hope4change_val wrote: »

I’m miserable with this sinus infection. I thought my appointment was Monday but their text reminded says Tuesday. ☹️ non-stop coughing all day and all night!
Took Em to post office at 7:30sm to renew her passport. I forgot that kids are only valid for 5 years. The line was horrendous!!!! The entire lobby was packed. They open at 8am. We left. Will try on a Friday when she hasday off. You can only make appointments during the week, during school hours! My guess is thst the surge is due to Trump’s threat to close the southern border. Everyone except us was hispanic. I just couldn’t wait there forever.
Roger- i very rarey(like 3 times in 8 years) have food delivered. I hate having strangers come to my house. My odd quirks and cheap habits are currently helping me lise weight. 🤣

Hello Val
That is no way to be well rested, I am sure that the coughing is disrupting Your sleep

Since I never had a passport...
Our post office here does not seem to have that problem due to passports, More like when people are shipping things such as around Christmas.
You could be right, On the other hand if they qualify for a passport why would they be worried ? I wonder if You need one to go back and forth across the border currently, You would be more likely to know than I.

I would say more that not wanting delivery is helping You lose weight.
Especially in light of what I saw that I posted below

hope4change_val yesterday
lost 1.1 lbs since last weighing in! Hope4change_val's lost 24.8 lbs so far.

Congratulations

BreadLady41 wrote: »

Good afternoon, all! I am a Nutrisystem newbie - day 3 on my "FreshStart" program today. I don't have 100 pounds to lose - but close. about 80-90. and it looks like basically all the activity in this group is on this thread, so I'm joining.

I was trying to just count calories and eat healthy and etc., but my life is busy and I just struggle when I have to make food decisions because everything else in life takes priority. My mom lost a lot of weight on Jenny Craig years ago, but that is too pricey, so I decided Nutrisystem was a good compromise. Yeah, it's odd to go to breakfast bars instead of oatmeal and packaged dinners instead of home cooked ones, but the problem I had was that in the stress of life I would say, "no time or energy to cook today. order a pizza." or chinese. or whatever. (i live in a big city and can order anything I can think of - even Starbucks delivers!). so after looking at what I spent in both calories and money eating out, i realized that Nutrisystem would probably be a good fit.

Hello Bread Lady and Welcome, Nutrisystem works if You stay on it, I lost over 200 pounds with it.

If You have a CostCo Membership or have a family member or friend that does they currently have a sale on the NS $100 Gift Cards for around $55 per $100 face value.

I had looked at Jenny as it is fairly close to me, It looked much more expensive too. After the first delivery I switched to the NS Program that gave me some frozen foods, then I switched again to be able to order all frozen after trying the frozen foods, especially the Breakfasts and Lunches. It does help that I have a freezer in the basement. The Various Rolls are tasty and for breakfast NS does have oatmeal and cereal, The Pancakes are tasty too as are the Muffins even if they are a little small, I warm mine in the Microwave FWIW.

The assorted Melts in the Frozen lunches are also pretty good.

I like the packaged Frozen Dinners and some of the Non refrigerated ones. The four Frozen Pizzas are tasty and have a nice crispy crust, add in the two no refrigeration need pizzas and that can satisfy some cravings. FWIW I sprinkle very lightly some Pecorino Romano Cheese to taste sometimes for variety. Also Not that If You have a Power Fuel for dinner You could use it as a extra topping on the Pizzas.

I have found that for me eating out or having takeout acts as a trigger that leads to overeating.

And it totally is so far - other than grabbing veggies to eat, it is very much "grab and go" food - no thinking. Exactly what I need at this stage when life is about my elementary age children, not me. And who knew - but my bank account already looks better. Apparently, I was eating out a LOT in february/march.

So here goes. The first week is rough - very, very low calorie. But it is just a week and then I get to have supplemental food. I'm hoping this works. It HAS too because I don't have the strength for anything else right now. And if all goes well, in a few months I'll start my husband on it.

Any NS tips for this newbie are welcome!

I copied this from another message thread
"Roger I really like the fruits and veggies from Costco so much nicer, it is worth the trip for me"
I buy the large bags of frozen vegetables at CostCo and I like the way they package the Apples and the variety of them.

BTW if You have Your Hubby join do the refer a friend
https://www.nutrisystem.com/jsps_hmr/referral/share.jsp?traffic_source=header
GET $30
Give your friends $30 off their first plan, and you'll get $30 off too!

It should work unless they offer You a really god deal on a family plan if they have one, I never checked into that.

The NS plan will work when You stay with it.
This information was from NS a while back
Hi Roger,
Here is how we make substitutions for our foods with the Day Off Guide:
Breakfast Entree = 1 PF + 1 SC
Lunch Entree = 1 PF + 1 SC
Dinner Entree = 2 PF + 1 SC
Dessert = 1 SC
Since there is a range of calories within each category, you may find lunch and dinner entrees that are fairly comparable.

BTW I saved a bunch of recipes that might be helpful if You become interested in doing some cooking.
You can find some here
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/106935-ns-plan-recipes
Do not post there as currently I do not look at it due to lack of activity.

Do look at the Unlimited extras foods, You might find them helpful.

FWIW I found the MFP logging to be helpful, You could also log on Numi.com I found the MFP food logging more useful as You can add items You use with the Nutritional info here.

Feel Free to ask for anything You are having trouble with.
Once Again Welcome
Roger

hope4change_val wrote: »

Welcome BreadLady! In 2015, i used nutrisystem to lose 80 pounds. I was feeling great and wogging (walking/jogging) 3 to 10 miles daily. I remember my first few NS meals, i wanted to cry because the portions were so small compared to what i was used to. But it wasn’t long before my body and mind git accustomed to the portions.
Unfortunately in 2016, while out wogging, a loose Doberman attacked and i hurt my hip. Gor that next year, I was in uncontrollable pain and immobile. And I turned back to food as a coping mechanism. And I gained back every single pound. In 2017, i was just in denial. Then I got really sick...hospitalized with sepsis. So then just staying alive was my focus for 2018.
Beginning of 2019, I woke up again to the reality that I’m hurting my body by lugging around these extra 100 pounds. I’m avoiding or unable to do activities that I really want to do because of my excess weight. I’m now seeing a nutritionist and eating a healthy keto diet. I’ve dropped almost 25 pounds since the beginning of the year.
Nutritisystem is great for busy people! It doesn’t make it simple. I am happy for you taking that first step and joining us here.
Val

Hello Val
I remember that, we had a similar incident broadcast on the TV news where the Dog owner did nothing to help, People like that should be jailed.

I find that the simplicity of NS helps a lot, especially the tasty foods and and the healthy diet as long as You eat the Vegetables and fruits.

Good Luck Tomorrow
Roger

BreadLady41 wrote: »

thanks for the tips, all! i did get a costco membership - don't have one really close, but I was able to join online and buy the gift cards to help with the price next month. And I did buy the more expensive plan so I could switch out for meals i look and use frozens. having some bars and muffins for grab and go is a good option (I bake all the time and have a habit of making waffles or muffins or bagels and doing the freeze and grab and go option anyway), but for dinners I really want something better than the shelf-stable meals. I dropped all my water weight fast - 5.5 pounds in 3 days - so I know it's working already. i intend to stick with this till all the weight is lost and then intentionally transition in a way that will ensure I maintain (I want a clear maintenance plan in mind up front - I refuse to yo-yo like my mother did my whole life). Oncei master the right size and calorie density for the baked goods, I'll stop using nutrisystems and switch back to my own (I sell baked goods, actually, so it's crazy I would use anything from a package). I hate to cook, though, so if the frozen meals are good they might just have a customer for life. ha.

Hello Breadlady
I have a suspicion that the homemade grab and go foods might be high calorie ?

As I mentioned use the Free foods list. I also Buy the No Sugar Added Gherkins and No sugar added Sweet relish from Mount olive at 0 calories and the Vlassic no sugar added Bread and Butter Spears at 0 calories.
Due to the way the government regulates labels anything with a less than 5 calories a serving can be listed at 0 calories, Why, I do not know.

A inexpensive source of protein at CostCo are the large cans of Water Pack Chicken Breast add in a little Miracle Whip and the No Sugar added Sweet relish and use the 40 calorie bread and You have a sandwich You can grab and go with.

My maintenance plan is simple. When my NS order comes I delay the next one as long as possible and then intersperse the NS with healthy options from the store. This means avoiding their extra large baked goods and breaded foods. Pasta except from NS is pretty much a no go item as is the Hot foods section Mac and Cheese, Pastas and Pizza which is why I am happy that NS has those covered.

Read the Nutrition Labels, If You can not find the 40 calorie bread for example some of the Rye Bread has really large slices at 90 calories and If I use them for a sandwich I cut that slice in half and only use the one slice.

If You work Your way backwards I posted some Keto baked goods in this message thread that might help You with Your baking. Who knows You might be able to start selling healthy items too.

Have a Good Week
Roger

Humor has already been posted

Hi
I'm back home from walking and not a single solitary cent was found. The Temperature out the door was 47 degrees and rain is in the forecast and the forecast high is 55.

I have a coupon for $1.99 a pound butter and a different grocery store has Grand Opening plastered on the front page of their circular even though we checked them out a couple of weeks ago. Sale items with a $15 purchase are 18 large eggs for $0.98, Kraft Mayo for $0.98, a 24 pack of 1 liter bottled water for $1.98 and a 30 ounce Maxwell House Coffee for $3.98, a free pizza with the purchase of another one, Pass on that. Bounty or Charmin 12 pack Essential Paper Towels. Sounds cheaper than the usual CostCo price, I need to check them out, the word essential makes me wonder.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/why-scandinavian-banks-clean-reputations-are-threatened-by-dirty-money/ar-BBVG8oJ
Why Scandinavian Banks’ Clean Reputations Are Threatened by Dirty Money

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2019/04/06/blaze-pizza-restaurant-des-moines-iowa-ia-offers-free-pizza-logo-tattoo-flame-twisted-ink/3387288002/
Would you get a pizza shop’s logo tattooed for free food? These Des Moines residents did.

Serendipity ?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/07/suspected-rhino-poacher-south-africa-killed-elephant-eaten-lions/3393755002/
Suspected rhino poacher in South Africa killed by an elephant, eaten by a pack of lions


Have a Nice Tuesday
Roger

BreadLady41 wrote: »

RogerToo wrote: »

I have a suspicion that the homemade grab and go foods might be high calorie ?

Homemade baked goods CAN be terrible - if using traditional recipes. I always use WAY less sugar than called for with quick breads (cookbook says 1 1/4 cup sugar for muffins. I use 1/3 cup) and find anything purchased at a store is worse than mine in calorie content. But mostly I make breads - and for those, it depends on the recipe. I make everything at least half whole wheat - many things are fully whole wheat. Then cut out the oils, sugars, etc, and pay attention to portion sizes, and I have found that my homemade breads are less calorie dense and far higher in fiber than what I can get at the store, when comparing by WEIGHT. and that's the key - always weigh.

Hello Breadlady
If I said the most succesful bread my brother makes is a beer bread using Dark Ale.

I completely agree, weighing everything is key. I weigh using the gram setting on the kitchen scale as that gives a finer weight gradient.

BTW when I started to get serious about losing weight the first thing I did was ditch my digital scale and went to a balance beam scale.
This one to be specific. I'm pretty sure I paid less than the displayed price too.
Health O Meter 402LB Mechanical Beam Scale, Height Rod, 400 lb. Capacity, 10-1/2" x 14" x 3-1/4" Platform
https://www.amazon.com/Health-402LB-Mechanical-Capacity-Platform-x/dp/B000FCF9EA

My issue with weight loss isn't a lack of knowledge of nutritional value or calorie density or anything like that - in fact, between my pregnancies I successfully lost and maintained the loss of 60 pounds using a whole foods, vegan diet. (I don't believe in cutting carbs. I believe in cutting simple carbs.) I then gained all the weight back during a subsequent pregnancy and simply haven't lost any of it since.

My failure to lose weight is that my life is so busy at this stage that I have been unable to keep up with planning and preparing wholesome foods, leaving me to rely on packaged food and deliveries and of course, eating out is what does it. I was eating out daily for lunch and multiple times a week for dinner, and sabotaging any weight loss efforts I made.

So I chose Nutrisystem. So far the food is not great, but I can eat it - and the convenience far outweighs the quality issues. I think this time my attempt will succeed because the convenience keeps me from eating out. Around the house our snacks tend to be what NS calls "power fuels" and "smart carbs" and veggies - things like bananas, yogurt, peanut butter, carrots, apples, lettuce, and cucumbers. So I do need to improve my veggie intake, but so far I am keeping up with this. 5 days in - I'm feeling good about the way this is working.

I eat Vegetable twice a day with my lunch and my dinner, each time 170 grams of the frozen vegetables, usually some of the weight is baby carrots and the rest the frozen ones.
If I buy the frozen vegetables at the Local Grocery store when they are on sale a $0.99 cent bag is good for the day.

I noticed that NS has some new Lunch Melts one is tagged as new and the other two were not around for my last order. I have hopes that they will also be delicious. Those are the:
Thai Style Chicken Melt
BBQ Chicken Melt and the
Beef Stir Fry Melt
A note about the ratings, when You see Zero reviews and no rating it is because the item is to new for users to have reviews and rated them.
With the melts I have started not eating the ends where it is all dough and no filling to reduce the carbs. Too many Carbs give me cravings as do snack foods and prepared foods from the stores.

When I started doing maintenance I also found that eating out was a sure fire way to gain weight.

Have a Nice Day
Roger



Hi Jan