Nutrisystem Reviews
Posted by Terry | Tagged as: lose weight
People can read this article and find out about how Nutrisystem diets work and what the customer can expect to get when they sign up with Nutrisystem to lose weight, improve their health and get a great figure.
If getting yourself started on one of the easiest dieting programs around is your aim, then choosing a Nutrisystem diet plan is a very wise decision. In fact its the right decision for so many great reasons.
You may be looking around for honest information that includes the kind of unbiased and balanced viewpoint you’ll find right here. You are still going to find advertisements for Nutrisystem everywhere you look.
What people need is just a plain, honest review of this cost effective diet and that’s exactly what I’ve put together here.
Lose Weight Fast and Easy
The TV ads tell you that Nutrisystem is one of the easiest ways you’ll ever get to lose weight and they are right on that score. Here is what makes this diet so easy, time saving and successful:
- All the food preparation is done for you. No cooking, no hassle
- All your meals are delivered to your home. Now that is convenient!
- The meals are calorie controlled, nutritionally balanced, interesting, tasty and varied. You’ll never get bored eating it!
- The diet is structured to keep you on track with full support if you need it.
- You just eat and you lose weight — it’s as easy as that!
You can visit the official Nutrisystem website to sign up right now simply by clicking your mouse on the big promotional image for Nutrisystem above and to the left of this paragraph if you want to get started right now.
Nutrisystem Discount Code
You may have heard of Nutrisystem discount codes and coupons that were available online to get special deals on the various diet plans. You need to know that these codes no longer exist, simply because there is no further need for them. The company regularly runs special offers and discounts that are available to anyone regardless of any old codes or coupons you may find published on out of date websites. Things like free delivery, customer counseling and support all come as standard now with auto delivery. To take advantage of their current promotion, all you need to do is click on the Nutrisystem ad pictured top left on this page and you will automatically receive any bonus the company is running when you sign up with Nutrisystem.
There are plenty of reviews around many websites that tell you about all its great points. But how many of them tell you about the things you should really be prepared for before you click on the ad and you then decide to sign up? Well, this one does just that. It makes sense to provide an honest review. This way, readers have a better idea what is involved in getting on one of their diet plans. This makes it so much more easy to lose weight when you are fully prepared for it.
About Nutrisystem
First a little background on the company. Nutrisystem, Inc. is a company that provides a convenient and easy to use weight loss system for dieters and has been in business since the early 1970s. So you can see they’re a long term company that have been there helping people to lose weight for a very long time. They are well established and have been providing weight loss solutions to dieters for all that time with a high degree of success. You don’t get to be one of the most popular diet companies without providing your customers with a successful means of losing weight for all that time. Nutrisystem does just that for its customers and has been doing it for almost four decades.
What Does Nutrisystem Provide?
In the Nutrisystem package, you have over 120 ready meals and desserts that you can choose from for each four week shipment of food. You get three main meals, one dessert plus two protein bars and a protein shake each day. For this reason, you won’t get tired of serving up and eating the same foods repetitively like on some diets. The system works quite simply, in that you just order what you want from their website or you can do it over the phone.
The foods used in the Nutrisystem set up use low Glycemic Index (GI) carbohydrates combined with the correct amounts of fiber and protein, while being low in fat. To make a meal, you just take any of their prepackaged meals (you may add some grocery items that they recommend, such as protein power foods, salads, fresh fruits, fresh green vegetables etc) set it on a plate and either microwave for a hot meal or not for a cold one, and you’re done.
One of the nice parts about this diet is you get to eat five times each day. This is especially useful in helping reduce any food cravings you might get between meals on standard diets. The best part is of course you get to keep eating all your favorite sweets and pasta. There’s no need to count calories any more and you have full access to Free Live counseling, which is available both online and via telephone.
Nutrisystem Low GI Carbs
Ok, here’s the science bit: Low Glycemic Index (GI) carbohydrates is a measure of the quality of carbohydrates and how they impact your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that are broken down slowly by the body are considered low on the Glycemic Index, which is good. On the other hand, carbohydrates that break down too fast cause insulin levels in the blood to rise, which then causes the body to store fat and make you feel hungry even straight after a meal. So it makes sense to ensure your food is made up of lots of low GI carbs and to avoid the high GI carbs.
Nutrisystem Diet Plans
Nutrisystem offer several different types of meal plans which are tailor made for different groups. Those currently available are for:
- Women
- Over 65s (Silver)
- Vegetarians
- Diabetics
- Select (Fresh frozen meals)
- Men
- Over 65s (Silver)
- Vegetarians
- Diabetics
- Select (Fresh frozen meals)
Nutrisystem Meals
There is a really big selection of different meals, far too many to cover in this single review. The best way to review the particular meals that are on offer is to visit the official Nutrisystem website (you can click any one of the Nutrisystem image banners on this page to go there) and see for yourself. Alternatively, if you want to make yourself a cup of coffee (or better, weight busting green tea!) and enjoy a good long read through all the comments on this post. Many people who have written in have talked about some of the meals they liked or disliked.
In general the meals are of reasonably good quality as far as can be achieved with pre-packed meals (something is always lost in the packaging process) but they are not gourmet meals by any stretch of the imagination. As long as you are prepared for this, then you should have no problems expecting something better than what in reality are fairly average, albeit tasty, interesting and extremely varied meals.
Plus Points:
From time to time, you will find bonus offers for a variety of great deals, so keep checking back for new ad posters. The bonus may be along the lines of getting a free week (or two or even more) of food extra at no additional cost when you order a 28 day food program from Nutrisystem. Or it may be a money discount on a 28 day plan. It provides a convenient way to diet that is especially suited to busy people who simply do not have the time to work on conventional diets. The food is delivered to your door and any frozen meals can be stored it in your freezer, while the rest of the meals can be stored in a cool, dry place such as a larder, pantry etc. You can just take out a meal as you need it and follow the instructions on the pack. Some meals are ready after simply place it in the microwave for the time stated on the packaging and in no time at all you can be sitting down to your own calorie controlled, healthy diet meal.
Nutrisystem’s latest weight loss program is heavily based on the Glycemic Index being rich in good carbohydrates and protein while being low in unhealthy fats.
Nutrisystem Support
If at any time you need support, or if you need to chat online with a support person you can. Nutrisystem has their own online chat support system where you can contact someone any time of the day of you are worried about anything at all. This includes things that you might think are silly and you wouldn’t want to bother anyone about. It also provides you with a one-on-one weight loss coaching service devoted to helping you through those first few days on program. They are there to help you, even with the seemingly silly things. That’s because if there’s something even minor that is bothering you and you don’t tell anyone, it can grow into something major and stall your progress. Whereas getting it off your cheat early on can make all the difference to your chances of success. Its there for you if you need it, so use it!
Nutrisystem Cost
The general Nutrisystem cost varies depending upon the plan you choose and any discounts you take advantage of. Visit their website by clicking any one of the links on this page to get the most up to date information on their current published prices. The price includes online nutrition classes, counseling, access to their customer forum as well as delivery of the food packages. The goal here is to promote sustainable, long term weight loss. You are provided with four week’s worth of meals including daily breakfasts, lunches, dinners as well as two snacks per day.
Minus Points:
No review would be any good if it only told you all about the great things a system provided while ignoring any disadvantages or negatives, so this review gives it to you straight.
First up, with regards to the Select plans, you’ll need sufficient space in your freezer to store the food packages when they arrive, which is seven sets of three meals plus snacks so make sure you’re prepared for that. Other standard plans don’t need the freezer, but they will still need to be stored somewhere that is cool and dry, so a cool pantry or larder is ideal.
While the packaged meals are complete meals in themselves, they are smaller than many people are used to. Lots of people go on the Nutrisystem diet and believe that the meals they ship to you are the same as what they’re used to, then complain when they still feel hungry after eating them. If you find the meals are really too small for you, then Nutrisystem do allow you to include some additional grocery items with your daily meals. These include high protein power foods, low fat dairy products and fresh green vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale etc that you buy from the store and cook yourself to bulk out the meals.
Read the information brochures that come with your packaged meals as they will tell you what you can add. Fresh green vegetables will not add many calories or bad carbs to the diet but will aid it by providing essential vitamins and minerals while helping to curb any feelings of hunger. Alternatively, drink one or two glasses of plain water before each meal. This will help with digestion and help make you feel more full after the meal.
The thing to realize here is that if you are used to meals of a certain size, it could be part of the reason you have gotten overweight in the first place. Large meals, especially if they are full of high GI carbs, saturated fats and hidden sugar, are a sure way to pile on the pounds. So when you are faced with the smaller meal size of this product, you really should make an effort to get used to it, because after all, you want to lose weight and one of the ways that’s going to happen is if you eat less!
Next, some people report getting flatulence (gas) after eating the food. So you might be tempted to ask, does Nutrisystem cause gas? Okay, this might appear to be a little unpleasant, but its a natural byproduct of metabolizing some high fiber and protein rich foods. If your previous diet was lacking in certain foods, the body will need to adjust to the new types of food. If you never ate fresh vegetables before and start doing so as part of any diet, you’ll get gas until your body gets used to metabolizing them. To counter this, make sure you drink plenty of fresh, plain water (not soda!) which will help with digestion.
Ok, apart from that and the Nutrisystem cost, which is comparable to and in many cases cheaper than most over the counter diets, as far as Nutrisystem tips go, it does exactly what it says it does as long as you follow the plan that you decided on. Same as pretty much any diet really.
What You Can Do To Help Yourself Succeed with Nutrisystem
You can help yourself immensely by doing some light exercise while you are on the plan as well. This is because its a scientifically proved fact that exercise improves metabolism and when combined with a healthy diet really does cause sustainable weight loss.
Having a positive mental attitude towards losing weight also helps a lot. This is because when you are positive about something, there is a greater chance of success because you want it more. When you adopt an I CAN attitude, you can achieve things that will surprise you!
Best Price Nutrisystem
While this review is mostly about the NS diet and the plan itself and is generally only updated when these get updated, it would be missing something of there were no mention of the price. To get the best price Nutrisystem diet plans, it usually just means clicking through one of our own image banners advertising Nutrisystem on this page. While the most up do date price should always be taken from Nutrisystem’s own website as this may fluctuate with special offers etc, we can give you some background on how this company compares with other diet delivery companies.
Nutrisystem Price Comparisons
You will find that Nutrisystem is actually one of the least expensive of all the diet delivery companies in the United States. They can do this because they are also one of the largest and the food is prepared and packaged at their own company premises. In fact, in a recent price comparison with one major competitor, Jenny Craig, it was found that Nutrisystem’s base prices taken for a week supply of food were as much as four times cheaper than Jenny Craig and considerably cheaper than eDiets and Diet-To-Go.
Nutrisystem Auto Delivery
There seems to be some confusion among some customers about where they stand with the auto delivery system that Nutrisystem uses. There is information in their website’s FAQ that explains it, but here is a short explanation to clarify things in two main points:
- To take full advantage of any special offers and free shipping, you should stay on the program for at least 2 shipments
- To cancel, you must call their number (1-877-338-8446) you can’t do it from the website
Most people recognize that its better to stay on the diet for two or more months to get the maximum benefit and lose more weight. In that case, signing up for auto delivery and getting the bonus offers is not a problem as you can cancel any time before subsequent shipments with no penalty.
Nutrisystem FAQ
In any event, prospective customers should read through the Nutrisystem FAQ, which you will find on their official website before they sign up for their diet plan. It is in your interests to read through the FAQ before signing up with Nutrisystem so you understand everything first. It will help you to make the right decision to sign up for one of the weight loss diets plan or not.
Nutrisystem Coupons
As already mentioned above, there are no more Nutrisystem coupons and any you find on websites will be out of date. This is because all offers are available to everyone now and to get them you only need to click one of the image ads on this page which will take you directly to the official Nutrisystem website.
When you sign up for a Nutrisystem diet plan you are paying for a great opportunity to lose weight with a proven formula that works for the vast majority of its customers. You are getting a fully supported diet system that provides it customers with ongoing support and professional counseling if you need it and a proven track record of over three decades of experience.
Note: The author is a qualified hypnotherapist specializing in weight control hypnotherapy and a nutritionist. While he is an affiliate of Nutrisystem, this review is comprised of his own personal views, opinions and professional observations, written honestly and objectively as possible. There is a follow up to this post that you can read at: Lose Weight with Nutrisystem that focuses more on the special offers being promoted by the company.
Additional: Genuine Real Life Reviews of Nutrisystem
If you’re happy with the information I’ve provided about Nutrisystem, that’s great because it means I’ve done my job and provided an honest and useful information resource for you. I would also urge you to please take some time to read what my readers have to say about it as well. There are plenty of differing views from real people who have tried the various plans and had a variety of results with them. What follows are their own stories, failures and successes laid bare — all published, the good and the bad, in the name of fairness.
Add Your Own
You can also add your own story of your accomplishments or otherwise with Nutrisystem. Simply fill out the comment form at the end of the page and submit it. Comments are queued for moderation to prevent spam so they will not appear right away. But generally they are approved and published within 24 hours, so please call back later to check.
Hey Jacqueline, good to hear you’re going for it. Its all about determination when it comes to losing weight and I think once you’ve taken that first step and gotten started, you can keep going and get good results. Then its all about perseverance and sticking to your guns!
We look forward to hearing from you real soon
First, let me say that i had 2 full time jobs and my eating habits are horrible. i just started the program 2 days ago and I have not eaten this much food in two weeks. Im following the plan as directed, i feel like im eating all the time. im not hungry… and its time to eat again. Is that okay?
Hey TT, everyone has different speeds for all things including eating and feeling hungry, but if you’re following the plan then I guess its okay. Bon appetit
My only question about this diet…does the weight STAY off once you stop ordering their food?? Obviously, its easy to lose weight when on a structured diet, but once thats no longer supplied does the weight come right back on?
Hey Sami, the answer to your question lies with you.
What are you going to do once you stop eating Nutrisystem meals? You have two basic choices.
1. You take forward what you learned from being on the Nutrisystem diet and continue to eat healthy food in smaller portions, including lots of fresh ingredients like vegetables and fruit
2. You revert to eating whatever it was you were eating before NS that made you gain weight
I think you can easily see which choice is the right one. Maintaining weight once it has been lost is totally your choice and in your hands. There is so much freely available information on maintaining a healthy weight online to help you and the millions of other people who wonder about pretty much the same thing. There’s plenty right here in this website.
The answer is in educating yourself about what you should and should not eat and then putting it into practice by doing it every day. That’s pretty much what you need to do to NOT gain weight again. Hope that helps.
I started Nutrisystem a week ago. They are running a40% off for the month of Febrruary because of their Anniversary. This month I let the person on the phone pick my foods. When my order came I realized there was about 25% that I don’t like. So the hubby is eating them. Almost everything I ate is good. Some of the texture is different but I went into this thinking this might all be a mistake and all the food wood be horrible. I have been pleasantly surprised. I went on the internet and picked out my menu for next month which is great that i can do that.I have read some of the reviews and I feel they went into this expecting the program to do everything for them. You are the one who makes this program a success or failure. I even bought a used treadmill this past weekend. I am starting out slow and will work my way faster. I love the protein drinks. Coffee is my favorite. Years ago I tried different protein drinks and the where horrible. These are great! Tomorrow is the end of my first week and according to the scale I lost 3 pounds. I would love more but it doesnt come on fast so I will continue.
The Nutrisystem really works. I am a busy college student. I tried Weight Watchers in the Fall and just didn’t have the time to prepare all the meals. With in 10 days or so I had lost 10 lbs. I’ll be starting my third week this week. I’ve only gained 1 lb back (I know weight fluctuates), but I work out 1-2 hrs a week, so some of that is probably muscle now. I am trying to run a 5k in a couple of months. I know more will come off with the help of Nutrisystem and work out group.
I have only eaten out once in the past two weeks to eat with family. It was at a Mexican restaurant, got the healthiest thing I could find (2 pieces of thin grilled chicken, zuccini, squash, bell peppers, rice, (I left off the sour cream and guacamole). The food came out so fast I only had 5 or 6 chips, and stuck with salsa not the white sauce. I only ate half of my meal then. I’ve got a Bible study that we’ll have dinner with (once a week) so I’ll have to be extra careful then.
I have noticed I get more full now. I’ll stop eating when I’m full. For dinner I tend to make small to medium salad and try to get all my veggies in for the day then.
If the food is bland, spice it up so you can stick with it!
My goal is to lose 19-24 lbs by graduation.
Meels are too smal, that is the key to loos the waight. If you are eating no more then 1200 calories a day you are going to loose the waight no mether which food you are eating and don’t eate junk food before you go to sleep except fruit and avoid sodas, avoid avacado and coconut thay are full of fat, avoid food with lot of calories, sugar and cholesterol.
I have been on Nutrisystem for 2 weeks and I am having a very hard time with it. I don’t have an issue with the portion sizes at all. I have a problem with the taste and texture of most of the food. I have found at least 90% of the food to be nearly inedible. I am committed to this diet for 2 months, so definately next month I am going to order pretty much 28 of the exact same items so that I can stick to it. I am really surprised that most people don’t have a problem with the actual food. The grilled chicken patty for dinner is absolute MUSH and it fell apart as I was trying to remove it from the bag. Disgusting! Next month I am going to be living off of their Beef Patty which is actually pretty good and their fettuchini which is good because it dehydrated so the noodles aren’t completely mushy.
I tried the nutrisystem for the first time 7 weeks ago. Due to poor eating, menopause which effectively slowed down my metabolism tremendously and medication for hot flashes that cause weight gain, I found myself, tired and overweight by 30 lbs and really unhappy with my body. I decided to try NS because I have a very demanding job, didn’t have time to count points, cook or do any labor intensive meal preparation, sometimes i was even too tired to go to the store to shop for food so i would make some really poor meal choices (fast food). What I really wanted was something that was pre-packaged, that had the correct portions already measured out etc, so NS was perfect for me. When I got my first box it had selections in there that i didn’t or couldn’t eat (don’t like pasta, don’t eat pork or shellfish, not really into chocolate, yes i’m weird) so I had to return what i didn’t want. The counselors were very helpful and made that exchange pretty seemless and i got my box of exchanged food pretty quickly. The second month (which i am almost at the end of now) I upgraded my plan and had the opportunity to also customize my order. I was able to do this because I soon discovered what i did and did not like. I also now get the frozen foods and this has also opened up more choices for me which i love. I must say that for me the food wasn’t that bad at all, as a matter of fact most of it tasted pretty good. I love onions, garlic and bell peppers so for those foods that were a bit lacking in flavor, i just sauteed those items and added them to my food. they acted as both flavor enhancers and vegetables. The one thing that i do not like about NS is the bloating and gas i still experience from the increase in fiber. Some days its worse than others and i am learning(the hard way unfortunately) what combinations do and do not work for me so that i have less discomfort. I use to be a juice junky probably taking in at least 1000 calories or more in juice alone, but since being on NS drink nothing but water, which i am sure my kidneys thank me for. I started incorporating exercise 3 times a week for 30 min into my routine about midway through the first month and at the end of the first month, i had lost 10 lbs. I realize with my challenged metabolism i need to step that up, so this month have added on another day and have increased the length of my exercise routines. Overall i can say that i am pretty satisfied with NS and have no real major complaints.
Hey everyone, sorry I didn’t reply over the last 2 days. Even webmasters have to take time off every once in a while
@LB that’s a great story of success and how to get more from Nutrisystem by staying on top of things. You’re right more exercise will certainly help boost your metabolism and drinking lots of water is absolutely the secret to winning with weight loss!
@Shelly, take heart from LB’s comment. There will always be some food that some folks will like and some they don’t. You can change what you don’t like and NS support will work with you. Its in their interests for you to be successful and have an enjoyable diet after all, its their business!
@NN, yes you’re right smaller meals are the answer as well as keeping the calorie count down. The main reason a lot of folks sign up with Nutrisystem is for a service that does all that for them, making weight loss easier. There are plenty of folks that don’t need NS and they can lose weight without help. But there are also loads of folks that do need that extra help and NS are there to provide it.
@M, that’s so great you’re dong so well with NS. Sure you get used to the smaller meals over time and feel full for longer and you have the right idea to spice up some of the bland meals to make them more enjoyable. Its all about working with the diet and working with what you like and I’m sure you will hit your target with your positive attitude.
@Faith, that really made me smile — if there’s one great way to get past the meals you don’t like, give them to someone else to eat LOL! But seriously, you can work with Support and get some meals changed to ones you will like. See LB’s comment above. You have the right attitude to succeed with this. You said “You are the one who makes this program a success or failure.” YES, you are absolutely right on that.
On a side note to all my readers, regular and new: For anyone that’s having trouble with the NS food, maybe there’s some things you don’t like or you feel disheartened. Call NS Support and talk to them. They are there to help you and they will if you work with them.
I don’t want to sound mean, but I know that sometimes Support has to deal with some angry customers on the line and they have a terrible time with them. That’s never a solution and no one wins. I’m sure there are some legitimate grievances but screaming down the phone doesn’t solve anything. A better way is to first write down a list of questions you want to ask and stay calm. You’ll find politeness and an attitude of gratitude works some amazing magic at getting the most from people you speak to on the phone!
And another thanks to Faith for writing this:
“You are the one who makes this program a success or failure.”
It is just so true!
I am very disappointed in Nutrisystem. It advertises to be for people needing to lose 10 lbs or 100 lbs. I am one of those people who only needs to lose about 10 pounds. I started the program on Jan 7, 2012 and am on my second month and have not lost any weight at all. I have not cheated, have enjoyed the food, followed the plan, and attend Jazzercise classes 4 times per week and walk daily, weather permitting. I have emailed for suggestions twice and have never recieved a response. Needless to say, I am an unhappy customer, but does anyone care? Nope. I will not be reordering and certainly would not recommend the program for anyone who does not have a large amount of weight to lose.
Hi! I am a college student who has struggled with my weight since the freshman 15. I’ve tried weight watchers…that didnt work! I am very interested in NS but I wanted to ask everyone what are some of the ways they fought the hunger pangs when they first started the program? I just want all of the tips I can get so that I avoid the chips, popcorn, etc.
Also, I have a HUGE sweet tooth…are the desserts satisfying??
Hey Sarah, The best way to stave off hunger pangs is to add lots of fresh veggies to the main meals and use Nutrisystem’s own recommended list of add-able foods. Also, drink lots of plain water throughout the day, especially have a glass before each meal. This helps you feel fuller for longer, believe it or not!
Soda or diet soda are NOT an option by the way! Avoid them at all costs. Drinking soda adds an amazing amount of excess empty calories per can and diet soda contains Aspartame, an artificial sweetener that makes you feel hungry (Google: “dangers of aspartame” and check out the info – you’ll be shocked).
The NS desserts are surprisingly good and perfect for sweet toothed people!
Hope that helps you
Hello.I just started Nutrisystem Monday and I have lost 4lbs. Yippee!I didn’t believe it would happen.I read different people’s reviews and some lost 1 or 2lbs and then I read others and they had lost more in a week. I was almost dreading getting on the scale.But I just took a deep breath and stepped on.I had the box of food for about 2 weeks before I even opened it. But then I thought it’s not going to do me any good in the box.
With all the complaints about the food I thought it was going to taste weird or something. I don’t know what anybody else received but the food I received was surprisingly good.I heated up some of the lunch bowls and poured the contents over steamed broccolli.That was very tasty and filling.I have found that putting the cookies and cakes in the microwave for a few seconds makes them taste even better.The one thing I’ve learned about this diet is that you have to get creative with the meals and make it your own.
I do have a couple of questions.(1) Is beer allowed? (2) If I’m on the weekends off plan do I have to take the weekend off or can I go straight thru with my meals?(3) Is turkey sausage or boiled eggs allowed? I don’t drink regular milk I drink soy milk is that okay?
Thank you all for the motivation to do this. I wish you all much weight loss success.
Hey Jacqueline, that’s great you got off to a really good start with NS! Getting creative is making intelligent use of the diet and your own ideas to make it personal to you, which is another way of boosting your success.
In answer to your questions:
1. Beer has a lot of calories plus alcohol lowers your resistance to snacking, so would not be allowed
2. You can take that creative thing further and mix up the “weekends off” some – have some diet meals and the rest can be a little different as long as they’re sensible
3. Both of those are calorie-laden so I’d say no but worth checking with NS support in any case as they might give you some leeway.
4. Soy milk is okay as its very low fat and under 40 calories per 4oz serving
Hope that helps!
Hi, I have been on Nutrisystem for 3 1/2 weeks now. I find the diet very easy to follow. My main problem is the weight loss. So far I have lost a total of 3 pound! It is very upsetting, to say the least!
I do not cheat on this diet. I think one of my problems was that I was eating my Nutrisystem dinner with my ‘family dinner’, meaning that I would have a Nutrisystem dinner and my two proteins (sometimes only one protein if I had a yogurt earlier in the day)together with veggies. My proteins would be either 4 oz of chicken breasts, 6 oz shrimp or 4 oz of beef (93% fat free)with veggies. My new thought is that I should eat my Nutrisystem dinner earlier than what I eat my ‘family dinner’ and not eat them together. I made the change around 5 days ago. Still no change!
I know that I also do not do as much exercize as I should be doing, BUT I still should be loosing more weight. I wanted to loose a total of 16 pounds and was told by numerous NS consultants that I could do it in 2 months. Well, at this rate it will take me at least 4 months!!!
Any ideas?
Hey Audrey, don’t be disheartened. Everyone loses weight at their own pace and you can’t expect to lose it as fast as someone else even if you both look the same. Experts agree that 1-2 pounds a week is about right. You are on the low end of that scale at just under 1 lb a week which is not something to be discouraged over.
Often when someone experiences a slower rate of weight loss, their metabolism is slower than it could be. To raise your metabolism, exercise is one of the best ways. If you can do more, the better for you. It is also better to exercise little and often rather than sitting around all day and then having an hour in the gym. Okay, maybe that’s not what you’re doing, its just an example.
It could also mean that you don’t need the extra food you’re eating. NS recommend adding protein, veggies and dairy but its NOT obligatory! You can do the diet perfectly well without it. For some people, that is the answer to losing more weight. For others, its more exercise.
One last thing. Are you drinking lots of plain water each day? This is a secret weight loss ingredient that is more effective than just about anything else — and the best part is its easy to take and its free! You should be drinking around 6-8 8oz glasses a day. But it has to be plain water, not soda or diet soda.
Try it if you haven’t done already. A glass before each meal will help you feel fuller for longer so you won’t need the extra protein and maybe just go with some extra green veggies. Experiment a little and see what works best for you.
Thanks, I will really do more exercize to try to speed up my metabolism. Never thought about that!! Been waiting for the warm weather, though I have a treadmill and will start to us it. Even if it is only 10 minutes three times a day! I normally just do waist exercizes for around 3 minutes twice a day and walk non-stop around my house for the rest of the 7 minutes three times a day. OK, so I have been a little laxed with the exercize. Will do the treadmill!
I drink 2 cups of decaf tea with lemon juice (no sugar) with my breakfast and 6 cups of water during the day, so I don’t think it is the water. I am never hungry during the day. I like to eat dinner with my family. Not to impressed with the NS dinners. I normally boil chicken in no sodium chicken broth and add veggies and some spices. It actually tastes pretty good! Sometimes I don’t have both proteins, and I have peanut butter at night time. I will not do this anymore. I thought I needed the two additional proteins, but can easily have only one. I have a salad pretty much every day or eat carrots after work. I noticed the carrots were a little high on the GL index and was considering cutting them out, though I will definitely up my exercizing!
Thanks very much Terry!!! Will keep you posted!
Away I go! Starting today with a heck of a lot to lose. I’ve gotten into good habits of riding the stationary bike and a couple fast-paced walks, every day. Now to add in this great meal plan. I’m perfectly confident that I’ll be successful following the meal plan. I have no concerns about the portion sizes or taste or anything. I foresee my biggest challenge being less Diet Coke (greatest joy my mouth experiences) and more water. Wish me luck!
PS. One question though, is the shake supposed to be thick? I essentially had a cold liquid on the rocks. I use the tiny round ice cubes, like what comes out of a fountain pop machine. And shake and shake and shake. No biggy. Just curious if I should expect something different.
Good luck Mary, I’m sure you’ll do great even without the diet coke. If only you knew what that stuff was doing to your teeth and digestive tract, you might not see it as quiet the joy you think it is LOL!
As for the shakes, they’re new so I have no experience of them. I’m led to believe they’re not meant to be really thick but can’t really say for sure on consistency. Maybe someone else can help us out here?
Mary, I really like the shakes! I have the chocolate one and add 1 banana, 3/4 cup water and 1 cup of ice cubes and put it in the blender. It’s very good. I have added the banana to the strawberry shake, but like the choc better. I also mistakenly used the vanilla shake with the banana, and it was pretty good too. Though, I usually add strawberries and blueberries to the vanilla shake. I always use a blender. AND always add the fruit! You can make the shake as thick/watery as you want. The fruit just counts as 1 smartcarb. I heard the coffee shake is good too. I don’t know since I do not like coffee. Good luck!
Thanks Audrey
Thanks for the tips about adding fruit to the shakes Audrey. During the week I’ll probably just have to accept what I can get out of the Nutrisystem blender bottle, because I’m not ready for it when I’m at home with a blender.
Audrey, are you eating both proteins (2oz each, totaling 4oz) in one sitting? I’ve been on the system for 1.5 weeks and have lost 11 lbs. Part of that will be excess water, but I’m definately burning fat now. I found that when I spaced my meals out properly I tend to lose weight. If you eat too much in one sitting your body will take the extra calories and store them as fat, regardless how well you’ve done the entire day. Your body doesn’t take a measure of what you’ve had all day, just that meal (more complicated than that but let’s keep it simple). Keep up the dedication, you will win this battle I’m sure.
Shawn, tomorrow will be 4 full weeks and I have lost 3.5 pounds so far…and not cheating!! Sometimes I do eat both proteins at one sitting. Yesterday I had 6 oz. of shrimp with a salad for dinner. I had my NS dinner about 1 1/2 hours earlier. I do try to space my meals out (though was not doing so in the past and would have a NS dinner plus 2 – 4 oz of meat and veggie). I was keeping with the plan, just not spacing my meals out. Would have veggies between meals so I was never hungry.
For over a week now I have been eating my NS dinner around 1 1/2 hours earlier than my ‘family dinner’. I started to do more exercize too, but that has only started on Monday when Terry said that the problem might be my metabolism.
In looking at my weekly weight progress, I have lost a total of 1 pound in 3 weeks (meaning I lost 2.5 pounds the first week and very little since). Not to impressive, to say the least!!! 11 pounds in 1 1/2 weeks is great! Do you do lots of exercizes? I was hoping for between 6 – 8 pounds a month. It makes it a very expensive diet to loose so little in a month! I do have my next month’s worth of food, and am determined to loose the weight, though not in the two month period like I was told! Still hoping that I will have a ‘big’ weight loss soon.
Will split the proteins up and only have 2 oz. and lots of veggies for my ‘family’ dinner. Thanks for the advice! Something has got to work!
Good luck to you too!
HOLY BUCKETS! I’m down 11 pounds since starting NS on Monday! Wowza! I know that is a first week thing and it won’t continue like that. But it’s like no first week I ever had doing my own thing. Woohoo!
Wow, go Mary! That’s amazing, well done!
Hey Audrey, I was just thinking on this. You said you had 6oz of shrimp, was that as an extra to the NS food?
Its just there’s around 240 calories in that serving which might not sound a lot but added to the total of just NS food would well and truly bust your daily calorie intake. Maybe you need to cut right back on the protein “extras” as some things come with a nasty calorie penalty. The green veggies are fine (very low calories).
Just something you might want to consider trying to boost the weight loss.
Do I need a microwave for the meals?
Hey Carol, a microwave makes it much easier, but I guess you could heat up meals in a regular oven. It just takes longer and uses way more power.
Considering starting NS. I am a lifetime WW although you would not know it now! Ready to do something different. Really need to lose between 50-80 lbs. Although, would take anything right now. I have started working out 3 mornings/week with a personal trainer so I have started the exercise portion. Glad I found this website. I like most foods (obviously). Know I can do this meal plan. Have read most of these posts both good and bad. I truly belive we do make it what we want it to be and I can make it work. Now, all I have to do is order the program!!
Hey Jeanne, it sounds like you talked yourself into it. You’re right that successful dieting is what you make it. Some say its 10% diet and 90% attitude… so you’re already well on your way!
Ok….I did it! I went with the Select Core Woman’s so I would have a variety of items. I think with the next order I will select my own but I’ll see how it goes. I am excited to get my order and get started. Anyone have any advise for when my first order gets here?
Hi Terry, I spoke to NS consultants about me not loosing any weight. They suggested a few things:
- change routine to keep my body guessing
- use weights
- switch dinners and lunches…2 -3 days lunches switched with dinners, then switch back
- each smart carb should be between 80 – 120 calories, same as power fuels
- at least 4 cup servings of veggies
Shrimp…6 oz is 180 calories, so it seems to be fine.
I was on prednisone for the first 10 days of the diet (when I lost 2.5 lbs). When I stopped the prednisone, I pretty much stopped loosing weight. Interesting!! I am now unfortunitely back on the prednisone for the next 18 days. Started at 60mg per day. NS Nutritionist that I spoke to basically said I will not really loose weight with the prednisone, but to stick with the diet. I really do not want to go off the diet…really do not want to gain the 3.5 lbs that I lost last month! Still not sure why I only lost 3.5 lbs in one month. Prednisone leaves your body very quickly once the dosage is completed. Going to see my pulminary spec.(asthma and bronchitis) on Wed. and will discuss with him.
Thanks for the help!
Luck to all others!
Hi Audrey, that’s great you got some good advice from NS support. They know a thing or two
Jeanne, I’m very excited for you to get started. I hope you have the great success I’m having. I started on 3/12. Today (3/21) I’m down 14 pounds! Isn’t that amazing?! Only 86 to go. Hee hee.
I recommend having the shake first thing in the morning. Make it in the blender rather than the thing NS sends you. And add a banana or strawberries or blueberries or something. It’s delicious and amazing how long it keeps you satisfied.
With the rest of my day I eat some green vegetables and the rest of the day of NS food. That’s it. With the way I’ve spaced it out, I’m never wanting for more.
And with the success I’ve had I’m super motivated to keep just to the NS food and keep taking in more and more water and exercise.
Each day I do the stationary bike for 15 – 30 minutes, and two 15-minute walks.
Best of luck! And Audrey, I hope things get much better for you.
I started NS for Women with Diabetes on the 15th so it’s just been one week. I’ve already lost 10 pounds, but I think it was water weight. The food is good with a couple exceptions. How can I get them to never send me the chicken alfredo or chocoloate chip scone ever again. Everything else I had this week was really good. I have diarrhea and loose stool after each NS meal. Is that normal? My blood sugar has been excellent since I started NS so I am excited about getting off the needle if I can keep these numbers steady for a couple months. I’m having trouble getting all the water in everyday. Also, next week I want to try and get the activity in. I am a teacher and I work late Mon-Thurs with afterschool tutoring. Any suggestions on adding flavor to the water and fitting in activity?
Today’s Date: March 21,2012
As of 03/06/2012 I have gone from 203lbs to 195lbs…woowoo! I am so excited. I was a skeptic but I watched the commercials, listened to Marie Osmond and watched the demontrations by Kat Karney on QVC. She was very convincing. So when I got on the scale the first week and had lost 2 lbs I was even more motivated to continue. As for the taste of the food,some of the items are better than good. I love the hotdogs and cookies! I get plenty full even without the extras. I can’t wait to try some of the other items. I’m glad I decided to try Nutrisystem.I tried weight watchers twice and didn’t lose one pound. Actually I gained weight. Well I just want everyone to know that NS works. Hope to have good news about more lbs lost!
Hi Paris, it sounds like NS is really working for you. Some people get a little diarrhea if they’re not used to so much fiber in the diet but you soon get used to it.
Its better to be active through the day rather than try and cram it into an hour or so in the evening and do nothing all day. But that advice doesn’t help most people who work at jobs where they have to be sitting down a lot – me included! I take breaks from the computer every hour or two and go out for a short run or I use the communal pool and swim a few lengths, dry off and get back to work again. If its raining, I grab a skipping rope and skip indoors for around 10 minutes then run up and down the stairs a dozen times or so. Its all about doing something energetic to break up the stationary periods little and often.
Some teachers at our local school got together and made used of the school gym to play some basketball in their break when no one else was using it. Before that they used to sit around in the teachers lounge eating pie, drinking coffee and talking in their break. It was a big change they all enjoyed and the best part was they all started losing weight!
Try adding the juice of a lemon or lime to a bottle of water and keep it in the fridge. It adds just enough flavor to make it interesting to drink if you have trouble with plain water.
I drink water a little at a time all throughout the day so don’t even notice I’m getting through more than two pints, sometimes three. Its just something you get used to doing and your body will love your for it
Hey Jacs, that’s really great — congrats!
Take the time to select your meals rather than getting the core menu. That is the best advice I can give anyone.
The core menu is convenient and it gives you a lot of variety to try the various meals. But there are some of those meals you simply know you wouldn’t like. So go through and select items that at least sound appealing to you. And I’m with Paris on that Chicken Alfredo. I won’t be getting that one again.
Congratulations Paris and Jacs. This success is so exciting! Between 3/12 and 3/22, I’m down 15 pounds.
Today I’m going to Alcupulco Mexican restaurant for lunch. I’m thinking maybe I’ll get fajitas with no tortillas. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions.
Got my food yesterday..got it organized and found a place in the cabinet and refrig. READY TO START!! Thanks to the ideas. This month I just let NS send me the favs but next month I am sure I will pick my own. I like most foods but not sure about some of it. I guess I will figure it out after I try it. Hoping for the best. Will keep everyone posted.
Hi all,
Interesting…weight loss has been very slow, but it is coming off…even while I am on prednisone! The first month I lost only 3.5 pounds and was quite upset, but this week I lost 1.5 pounds, so I lost a total of 5 lbs in 5 weeks (and that is while I was on prednisone for the first 10 days of the diet and then again this past week). NS nutritionist that I spoke to last week suggested that I stay on the diet (which I agreed to…prednisone really makes me crave everything and who wants to gain the 3.5 pounds back??). I still have around 2 more weeks of prednisone/augmentin, but am not worried about loosing the weight, it will eventually come off! Maybe not as quickly as I was told by NS sales consultants, but everyone’s body/metabolism is different. Thanks Terry for your help! Good luck to all!
Audrey
Good luck Audrey. I hope you feel better soon. And you’re sure to see success with a great attitude like that! I’m glad you’re not getting discouraged and giving up.
I’ve been on NS for four days and I can honestly say I have not had any food I do not like. I am really impressed with the quality and taste of the NS food. I have lost 1.5 lbs in the last 4 days so I am happy so far!
I’ve been on NS for 9 days and really enjoy the taste so far. Still dealing with hunger issues but have lost 6 lbs so far. But my main concern is I’ve been getting heartburn on a daily basis. Anyone else dealing with this?
Hey Debra, congrats on losing 6lbs so far that’s great. I don’t know of anyone personally that suffered heartburn on NS, but drinking lots of plain water is the best way to deal with it. Try and drink 2-3 pints throughout the day if you can, little by little and sip, don’t gulp it. That might seem a lot and it’ll have you going to the bathroom more, but it always works for me.
Also, a glass of water before each meal will make you feel fuller after, so less or even no hunger issues.
I ordered NS a couple of days ago, have not received it yet but was hoping someone out there could tell me if they have had success with this while having hypothyroidism. It seems if I just smell food I gain weight. I ordered the silver plan as recommended by the rep on the NS website. I am really hoping this will help with my weight gain since getting hypothyroidism, as I have gained almost 20 pounds in less than a year.
Audrey, how are things going with the prednisone? I now have to go on a very aggressive regimine of it to try to reverse some sudden hearing loss. Obviously that is my main priority, but I also hope I don’t undo my NS success. I’m down 20 pounds from 3/12 – 3/29!
Debra, another thing I do to avoid hunger (and Terry you can tell us if you don’t think this is a good idea) is I eat my meals throughout the entire day. For lunch I might have my NS food and some veggies. But instead of eating it all at once, I’ll eat them at different times. I just ate my NS lunch at 3:00. But I had my shake (with banana blended in) in the morning, breakfast a little later, and some veggies a little later. So I’m eating every couple hours. I actually feel like I’m eating all the time. But I’m only taking in my NS meals and my power fuels, veggies, and smart carbs. And I’m never ever hungry.
Good luck everyone.
Hi Iv been looking over these reviews of NS for the past couple days & I am very interested in giving this a shot! Im 23 yrs old & was always around 115 lbs but ever since iv had my daughter 4 yrs ago Iv been at 135lbs which has made me very insecure about myself & I hate it! lol i know its only about 20lbs iv gained but the thing is Im only 5 foot so it looks like more weight than what it is & alot of ppl are constantly telling me iv gottn chunky or i have a gut & it bothers me. Iv tried diff things but cant get this weight off
So I am willing to try this NS program & Pray and hope it works for me! Any tips or info I should keep in mind ?? Thx 
Hey Julie, hypothyroidism or “underactive thyroid” should be treated by your doctor. The dosage of thyroxine (typical treatment of replacement thyroid hormone) needs to be fine tuned over several months to bring your hormone levels back into correct balance. Once that happens, your weight will stabilize normally.
If the hypothyroidism is not treated, it can be difficult to lose weight.
I have a good friend with this condition. A change of doctors brought a change in her dosage of thyroxine which played havoc with her body for around 6 months. Repeated tweaking of the dosage was needed to bring things back to normal. In that time she gained around 15 pounds and had a terrible time with broken sleep patterns and feelings of lethargy during the day. She lost all the weight she gained soon after her dosage was gotten right on a diet given her by her doctor.
The answer to your question is you need to fix the cause of your weight gain (hypothyroidism) first. Trying to fix the symptom (weight gain) with a diet may disappoint if your thyroxine levels are not right.
Hope that helps
Hey Mary, sometimes its better to spread your meals out through the day so you eat little and often. Many diet experts believe that eating in this way helps boost the metabolism more than sticking with the 3 standard daily meals.
So yeah, if it works for you, do it!
Hey Desirae, so many people have thought about starting NS in a similar situation as yours and you probably read plenty of them here in these comments. The best things to do to help yourself get the most from this diet is to make sure you drink loads of plain water every day (not soda or diet soda). One glass before each meal really helps too. Then try and do some exercise every day, even if its light exercise little and often — whatever you can do is better than nothing!
The whole point is to help the diet be more effective by raising your metabolism. You do that by getting more active and helping your body do its job in the digestion department!
First week down 3.2 lbs!!! I’m excited!!!! My trainer is also very pleased. I have not been hungry. Had a dinner mtg at a nice steak restaurant. I had salad, grilled scallops and broccoli. Everyone else had dessert—not me! I waited and had a NS dessert at home.
Hey Jeanne that’s great, congrats! And that’s some willpower when everyone else is having dessert and you say NO!
Great job Jeanne!
I started NS 31 days ago at age 54. I weighed 210 @ 5 ft 8 in. After 28 days, I weighed in @ 190. There was some foods i did’nt like. I ate them anyway,so i tried other foods on my second order. I have a new outlook on how to eat. The program is great. I’m looking forward to getting to my ideal weight 172. Just follow the program and exercise 30 mins a day.
Hey Woodrow that’s a great achievement, congrats
Well Congratulations Mary! 20 pounds is wonderful!!! You must be feeling very good…I know I would be!
I am not doing as well…weight wise that is. So far since Feb 16th I have lost 3 pounds…and not cheating! I just finished the prednisone on Sunday, so am hoping for some sort of a weight loss. It is very hard to keep motivated, to say the least! I just ordered my third month’s worth of food. A NS nutritionist e-mailed me a list of low sodium foods (which I added this month). I am hoping that without the prednisone, I will be able to loose like everyone else. If not, then this will be my last month.
Like you, I do spread out my foods and am never hungry. I eat my NS breakfast, then around 1 1/2 hours later have the protein shake with a banana (made with a blender…love it!!). My lunch consists of a NS lunch with water (I do not add a protein to my lunch). I then have raw veggies, NS dinner, family dinner (consisting of 4 oz chicken and lots of veggies/salad), then the NS dessert. AND of course tons of water! Seems that I am always eating, just very small meals every 2 – 2 1/2 hours. I find the diet very easy to follow…just not loosing weight!
I am also doing more exercizes. Trying to up my metabolism. Yesterday I did the treadmill for 25 min. at a decent speed.
Easter will not be easy. I do not have a game plan yet…I guess it depends on the scale. It is very hard to be motivated, to say the least! Easter will be at my house so, do I stay on the diet and not loose any weight(watching everyone eat all this good food)or eat sensibly? Motivation is becoming a problem! Not sure yet!
Again Mary, congrats on the weight loss. Motivated you must be! Good luck on the hearing loss….scary to suddenly loose your hearing! That can not be easy…but a priority!
Good luck to everyone else!
Hello to ALL my NS Friends! I received my NS Box on 3/30/2012! I started on it on 4-2-2012, I must say that I was shock at how good some of the foods taste! I was really thinking that it would taste like diet food, but it did not. My only concern about NS as a Whole is the Sodium intake! I read labels and some of the foods in this NS supply is very high in Sodium! So I Will be picking out my own supply with my next order! Now that I have gotten that out of the way! Ladies and Gentlemen I am proud to say that in 3 days of being on NS I have lost a total of 6 POUNDS!!! I am so HAPPY!!! My physician has always said that because I do not eat enough food I do not lose weight! Well since I have been on NS I just follow the guide that is put in place. I pretty much make myself eat the foods! They are nicely portion sizes which I like! I must say that the shakes I give a 5 STAR!!! The food is good, like I mention b-4 the sodium is my only concern. Other than that I can deal with it! Now there are some foods that I have notice that I know for a fact I do not like! But out of them I know I will some how get threw them. I am really thinking about trading them back for something else! But All and All I am very PLEASE!!!
Hey Sherri, congrats on losing your first 6lbs so fast! Glad your pleased with the program overall and good luck for the rest of it
Nutrisystem makes it extremely hard for you to get out of the program. They take no time to process your order and get your money but if you ever return an order or want to cancel your membership, good luck to you! It has been a nightmare for me to get my money back –still waiting-. Their customer service department that only works from 9 to 12 and don’t provide weekend service. That tells you how much they care to serve customers. They know must people work from 9-5 and making personal calls aren’t always easy. I would never recommend Nutrisystem. They only care to make money from you!
I FINALLY came across a couple of foods I did not like (not that I was trying to!). I thought the meatloaf and mashed potatoes tasted like dog food! Sorry to say, I just couldn’t eat it. But, all in all, I am very pleased. For my second order, I am paying the extra $$ to customize my order and trying some other NS food I didn’t get in my first order. I have eaten out a couple of times and did well. My trainer is on vacation this week so I have not exercised quite as much and I can tell a huge difference in my wt loss. Thanks goodness he will be back next week. Happy Easter to everyone!!!
Gabriella, Nutrisystem is a proven diet system that works for most people. If it wasn’t right for you, that’s fair enough. It happens. You didn’t say how far along the program you got before you quit, or the reason for quitting. But I guess you didn’t write in for help or advice.
Hey Jeanne, I believe some other people said they didn’t like the meatloaf and potatoes meal, so this maybe should be one meal NS needs to drop from the menu or fix.
Its worth mentioning to support next time you talk with them. If enough people tell them the same thing, and they read it in here, I’m sure they’ll listen.
And Happy Easter to you and everyone too
I get so excited about seeing people talk about this success. I’ve had four friends sign up after seeing my amazing success. They each got $30 off their first month, and I’ll get $120 off my next month! So cool.
Audrey, I hope the coming month is much more successful for you. I’m curious about your evening eating. What do you mean when you say NS dinner and family dinner? Are you eating the NS dinner plus the same dinner the rest of your family eats? I assume I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying.
When we sit down to eat dinner as a family each night, I put my NS food on my plate and grab some green beans or asparagus or whatever such non-starch vegetable the family is eating. And that is my dinner.
Hi Mary,
First of all,I am trying to change my metabolism so like you, started to have my protein shake first thing in the morning. I always add a banana to it and put it in the blender. Love it that way! Have my breakfast maybe two hours after the drink.
As per my ‘family dinner’, basically I have my NS dinner around 4:30 so that I can have my ‘family dinner’ with my family around 6:30. My ‘family dinner’ consists of my protein and veggies (yesterday I had 3 oz of 93% fat free ground beef with 1/2 cup canned tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli and 1/2 cup whole wheat pasta..for my power fuel and smart carb) while my family had pasta in a meat sauce. My ‘family dinner’ always consists of either 3-4oz 93% fat free ground beef, 4 oz chicken or 6 oz shrimp (which according to the plan is what we should have). If I have a NS dinner with a salad with my family, then I normally have 1 or 2 TBSP of peanut butter for my added protein.
Are you eating the extra power fuels and smart carbs too? Or do you just have the 3 NS meals, protein shake and dessert with added veggies? I don’t always have my second smart carb. According to the book, it says that we should have the 3 NS meals, power drink, 2 PF, 2 SC and NS dessert plus 8 cups of water. Does everyone have that every day? The only extras I have is sugar free jello and fat free cool-whip. Any advise would be appreciated! My third month’s worth of food just arrived today. Our Fed Ex driver said today that everyone is on this diet. It seems that everyone has such great losses! Can’t figure out what I am doing wrong! 3 1/2 pounds is so upsetting in 7 weeks!
Good luck to all!
Hey Audrey, I can’t help thinking from what you just described that you’re eating too much! Now I don’t want to give the wrong advise here if you’re following a plan set out by one of the NS nutritionists. You should follow their advise of course.
Its just that the daily meals from NS including the shake make up the total daily calorie intake you should be having. The calories added by veggies is only negligible, which is why they’re recommended. But that extra banana, peanut butter, pasta and beef/chicken/shrimp all adds to that calorie total by quite a lot.
I couldn’t help doing a quick breakdown of what you’ve told us you’re eating as extra to the NS menu:
One medium size banana (7-8 inches) is around 100 calories.
One tbsp peanut butter is around 90 calories (180 for two)
6oz shrimp is around 180 calories (4oz chicken breast 184 calories, 3oz ground beef 216 calories)
Half cup wholewheat pasta is 86 calories
That gives you around 450 extra calories a day or 540 calories if you have two tbsp peanut butter. When you have ground beef instead of chicken or shrimp, that rises to 480 calories (570 calories with two tbsp peanut butter). That’s a lot extra!
As an aside, all sugar free products (I’m thinking about that jello) contains artificial sweeteners, aspartame usually. You need to google “dangers of aspartame” and read what it does to you. You’ll never look at sugar free stuff quite the same way again!
Sorry if I come across like I’m giving a lecture here, I don’t mean to but this is important stuff you should know. I hope you can work this out with your NS nutritionist who is advising those extra foods. If they say its okay, then as I said before, you should go with their advise first, of course! Hope I’ve helped a little and not made you too mad
Audrey, every day I for sure eat the 5 NS items plus banana in shake. I often will have an apple as well. And I’ll have vegetables such as green peppers, radishes, green beans, asparagus, and spaghetti squash – for a total of four servings of vegetable.
I hope the coming month brings you significantly better success. Happy Easter.
If you haven’t discovered spaghetti squash, it is awesome! I like the spaghetti in meat sauce dinner, but it’s a lot of sauce and not a lot of noodles. I added a half cup of spaghetti squash to it. Awesome! Another thing I did with the spaghetti squash is fry 1/2 cup in 1 tsp olive oil, for what is like having hashbrowns. Just wanted to share this cool discovery. Happy Easter everyone.
I started the Nutrisystem program on March 1st. To Date, 4/9, I have lost 9 pounds. I work out intensely four days aweek, along with gardening on the weekends. I am so pleased with the results I am having. I don’t number my success in just the pounds lost, but my clothes fit again and I have decreased my body fat. My goal was to loss 30 pounds in three months but I am now beginning to think 30 pounds could be too much if I continue to decrease my body fat. I LOVE the food and the convenience.
Terry and Mary,
Confused, but not mad! First of all, every day I have 3 NS meals, NS dessert, NS protein drink, 2 power fuels (protein) and 1 – 2 smart carbs, 4 cups of veggies and 8 cups of water. I never have any more then that (other than some sugar free jello with fat free cool whip). I called NS after I read Terry’s text, because I was very confused. According to NS consultants, I must have the above (which I have been having since Feb). NS consultant told me that I should follow the order that the book says exactly and not combine my power fuels (which I did as my ‘family meal’). They actually told me for the next week I should have everything in the order that the book states. Hopefully this should change my metabolism. Unfortunitely I can not have the banana in the protein shake. Def. not as good as with the banana!! I will try this for the week, and hopefully will loose some weight.
Why do both of you NOT have the power fuels (protein)? According to my book and the NS consultant, we must have two of them everyday. Is my diet a little different than yours? I want to loose a total of 15 pounds.
BTW, I never have more power fuels than two a day (either 2 TBSP peanut butter OR 4 oz 93% fat free ground beef OR 4 oz chicken OR 6 oz shrimp)… they think my problem is the order of when I eat AND not to combine the power fuels. Hopefully they are right!
Lots of luck!
The spaghetti squash like hashbrowns sounds great! Will have to try it!
I ordered for my first time yesterday. This might be a long term help for me since I am over 100. Lbs from my bmi… but with all the success I’ve read on here I know i can do it
but I’m only 21 but with being busy this seems the best route. Wish me luck
Hey Audrey, sorry I didn’t mean to confuse you. You should absolutely follow the advise of the Nutrisystem consultant first!
Being a nutritionist, I question every morsel of food that goes on my plate — can’t help it! Lucky I do all of the cooking in my house so the only person I can be critical of is me LOL! I’m an old school “calories in — calories out” guy, which is why I couldn’t help breaking your extras down like that. Old habits die hard
But everyone’s different. You should go with what works best for you!
Hey Tammi, you’re doing great – working out is one of the best ways to boost the effectiveness of this diet. You’re right its not just the numbers on the scales but the feel of your clothes that gives you that “YEAH” feeling
Hey Jami, there’s a ton of great advice from people who have written in here to give you ideas to make your diet go the best it can be. What the mind can conceive and believe, you can achieve — when you believe you can do it, you will do it! Here’s wishing you success!
Tammi and Jami, I’m so excited for you! Jami, I’m in the same club. Well, I’m more than 1/5 the way there after only 1 month! I’m having such success and am so happy. I have tons of energy, and tons of motivation to do more walking and drink more water (both of which are great contributors to the success). Great success to both of you.
Audrey, sorry I missed getting back to you. I hope the new approach is going well for you. Amazing how differently each of our bodies work. Blessing to have Terry and these NS consultants to guide us. I really look forward to hearing some exciting success from you. I wondered myself about the Powerfuels, whether I was doing myself any disservice by not trying to get them in. I read about them as being a food that gives you a boost and keeps you satisfied for a long period. But I was already satisfied. Eating all five NS meals spread out, along with four vegetables (spread out over two meals) – and one or two smartcarbs, I feel like a million bucks. I never feel hungry or full. I just always feel amazing. And even though I cut down on caffeine to fit in more water, I feel like I could rocket right through the roof I have so much energy. So, FOR ME, adding in powerfuels feels like unnecessary calories and money. Of course hard to listen to me when I’m new to this and an overweight as I am. So that’s why it’s nice to be sharing our personal journeys with each other. Each of us are so different, but all in this together. Great success to you. And I really hope things are going much better for you. Way to stick with it. I really applaud you!
Hi I finished today my first week on ns and I didnt lose weight. Is it normal ??? I feel very discouraged
Hey Paola, no, its not normal. Have you called NS support yet? They can talk you through what you have done so far and advise the best way forward for you based on what you tell them. It’s well worth it and its free – you can talk to a counselor too as part of your package.