How is this a good diet?
July 13, 2006 9:20 AM Subscribe
Has anyone here tried Nutrisystem?
I am one of those naturally curvy muscular people, I can swing from the hottness to porker every couple of years. Anyhow, I wanted to help teach myself portion control so I signed up for nutrisystem to get a good idea of how much food should be in a reasonable meal.
So I get it, I eat it and I realize that according to every imaginable guideline it is only providing maybe half of the calories I should eat in a day. For example I have laid out all my food except for supper I have their brkst, lunch, and snack, plus an apple and two string cheese snacks and it only adds up to 570 calories. I know I should eat a minimum of 1200 and I have found its hard to workout hard at less than 1500.
What gives? I know they say to supplement from fruit and salad and stuff but how can they adverstise it as a meal plan when lunch is a measly 150 calories, I mean you wouldn't say a banana is a healthy lunch and it has 150 calories. Anyhow, what am I missing. I am really hoping this will work for me.
How have other people made this system work for you?
I am one of those naturally curvy muscular people, I can swing from the hottness to porker every couple of years. Anyhow, I wanted to help teach myself portion control so I signed up for nutrisystem to get a good idea of how much food should be in a reasonable meal.
So I get it, I eat it and I realize that according to every imaginable guideline it is only providing maybe half of the calories I should eat in a day. For example I have laid out all my food except for supper I have their brkst, lunch, and snack, plus an apple and two string cheese snacks and it only adds up to 570 calories. I know I should eat a minimum of 1200 and I have found its hard to workout hard at less than 1500.
What gives? I know they say to supplement from fruit and salad and stuff but how can they adverstise it as a meal plan when lunch is a measly 150 calories, I mean you wouldn't say a banana is a healthy lunch and it has 150 calories. Anyhow, what am I missing. I am really hoping this will work for me.
How have other people made this system work for you?
Response by poster: The calories are correct. So after I eat their supper meal, I will be at about 1,000. They are healthy in that they are very protein and fiber heavy, only "good" carbs (not refined) and lowish for fat.
They say if you aren't full to switch to the "men's plan" which include an extra protein/dairy, two fruits, two salad/veggies, and an extra carb a day.
It just makes me mad that I goggled all over the place looking for an average daily calorie plan for Nutrisystem, then I get it and realize that I am going to still buy a fair amount of grocerys if I still actually want to go around living my very busy life.
posted by stormygrey at 9:36 AM on July 13, 2006
They say if you aren't full to switch to the "men's plan" which include an extra protein/dairy, two fruits, two salad/veggies, and an extra carb a day.
It just makes me mad that I goggled all over the place looking for an average daily calorie plan for Nutrisystem, then I get it and realize that I am going to still buy a fair amount of grocerys if I still actually want to go around living my very busy life.
posted by stormygrey at 9:36 AM on July 13, 2006
Well, if the men's plan will take you a bit past 1000, that sounds more reasonable.
They make it look so easy, don't they? It's what these companies do - promise an easy solution to something that, unfortunately, takes consistent work and effort to achieve naturally.
Not that you're asking me, but perhaps this is something important enough to you that you want to invest the time and effort, not just the money, to have a trained professional help you build a sustainable nutrition plan.
posted by canine epigram at 9:49 AM on July 13, 2006
They make it look so easy, don't they? It's what these companies do - promise an easy solution to something that, unfortunately, takes consistent work and effort to achieve naturally.
Not that you're asking me, but perhaps this is something important enough to you that you want to invest the time and effort, not just the money, to have a trained professional help you build a sustainable nutrition plan.
posted by canine epigram at 9:49 AM on July 13, 2006
Well, if the men's plan will take you a bit past 1000, that sounds more reasonable.
They make it look so easy, don't they? It's what these companies do - promise an easy solution to something that, unfortunately, takes consistent work and effort to achieve naturally.
Not that you're asking me, but perhaps this is something important enough to you that you want to invest the time and effort, not just the money, to have a trained professional help you build a sustainable nutrition plan and learn appropriate portion control.
posted by canine epigram at 9:49 AM on July 13, 2006
They make it look so easy, don't they? It's what these companies do - promise an easy solution to something that, unfortunately, takes consistent work and effort to achieve naturally.
Not that you're asking me, but perhaps this is something important enough to you that you want to invest the time and effort, not just the money, to have a trained professional help you build a sustainable nutrition plan and learn appropriate portion control.
posted by canine epigram at 9:49 AM on July 13, 2006
My mother tried it. Like Stormygrey, she was annoyed by the amount of groceries she had to purchase on top of the cost of the meal plan. She said the food was ok, but not great. She lost a lot of weight on the plan and then decided that it would be cheaper if she just bought her own groceries and followed the plan guidelines. She sold the NS food, and gained all the weight back within two months or so.
posted by necessitas at 9:53 AM on July 13, 2006
posted by necessitas at 9:53 AM on July 13, 2006
Response by poster: I agree canine, except for that I am very well versed in portion amounts and calories and nutrition, its just the will power, which is why I thought have the choice taken away for me for a month would help regulate my mind into seeing more appropriately what I should eat and shinking my stomach in the process.
I spent all my money on a personal trainer! We meet in a park, its dreadful, but its good for me. :)
posted by stormygrey at 9:54 AM on July 13, 2006
I spent all my money on a personal trainer! We meet in a park, its dreadful, but its good for me. :)
posted by stormygrey at 9:54 AM on July 13, 2006
I haven't tried Nutrisystem, but I'm using a similar (i think) prepared foods thing called Diet To Go right now that offers 1200 and 1600 calorie meals. I just started the 1200 calorie meal plan on Tuesday and am actually surprised by how big the portions are, I expected them to be super tiny b/c there are so few calories involved, but they actually fill me up and I haven't felt the need to snack in between (which is rare for me). I'm sorry I'm not really answering your question, but wanted to suggest it as an option if nutrisystem doesn't work b/c so far I've been happy with it (of course it's only been 3 days, but seriously, the food is surprisingly good -- I'm actually curious about how the nutrisystem food tastes).
posted by echo0720 at 9:57 AM on July 13, 2006
posted by echo0720 at 9:57 AM on July 13, 2006
I think nutrisystem is one of those that goes to teach you how to do 5-6 small meals a day (use our meals and supplement with fruits and salads). It is the healthier way to lose and maintain weight.
My mom did nutrisystem, my dad on his own trained himself to eat 200 calorie meals (like an apple and a piece of string cheese). He said the trick was to not get hungry. You're snacking all day so after you get use to it you don't need that big meal at the end of the day.
posted by nadawi at 10:01 AM on July 13, 2006
My mom did nutrisystem, my dad on his own trained himself to eat 200 calorie meals (like an apple and a piece of string cheese). He said the trick was to not get hungry. You're snacking all day so after you get use to it you don't need that big meal at the end of the day.
posted by nadawi at 10:01 AM on July 13, 2006
Response by poster: Thanks echo. It is significantly more expensive, but it looks tastier and if I don't have to supplement it constantly, the price might even out. For reference, 28 days on nutrisytem was 300, 28 days on diet to go looks to be around 450 and I don't know if that includes shipping.
posted by stormygrey at 10:13 AM on July 13, 2006
posted by stormygrey at 10:13 AM on July 13, 2006
Ah -- I bet the pricing is totally different for us. The company is based in Virginia, and they have distribution sites around the DC area, so I pick up fresh food twice a week and don't have to pay a delivery charge.
But let me know if you want to find out more info about the food or anything, my email's in my profile.
posted by echo0720 at 10:29 AM on July 13, 2006
But let me know if you want to find out more info about the food or anything, my email's in my profile.
posted by echo0720 at 10:29 AM on July 13, 2006
Some guy is blogging about Nutrisystem here: http://seattlesanity.typepad.com/. It sounds pretty gross.
posted by chickletworks at 12:07 PM on July 13, 2006
posted by chickletworks at 12:07 PM on July 13, 2006
I've done it.
In fact, I still have a bunch of the food in the corner of my kitchen - want a dozen wee pizzas?
(just kidding)
I did it and lost 20 pounds in a month. That was AWESOME. Then I stopped doing it and regained. Then I did it again and didn't really lose very much...the scale seemed to vacillate. I sat down and figured out my calories - if i ate under 1200 (but not none) my body seemed to hang on to itself for dear life. So, I added a carb and full-calorie salad dressing to my daily salads.
(You eat your "fat", don't you? I ate ten peanuts, EVERY SINGLE DAY)
That worked. But I grew heartily sick of the dinners, which derailed me significantly. And now I stare at the food in the corner of my kitchen and tell myself I'll get back on it...tomorrow. Maybe.
posted by pinky at 12:11 PM on July 13, 2006
In fact, I still have a bunch of the food in the corner of my kitchen - want a dozen wee pizzas?
(just kidding)
I did it and lost 20 pounds in a month. That was AWESOME. Then I stopped doing it and regained. Then I did it again and didn't really lose very much...the scale seemed to vacillate. I sat down and figured out my calories - if i ate under 1200 (but not none) my body seemed to hang on to itself for dear life. So, I added a carb and full-calorie salad dressing to my daily salads.
(You eat your "fat", don't you? I ate ten peanuts, EVERY SINGLE DAY)
That worked. But I grew heartily sick of the dinners, which derailed me significantly. And now I stare at the food in the corner of my kitchen and tell myself I'll get back on it...tomorrow. Maybe.
posted by pinky at 12:11 PM on July 13, 2006
Response by poster: That's good find, that blog. You would think there would be more unofficial nutryisystem sites, like the unofficial south beach sites, where you could really see what people thought of the food.
posted by stormygrey at 12:22 PM on July 13, 2006
posted by stormygrey at 12:22 PM on July 13, 2006
there is the "message board" on the actual nutrisystem site, which is slightly helpful. The messages (when last I read them) tended to be one of two varieties - the OH MY GOD THIS FOOD IS TERRIBLE AND GIVES ME GAS HOW DO YOU EAT THIS HORRIBLE STUFF type messages or glowing testimonies. One or the other. Plus "recipes" to make your food less appalling/more appealling. There's one for the pancake mix that isn't half bad.
posted by pinky at 12:35 PM on July 13, 2006
posted by pinky at 12:35 PM on July 13, 2006
My wife and I did Nutrisystem several years ago and can honestly say it worked great. I dropped about 40 lbs. over several months.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:53 PM on July 13, 2006
posted by Thorzdad at 12:53 PM on July 13, 2006
Portion control is one of the most difficult things for me to get to grips with. I eat the right things, mostly, but too much of them.
This slideshow is useful in showing reasonable portion sizes, all of which are smaller than I'd serve myself, but which I'm sure are probably entirely reasonable.
posted by essexjan at 12:58 PM on July 13, 2006
This slideshow is useful in showing reasonable portion sizes, all of which are smaller than I'd serve myself, but which I'm sure are probably entirely reasonable.
posted by essexjan at 12:58 PM on July 13, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
A better investment might be to go talk to a nutritionist - they might have some teaching tools to train yourself into portion control, as well as evaluate what your daily caloric intake should be, given your activity level.
posted by canine epigram at 9:31 AM on July 13, 2006