Gut Issues and Optavia
The first day we started our weight loss journey with the Optavia program, we, like you really didn’t know what to expect. Our Optavia coach said, “Eat the optavia fuelings, drink lots of water and enjoy those lean green meals once a day!” We did. For us, the journey was smooth (in every sense of the word). We didn’t experience the Optavia stomach issues that we’ve seen in other clients or read about on our journey. That doesn’t mean they don’t exist or that you won’t experience them. Your body is about to go on a change. And over five years later, the number of people who’ve experienced what we will talk about in this article is minimal compared to the number we’ve seen experience the journey the way we did.
Does Optavia Cause Stomach Issues?
If you’re like most people, the thought of starting a weight loss journey fills you with both excitement and dread. You’re excited to see the amazing results you’ll achieve, but you also know that it won’t be easy – especially when it comes to the fear of dealing with stomach issues. You may have heard about the first couple of weeks or days on the plan and are wondering, “What did I just get myself into?”
Take a big breath! It’s going to be okay. The Optavia weight loss program has been successful because so many people have thrived. This article is to help you both understand the potential gut issues you may face as you start eating the Optavia fuelings and creating your lean and green meals at the beginning of your health journey.
A Quick Reminder:
This post is an opinion piece based on my experience as a veteran coach and the experience of the other clients we’ve encountered over the last five years. Every Optavia coach we know encourages anyone starting a weight loss program like this or any other to talk to their healthcare provider first. Your doctor knows you and your complete medical history. Your coach is not a healthcare provider. Be sure to ask your doctor about the Optavia program or any other diet plan you may choose if this isn’t a fit for your weight loss goals.
Stomach Issues We’ve Heard of And Seen From Others
When starting a new weight-loss plan your body will experience some change. All of our bodies respond differently to this change. This is normal for the Optavia products as well as any offshoot program you may try. Let’s start with some of the basics and hopefully give you the hope you need to continue on your weight loss journey. If you’re feeling gassy already from the worry that’s not going to help you at all is it?
Optavia Side Effects First Week On Program
The first week of Optavia is often called the “detox week” because your body is adjusting to a new way of eating. During this time, it’s common to experience a diet side effect or two, such as headaches, fatigue, and hunger. However, these side effects are usually mild and only temporary. They should subside as your body adjusts to the new diet. This is also part of getting into the best part of this weight-loss program… Fat Burn. Check out more on Optavia Fat Burn Here. To help ensure you get into the groove the Optavia diet and fat burn, it’s important to drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. You’ll likely feel like you need it in those first couple days. Additionally, make sure to eat all of the Optavia fuelings and full lean green meals. Plus, don’t hesitate to reach out to your coach if you need more tips! They will be with you every step of your first week.
The Basic First Week Side-Effects And Tips to Survive:
- Headaches – We got headaches during days 2 and 3 on our journey. This is part of the change and could be due to eating less calories per day than we were used to, drinking more water, eating less sodium, or the lower amount of sugars and carbohydrates (there it is!). Our coach recommended eating approved snacks like the dill pickle spears and taking something for the headache. Shockingly that worked.
- Fatigue – This is common in the first few days. The best thing we find is to get to bed earlier and turn off the TV if it’s in your room. This is a short phase during the beginning of your journey. You’ll be okay!
- Hunger – You may be hungry as your body is moving into fat burn. Unlike most calorie reduction weight loss programs, Optavia is working to help your body burn your daily calories from stored fat. This takes time. Hunger is normal in the first week. As you experience the weight loss, fat burn energy, and change your eating habits, your physical hunger outside of when it’s time to eat your Optavia fuelings will change. If you really can’t make it, eat one optional snack.
- Grumpiness – While not a true side effect of this weight loss program, it is common to have a little attitude in your first three days. Remember why you started, stay connected to your coach, and warn your family! This will pass (just like the gas we’ll talk about next).
The next sections will dive into possible abdominal pain bloating gas constipation diarrhea effects some describe. We’ll also give potential reasons and ways to combat them if you’re one of the rare people who experiences these side effects when starting a weight loss program.
Does Optavia Give You Gas?
If you find yourself feeling gassy on the Optavia program, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common complaints among new clients. We’ve contacted nutrition support because we are not your doctor and we wanted to know too. The average American does not eat the recommended amount of fiber in their daily diet.
When asked, “Does Optavia cause gas” the answer is often related to how much fiber you were eating before you started the Optavia diet. We have found that for us and other clients we serve and know, the extreme gas goes away after your first week or two. Optavia products along with lean and green meals ensure you’re getting a full dose of your daily fiber. This may be a large part of what causes gas in the early part of your journey. There are multiple products on the market to help alliviate the pain if you need help until your body adjusts.
Does Optavia Cause Diarrhea?
Optavia and diarrhea don’t go hand in hand (bad visual). But diarrhea is not a pleasant experience for anyone, but it can be especially inconvenient when you’re trying to stick to a new diet. If you’re on Optavia and you’ve been noticing more trips to the bathroom than usual, you may be wondering if the program is to blame. Again, eating in a new way can have varying effects on the body. One might experience diarrhea while another feels gassy.
Possible Culprit – Sugar Alcohols
Optavia’s meal replacement plan uses fuelings without artificial sweeteners. There are many reasons this is good for you and your diet. Optavia isn’t backed by just one doctor but thousands of doctors because the science is strong. Check out this article on the benefits of sugar alcohols as well as some of the possible side effects.
Another potential reason for “the runs” is the low carb program approach Optavia usies on their weight loss program. People on lower carb diets can sometimes experience this issue. Again, we have seen this as a temporary problem and have not experienced it ourselves in five years. If the problem persists and you aren’t feeling well, talk to your healthcare provider or doctor.
Optavia Stomach Issues With Constipation
Now we’re speaking from experience. Early in our journey we experienced the side effect of constipation. The first thing we did was check the 5&1 guide. It was so helpful to know we weren’t alone. Programs like the Optavia weight loss plan help us achieve predictable weight loss. These programs also lower our calorie intake each day. These kinds of changes can cause all of the above symptoms for some time including constipation.
One of the biggest things we did to help with constipation was to drink more water. Yes, even more than our 64 ounces. We also found a great product to help with this Optavia stomach issue. It’s called calm and it utilizes magnesium which really helped us! Here are a few other tips we found that can help:
- Go for walks – Being active with moderate exercise can really be helpful. Here’s some tips on exercise that may help you as well.
- Drink coffee – You can have 300 mg of caffeine on the Optavia programs. Coffee has been shown to help with consitpation. Have you considered mixing coffee into your shake to make it taste better?
- Cut the cheese – It’s really not a part of the programs but many people add it to their lean and green meals. Cutting back on any extra fats you’re adding in could also help.
The Research Behind Optavia
To close we feel it’s important for you to remember where all this started. Optavia has been serving clients with a proven system for years. They are one of the fastest-growing companies in the weight loss space for a reason and have served over two million clients with their programs. This meant something to us when we decided to start. If there were problems behind the science, we believe they would have risen to the top quickly as the company grew.
The Optavia program is based on years of research into the science of healthy weight loss and maintenance. The team of experts behind Optavia includes registered dietitians, scientists, and thousands of doctors who endorse the programs and the company. This allows them to create nutritious, delicious fuelings that help people lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off for good. In addition to providing healthy meals, the Optavia program also offers support and guidance from their nutrition and support team which is even more support than what you get from your Optavia coach. This is what makes Optavia so effective at helping people reach their goals.
We are so excited about the decision you made. You may or may not experience the stomach issues discussed here but we believe you will experience transformation when you embrace all that Optavia has to offer!
Our Final Tips For Dealing With Stomach Issues and Optavia
- Stay plugged into your coach
- Have an honest conversation with your healthcare provider
- Trust the process through the initial discomfort. This too will pass.
- Plug into your support community and ask for resources.