Nutrisystem (I hope I'm not breaking the rules here...)

Tried Nutrisystem several years ago....yes, I lost some weight......but if you think you are grocery shopping now, just wait until you see the list of things you have to ADD to the Nutrisystem meals. Check the website and see if you can look at all the fresh stuff it requires you to buy. Honestly, I have done just as well with prepackaged Healthy Choice, Cafe steamers, prepacked salads, etc. I plan meals in advance and just shop for all of it at the same time. I save quite a lot over what I paid for Nutrisystem. Which gives you the basic meal....breakfast might be a ceral bar, some cereal, or oatmeal, etc., lunch and dinner are a prepacked main course or soup, then you still have you add dairy, fresh fruit and fresh veggies. For me it just wasn't worth the cost. Friend me here and send me an email if I can answer any questions, I will do my best.

My parents used this and lost a good bit of weight. Problem was they didn't change their lifestyle and they gained it all back plus some. If you really only need it for a short period, I think it could be helpful - they don't taste too bad and they are easy to pack on the go. They also have a good set of nutrients - lots of fiber and protein. You still have to add fruits and salads though. Be sure you do that!

Also realize that you have to come back to cooking and preparing and thinking about your meals when it's over. That's the only way to ensure you stick to your goal of having a new life with a new weight. That's the only way I've kept the 50+lbs I lost two years ago away - paying attention and being intentional about eating and cooking. Doesn't work all the time - I still eat some frozen dinners - but I also buy healthier frozen stuff when I have to.

And don't forget - 10 hour days or not - that you MUST rest and you MUST move around. Even just pacing the hospital wings or doing ten pushups every couple of hours can help you stay alert and sleep well (at least 7-8 hours a night). Don't let a job or training be more imporant to your health. What good is a medical professional who isn't healthy? I'm not even sure I'd trust one!!

Happy trails!

My brother and sister in law went on Nutrisystem and lost 60lbs each. But...it didn't teach them how to eat and they gained it all back and then some. There's an actual diet connected with Lean Cuisine that I used before and it works. Now, I usually cook several meals ahead of time or plan something easy for breakfast and lunch and have a lean cuisine for dinner. Hope this helps

I did this too, in fact within the last twelve moths. I gained all the weight back and 4 pounds extra. The food isn't too bad, it is pricey and there are a lot of add on's you have to prepare during the day. Also - the food is processed and full of fiber. If you are going to be with others all day there is a umm... side affect. :blushing:

I used Nutrisystem for about 6 months when I was super busy and didn't have time or facilities to cook or refrigerate things. The food isn't bad, some better than others of course. It is convenient. While I was using it, they changed something in the addatives, not sure what it was. In about month 5 the change occured. The first 4 months went fine (maintained my weight because I wasn't doing the plan verbatum) and I had little or no side effects. When I got the 5th months worth of food all the packaging had changed. Ok. When I ate that food, some tasted better, some were kinda powdery tasting, and ALL of it gave me very bad gas and diarrhea. You never knew what the "outcome" was going to be. I spent more time in the bathroom than anywhere else. I had to take extra clothes with me at all times. I called them and was told that it was just a change in the protein addative they used and that most people got used to it in a couple weeks. I didn't. I threw most of the month 6 order in the trash.

THE FOOD IS GROSS -- i tried it while in law school about a year ago, trying to save time. i pre-selected all the food (i didnt let them just send me their variety ) - make sure you select the food item by item if you decide to do it. i was okay with the food for about two or three days... then i just got grossed out becasue none of its fresh --i.e. chicken that is pre-cooked and does not need to be refrigerated! it was a waste of money. my in-laws did it and lost a lot of weight (and gained it back) but they didnt look healthy - becuase all the sodium and additives.

ALSO, read the instructions carefully because you do have to add foods to the nutrisystem diet - lean meats, yogurts, veggies, and fruits. so you are back to square one.

now with my schedule i just cook a ton of stuff on sunday to last me through lunches, breakfasts, and dinners all week!

Thank you for all of your input. I'm beginning to think it's not going to work for me. I need to figure something out that doesn't require a lot of cooking. It's going to be important that I not only stay on track with diet and exercise, but I also have obligations three nights a week so I need something quick and easy and HEALTHY.

I don't do a lot of cooking either so a personal trainer gave me some great advice. He told me to cook 1-2 days per for the rest of the week.

For example, I want at least 2 chicken breasts per day. I cook 15 on Sat, put enough in the fridge for Sun-Wed and freeze the rest for Thur-Sat. Now, you don't have to eat only chicken breast all week, but you certainly can use it for anything... quick stew, add to soup, sandwich, or straight up with your favorite spices/sauce. I also just made a huge thing of chili and pasta. Will put some in fridge, freeze the rest.

To put it simply, if Healthy Choice, or Nutrisystem can make frozen meals, why can't you? Cheaper and less additives/preservatives.

So many ways to do this. And you only need to cook 1-2 times per week.

As for NUTRISYSTEM, I think it's a recipe for failure. I had to add quite a bit to reach adequate cals so I didnt go into famine mode and weight plateau. Also, it depends on the kind of person you are. I killed all the NS snacks off in like 2-3 days. I can't have all those RTE desserts sitting around like that. Can you?

My SUGGESTION: Lots of canned tuna, chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. And learn a few quick and easy preparations. Unless you're making a dinner for someone else, you can get your cals very quickly with a stacked sandwich using whole wheat bread, or wraps. Lite Mayo, and a couple of veggies that can be easily sliced. Make sure to have tupperware around.

You can totally do this without the high cost of nutrisystem and save yourself $200/mo, and still enjoy some good meals.

Best wishes,
Eric