I'm asked a lot about the pluses and minuses / pros and cons of the nutrisystem diet since I often write about this weight loss plan and how it works. In this article, I'll try to provide a balanced, unbiased review of what I think are the great and not so great things about the nutrisystem diet.
Pros: I do believe that the pros far outweigh the cons with this plan, so I will list them first.
1. It Is Very Effective. I've come to believe that if you follow and stick with the diet as planned you can not help but lose weight. I spend a lot of time in weight loss forums and find that the few folks who aren't having success are just not sticking with it or are cheating. But, I haven't found anyone who has stuck with it faithfully that didn't get results.
Nutrisystem is really a low carb diet (although you certainly don't have to eat meat all of the time.) It's low in calories and high in protein as well. This works to put your body in metabolic state where it is fooled into burning its own fat. I find that this is effective for most people.
And, results come pretty quickly which helps to motivate you to stick with it.
2. Lots Of Good Tasting Choices: Nutrisystem has over 130 food choices available and many of them are comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, fajitas, pizza, and tacos. There are also lots of desserts and snacks available. And, you never have to count points, worry about keeping track of carbs, or count calories here. All of the foods are glycemic friendly and safe. Jillian Barberie wasn't kidding when she said that she got to eat pizza and chocolate on this diet. Ok, so the pizza doesn't exactly taste like Chicago deep dish, but it's not half bad. I find that the taste and variety of this food puts it head and shoulders above many of the other diets I've tried and I'm very picky.
Convenience: Many of the foods in this diet are prepackaged and require very little preparation. Some are literally grab and go. You are asked to add veggies and proteins to your Nutrisystem meals (salad, yogurt, etc.), and you are asked to eat five times per day, but the meals are small and there isn't much prep time associated with them. It's also nice that you never have to count or tally anything. You just eat five of the plans meals per day and know that you are safe.
Cons: Now, onto what might be considered cons by some.
1. It Takes Some Getting Used To At First: Over time, I've grown to really enjoy having my meals mostly provided for me, but this was not always the case. Eating five times per day can really take some getting used to. I used to skip breakfast and eat a snack type lunch. I can't do that on Nutriystem because I have to eat regularly to keep my metabolism strong. And, if you're someone who loves to plan, cook and eat elaborate meals, you may find having your own food provided difficult. (Sure, you can get elaborate with your sides, but if you're a "foodie," this might frustrate you until you get used to it.)
2. Having To Add The Sides With Every Meal And Eating So Often: I know that I have gotten spoiled over time and I understand that I need a regular supply of fresh healthful foods to be as healthy as I possible can. But, once I got used to eating the pre provided meals, then I did not want to take the time to add the sides. I've learned that the best thing for me to do is make good use of bagged salads, frozen stir-fry, and prepackaged yogurts. I also now assemble what I can ahead of time, but it took me a while to get the hang of this.
Eating five times per day was a challenge at first, but I've learned that this is necessary to keep the metabolism revved and fully functional. Luckily, the meals are small and most are grab and go, so this helps.
3 Cost: With the price of gas and groceries so high, the cost of this plan doesn't seem altogether that bad now, but it certainly isn't free. The average price of a month's worth of Nutrisystem is about $290. This works out to be about $10 per day, which certainly isn't bad.
I was worried about the cost, but it just hadn't been an issue as being on this diet has greatly cut down the amount of money I was spending on eating out and splurging on treats. My grocery bill has come way down as well, since most of my food is provided.
Still, I understand that some people will be skeptical at having to buy food outside of their family's groceries, but I'd argue that every time you buy your lunch at work, you're doing just that anyway.
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