What can I eat other than food substitute shakes for weight loss?

You need to consume a balanced diet of a variety of foods to lose weight. Portion size is the major criteria you have to observe.  You should not be getting bored with your food otherwise your eating pattern will not become established as a lifestyle and you will regain the weight. I suggest you consult a dietitian who can help you formalise an eating plan that you can adhere to and enjoy. You can use condiments, herbs and spices to make your food tasty.  You should be able to do some form of exercise eg. Water aerobics, Tai Chi are just a few suggestions. Losing weight should be a pleasant experience not a drudge!

If you are 60kg overweight, with limitations on your activities, weight loss can be a significant challenge. In particular, portion and calorie control can induce hunger, particularly in the first three weeks or so, and this can make it very difficult to stick with a calorie-restricted eating plan. In addition, remember that the healthy eating guidelines we use are designed for maintaining an overall active, healthy lifestyle - if you are starting from a different health position, and especially if you can't exercise, it can be difficult to lose weight with a “normal” diet.

If you've already started with optifast, consider sticking with the “intensive” optifast program for four to six weeks, as this is when you'll get the most benefit from restriction of total calories. It is also when hunger will be most noticable. The boredom you are facing with the shakes is actually designed into the program - with less food variety, there is less of a reason to eat more. Boring but effective.

If you decide that the program is not for you, many people find that restricting carbohydrates - sugar and starch - is easier in the medium-term (weeks to months) than limiting calories or portion size. This means limiting the grains, roots and fruits in your diet. This can make your diet deficient in fibre and vitamins, which needs to be taken into account if you decide to “go it alone”. You will need to eat a protein source (eg. meat or fish) and a lot of salad or low-carbohydrate vegetables such as green leafy vegetables, green beans, celery, broccoli, egg plant and asparagus. The guide that comes with the optifast product that you've mentioned is a good place to start: 

http://www.optifast.com.au/media/1786/optifast%20allowed%20foods.pdf
or
http://www.optifast.com.au/why-optifast-vlcd.aspx

Choosing low-fat cuts of meat, low fat dairy products, limiting added fats and limiting high fat foods is also important, but you need some (not much!) fat in your diet to stay healthy. 

Avoid alcohol. 

Watch out for sugar in commercial dressings and sauces. Many commercial low fat products are very high in sugar - sweetened low-fat yoghurt and low-fat salad dressing spring to mind. Better to have unsweetened yoghurt, and to use vinegar with a teaspoon of oil on the salad. 

Once you have made some inroads into weight loss, hopefully exercise and a more active lifestyle will be less painful and easier to achieve. You can then introduce a bit more variety, but try to limit simple carbohydrates such as sugar or “white” starches like bread, rice and pasta. 

This is a huge topic on which whole books have been written; I hope the above is a useful starting point. I'll see if I can track down some more useful links to update this post with. 

Cheers

Dean Spilias
http://uppergi.net

(Please note that optifast is a commercial product made by Nestle; it is a very low calorie meal replacement, available as shakes, soups, bars, and a few other formulations. I use optifast with my weight loss surgery patients and occasionally for those who see me for fatty liver disease. When I last reviewed the commercial products available in my area in 2010, it was the one with the best overall nutritional profile for my needs. I don't receive any sponsorship or other benefits from optifast, but you should still be aware that I use it regularly with my patients.)

There is plenty that you can eat and still lose weight. I would recommend you seek out expert opinion and dietary advice from an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) who are trained experts in all things food and nutrition. In the meantime you can still enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, lean meat and low fat dairy products. 

The key is to create an energy or calore deficit. You can do this by controlling your portions (as Arlene has mentioned), sticking to 2 fruit and plenty of non starchy vegetables everyday (not to say you can't enjoy the starchy ones as well), 2-3 servings of low fat dairy and 1-2 servings of lean protein (e.g. meat, chicken, turkey, fish/seafood, eggs, tofu). An APD will be able to help provide you with an individualised plan for you. You can find one at the Dietitians Association of Australia's website (www.daa.asn.au).

The optifast program is designed to induce rapid weight loss in a short period but cannot be sustained long-term. Water aerobics is a great choice of exercise as it takes pressure off you're back and knees.

Hi, 
Eat Veggies!,  as well as your salads of tomatos, and lettus. you can eat as much as you want of these,  cabbage,  string beans, broccolie, peas  etc
limit these veggies, by having 1 cup a day and no more, potatos,  carrots,  etc. 

2 - 3 fruit a day no more. 

Need ideas for great recipes ?   there are heaps using veggies free on the net,  get cooking. or if you dont have time eat them microwaved, with some of your normal food to help you ballance out your diet.  

Dont have shakes or powders ! I have seen so many clients develop health diseases with these un-natural products,  that I must warn you away from anything that is un natural, and normal.  I spend lots of time changing peoples opinion on these highly marketed processed alternatives to normal food.  

You can exercise!  you can exercise your arms and chest, and tummy, your diaphram, even while sitting down.   or look up youtube sitting down exercises, there are heaps on the internet all free.  How do all those para olympians exercise with no legs at all ?  and develop great upper bodies.   Do 3, 10 minute sessions every day, morning, after noon and evening, and weigh your self on good new digital scales every morning.  ( $20 these days from big W) 

You should be able to lose this weight easily in 4 months, if the expert that your consulting cant do this for you then find a new expert.  then keep up the new routine of diet and exercise after you have reached your goal  for the next 4 months after that or some the weight will come back on.   At your goal weight and being 60kg lighter you will have the strength to do standing,  full body ( no gym equipment ) at home,  exercises. 

I only consult with obese and overweight.