What is the 5 and 1 diet plan

The Optavia Optimal Weight 5 & 1 plan is a weight-loss and healthy eating program that helps you lose weight by making small, sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle. The plan includes five main components:

  1. Eating five small meals per day: This helps to control hunger and cravings, and provides your body with a steady supply of nutrients to help with weight loss.
  2. Incorporating healthy fats into your diet: Healthy fats help to promote satiety and can actually help with weight loss.
  3. Avoiding processed foods and eating more whole foods: Processed foods are often high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sugar, which can lead to weight gain. Eating more whole foods, on the other hand, can help you reach your weight-loss goals.
  4. Getting regular exercise: Exercise not only helps with weight loss, but can also improve your overall health.
  5. Managing stress: Stress can lead to unhealthy eating habits, so it’s important to find ways to manage it effectively.

If you’re looking to lose weight, there are a few key lifestyle changes you can make that will help you reach your goals. Incorporating healthy fats into your diet, avoiding processed foods, getting regular exercise, and managing stress can all help you lose weight and improve your overall health. Making these changes can be difficult, but with a little effort, you can see real results.

OPTAVIA OPTIMAL WEIGHT 5 AND 1 PLAN LEAN AND GREEN MEALS

The OPTAVIA Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan is a great way to lose weight and improve your overall health. This plan provides five small meals per day, consisting of lean protein and healthy fats, along with one large “lean and green meal. This type of meal is typically made up of a lean protein, like grilled chicken or salmon, along with vegetables and a healthy fat like olive oil . This plan is a great way to lose weight, as it helps to keep you full and satisfied throughout the day, while also providing the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

  1. Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with veggies
  2. Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing
  3. Dinner: Salmon with roasted Brussels and sweet potato
  4. Snacks: Apple with almond butter, hard-boiled egg, carrots and celery with hummus

The “lean and green” meal plan is a great way to lose weight while still getting the nutrients your body needs. This type of meal typically consists of a lean protein, like grilled chicken or salmon, vegetables, and a healthy fat like olive oil. This plan helps to keep you full and satisfied throughout the day by providing the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

Some examples of meals that could be included in this plan are scrambled eggs with veggies for breakfast, grilled chicken salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing for lunch, and salmon with roasted Brussels and sweet potato for dinner. Snacks could include an apple with almond butter, a hard-boiled egg, or carrots and celery with hummus.

By following this type of meal plan, you will be sure to get the nutrients your body needs while also feeling satisfied and not overly full. This can help to improve your overall health and well-being.

If you are looking for a way to lose weight, feel healthier, and have more energy, then a healthy meal plan is a great place to start. There are many different plans out there that can fit into any lifestyle. It is important to find one that works best for you and your individual needs. By following a healthy meal plan, you can reach your goals and enjoy improved health.

OPTAVIA OPTIMAL WEIGHT 5&1 PLAN BEFORE & AFTER

If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can help improve your health. Excess weight puts you at risk for many serious health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Losing even a small amount of weight can help reduce your risk for these and other conditions.

The OPTIVIA® program is Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan is a medically-supervised weight-loss program that can help you lose weight quickly and safely. The program provides an individualized approach to weight loss that includes meal replacement, counseling, and support.

After completing the OPTIVIA program, many people report feeling healthier and more energetic. They also report improved sleep quality and reduced stress levels. In addition, they often find that they are better able to manage their weight in the long term.

If you are interested in starting the OPTIVIA program, talk to your doctor or health care provider. They can help you determine if the program is right for you.

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Home / Diet Search & Guide / Diet Program Reviews / Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Review

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Review - 12 Things You Need to Know

By Summer Banks FNS, SPT, Roxanne Moore, MS, RDN, PMP (expert review)

  • User Comments
  • 15 Answered Questions

Fact Checked | Overview | Company Info | Benefits | Research | Getting Started | Foods | Ingredients | Side Effects | Cost | Results | What Users Are Saying | Bottom Line | Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Alternatives | Q&A

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan promises a “gentle but efficient fat-burning state while maintaining retaining lean muscle mass.” The plan claims to help you reach and maintain your weight through a combination of supplements, meal alternatives, and coaching. But, the program comes as a kit costing well over $400 and loaded with processed foods.

Our research team decided to take a closer look. All evidence shows that reducing caloric intake and adding exercise is the best way to reach healthy weight goals.

Does Optimal Weight 5&1 offer anything different to justify that hefty price tag? We looked at the kit ingredients, studied the diet plan, read user feedback, and summarized our findings for you.

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan can be purchased through their Official Site.

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Readers: Noom is offering our readers a risk-free trial, for a limited time. Click here for more information!

Overview

What is the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan?

What is the 5 and 1 diet plan

Also known as the Medifast 5&1 Plan, the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan is a program that helps you reach your ideal weight and maintain the results for the long term.

You eat six times a day (small meals), receive expert coaching and advice, and allow Optavia fuelings to help you manage what you eat.

With the Optimal Weight 5 and 1 Plan, you will need to purchase a kit, which consists of Optavia products such as snack bars, shakes, smoothies, cereals, soups, and other Optavia foods. Here are the kits for the TSFL 5&1 Plan: Essential Optimal Kit, Select Favorites Kit, and Essential On-The-Go Kit.

Does the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan work for weight loss?

  • International Journal of Obesity – research that shows the importance of “portion control in weight management.”
  • Nutrients – Some research suggests knowing portion sizes isn’t enough. The study shows tools aimed at helping the user learn portion sizes are effective.
  • Appetite – suggests training is useful in learning portions.

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× Explanation of Price

This is how much it costs to start on the respective program. We always recommend trying a product before making a large investment.

  • = Initial product cost is less than $5
  • = Initial product cost is between $6 and $50
  • = Initial product cost is between $51 and $150
  • = Initial product cost is $151 or more

Company Info

Optavia (Take Shape for Life) – The Company Behind 5&1 Plan

Take Shape for Life is primarily owned by Medifast (the parent company). It was started back in 2002 and is based in Baltimore from Owings Mills, Maryland.

Aside from the Optimal Weight 5 and 1 Plan, Take Shape for Life also offers the Optimal Health 3&3 Plan, Optimal 4&2&1 Plan, and Powerful Hydration to help you sustain healthy weight after you reach your weight loss goal.

Take Shape for Life also offers personal coaching and daily inspiration to help you reach your goals. You can shop for the kits and Optavia Medifast foods directly through the official website.

As of 2019, Medifast expanded the business into Hong Kong and Singapore.

Medifast Customer Service

Medifast, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is rated well by the Better Business Bureau (A+). We also took a look at the Consumer Affairs website, where there are more than 400+ consumer reviews. We found both positive and negative responses to Medifast and the customer service they offer. You can contact customer service at 888-OPTAVIA (1-888-678-2842). The address for Optavia is:

100 International Drive
18th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202

As of September 2022, Optavia, LLC earned 1.5 out of 5 stars based on customer reviews. They’ve closed 493 complaints in the previous three years and 88 complaints in the past 12 months. Optavia has not been rated by the BBB.

In 2020, Optavia Essential Old Fashioned Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal was voluntarily recalled due to undeclared traces of milk.

Optimal Weight 5&1 Products Available From Optavia

  • Essential Bars
  • Essential Shakes
  • Select Shakes
  • Spinach Pesto Mac & Cheese
  • Honey Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
  • Buttermilk Cheddar Herb Biscuits
  • Essential Baking Mixes
  • Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
  • Homestyle Chick’n Noodle Soup
  • Red Bean & Vegetable Chili

Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.

Benefits

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Benefits: Claims

Here is a rundown of the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan benefits and perks:

  • Lose weight fast
  • Select from 5 Optavia Fuelings each day (every 2-3 hours)
  • 60 different Optavia Fuelings to choose from
  • One Lean & Green Meal per day
  • Optavia bars and foods are convenient for on-the-go
  • Feel satiated (full)
  • Burn off fat

Research

The Research Behind Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan

The official website states, “Our products are scientifically formulated with the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and sugar to help you burn fat and retain muscle on your health journey.”

It goes on to say that, “We’ve worked with physicians, scientists, and nutritionists to create portion-controlled fuelings to make it easy for you to stay on your plan and keep the focus where it belongs: on gaining your Optimal Health.”

According to the journal Obesity Science and Practice, “Evidence-based commercial programs can be an important tool to help adults with overweight and obesity lose clinically relevant amounts of weight.”

Getting Started

How to Get Started With Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan

What is the 5 and 1 diet plan

To get started with Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan, you need to order one of the kits. The kit will include Optavia Select Fuelings to last you for 20-30 days. This means many Optavia shakes, bars, cereals, smoothies, and dishes.

You will also have one-on-one coaching available and Optavia recipes, and an online community to assist you.

Other Optimal Health Programs

Other Optimal Health programs from Take Shape for Life include the Optimal Health 3&3 Plan, Optimal Health 4&2&1 Plan, and Purposeful Hydration. Unlike the Optimal Weight Loss 5 & 1 Plan, this program involves eating three balanced meals a day and three Optimal Health fuelings to sustain your healthy weight.

But portion sizes are still relevant, and you need to eat every 2-3 hours to stay on track. A final option is the Optavia 4&2&1 Plan. You eat four Optavia Fuelings meals, two green and lean meals you prepare, and a snack on this plan.

Optavia Premier

Optavia premier is another popular subscription plan available from Optavia. With this plan, individuals receive free meals, free shipping on all orders, and exclusive discounts. Once individuals choose their kit, the membership program ships it automatically every month.

Foods

Optavia Food – Is The Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan Healthy?

There are dozens of Optavia Fuelings to choose from on the 5&1 Plan. This includes supplements, snacks, shakes, teas, smoothies, bars, desserts, pasta, and even breakfast foods.

While these Optavia products are available individually on the official website, you can also find them in the kits. You should expect to eat many bars and shakes on this diet plan, which are processed foods. There may be Optimal 5&1 Plan DIY, or do-it-yourself, food options as well.

Ingredients

Optimal Weight 5&1 Fuelings – Are the Ingredients Effective for Weight Loss?

Protein

Commonly found in meats, dairy products, eggs, soybeans, nuts, beans, seeds, and legumes, this macronutrient is made up of amino acids. It helps reduce appetite, repair the body, and build lean muscle tissue.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that protein plays an important part in weight management. Additionally, the journal Obesity Facts studied the connection between protein and weight loss, concluding “participants with more adherence rate in the HPD [high-potein diet] group lost significantly more weight.”

Fiber

This indigestible carbohydrate is also called roughage in produce, whole grains, nuts, beans, and seeds. It moves through the digestive tract to help with regularity and gut health. Based on research presented in the Journal of Nutrition, “dietary fiber intake, independently of macronutrient and caloric intake, promotes weight loss and dietary adherence in adults with overweight or obesity consuming a calorie-restricted diet.”

Essential Vitamins and Minerals

Found in a variety of foods, these nutrients are crucial for healthy body function. According to the National Institutes of Health – Office of Dietary Supplements, “foods in nutrient-dense forms contain essential vitamins and minerals and also dietary fiber and other naturally occurring substances that may have positive health effects.”

However, excessive vitamin intake is also associated with a higher weight, according to research published in WoD.

Probiotics

Also called good bacteria, these are live microorganisms that help promote gut health, which aids with regularity and the prevention of problems like diarrhea and constipation. According to the journal Nutrients, “probiotics, which are generally considered safe for human health, have shown some promise.”

Monk Fruit Extract

A natural sweetener used in foods and supplements, often to reduce calories. It’s more than 100 times sweeter than traditional cane sugar. Research available in the Nutrition Journal concluded, “this scoping review identifies the needs for future research to address the numerous evidence gaps related to health effects of NNSs [non-nutritive sweeteners] use.”

Side Effects

Optavia Side Effects: The Pain Behind the Progress

What is the 5 and 1 diet plan

As with most diet foods and supplements, you may notice some side effects with Optavia prepackages fuelings. This is likely due to certain ingredients. Some of the reported side effects are as follows:

  • Loose stools
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Constipation
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Upset stomach
  • Diarrhea

Medifast customers mentioned these unpleasant effects states Consumer Affairs.

Cost

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Cost

You are encouraged by Take Shape for Life to join OPTAVIA Premier to make the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan easy and convenient. This allows you to buy the Octavia kits (119 servings), which have everything you need.

The Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan pyramid costs $378.25 and comes in two options. Although no longer available, other weight plan options included Essential Optimal Kit with the Habits of Health System, Select Optimal Kit with the Habits of Health System, and Essential On-The-Go Kit with the Habits of Health System – all of which cost between $292-426.

If you are eating six times per day, a kit will not even last one month. The least you will spend is $300 a month, but likely more around $400 to $500. Currently, the weight-loss plans are only available for purchase on the official Optavia website, where there is an Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan pdf available as well.

Accessories for the plan are available on various websites, including Etsy and Amazon, particularly third-party cookbooks and food journals not affiliated with Optavia.

Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan Refund Policy

On their official website, Optavia mentions a 30-day return policy. However, individuals can only receive a refund on consumable items, meaning that opened packages can not be refunded.

Additionally, customers will need to receive a Return Merchandise Authorization Number before being able to ship back any products. Customers are responsible for shipping fees.

Results

Optimal Weight 5&1 Weight Loss Results

According to the official website, the average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan is 20 pounds, which occurs in an average of 12 weeks. But weight loss results will vary from person to person, depending on your effort and lifestyle.

What Users Are Saying

What Users Are Saying

“I am on 5&1 Optavia program. Most of the fuelings take time to get used to but once you do it is easy to follow along. At first it tasted like dirt but my taste buds have completely changed. This has become my favorite fueling so far.”

Jessica U

“I am 1 week in with my Optavia 5 & 1 first 30 days and the Creamy Vanilla Shake is a must! There are so many other uses than just a shake. It is a creamy, tasty and filling fueling. It is easy and convenient to take to work, even adding it to your coffee makes for a yummy morning treat.”

Lara M

“The Optavia Mint Chip bars are one of my favorite flavors from the 5&1 plan. I am a fan of mint anyway and they remind me of a Thin Mint girl scout cookie. I will be ordering them with each shipment. Some of the Optavia products have a protein powder smell and this one does not. A must have if you love mint chocolate.”

Sarah W

Bottom Line

The Bottom Line on Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan

Controlling your daily caloric intake and food portion sizes with the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan may indeed help you drop some pounds. After all, it has been shown that reducing your calories aids with weight loss.

This Optimal 5&1 Plan indeed offers many food options, and you do receive coaching to help you reach your goals. But there are a few concerns we have with this Take Shape for Life program.

When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, sometimes you just need a little help along the way. Noom is a proven weight-loss solution that helps take away the stress of trying to adopt huge lifestyle changes that seem unattainable. Through daily lessons and fun quizzes, users are taught how small, incremental changes add up to new, healthy habits that help you lose weight. 

For a limited time, you can try Noom as part of an exclusive free trial offer. Get started on that new body today!

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What is the 5 and 1 diet plan

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Choosing the right weight-loss system can be confusing and often times frustrating. Let us help... Let us know a little more about you and your goals.

How much does the optimal weight 5&1 plan cost?

The Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan costs roughly $428 for 119 servings, averaging to $17 per day, plus any additional spending for the “Lean & Green” meal.

How does the 5 in 1 diet work?

Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan: Eat five Optavia fuelings and just one "lean and green" meal per day. Optimal Weight 4 & 2 & 1 Plan: Eat four of the brand's fuelings, two "lean and green" meals, and one snack per day. Meal plans are capped at 1,300 calories in total.

Can you eat fruit on Optavia?

On the Optimal Weight 4 & 2 & 1 Plan®, you may incorporate a starch, fruit, dairy choice, or OPTAVIA Snack into one of your mealtimes.

What foods are on the Optavia diet?

A Sample Food List for the Optavia Diet.
Snack or meal-replacement bars..
Shakes..
Smoothies..
Beef stew..
Chicken with rice and vegetables..
Turkey meatball marinara..
Chicken cacciatore..
Popcorn..