Is NutriSystem worth it?

AJL_Daddy
AJL_Daddy Posts: 525 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It's $309.99 per month. I am 90 lbs overweight. Been struggling for years. The last 2 with MFP.

Would you say it's worth it?
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Replies

  • Cheri0830
    Cheri0830 Posts: 37 Member
    I suppose it could be worth it, if it is afforadable to you, are you only feeding yourself, Like myself I feed a family so no it is not affordable, The other thing you have to think about is this is a lifestyle change you have to learn as you go, is Nutrisystem teaching you how to make your own choices (not really) because it is all pre packaged pre planned meals.,

    I also believe you have to buy your own fresh fruits and veggies/salads.

    I am way to thrifty to want to pay that kind of money for what you get.

    But on the other hand if your a person that don't like to cook, or don't have the time and energy to plan and fix your own meals, It could be the answer for you.

    Hope this helps
    Cheri
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    No. And it takes like a children's vitamin bottle smells. YOU MUST LEARN to feed yourself for strength. For me its cooking a tub o oatmeal every weekend and eating it with flax seed, and dried fruit for breakfast. Large bitter greens, onions, mushrooms, beans berries and seeds daily with no dressing daily. Small fish and veg for dinner. 1 ounce of nuts and two squares of chocolate for a snack. This probably costs me $150 and has no preservatives, colorings, flavors, etc.

    80% of this is diet. I gave up sugar (a big part of my diet), gluten and wheat and my appetite went away! I'm just about eat 1,200 calories daily.

    I also walk 6 mikes and climb 19 stairs daily to public transportation and play soccer and catch with my dog.

    I lost 7 pounds in the first two weeks.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
    I know someone who's done it. It's pricey and you still have to buy other foods to add with their meals.

    Try preportioning your own meals if that is your biggest hurdle. They advertise you can even eat dessert and although I've never personally seen it, I'm sure their chocolate cake isn't a half sheet of cake. It's about portion control to cut calories.

    If you have $310+ dollars to spend on food then you can try it. It may help you learn portion sizes and then you can go out on your own.
  • AJL_Daddy
    AJL_Daddy Posts: 525 Member
    Thanks. I doubt I'll do it, just needed some input!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    much better to buy similar foods at the grocery store and use a kitchen scale to measure how much you eat.
  • chelstakencharge
    chelstakencharge Posts: 1,021 Member
    Just say NO!!!! I am proof this can be done without the aid of NutriSystem, meds or even weight loss Drs.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I've never done it, but I know a few people who have. All of them lost a significant amount of weight. All of them gained it all back.

    I would say it is worth it if you use it as a learning tool, or can afford to do it forever. It pre-portions food. If you are having a hard time with portions, this could be a good thing. But, unless you plan to pay them to portion your food forever, you will need to pay attention to how much you are eating so that you can transition to similar portions on your own.
  • Blue801
    Blue801 Posts: 442
    No. If you want to go that route just buy frozen meals at the market. They are much yummier and less expensive. I did nutrisystem and wouldn't reccommend it, even if I did get some cute little bears each time I lost weight.
  • arenad
    arenad Posts: 142 Member
    Are you ready to eat, and pay, for that for the rest f your life? My point is you need to learn to eat healthy. If you lose the weight then start eating like you used to the weight will come back.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Tried this a few years back. NOT worth it.

    1. In addition to their food, you still need to purchase groceries to the tune of $50-100 a week.
    2. None of the food is .. well .. good. I developed a serious hot sauce addiction while on NutriSystem. Needed gallons of the stuff just to choke down half their meals.
    3. Along with #2 it's not just that the food isn't good .. When Salisbury Steak and Chicken Parmesan taste about the same, there'a a problem.

    For the same $709 a month (309 plus your 400 in additions), you could eat a far more high quality, healthier, tastier, and widely varied diet.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    The food looks absolutely nasty! I suppose you'd lose weight because who'd want to eat it?!
  • erockem
    erockem Posts: 278 Member
    Someone were I work did it, dropped a ton of weight in 1-2 months. $400+ a month. She learned nothing and now has put back a lot of it.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Nope.
  • Candi_land
    Candi_land Posts: 1,311 Member
    Ugh, just the thought of it makes me wanna barf. Prior to MFP I had pretty much tried every single fad diet under the sun..nutrisystem was one of them.Their "eggs" were in powder form as was the "meat" for tacos...I mean imagine having to add water to powder substance to create eggs and taco meat? :sick: As for the rest, well the only way I managed to choke it down was by covering the foods with ketchup and adobo to make it the slightest bit edible. I lasted maybe two weeks before giving up, and giving away the rest of the food to a co-worker.

    Don't waste your money!
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    The food looks absolutely nasty! I suppose you'd lose weight because who'd want to eat it?!

    They had a pouch of Tuna Salad that I found more off-putting than a can of cat food. I can eat just about anything, and there were several items in the nutri-system plan that I simply was unable to choke down.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Ugh, just the thought of it makes me wanna barf. Prior to MFP I had pretty much tried every single fad diet under the sun..nutrisystem was one of them.Their "eggs" were in powder form as was the "meat" for tacos...I mean imagine having to add water to powder substance to create eggs and taco meat? :sick: As for the rest, well the only way I managed to choke it down was by covering the foods with ketchup and adobo to make it the slightest bit edible. I lasted maybe two weeks before giving up, and giving away the rest of the food to a co-worker.

    Don't waste your money!

    Ohhhhh .. I forgot about the eggs!! Egg beaters feels like a gourmet upgrade compared to their "eggs"
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
    MFP works if you use it and it's free, just saying....
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    Here is my thought. When you are ready to lose the weight - you will. If you've been on MFP for 2 years and have not taken advantage of all the awesome people on here that can support and guide you? Then you're not ready. NutriSystem will be $309.00 down the tubes - because you're not ready.


    It's important to have a plan. A sustainable plan. But the KEY is to get your mind in the right place. Good luck.
  • determined_erin
    determined_erin Posts: 571 Member
    That is really pricey! I would just try going to Aldi for cheap groceries (Fit and Active products are great there) and adapt a lifestyle change that will last the rest of your life with calories/food/health.

    As a side note: I just watched a video on YouTube about how diets started, how they became popular, and why they don't work. The main thing I took from it is that diets may work in the moment, but longterm people gain the weight back. Diets make money because people do them, lose a little weight, fail to keep it off, and then go back to the diet and into this cycle. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-_LoAm_etU
  • melonylowery
    melonylowery Posts: 3 Member
    I have to add the other side. My husband started on nutrisystem and lost about 15 pounds the first month. He has over 100 to lose. Before nutrisystem, if I gave him a normal sized portion he thought I was crazy and that portions must be much larger, even though I was measuring everything. After a month of prepackaged meals (which he says are not as bad as he had feared), he understands portion sizes a lot better and has been making much better choices when he eats. For example, before he would make a sandwich with two slices of bread, mustard, and half a pound of meat. Now, he makes it with two slices of lunch meat. I think it was well worth it for him to learn more about correct portions.
  • Steffani911
    Steffani911 Posts: 196 Member
    I think making your own food is better long term not only because it is less processed, but you can't do NutriSystem forever. It may be a great starting point though. Perhaps doing NutriSystem 6 days a week and one day to try new healthy homemade foods and slowly incorporating more days your own homemade healthy sustainable recipes. Changing your eating is a tough and overwhelming process when all you know how to do is eat bad (speaking for myself lol.) Having NutriSystem plan it in the beginning while learning and trying more may put you on the path toward better long term results.

    I have never tried it but have a friend who had great success while on the program but fell back into old habits afterward because she didn't know what to eat once she stopped the program.

    Good luck to you.
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
    I find their food to be not very good (have done it in the past). It's great for the portion control part of it though. But you still need to buy veggies and stuff so....I guess decide if the cost is worth it!
  • DrWhoodles
    DrWhoodles Posts: 145 Member
    IXUO5zJ.gif

    Every time I see this all I can think is just how magical and majestic that beard is.
  • LifeNewandImproved
    LifeNewandImproved Posts: 125 Member
    I'd do Lean Cuisines 4X per day before I did Nutrisystem
  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    I tried it, and ended up eBaying the rest of the food simply due to the taste. That said, if your sense of curiosity is really just screaming for you to see what it's like - go to eBay and scoop up a bulk lot of their food from someone else who's bailing on the plan. That way you can give the foods a try without committing yourself to the NS database and mailing lists. ;)
  • TanzaMarie
    TanzaMarie Posts: 94 Member
    Mom my swears by it...but the whole thing grosses me out. Nothing has to be refrigerated, and lasts for months and months. I have no idea what they put in their beef patties, etc, but if it doesn't require refrigeration, it can't possibly be healthy. Everything is laden with all sorts of chemicals and artificial this and thats. But then again, my mom says that even the small size pastas, keeps her full for hours on end. I guess it really depends on what's more important, losing the weight or being healthy.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I have to add the other side. My husband started on nutrisystem and lost about 15 pounds the first month. He has over 100 to lose. Before nutrisystem, if I gave him a normal sized portion he thought I was crazy and that portions must be much larger, even though I was measuring everything. After a month of prepackaged meals (which he says are not as bad as he had feared), he understands portion sizes a lot better and has been making much better choices when he eats. For example, before he would make a sandwich with two slices of bread, mustard, and half a pound of meat. Now, he makes it with two slices of lunch meat. I think it was well worth it for him to learn more about correct portions.

    I'd let him have his 8 oz of meat, and use half the bread, or skinny bread.
  • abetterbrandi
    abetterbrandi Posts: 131
    Pretty much a scam honestly. The food is disgusting, and over priced. If you want preportioned meals that dont taste like dog **** try Smart Ones, or Lean Cuisines. You being mentally prepared is all it takes to lose weight.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    No cause once you stop eating their food you gain all the weight back. Don't waste your money. You can lose weight on your own--cheaper.

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