See 51 more diets
Advertisement
NutriSystem
Lose weight with meals conveniently delivered to your home.
BACKGROUND
NutriSystem is one of the most recognizable names in diets. And for good reason. Started in 1972, NutriSystem has helped millions of people lose weight on its portion and calorie-controlled pre-packaged meals.
NutriSystem is one of the first diets that earned its marks by offering a convenient way to diet with its meal-delivery service. This mega diet program takes the grocery shopping, chopping and measuring out of your hands and instead delivers you meals and snacks that are calorie-controlled. All you have to do is heat them up and enjoy them, supplementing with some fresh grocery store items.
Most health experts agree that the NutriSystem diet is a healthy one. Meals and snacks are low in saturated and trans fats and sodium and portion-controlled.
Today, there are both women's and men's programs. Plans include a Basic, Silver, Diabetic and Vegetarian menu option and all feature the NutriSystem Advanced system of low-glycemic foods, omega-3 fatty acids to promote heart health and fiber to promote satiety.
You'll also receive a Mindset Makeover behavioral guide, which is a 13-week guide that teaches more about your relationship to food and steps for taking control of your eating habits. Members also have online access to health information, community support, weekly newsletters and tracking tools.
Plans and meals are selected and ordered from NutriSystem's website. You'll receive 28 days worth of food that come in shelf-stable containers that you heat up before eating. You also supplement your diet with fresh fruit and vegetables purchased at the grocery store.
NutriSystem offers the following plans:
NutriSystem Advanced: A low-glycemic plan that also includes omega-3 fatty acids and natural fiber to promote heart health and satiety. Launched in 2008, all NutriSystem plans adhere to the Advanced nutrient guidelines of "good carbs," low fat, healthy protein, and high-fiber pre-packaged meals.
NutriSystem Select: A program that features 3 weeks of shelf-stable foods that you either custom-select or choose from a Favorites package and one week of new frozen entrees and desserts like pizza and ice cream bars.
NutriSystem Flex: The Flex plans offers a more economical and practical menu with just five days worth of NutriSystem meals per week rather than seven. The Flex plan offers you the same convenience of the NutriSystem program, but also with the freedom to prepare your own meals or dine out.
NutriSystem Nourish: A weight loss book that features a 28-day program that you can follow using the NutriSystem principles. You can either follow the meal plan outlined in the book, order the NutriSystem meals online or combine both approaches.
NutriSystem D: Created especially for the unique dietary needs of diabetics, NutriSystem launched this line of foods in 2009. In trials, users lost 16 times more weight with NutriSystem D than without, lowered their blood sugar level five times more, and lowered their A1c (glycated hemoglobin) by 0.9.
NutriSystem Vegetarian: Expect the same quality and adherence to nutrition as you would from other NutriSystem programs, but with a stronger reliance on a plant-based diet. All meals and snacks contain no meat, but plenty of good carbs and satiating protein.
NutriSystem for Men: Follow the weight loss footsteps of guy's guys like Dan Marino and Larry the Cable Guy, with healthy, balanced meals created to satisfy a man's appetite.
Nu-Kitchen Fresh for NutriSystem: A joint venture between Nu-Kitchen and NutriSystem that features chef-inspired, fresh and natural meals delivered to your door.
PRO
- Convenience makes it clear and easy what you need to do to lose weight
- Many people have found weight loss success through NutriSystem
- Features a variety of convenient and healthy meals
- Offers a number of programs that meet the dietary needs of anyone who wants to lose weight
- Healthy meals provide balanced nutrition
- Promotes exercise
- Offers tremendous convenience
- Supplements with fresh produce from grocery store
CON
- Pre-packaged foods can be high in sodium
- Does not deliver fresh food
- Lends itself to yo-yo dieting, since people have a hard time adapting to a healthy eating style after no longer ordering the food
- Does not teach how to prepare your own healthy meals
DIET and NUTRITION
Macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle soup, chicken parmesan, tacos and tasty treats like almond biscotti and blueberry lemon bars are just a sampling of the more than 120 delicious meals you'll find on the NutriSystem menu. Each meal is pre-packaged and prepared to the appropriate portion size.
All of the NutriSystem meals are low-gyclemic foods that contain a balanced proportion of quality carbohydrates (55%), good fat (25%) and protein (20%). Meals are also low in sodium and trans fat, thanks to the new NutriSystem Advanced program featuring heart-healthy omega fatty acids and soluble fiber.
The women’s programs contain about 1,200 calories and men’s contain about 1,500 calories per day. Each day, you’ll eat three meals and two snacks. You can either custom select your own meals or choose an automated meal and snack menu. Each meal comes in a shelf-stable package that needs to be reheated in the microwave. You are also encouraged to consume six servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, which can be purchased at the grocery store.
EXERCISE
As part of the Advanced program, NutriSystem has created three exercise DVDs. With the help of fitness expert Leslie Sansone, Women’s Walk and Silver Walk exercise DVDs were developed. Additionally, there is a third DVD geared for men, created by former NFL pro Vaughn Hebron, called Functional Movement Workout. Each Advanced 28-Day program will come with the DVD that best complements the weight loss program ordered.
CONCLUSION
NutriSystem is a well-recognized and successful weight loss program that has helped millions of people lose weight and improve their health. Its convenient and portion-controlled meals are delivered to your door every month making it easy to eat healthy as you lose weight. As successful as this program is, it does not teach you how to eat and prepare your own healthy meals. Often, individuals end up gaining weight back once they stop using the program.
See how NutriSystem compares to its competitors in our Meal Delivery Diet Comparison.
Common Misspellings
Nutri System, Nutrasystem, Nutra system, Nutresystem, Nutrisystem.com, Nutrisytem, Nutrisytem
Learn More About NutriSystem
Related Diets: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Medifast , Nu-Kitchen Fresh for NutriSystem, NutriSystem Advanced, NutriSystem Advanced Silver , NutriSystem D, NutriSystem Flex, NutriSystem for Men, NutriSystem Select, Glycemic Index
> Leave Feedback
User Feedback
(Page 1 of 5)
I've been on this diet for about 9 months and I have lost 55 pounds. However, I am now at a plateau about 15 pounds above my healthy BMI range, and I just can't get past it.
Overall, I really liked this diet. It is so convenient so I don't have to be obsessed with food all day long. I don't know if I buy into that glycemic index stuff, but the food really does keep me satisfied for a long time. At first I assumed that they tell you that you won't be hungry because they let you eat as much as you want of certain vegetables. However, I hate vegetables so I usually skip them, but I was still full and satisfied with this food. Before I even started the program, I planned to allow myself occasional treats for special occasions. One time I was planning to have ice cream, but I was so full that I didn't even want it. Somehow it really works.
The food quality is really mixed. Some of it is simply disgusting, some of it is so good I would eat it even if I weren't on a diet, and most of it is good enough. For anyone who is thinking of starting it, I strongly suggest that you get the customizable plan, rather than the set menu that they have available. For anyone who has tried it in the past, the food quality has improved dramatically over the past year. The muffins are actually good now, and I absolutely love the new desserts that they came out with last January. Stay away from anything with chicken in it. The chocolate bars a little weird and certainly not like eating Hershey's, but they're pretty good for diet food.
Breakfast foods were good, snack sweets were good, lunches edible, chips & dinners not edible chicken??? not sure it didn't taste like chicken dry & tastless. I have over a months of dinner & lunches left going to waste . It should be called the alpo diet but then again even my dog wouldn't eat it
I lost on it. I like it for the most part.
I just wish you would not gain the pounds back when you start eating real food again.
The food does not taste like my own and I certainly didn't expect it to. I use assorted Mrs. Dash flavors to improve some of the dishes. Yes, some of the cakes and desserts seem a little less moist than say a 600-calorie honeybun. I eat my cakes and desserts with an 8oz glass of skim milk. I supplement meals with my own tasty veggies, salads and a large variety of fruits (esp in summer). I walk 30-45 mins per day. I have a prior neck injury so I can't do any other type of exercise. I've lost 90 lbs in 18 months---slow compared to some, but just what I need to get to and maintain a normal weight.
Nutrisystem is the monst convienant, delicious diet I have tried. The food is outstanding. I'm pretty sick of people saying the food is wretched. You are obviously on a diet because you are overweight and eat too much as it is (like myself) and in which case you obviously ate delicious fattening foods for awhile so yeah in comparison it isn't as good.
I don't really care for there bars and the cakes r very very dry
Profile
Message
I'm really focused on getting into shape this new year. I've already ordered and waiting my first shipment of Nutrisystem. I'm leary of the taste/quality of the food, but otherwise feel like this is what's going to help me lose these 30 pounds!!
Decent food and easy
I want my order canceled. My blood count is higher than ever. There should not be any sugar included in the breakfast food.
I started Nutrisystem on August 11th. A friend of mine lost over 40lbs in a year of following the program. Back in 2005-2006 I lost 80lbs following the South Beach program overtime I drifted from those habits and gain back 70 of that in the last few years. I decided I should get back on a program since what I was doing wasn't working.
I need things to be simple and easy to prepare and Nutrisystem is great for people who like convience. Everything is prepackaged and properly portioned. You supplement the program with Fruits and Veggies since that wouldn't be very good prepackaged. You can either order the "Favorites" package or pick your own. I tried the "Favorites" package and found things that I definately like and also found stuff I will never order again. Everyone has their own preferences but if you are used to frozen meals from Lean Cuisine, Health Choice, etc you should have no trouble finding something you enjoy in NS.
In the 18 days that I have been on the program I have dropped 18.7 lbs doing some extra exercise on the side which is recommended but not required for success.
For those of you wanting to get an extra discount I can provide you a referral code at it will entitle you to $30 off your first order. If you are new to Nutrisystem it should work just fine. If you are coming back to the program and have been inactive for more than 4 months it should also work for you too. Here's all that you need to do:
Email and put in the memo NS Referral and I will send you a code within 24 hours. This should work if you do it online or call in your first order.
I was amazed at the number of people complaining about this program I just don't understand why it is pretty easy to follow and I don't feel hungry at all!
My boyfriend ordered this diet a while ago in order to lose a few pounds. The food is horrible!!!! How can someone it this kind of food. What meet stays out in packages for days and it doesn't even need to be forzen ( Nowhere on the meat packaging said store in the fridge) I can only imagine how healthy it is if it can be shipped and sit on the counter for days . If you enjoy a lot of chemicals and preservatives in your food , go ahead order it!
I hate cooking and dont really want to go on some crazy juice diet. Home delivered meals sound perfect. If Marino will back them then it is worth giving a shot. right..
I went on nutrasystem 20 years ago to get rid of a stubborn15 lbs ,with success and again this past year on 2 different occasions. Each time I was successful in losing the unwanted lbs with ease. The way everything is constructed, cal, fats, glycemic index is just perfect for shedding relatively quickly. I was never hungry with the plan and even times hard to complete a full meal including fruits and vegatables. My only negative is like many, the taste of the food. Some were ok, some were just horrible but I was able to choose which I could get by with. Went on the plan each time for 2 months, lost what I wanted and then, that was enough for me. The snacks, cheese ravioli and especially the fudge graham bars got me through. Look, it depends on how much you really want to succeed. Also, when you are done losing, you do have to really try to maintain the same eating habits, which is not hard except the meals are so precionsally prepared that it would be really difficult to match the calories, fat content and glycemic content to give you the perfect combination to continue to lose or maintain your weight on your own. They do have online support and maintanence programs also. It's not really expensive in the long term, just you have to pay for it upfront, so it seems expensive initially and you have to really be on top of your ordering and know when you are due to reorder if on the reorder program. You will only go into automatic reorder if you request it upfront. Most people do because you get your first order cheaper that way. You do have the option to cancel that prior to the next shipment. All in all, it has worked for me in the past to get that stubborn weight off. I usually don't have more than 10-15lbs to lose so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel when I first start... good luck to all!!!
It is a good program if you need to lose weight and dont have time to prepare all your meals.
Pretty good food but most important it works. I lost ten pounds in 3 weeks.
let me tell everyone that this diet is great.....i was talking to a friend who went on it twice and she lost at least 10 to 15 oounds in a month each time. she told me to stay clear of anythig very saucy and when i ordered my food it was lazagna, ravioli. fettucchini, cheesy potatos, burger, pizza,chicken noodle,oat meal, blueberry muffin, breakfat bar, tortellini. and all of the deserts are amazing...remember you supplement your food with veggies, salads, fruits and fats and dairy. it is probalbly the heathest diet most people will be on in their whole life. the meals are perfectly porportioned with protein, carbs and fats. if it doesnt work for people it is because they gave up and went back to their old ways...it take dedication to lose weight and there is no way around it and nutrisystem has the heathiest way to lose it...i love it and i am glad i didnt listen to the negative people who say it doesnt work....well, if it didint work then why is nutrisystem so popular!!
I lost 65 lb in 4 months on the nutrisystem program about 2 years ago. I was dieting and doing excercise too. The food was ok. I hated my first shipment because the sent me their "favorites" package; it was horrible. Then I ordered some food that was not as bad. I did spend lots of money on fruits, vegetables, carbs and dairy products. So this program is expensive. It is very convenient because every food is prepared for you. So all you have to do is grab and go. I really liked that part. However, after I got off the program I began gaining weight.
I continued exercising, running at least 4 miles per day 5 times a week. I began eating regular foods in small portions and drinking lots of water. Well, the weight kept coming back. It was very depressing. I gained everything back in 6 months and a few extra pounds. Now I'm left with a few nice stretch marks... woo hoo!!!
DON'T DO IT!!! Yes it will work for a quick fix. If you want to look good for your wedding then do it but don't think you'll stay thin forever. You will gain it back no matter what you do. I think that your body knows best, don't try to cheat it.
Hey David,
When you said :
"i eat what i get from nutrisystem only" Did you literally mean that you eat ONLY the packaged food and don't supplement it with fruit, veggies, dairy, etc. etc?
Thanks,
Ruth
Becareful when ordering Nutrisystem!!! I recieved I frozen food order to the amount of $130 that I never ordered. Since the food is frozen Nutrisystem will not allow me to return it. I'm a vegetarian and I'm on the vegetarian plan, the majority of the food I received is meat and I can therefore not eat it. The Nutrisystem representatives said they could do nothing for me so I canceled all my future orders with them.
Don't do Nutrisystem!!! We have cancelled the plan twice for my wife and after a month they send us another box and charge our credit card!! We are still waiting for the money back on the second cancellation of food. Not an ethical company!! Steer clear of people like this.
