What is OPTIFAST®?

Many of our weight options make use of the OPTIFAST® meal replacement. We want you know what OPTIFAST® is, how it works, and how our practice differs from traditional OPTIFAST® programs.

OPTIFAST® is a medically designed liquid meal replacement that can facilitate weight loss. It is made by Nestle HealthCare Nutrition. It can be used either alone as a full-liquid diet, or in combination with food. OPTIFAST® contains no drugs or medications, but its healthy composition allows patients to eat less food and feel less hungry.

Darlene Paluf, RDN, LD, along with her staff, have more than 35 years of experience with OPTIFAST® for weight loss. Darlene worked with and was trained by the team of Cleveland doctors from Mt. Sinai Hospital who invented OPTIFAST®.

Over the years, we have found that our patients generally do better when OPTIFAST® is used in combination with a dinner meal rather than employed as a 12-16 week full liquid diet. We find that this combination is easier, requires less blood work and monitoring, is medically safer, and—best of all— delivers weight losses that are equal to those achieved with full fasting.

Patients who qualify may begin our program with two weeks of full liquid diet and then move to one meal plus OPTIFAST®. For some patients, medications or other concerns prevent instituting the two week full liquid phase. In these cases, patients will start the diet on OPTIFAST® plus dinner meal. Occasionally, and at the doctor’s discretion, longer periods of full liquid diet may be recommended.

Some people may doubt their ability to stay only with OPTIFAST® products for the first two weeks, but are very surprised how well they adjust. They are also amazed how well they feel and the energy they have just after one week!