Finding the right diet and weight loss program can do wonders for your weight loss success. The truth is, if you choose the wrong diet, your chances of succeeding are slim. After all, your diet plays an integral role in your weight loss journey.
While dieting isn't enough by itself, it is one of the primary factors that will drive your weight loss success. Because of this, you want to ensure you are choosing the right one and that you commit to it. However, knowing which diet is right for you is no simple task.
With so many companies out there competing for your business, it can be very difficult to cut through the weeds to tell which program is worth considering.
The last thing you want is to fall for the marketing material of an unproven or poor-quality program. Not only can it stunt your weight-loss potential, but it can sabotage your efforts entirely. One of the most important things to achieving weight loss success is consistency.
If you don't follow through with the program or if the program is unsustainable, you won't maintain the consistency that's required. How do you know which weight loss programs are good and which are bad?
Luckily, there's more information readily available to consumers than ever before. By learning about some of the bad reviews and potential side effects of the program, you can tell whether or not it's worth considering.
This will be a comprehensive article on some of the reported side effects you may get from following Optavia's weight loss program.
It's important to note that these were just "side effects" as reported to the BBB, so take them for what they're worth. Optavia has a long track record of success and works great for many of the people who try it, so they've definitely established themselves as a top-rated diet and coaching program. And most people who follow their plan seem to have a great experience.
What is Optavia?
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Optavia is more than a weight loss meal plan. It's much more of a weight loss system. It combines optimized meal plans with personalized coaching to deliver everything you need to succeed in your weight loss journey [1].
RELATED: Do Doctors Recommend Optavia?
With the program, you get access to Optavia fuelings and nutrient-dense meals. One of the major selling points of Optavia is the flexibility in the meal plans and the fact that they are clinically proven.
The meal plans were designed by dietitians, physicians, and scientists to ensure they are optimized to maximize weight loss potential.
You also get access to independent professional coaches who are there to motivate and inspire you throughout your journey.
Now that you know what Optavia is and some of its unique selling points of it, you will likely want to learn about some of the potential drawbacks. Like many weight loss programs, you want to familiarize yourself with the negatives that come with it.
When following any kind of diet, you can expect to deal with some unwanted side effects especially if the diet is restrictive. This is just a small sampling however, and it's worth noting that many of the people who try Optavia or other diets like don't experience any side effects.
Top 8 Reported Side Effects of Optavia
As mentioned in the title above, these are "side effects" that people reported online...This doesn't mean any of side effects we list below are actually caused by following the diet.
In fact, a few of the "side effects" that people reported seemed pretty ridiculous to link to a meal delivery diet program, but they were so wild we decided to share them below.
All that said, take these reported side effects with a grain of salt...
1. Constipation
This is one of the major reported drawbacks to meal plans similar to Optavia. There are a lot of complaints on BBB.org that note they experienced constipation as one of the side effects of following the provided meal plan by Optavia.
This could be due to not eating enough fiber that comes with the meals. Many of the complaints centered around having issues with going to the bathroom once they started the program and a few said the side effect didn't subside until they stopped. One user pointed out that they "got severely constipated, bloated, and sick" after following the diet [2].
They mentioned that they didn't have any of these issues before. No one wants to have to deal with constipation as it can result in an unpleasant feeling and can lead to further issues.
The good news is, that if you experience constipation after changing diets, you can make an effort to get more fiber into your diet to try to remedy it. It's not uncommon to experience signs and symptoms of constipation after making dramatic changes to your diet.
Optavia's Lean and Green Meals are a great way to get fiber into your diet, and the Optavia Coach can help you learn how to make these.
2. Headaches
This one can be expected with any sudden shifts in your diet. However, it should subside relatively quickly. Some customers noted experiencing headaches after starting Optavia.
While some of it may be due to eating fewer calories, it could also be a result of certain ingredients in the meals. One complaint even noted that coaches told them "many clients experience headaches and other reactions" when they switch to Optavia.
Because of this, it's something you should be looking out for if you intend on following the diet.
3. Digestive Problems
The issues stem even further than constipation in a lot of cases. Some of the users that started the Optavia diet program ended up reporting that they developed a lot of different kinds of digestive issues during their time with it.
Some of them even reported they had to stop and return everything "due to the bad side effects" it had on them [2].
These reported side effects were included bloating, diarrhea, and cramping. If you start a new diet and you are dealing with debilitating cramping and other issues, you'll want to stop immediately or consult with your doctor.
4. Allergic Reactions
This is another issue brought up that you will find when you browse through the different Optavia complaints. This one is something that should be preventable because Optavia does provide you with a list of ingredients in the meals.
However, it's also something you need to be aware of if you are considering starting the program.
Looking through the list of ingredients is a must to avoid any serious allergic reactions that could occur.
5. Vomiting
There weren't too many people complaining about this reaction, but we did see one BBB complaint mentioning it. No one wants a diet program to cause them to vomit even once, but who knows if this was due to some random illness or another factor altogether.
While it's unlikely this is a side effect you would experience, it's still worth noting.
6. Leg Cramping
This is another side effect that a couple of people noted when they started following the program. It could be the result of not getting enough hydration or potassium.
Because of this, it's worth adding some bananas to the mix if you intend on following a diet and experience leg cramps. You could also add a multi-vitamin to ensure you are getting all of the needed vitamins.
Optavia's meal plans were designed by nutritionists, so it's hard to say what may cause someone's legs to cramp.
7. Hair Loss
This isn't a common issue that many people reported, but it's worth noting because of the severity of the claim. At least (3) people reported they experienced hair loss after starting and following this diet.
One of the people said they experienced hair loss once they were at the end of the program. The others mentioned they experienced it throughout.
The one that noted they started experiencing hair loss at the end said their doctor advised them it was because they were "malnourished" and they weren't getting sufficient nutrients for various bodily processes.
Again, who knows what may cause someone to lose hair...It could be due to any number of factors.
8. Hernia??
One of the complaints mentioned is that they developed a hernia which they didn't have before. While it seems impossible that the program itself caused them to get a hernia, it could be the result of constipation they suffered while following the diet, but seriously who knows.
You are at an increased risk of developing a hernia if you are constantly constipated and have to force yourself when in the bathroom, but this seems like a long shot, and like a very odd and random complaint to associate with a diet program.
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1. Gained Weight After Finishing
This isn't necessarily a side effect of the weight loss program itself, but more so a complaint about the Optavia Diet. This is something that typically happens to a lot of people that follow a weight loss program. These programs are designed to end at some point.
They aren't sustainable long-term. You shouldn't stick to a single weight loss program indefinitely because it's not necessarily good for you. While the Optavia nutrition plan has a lot of good things about it and it was designed to prioritize healthy and balanced eating, it's still not something you should stay on indefinitely.
Instead, you want to leverage these weight loss programs to kick-start your weight loss and wean yourself off them completely.
Unfortunately, a lot of other weight loss programs will readily prepare you to stop the diet to ensure you don't regain the weight you successfully shed. It doesn't sound like Optavia does this with one customer saying, "it is expensive to remain consistent [with it] and they don't prepare you to eventually stop."
2. Inconsistent Deliveries
One of the most common complaints about Optavia on BBB's website has to be the inconsistent delivery times. A lot of customers have noted it takes "several weeks" to get their products at times.
They say the order says "in progress" for days on end with limited response from customer service.
Also, some customers have noted that it's nearly impossible to remain consistent with their diet because of the inconsistency in the delivery times.
The fulfillment centers don't get the orders shipped out in time which can impede progress.
3. Price
There is a lot of complaining about the price. Many Optavia customers were not happy at all with the value they were getting for their money.
They complained that the price of the meals was too high and that they could afford to remain as consistent as they needed to be to have success with the diet.
Seeing complaints about pricing is relatively common when it comes to looking at weight loss program reviews. After all, these programs aren't cheap.
4. Unsustainable
One of the other complaints about this weight loss program is that a lot of people have mentioned it lacks sustainability. It relies heavily on caloric restriction.
While every diet does this to a certain extent, you want to find one that encourages more healthy eating and healthy lifestyle changes.
Optavia does both, but some feel as though they leaned more on caloric restriction and one even called it "caloric deprivation."
This is a harsh and probably unfair criticism of any weight loss program given the fact caloric restriction is at the root of all weight loss success.
The goal is to consume fewer calories than you are eating daily.
Is Optavia Worth Trying?
As you can see, there are a lot of complaints about Optavia to go along with the good. BBB.org alone has over 104 reviews with an average rating of 1.59 out of 5 stars. Keep in mind, that a customer is much more likely to go to BBB.org to leave a review if they had a poor experience.
However, the company does have a lot of positive reviews and testimonials as evidence on its site. You do want to weigh the good with the bad when choosing.
RELATED READING: Top Optavia Competitors
Should the negative reviews completely scare you away from using Optavia for your weight loss efforts? Not necessarily. However, you do want to keep them in mind when you are making your decision.
Choosing the right weight loss plan can dictate whether or not you succeed with your weight loss efforts.
The program matters, but it's even more important to maintain consistency with it. If you experience the side effects mentioned in this article, you may not necessarily be able to maintain that consistency because you'll stop following it because of them.
If you're looking for the most affordable diet delivery option, Nutrisystem is our top-rated choice:
