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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
DietsInReview.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.
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
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User Feedback
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I love it. It's convenient and easy. Before NS I couldn't lose a lb. I've been on it for 3 mths and have lost 16 1/2 lbs. Thank you NS!!!!!!!
The food is ok. the more important thing is i lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks! granted i did up my game in the gym
I am amazed that I can lose weight on this program with no hunger, no cooking, no measuring, and no weighing. I am thrilled with the results. Been on NS one month
I have stopped the program and send back my last order which came to $299.00 I do not have a credit yet on my account. Please look into this.
I tried nutrisystem for about one month...well I could not get through the entire month, in fact I still have meals left over. I don't like that everything is processed and most of the food is really yucky. The other thing is that the foods are very high in sodium. The diet is expensive and you still have to buy additional supermarket items to supplement the diet.
If you can eat like this you may lose the weight, but for me a diet is a change in the way I eat forever, and I cannot eat like this every day of my life.
Sir;
The following is an email that I have sent to contacts at NutraSystem
Sir;
NutraSystem has made an unauthorized charge on my credit card in the amount of $416.91.
I had previously canceled any further orders .. couple months ago..
The operator I talked to advised that I should call Nutra System before
June 25 if I wanted to order at th then existing priceing..I chose not to reorder BUT Nutra System has chosen to charge me again...Cleverly doing it at late Friday so that the order would be 'in the works' for enough time so as to make it difficult for me to reverse
NOW..
Nutra System did the same thing on the last order I recieved..at that time I relented and kept the order.
This is the second time .
Unless you remove those charges imediately I will seek legal remedy.
Nutra System has proven to be a "shady" or "tricky" outfit that should never have access to anyones credit card info.
On Monday evening...after 6:00pm..if your charghes are not removed I will be relating this story and this letter on web places ..youtube...myspace..and any other site that reaches numbers of potential NutraSystem customers to make them aware of the dangers of letting out their credit card info to NutraSystem.
I want those charges to my credit card cancelled andI will do no further business with Nutra System.
If you try to send a shipment to me,..just know that II have moved and no longer live in Texas
.
.
SO, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS,..
WHEN DEALING WITH NUTRASYSTEM..
.
"WATCH YOUR POCKETS"..as they say
I thought this was an easy all inclusive meal plan. WRONG!
You have to buy lots of fresh veggies and fruit. I also suffer and so does my husband from Gas and loss of sleep due to going to the bathroom 3-4 times a night because of the liquid required. I hope it works because so far I am NOT impressed.
there is a lot of the foods I just dont likeand this is not for me.It is costing me more than I can afford each month and I need to cancel my program now. Please do not ship any more food. I QUITE.
I will take it meals delivered to to your door and I can lose weight
Food is disgusting!!!
My husband and I started this diet on October 1, 2010. So far he has lost 100 lbs and has gone from a size 46 to a 36 and a XXXL shirt to a L shirt. I have lost 60 lbs and have gone from a size 18 to 8. There are a few foods that we don't care for but for the most part we like all of them. We can't believe how easy it has been and are being told by our friends that we have been an inspiration to them and they have now started NS.
The portions are just right and the food is edible. I am losing weight not a ton but lost like 6 pounds over two weeks.
Apparently the key to losing weight with any program is eating healthy and exercising. Within the first month of the program, I lost 20+ lbs. Nutrisystem helped me to maintain proper portion control, which helped me to lose weight that probably would not have come off with just exercise alone. More importantly than the scale reading is the fact that I feel great, and am no longer sweating of breathing hard after walking a short distance.
With Nutrisystem, I like the flexibility of being able to add your own fruits and vegetables. While on Nutrisystem, I also eat at restaurants, or cook my own foods on the grill, but I am more concious of portion sizes, or having the waiter remove unhealthy items such as mayo from a sandwhich.
I think that one of the problems that led to my own weight gain was feeling of no control over what I ate. Nutrisystem teaches you that you do have control over what you eat, and once you learn this, then you can sustain a healthy lifestyle.
Lost 24 pounds. Kept it off for 2 years. Came back up to within 7 pounds of previous weight. Went back on, lost 15.
i tried this diet twice. i did lose a little bit of weight, but couldn't really stand the food. the ham & bean soup, the chili's and the pizza i liked. other than that not really. i am not a gourmet by any means, eat a lot of frozen diet dinners, but this just wasn't my taste.
Yuck! lost the weight - but it was a terrible experience and emotionally draining. i could not stand to open up one of those boxes again and eat more tasteless food. On top of that, one has to buy so much supplemental food it's not worth it. I switched to diets-to-go post-pregnancy. worth every dime. fresh food delivered to your house with everything you need (including fruit, juice, condiments) - so easy to manage what I eat while being a mom to a newborn! my husband was so impressed he's considering joining. N/S is preservative filled food that is horrible!
I haven't even been on the program for a month and I have lost 17 pounds on it so far!! The food isn't bad but you just got it remember it is diet food.
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.
