If there’s one thing I hate, it’s MLMs. If there’s one thing I love, it’s carbs.

Which is why I never would have guessed I’d be making this post. But here I am, about two and a half weeks into my first experience with OPTAVIA, and have already lost seven pounds and two inches around my waist. So yes, for me it is working. I hesitantly shared a little over on Instagram and received a ton of questions, so I thought I’d make a post that easily answered some of the most asked about topics. I already have some friends that have joined me, so feel free to check out it out under my coach page and read below to see if maybe you want to do it too.

What is OPTAVIA?
It’s a company that makes prepacked, low-calorie mini-meals and snacks (they call them “fuelings”) to help clients reach their optimal weight. Following their 5&1 Plan, you eat five of their fuelings every day (every 2-3 hours), along with one “lean and green” meal (a meal you prepare yourself). I’m currently doing it for 30 days to jump start myself to my goal weight. The only cost is what you pay for the fuelings and there’s no commitment or sign-up fee.

What do I start with?
If you’re looking to lose weight, for your first order I would recommend doing the 5&1 Plan by purchasing the Essential Optimal Kit. The first time you buy the kit it comes with five free boxes, so in total it’s enough for 30 days.

How much does it cost?
I paid around $370 for my first 30 days worth of fuelings. You are on your own for the lean and green meal, but they give you plenty of guidance (and you can even purchase these if you don’t like to cook). While this created a bit of sticker shock at first, I quickly realized that my breakfasts, lunches, lattes, and random snacks added up to even more money per month (and way more calories).

How much weight will I lose?
Obviously everyone is different, but the average weight loss on the Optimal Weight 5&1 Plan is 12 pounds. Optavia offers another plan (Optimal Health 3&3 Plan), which helps you maintain your goal weight once you get there.

What do I like about it?
Hands down, the main thing I love most about Optavia is how easy it is. I’m a busy working mom who also likes to cook dinner for my family most nights. This plan allows me to do that, but makes all the food in between a breeze. Also, there are over 60 types fuelings, which are all interchangeable so I’m never bored. I’m not the kind of person that can eat the same meal every day, so this (along with the lower number on the scale) keeps me motivated!

How do I sign up?
You sign up under a “coach” (that’s me!) and I help answer any questions you have, as well as offer guidance along your journey. The first week was tough for me, so I was grateful I had my coach just a text away. Once my body had adjusted, everything became so much easier and I now find myself bouncing out of bed first thing in the morning to see how much the sale (or my waist) has gone down. While no diet is ever easy, this is about as easy as it can get – along with the quickest, real results.

I only have a week left, but I’m already ordering more because I don’t want to stop at just 30 days. It’s really helped me look at food in a different, more healthy way. I am more thoughtful about what I order at restaurants and more careful when it comes to portion sizes. It encourages lean meats and fresh veggies, which I find refreshing for a company like this. I’ve been fortunate in my life to eat whatever I want, but now that I’m pushing 40 it’s starting to catch up to me. This had helped tremendously and it hasn’t even been a month.

I had a million questions before I finally pulled the trigger, so if you feel the same email me with questions at sarahfortunegill (a) gmail!