The Skinny
Average Weight Loss: 1-2 lbs per week
Type of Diet: Program based low-calorie, balanced meals
Health concerns: This is a fairly balanced diet, but may not be ideal for people with food allergies or who have Celiac disease.
About The Diet
If you hate to cook and plan, but love to eat without guilt, you can understand why NutriSystem is appealing to so many people. For weight loss, you simply eat what they tell you to eat, and most of your meals are purchased so all you have to do is warm them up and enjoy. Nutrisystem can be expensive, but meals are shipped directly to your door so your grocery bill should go down somewhat offsetting the cost of the meals.
If you like prepackaged meals and add in only the healthy foods permitted to supplement meals and snacks, you should be able to lose weight at a safe pace (their website states about 2 pounds per week.) The downside is that you still need to learn how to eat so that when and should you decide to go off the plan and prepare your own meals you won’t start eating too many calories again, but embracing the list of additional foods you are allowed eat while on the plan should help steer you in the right direction.
Foods you can have (in addition to the prepackaged meals) include many fruits and vegetables to fill up on, as well as nuts. Dairy and fresh meats are also allowed so just pay attention to the foods you can eat with the meals because if they work for you while on the plan, they will continue to help you feel satiated when you go off the plan.
The plan is low-calorie, but not low-carb, with daily carbohydrates balanced at about 50% of your calories. However, NutriSystem does try and steer you towards healthy “smart” carbohydrates that have a lower glycemic index to help reduce insulin spikes and cravings.
NutriSystem offers different plans for men and women, and something other popular diets often fail to specifically address: a plan for people with diabetes. They also offer online support to help you master the program and encourage you on your journey.
Their prices are comparable to similar plans and cheaper than the ITG diet program. Average cost of prepackaged meals on this plan: $9.29 – $12.14 per day.
More Information
Negative Press
- Some users may still get hungry
- Costs over $300 per month
Positive Press
** Provided for information only. This is not an ad but an excerpt from Amazon.com so you can read more about this book. **
Simple Success: The Nutrisystem Guide to Healthy Eating
By the Research and Development Team at Nutrisystem, Inc., foreword by Joanna McMilian, PhD
Book Description: 65 quick and easy recipes, with select recipes from The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Family Cookbook and The New Glucose Revolution Life Plan.
* Health Concerns
The website states that this plan is not for pregnant women, people with chronic kidney disease, or anyone with certain allergies or diet needs. It’s not for children under 14, although NutriSystem offers programs for teens ages 14 to 17. They offer a special program for people with diabetes, but if you have any health condition or suspect you may, it is always a good idea to consult with your doctor before starting this or any other diet program.
