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NutriSystem Diet Review
This NutriSystem diet review is based on my own personal experience, as well as my husband's.
My husband (David) and I had a lot of weight to lose (over 100 pounds for me, 50 pounds for him). We decided to try the diet plan for one month. If it worked, we'd stay on it longer.
It worked. We've stayed on it.
Here's our NutriSystem diet review, and what happened to both of us on the program.
(Oh, and in case you are wondering about the teddy bears, I'll explain below.)
How the NutriSystem Weight Loss Program Works
It's actually pretty smart. You eat 5 or 6 times a day, and for the most part, aren't ever hungry. The foods are lower glycemic and high in protein. It's also fairly low-fat.
You definitely get your fruits and vegetables in while on the NutriSystem weight loss program! You have at least two servings of fresh fruit a day, and plenty of fresh veggies. (You have to get the fruit and veggies at the grocery store.)
The main idea being the NutriSystem weight loss plan is that you re-set your body's metabolism. You do this by eating smaller meals more often, and that the food is lower-glycemic, so your blood sugar doesn't spike.
In my husband's case, that was really important -- diabetes runs in his family and he was most definitely at risk.
So that's part 1 of this NutriSystem diet review. Now on to what matters most (outside of weight loss, that it) -- the food!
NutriSystem Diet Review -- the NutriSystem Meals
When we got our first box of food and opened it, our first reaction was, "The portions are so small!".
But you know what? That's because we were used to super-sizing everything. Instead of a hamburger, we'd have a Whopper. Instead of a slice of pizza we'd split a medium-sized one. And so on...
OK, back to the NutriSystem meals. Once we got over the size, the next was the taste -- were they going to be edible, or taste terrible?
I was pleasantly surprised. David was less so, but then again, he had never been on a diet before. And as we tried different foods, he grudgingly agreed that some of the meals were pretty darn good.
Our favorites include the flame-broiled hamburger, flatbread pizza, bean chili, beef tacos and macaroni & cheese for dinner. For lunch we like the black bean tortilla soup, fudge graham bar, cheese & broccoli soup and the ham & bean soup.
Breakfast on the NutriSystem diet is great with the pancakes, scrambled eggs, cereals and chocolate peanut butter bars. And dessert? I adore the biscottis and the nacho chips. David likes the chocolate cake and chocolate pudding. And we both fight over the peanut butter cup we make from the NutriChocolates!
Now you've probably heard some horror stories about the NutriSystem diet food, and in one case, it was very, very true -- the infamous tuna casserole. I got one as one of my free dinners, so I tried it, thinking it couldn't be that bad. It was.
(The good part -- NutriSystem heard the customer pleas to get rid of the tuna casserole as a dinner option and they did.)
Now for this NutriSystem diet review, I have to say that everyone has different tastes, and no, I don't like everything on the menu. Most are OK, but there are some that I'd just as soon not eat very often. Then there are the ones I eat often...and would probably still eat even if I wasn't on NutriSystems.
NutriSystem Diet Review...Is it Really Worth It?
David and I both say yes. As I write this (December 13, 2007), David has lost 22 pounds and I have lost 18. We both started October 1, 2007.
We got our first NutriBears (those teddy beads at the top of the page) when we lost 10 pounds. Then every additional 10 pounds, we get a new bear, in a different color. Both of us will get our 20-pound bears with our next shipment late this month. In my case, I'm confident that I'll lose those final 2 pounds before the two weeks are up.
One wonderful thing that happened on this NutriSystem diet, aside from the weight loss, was that David's cholesterol and triglycerides plummeted. For as long as we've been married, 15 years, his cholesterol and triglycerides have been through the roof (almost literally off the charts on both). He's been on more medications than you could shake a stick at, and nothing helped a whole lot. He finally gave up all the prescriptions about 5 years ago, because of all the side effects.
David had a checkup after being on the NutriSystem weight loss program for about 6 weeks and his cholesterol is almost normal -- 228. I can't remember the exact number for the triglycerides, but it was something like 249. Naturally there was a big ruckus -- what was David doing that brought the numbers down so radically?
Simple. The NutriSystems diet and walking a few times a week.
So there are a lot of pros to being on the NutriSystem diet plan, but this wouldn't be a good NutriSystem diet review if I didn't tell you about the cons. Here they are.
The NutriSystem meals are on the expensive side, at least for us. If you are used to eating out several times a week, though, NutriSystem meals may actually be a cost savings for you. Since we didn't eat out all that much, it does cost us more.
The food runs close to $300 a month per person (a little less for me, a little more for David, since he gets an extra snack each day.) plus the fruits and veggies and such that you need to get from the grocery store.
While I think most of the food is pretty good, David isn't as thrilled, seeing as he's never had diet food in his life. However, it can't be that bad, because he's the one who is busily putting together his selections online every month.
Some of the NutriSystem diet foods do need a little help to be their best, like the chocolate cake. Do yourself a favor and bake it, not cook it in the microwave like the directions say. (I bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.)
But when you bake the chocolate cake (1 serving is 2 generously-sized cupcakes) and put a little fat free whipped cream on it...oh boy, is it ever good!
Going Forward
I have to mention as part of this NutriSystem diet review that I've recently (as in the last week) started taking one day a week off the NutriSystem food and replace it with a day from one of the 3 day diets on this site. I do this 1) to make the food last a little longer and 2) to get used to eating non-NutriSystem foods again, against the day when we meet our goals and go off the plan altogether.
So do David and I recommend the NutriSystem diet program? The answer is an enthusiastic Yes! We've lost weight and are in better health because of it.
And gosh darn it, the NutriBears are cute!
So there it is, my NutriSystem diet review. If you think this might be a good fit for you, then I encourage you to check out NutriSystem for yourself.
May you be blessed with a multitude of NutriBears!
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All information presented on this site is for educational purposes only, and is not meant for anyone under 18, pregnant, nursing or under supervision of a physician for a medical condition.
For specific weight loss and fitness questions, or for medical advice and treatment, always consult your medical practitioner.