am not really a sweet tooth so the thought of drinking only sweet stuff makes me gag thinking about it. I know Im going to struggle.

Opti also makes Soups - I didn't try them myself, but if you want something savoury others have made up the Soup and added some of their veges to it to make it more filling. If you need to chew, you can get bars.

The link for Optifast food list is attached. Most doctors have you do the intensive stage, but if unsure, contact your Dr first.

https://www.optifast.com.au/images/pdf/allowed_foodlist.pdf

Danna

hi,

The bars are yum.

I am not fond of sweets and prior to mu operation I made a broth of chicken necks and veges on the list - it just kept me going.

Just have patience - when u look back after your op. u will understand how it just makes things easier.

I lost 6 kilos after doing one week opti-yuk haven't weighed myself for almost 2 weeks now but I am sure I have lost more - it is motivating me now after the surgery.

You go girl and just don't look back..

regards and all the best

M:thumbup:

You know I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes this stuff.

Makes you wonder why they can't improve the taste.

My tip, if you like coffee, add some decaf and it tastes heaps better.

And I agree it definitely is better really cold.

I don't mind the taste of the choc shake.

Mind you it is only day 1 but I was expecting it to be foul so I was pleasantly surprised.

hi,

The bars are yum.

I am not fond of sweets and prior to mu operation I made a broth of chicken necks and veges on the list - it just kept me going.

Just have patience - when u look back after your op. u will understand how it just makes things easier.

I lost 6 kilos after doing one week opti-yuk haven't weighed myself for almost 2 weeks now but I am sure I have lost more - it is motivating me now after the surgery.

You go girl and just don't look back..

regards and all the best

M:thumbup:

Thanks for all your help. I've become quite partial to the chocolate mousse Desserts... its the best time of the day now!

I made a broth last night like you suggested, using all the vegies on the list, Water and a little bonox, and it was really really good...was enough leftovers for my allowance today too!

I love your 'opti-yuk'! My family and friends have quickly gotten to calling it optisludge and optispew (charming i know, thats my 12 year old sister for you!) but we'll have to introduce that one! they'll love it!

thanks for everyones help! i keep telling myself that its worth it and ill thank myself for it one day!

2 and a half weeks to go!!!

Thanks again!

dan

was banded on tue n did 2 weeks opti i cheated once n there wasnt a prob, i just had opti in hte monring and tea and veg cooked for lunch n lots of Water.. i thought id of cheated more but i was fine.. nd u wll be too

good luck

Hi,

Don't worry, EVERYBODY hates OptiFast!

Get your hands on the bars and pudding. The bars taste fine and you actually get to chew, which you won't be doing for a while after the surgery anyway (ie liquid stage). Also they're really convenient, just toss one in your bag and your set, doesn't matter if you're out and about or running late or whatever. berry Crunch bars got me to the finish line of 4 weeks of Optifast.

The pudding is good for a change, and is handy after the surgery too.

thanks very much!

ill deffinatly try adding the diet soft drinks instead of Water...ive been trying to stay away from the stuff but maybe if i just do it every couple of days it might work...

Use caution with carbonated soft drinks as they can bloat and stretch your stomach and make you feel more hungry (before surgery) and stretch out your pouch and fill you prematurely (after surgery). You're probably better off sticking to flavorings.

If you really miss the taste of diet Coke etc you will need to beat the daylights out of it to make it go flat, or you could try a trick I have just been told - drop a Degas tablet into your can or small bottle of soda - takes the gas out real fast. Haven't tried it myself so would be interested in hearing anyone else's thoughts.

Oh and if you add soda to your Optimuck, remember to beat the cr*p out of it with your blender - takes the gas out too.

Danna

You can also just let it sit til it goes flat.