While the optavia diet may be an effective weight loss method for some, it has several potential downsides very low in calories with just 800–1,2000 calories per day, the optavia 5&1 program. Weight loss program optavia. Rather than a quick fix program, optavia provides its members with real, actionable, and life-altering solutions that can help you achieve lifelong weight loss and health but these aren't major lifestyle changes that are too daunting to consider instead, optavia changes micro-habits, baby steps as we like to call them.