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
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
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I would think you could do this same type of diet concept by just going to the grocery store and buy the pre packaged lean Frozen Dinners. Then you do not have to pay for food you don't like and you can buy it each week with less up front cost. You can then formulate your diet to your food prefrences You can also buy fruit and vegie snacks or maybe some granola bars for inbetween meals. Just a thought that will save you some money.
I've been on it about 1 week, have not been hungry ( I suppliment meals with veggies and exercise 2hrs 4 times a week) and have lost 9 pounds. Work the program, it works.
Some of the food is pretty good, some is pretty bad. the tomato based meals are very good. The powdered meals (just add water) are gross. ie: fettucini alfredo, mac and cheese, scrambled eggs.... blech! If you just want to lose 10 pounds (like me) I'd recommend it, but I couldn't do more than 5 weeks. The tacos and the burger are surprisingly good. And the granola for breakfast, YUM.
I think nutrisystem is great for people who have a hard time preparing healthy meals. It stops you from eating unhealthy food when you are in a rush. It is tough to stay on long term but great to get you to shed the pounds!
Many of the foods are very unpalatable, especially the "free week" foods they send; you might as well throw them away. Most importantly, once you sign up you have to be very careful about unsubscribing or they will continue to send food and charge your credit card without confirmation from you. I cancelled my account and over a month later was still receiving shipments and charges to my account. Avoid this company at all costs. Try Weight Watchers instead. you buy you need the food at your local market and it tastes twice as good.
Nutyisystem is working for me ....most people that complain about it ......are just use to eating anything and everything.......been there, done that. I've lost 75lbs in 5 months........i eat what i get from nutrisystem only. most of the time.....I spend very little at the food market. I love it!
This is a huge rip off! Very little food for the money and very poor quaility, packaging hard to open, huge amounts of sodium. Go with Healthy Choice meals when they are on sale at your local grocer. Same principle and your savings will be huge with more quality food, lower sodium, and mUCH less money!
The food was alright however three months after cancelling my account they started charging my credit card again. Now after several calls they tell me it can take up to three weeks to stop the charges and refund my money. Poor buisness practices.
Don't have to freeze or refrigerate the food I got. It's all sealed in a canning process. There is a program on Nutrisystem, however that is refrigerated/frozen. I'm thinking of trying it next time. The only thing I HATE is having to buy all the extra food. I thought this was a self-sufficient diet program. That is what I was looking for.
I can not figure out if you put the food in freezer. It does not say. It seems it has not been frozen. I would be afraid to eat it to not freeze it. Let me know.
Its so good and you lose weight instantly.
This isn't the first time I've followed the NS program. So, yes, I agree w/the others, the weight will come back if you aren't careful. I fully intend to stay on this program until I've lost all of my weight (40+lbs). I've learned that you MUST stay mindful of portion size and how often you should eat. I think the food has improved alot over the years.
ok food but a great way to lose weight!
Being that I am an active person already. The amount of food it sends me was never enough and I ended up passing out.
My dad is a diabetic who tried the diet and loved it. He lost over 20 lbs and says it helped his insulin levels. So I decided to give it a try, and I the food was horrible. Some of it was OK, but on the whole it was pretty gross. I bought two months worth, and still have some in the pantry. Plus you have to buy your own fresh vegetables and fruit. Might as well plan out your own meals.
I don't know what you people are talking about when stating that the sodium is too high...The daily allowance is a max of 2400mg..Which is also the amount that my Cardiologist recommended..I've also taken it one step further and actually added up my total sodium for the day while on Nutrisystem Silver and it comes to 1760mg..
Nutrisystem is not a quick weight loss gimmick, but just a very well balanced meal plan..It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to understand how it works..If anyone is going to join this program and think of it as just a diet to lose weight then it will not work for you..You have to take several things into consideration while on it..You have to pay attention to what you are eating and how much..Portion awareness plays a big part in all of this..As far as the food goes, is it “moms” home cooking??Of course not, but I wasn’t a picky eater to get here in the first place, Im’ not about to start now..When introducing foods to a baby, most times they are not used to, but over time they acquire a taste for it..Well Nutrisystem is like that, and if you give your body time to adjust to the different tastes then you’ll do fine..You have to work the program as well..I myself incorporated my reality into it..That means that I did not deprive myself of any occasions when they approached, however, the very next day I got right back on the plan..I am not a 100+ pound loser who accomplished a miracle weight loss..I am your typical average middle aged woman who lost 40 lbs..I also weaned myself off Nutrisystem slowly by replacing non Nutrisystem meals and after 2 months I have the portions down packed..For anyone who says that the food is horrible then most times they are just not ready to make this change in their lives..
The product seems good to be tried, So many people have tried and success.
My partner and I were on NutriSystem for about 6 months and at first it worked great. We lost a lot of weight. I liked a fair amount of the food and had a couple favorites that I would probably still eat today (that freeze-dried hamburger seems scary, but it really is pretty good (save your low fat cheese for the day, cut up some onions and mushrooms and use your weight watchers bread and turn it into a patty melt (yum))). I will say that I always thought that the food looked pretty disgusting. You know what they say, you eat with your eyes first. Anyway, I was almost to my goal weight, and had probably lost about 50 lbs (pretty good, right). By then, I was so sick of the food that I would rather not eat than eat than try to force down the NutriSystem food. That, of course led to cheating, which led to all the weight coming back (eventually). When we went on the diet we had a plan for coming off of it and applying the good habits that we learned to a normal diet. Because we weren't to our goal weights yet, we kept trying to stick with the diet, but just couldn't because we were so sick of the food (and some of it is really disgusting). So here's my advice: *Be prepared for the amount of supplementing that you must do. This diet doesn't seem too expensive until you factor in all the extra stuff that you have to buy which includes your vegetables, salads, and dairy/protein items. For 2 this was adding up to about $50 more per week. So the whole thing was costing us about $800 per month *Men get more (and better) food. If you like peas and higher glycemic vegetables and bread and you're a woman, say goodbye to those and have fun watching your husband eat them. I love peas and was so happy to eat them again after I went off the diet. *You better like your salads. It's been a year and I still can't look one in the eye. *Most important: Once you're sick of it, get off of the diet, and apply the concepts (eating smaller meals more often, portion size, etc) to a regular food. Don't try to loose that last 10 pounds with NutriSystem, 'cause if you're like us, you'll just start gaining it back. Based on this review and the statement that NutriSystem leads to yo-yo dieting makes me to believe that I'm not alone here. It's like gambling; take your win and leave the table before your luck changes. Good luck!
Nutrisystem is not a miracle diet program, but it is easy to follow. If you're ready to make permanent lifestyle changes needed to be successful at losing weight and maintaining the weight loss, this could prove to be a very useful tool.
I just started NutriSystem a week ago, and so far so good. The prepackaged meals very convenient and yes, edible. It teaches you portion control. Surpisingly the soy and salt content has not been an issue for me (the program does fall below the range of daily recommended salt intake.) I actually like that you add fresh fruit, vegetables, and non/low-fat dairy, which are part of eating healthy anyway. I think it gives the diet some balance after all of the processed (prepackaged) food. The combination of high fiber, protein, low-glycemic index foods and 2 litres of water daily help keep you from getting too hungy before the next meal. The journaling keeps you honest. They also advise moderate exercise. It's definitely an easy program to follow.
Great way to lose weight. I always struggled with what to eat and preparing it. Nutrisystem really takes all that effort that tend to get you in trouble out of the weigh loss equation.
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