This week, I obsessed over every aspect of the Nutrisystem diet. Our in-depth review focused on the meal delivery system, pricing and auto-ship, customer service quality and clinical research. Plus, we read hundreds of testimonials and user experiences. Then, we summarized and condensed to give you the info you need.
What is the Nutrisystem Meal Plan?
First off, Nutrisystem is a commercially-available weight-loss plan that works with the meal delivery premise. [1] The diet focuses on portion control, balanced nutrition and frequent eating. [2] How you use the products, depends on the plan followed. One benefit is that the foods are shipped directly to your home.
Nutrisystem was founded in 1972 and initially offered weight-loss counseling services at select locations. It has been involved in a voluntary recall. [3] The available plans are sold by the company and they’re also available at local stores. We like the longevity of the business and that we found some positive comments, but read on…
You don't have to count calories, but you also don’t learn to cook healthy.The Cost – “A Bit Pricey?”
The first concern mentioned in Nutrisystem diet reviews is the high cost. “There’s a wealth of information showing meal-replacement programs may help with weight-loss [4],” said our Research Editor. “Some dieters may not be able to benefit from this eating plan when the 4-week plan starts at $275.”
“The $99 dollar cancellation fee just placed me in a [bad] situation. I was planning to continue the program after I get settled but after this, I wouldn’t want to,” said another.
According to some Nutrisystem reviews, cost wasn’t a concern.
“I made sure to call into Nutrisystem to clarify how the program works, the cost, or any extra fees I need to know about before purchasing,” said a customer.
Scroll below for one of the best products we’ve seen over the last year.
Meal Options With Nutrisystem – “Could Get Boring”
Based on Nutrisystem reviews, the food choices could become stagnant over time. One user said, “I don’t have much of a sweet tooth so I’m not thrilled about the amount of sweet ‘meals’ are in the package.”
“The portions are small in relation to the calorie content. [5] I haven’t eaten all of the products in the box, but the ones I have tried were [not great],” said a customer.
While some users didn’t like the options, we found customers that appreciated the variety with Nutrisystem kit.
“I needed…a program that was prepared for me, that had no alternative choices and was rigid and tasty enough to satisfy me. It was better than a self-sustained program [6],” said a customer.
“The meals are packaged wonderfully and are very convenient. The portion control [7] helped me lose those extra pounds,” reported another.
Our research indicates that if there’s part of a diet program that’s difficult, like limited food choices, long-term success could be limited. If you use the Nutrisystem kit and don’t have variety, is it worth the price?
The Science – “Valid?”
We appreciate the customer testimonials and Nutrisystem before and after photos of those that have used the meal delivery diet. What we would have liked to see more of is scientific research showing this program helps you lose weight. There’s a wealth of solid science showing a link between portion control, eating balanced meals several times per day and weight-loss. [8] Unfortunately, the research simply isn’t presented, aside from information relating to short-term success with weight-management. At DietSpotlight, we like when there’s evidence a self-monitoring [9] weight-management plan is effective and has the evidence to back the claims.
The Bottom Line – Does Nutrisystem Work?
Will the Nutrisystem meal plan help you drop those pounds? There’s a chance you could see improvements, but we’re concerned that there’s no research to support the claims. [10] We also are a bit hesitant about this one because of customers are talking about the high price tag and the limited food choices.
If you’d like to jump-start your weight-loss, we suggest including a supplement that’s affordable, shown to work and supported by positive customer comments.
Among the best products we’ve seen this year is one called Dietspotlight Burn. It is made with a unique blend of four clinically-tested ingredients which have been shown to help accelerate metabolism and boost fat loss. There’s no chatter about harmful side effects and the talk online is about people seeing great results.
Also, the makers of Dietspotlight Burn are so confident in their product, they’re offering a Special Trial Offer.
Previous Nutrisystem Review (Updated October 9, 2014):
What You Should Know About the Nutrisystem Diet
Nutrisystem is a diet plan that consists of planned meals, as opposed to many other diet programs, which offer oral medications that suppress hunger. The Nutrisystem dieting system can be broken down into seven different categories. First you have the "Women's Program," which is formulated to be low in fat and involves the "Glycemic Index." Second you have the "Men's Program." This program supposedly allows men to enjoy standard male eating habits, but lose weight at the same time. Next you have the "Silver" programs. These are formulated for senior dieters, and there is a program that addresses men and one geared toward women. These Nutrisystem diet programs include something called "Nutrihance," which works as a vitamin supplement for those over 60 years of age. Finally there's the "Vegetarian Program." Naturally this program aims to encourage weight loss, but with all vegetarian meals.
The primary marketed program from Nutrisystem is called "Nutrisystem Advanced." This dieting system offers 28 days of Nutrisystem food, a daily meal planner, an exercise DVD to assist with physical fitness, weigh loss counseling and a few online tools. Aside from weight-loss programs, Medifast is an alternate weight-loss program that offers specific foods to be consumed on a regular basis that include soups, entrees, bars, shakes in a four day meal plan. In case you were wondering, the complete Nutrisystem program is delivered to your home. It appears that each program sells for $300-$350 per month. Ideal Protein Phase 1 is a similar plan in many ways; they too offer tools, coaching and a somewhat strict food plan. With these Nutrisystem programs, you can choose from at least 120 different meal options. Essentially you select the meals and desserts you desire, as long as they apply to the program that suits you.
List of Ingredients
Not really applicable.
Product Features
Nutrisystem is basically a diet program that's based on pre-planned meals, which are geared toward different types of dieters, male and female, young and mature. This system aims to reduce the user's body weight by incorporating low-fat meals with minimal carbohydrates and sufficient protein. Similar to how the Ketosis Diet aims to burn fat with a primarily protein based diet. The Glycemic Index is a key factor of Nutrisystem, which concerns "healthy carbs." As opposed to many diet supplements that consist of pills, Nutrisystem is a meal-based diet plan. The dieter can purchase a month or more of planned meals in advance to potentially lose weight.
Advantages of Nutrisystem
- Nutrisystem offers various plans that apply to different types of people.
- A prescription is not needed with Nutrisystem.
Disadvantages of Nutrisystem
- There is no manufacturer guarantee that the Nutrisystem diet plan will work for you.
- Nutrisystem may be rather expensive for the average consumer since it costs over $300 per month.
- The pre-planned Nutrisystem meals may get a bit tiresome for some dieters, who prefer greater variety.
- Other weight loss systems and dieting plans sell for less.
- Some users may prefer a simpler dieting plan that merely involves a pill or capsule that's taken once daily.
- Some find meals unappetizing. (See reader reviews.)
- The Nutrisystem diet may not curb hunger for all users, since portion sizes are non-negotiable.
Conclusion
While Nutrisystem is certainly an interesting diet program that makes daily meal preparation a cinch, it appears to be significantly higher priced than many other dieting programs. Nutrisystem would likely benefit dieters that wish to have their entire eating schedule planned out for them each day like in The 80/20 Diet and other books that outline healthy eating. However, that doesn't mean that Nutrisystem will absolutely assist you in the weight loss process. On the bright side, Nutrisystem does not have to be prescribed by a medical professional, but it may not look as appealing as some of the other convenient diet medications and programs currently available.
Nutrisystem is a meal-delivery system that takes the trouble and work out of cooking health foods and tracking macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein and fats. You can pick up a starter kit at some large retailers. Meals tend to be small and there have been reports that the taste is not ideal.
Nutrisystem Ingredients and Supplement Facts
Serving Per Container: Varies
| Amount per Serving | % DV | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | * | * |
| - Oatmeal | * | * |
| - Biscotti | * | * |
| - Cinnamon Roll | * | * |
| Lunch | * | * |
| - Meal Replacement Bars | * | * |
| - Wraps (Pizza, Southwest, Steak and Cheese, etc...) | * | * |
| - Hamburgers / Chicken | * | * |
| Dinner | * | * |
| - Enchilada | * | * |
| - Stuffed Chicken Breast / Chicken Parmesan | * | * |
| - Flatbread Pizza | * | * |
| Snacks | * | * |
| - Snack Bars | * | * |
| - Cupcake | * | * |
| - Sundae | * | * |
Other Ingredients: None
Portion Control
Portion control is crucial for weight management, however, urging individuals just to eat less of all foods isn’t always the ideal approach as high energy dense meals disproportionately elevate energy intake in comparison to foods lower in energy density. A strategy that would prove more effective would be to encourage individuals to raise the proportion of foods that are lower in energy density while only consuming limited amounts of high energy dense foods. If people intake foods low in energy density, they can eat a meal, feel satisfied and manage their body weight. [1]
65 obese subjects were randomized [BMI (body mass index) ≥ 30 and < 40] to an intervention which included counseling by portion control plate or to usual care. Out of the participants, 42 returned to have weight observed at the six-month marker. Participants in the portion control group experienced higher percentage difference in weight from the start to 3 months (-2.4% ± 3.7% versus -0.5% ± 2.2%; p = 0.041) and an insignificant tendency in weight change from start to 6 months (-2.1% ± 3.8% versus -0.7% ± 3.7%; p = 0.232) in comparison to usual care. Almost a half of those given portion control diets reported that the interventions were beneficial and a majority of participants recommended it. In conclusion, the study indicates that a portion control intervention infusing dietary counseling could be a beneficial way for obese patients to lose weight. Portion control and intervention need further studies for evaluating weight control within a primary care setting. [2]
Frequent Eating
All subjects were included in the intention-to-treat analysis (n=54). Body weight reduced in both regimens (p<0.001), even more in the B2 group (−2.3 kg; 95% confidence interval −2.7, −2.0 kg for A6 versus −3.7 kg; 95% confidence interval −4.1, −3.4 kg for B2; p < 0.001).Hepatic fat content reduced as a result of treatment in both regimens (p < 0.001),even more for B2 (−0.03%; 95% confidence interval −0.033%, −0.027% for A6 versus −0.04%; 95% confidence interval −0.041%, −0.035% for B2; p = 0.009). C-peptide and fasting plasma glucose levels reduced in all participants (p < 0.001), even more for B2 (p = 0.004 and p = 0.04). There was a decrease in fasting plasma glucose present with the B2 regimen (p < 0.001), and it also elevated in A6 group (p = 0.04, p < 0.001, respectively). It was thus concluded that only breakfast and lunch decreased body weight, fasting plasma glucose, hepatic fat content, C-peptide, and glucagon. It also elevates OGIS. The results indicate that for those with type 2 diabetes on a hypoenergetic diet, consuming bigger meals at breakfast and lunch could be more effective than six smaller meals throughout the day. [3]
- References
- 1. What is the role of portion control in weight management? (2014). International Journal of Obesity. December 15, 2016.
- 2. Portion control for the treatment of obesity in the primary care setting. (2011). BMC Research Notes. December 15, 2016.
- 3. Eating two larger meals a day (breakfast and lunch) is more effective than six smaller meals in a reduced-energy regimen for patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomised crossover study. (2014). Diabetologia. December 15, 2016.
Nutrisystem Side Effects:
On any mission to lose weight, there can be some unanticipated hurdles along the way. Some weight-loss products have the potential to bring some uncomfortable, additional outcomes. Users of Nutrisystem menu have experienced a few issues, though they are not common.
Constipation
Constipation occurs when bowel movements slow down or cease altogether. This inability to move the bowel can be extremely uncomfortable, bringing abdominal pain. Constipation can lead to infection and other serious complications.
What causes constipation?
There are many issues that can lead to constipation, including acute conditions, but the most likely causes are stress, dehydration, or a lack of fiber intake. Other common causes include changes in diet or medications.
Vomiting
Vomiting is the involuntary or forcible voluntary emptying of the stomach contents through the mouth. [1] Vomiting itself is not a disease but is a symptom of other conditions.
What causes vomiting?
Although there are many severe conditions that can cause vomiting, some as drastic as encephalitis, meningitis, blocked intestines and appendicitis, the most common causes include stress, motion sickness, food poisoning and changes in diet. [2]
Headaches
A headache is any pain in the head and can occur in the front, back or on either side. Headache pain can be intermittent, spontaneous, or relentless and can be described as throbbing, crushing or squeezing. Headaches typically originate in nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissues.
What causes headaches?
Headaches can be brought about by an extensive list of triggers including stress, weather, fatigue, caffeine, alcohol, bright lighting, and smoke. More severe causes include high blood pressure, heart disease or a tumor. Another common culprit is a change in diet or medication, including supplements.
Bloating
Bloating happens as a result of air or gas in the stomach, making the abdomen feel larger than normal and firm to the touch. Bloating likely will produce pain and discomfort.
What causes bloating?
While there are a few more severe causes of bloating, such as an obstructed bowel, the most common origins are less serious. Bloating is often the result of eating or drinking too rapidly, or can stem from the consumption of indigestible foods or food additives, sweeteners, and substitutes.
Nutrisystem diet plan users have reported side effects like headaches and bloating, among others, but they’re not often found. We always suggest seeking advice from a doctor before starting Nutrisystem plans, especially if you have a medical condition of any kind.
- References
- 1. Vomiting (2009). Mayo Clinic. October 7, 2016.
- 2. Causes of vomiting (2013). Cleveland Clinic. April 7, 2016.
Summer Banks, Director of Content at Dietspotlight, has researched over 5000 weight-loss programs, pills, shakes and diet plans. Previously, she managed 15 supplement brands, worked with doctors specializing in weight loss and completed coursework in nutrition at Stanford University. full bio.
Leave a comment or review
I have been on Nutrisystem for 20 days, I have lost 16.4 pounds. I have tried every diet you could think of with little to no results. Nutrisystem is working for me because of the portion control and the labelling of the food. This system has removed the guess work. The food is tasty in some areas and bland in some areas. Remember though food is for fuel for the body nothing else. Once you have reached your weight loss goal, you can go back to eating whatever you want but now with portion control and caloric intake accountability. This will assist in keeping the weight off. This is a lifestyle change. Don’t cheat your body and it won’t cheat you. I want to lose about 50 pounds and I have been meticulous with tracking my weight loss, blood pressure, and glucose levels. Once I have reached my goal, which for the first time in a LONG time, I think it just might be possible. I intend to send my results and logs to Nutrisystem for them to use however they see fit. The weight loss roller coaster ride is a depressing and painful journey. Whether Nutrisystem is right or wrong, it has given me hope and renewed my spirit to fight for my goal. I will stay on my journey and look forward to reaching my goal… 😎
hi im considering this diet but only need to loose 20 lbs and i was wondering if there is a big difference between the plan food from the site and the 5 day meals from Walmart? 🙂 :hmm: 😛
I purchased the 5 day plan from walmart the homestyle one. It gave me a chance to try the plan. I bought my produce and a smoothy blender for the shakes. The food is okay to tasty- I lost 5 pounds by the end of 5 days so I ordered ala cart frozen food and some other choices from nutrisystem. I had to pick up another 5 day kit while I waited for my nutrisystem order to come. The frozen food is really good, you just have to buy quite a bit to get free shipping. I did not do the auto ship or monthly plan as it seems many have complained about problems cancelling.
I started Nutrisystem on 12/31/16 and so far, have lost 15 pounds, and have dropped a complete size. I am never hungry, the food is delicious, and I plan on staying on it until I lose 50 lbs. and keep it off for one year. As far as price goes, the reason most people see it as pricey is because you are paying for a month’s worth of food in one payment. Nobody, at least that I know of, spends $350.00 a month on the majority of their groceries for one person. I went through 90 days of spend (Oct, Nov, and Dec) for the food I purchased at grocery stores and restaurants and compared it with the cost of NS. It came to about $30.00 less with NS. Now, since I’ve been on it for 6 weeks, I’ve only eaten at a restaurant one time. I’m not buying junk food and with the addition of fruits, veggies, and proteins, I still come out way under what I was spending before NS — in other words, I’m saving money. Regarding the gas/bloat issue. This is not specific to NS. Any time you introduce a good amount of fiber into the body, it causes gas and bloating, so please folks, don’t blame this on NS. I always chuckle at reviews because they are nothing more than an opinion based on personal experience. As far as food portions, again, I laugh, because in reading the reviews about portion size on NS (on other sites), I see so many complaining about the portion size being too small. Um, people? We are trying to lose weight and retrain ourselves to eat ‘normal’ portion sizes. I hear complaints about people needing to salt the food as well. Again, people, we are and should be cutting way back on sodium. We live in a self-indulgent, “I want it my way”, culture of whining babies. You want to lose weight? Stop eating so much and choosing the wrong foods. Nutrisystem is amazingly convenient for those of us who do not want to spend a lot of time prepping food. The food is delicious, lots to choose from and it’s priced reasonably. I highly recommend it. Well, so does Marie Osmond. Good luck to anyone on the program. It certainly is working for me.
I have been on nutrisystem for a week know and lost 5 pounds. Food is great . Walmart sells it for 42.00 for a weeks worth of food. Very reasonable.
The food is gross….worse that regular frozen food…certainly not “real” food….don’t waste your money (unless you don’t care about taste)
I have been eating Nutrisystem for only a week now and have had horrible bloating and gas, which I’m not prone to have. Something in the ingredients or much of the food does not agree with me; perhaps some additive. I’m throwing the rest away and cancelling the next autoshipment. I was on Jenny Craig about 10 years ago and didn’t have these issues, except for one of the JC anytime bars. Otherwise, the taste of most of this food is fine.
It is because you are introducing new foods and healthy eating into your diet, its not the food, its because your not use to eating healthy…
Hello Sandi. If these side effects have become a significant issue for you, we suggest stopping Nutrisystem and consulting your physician. Another way you might want to lose weight is through Dietspotlight Burn. With positive customer reviews and clinical research, we think this supplement is worth a try.
I’ve been on the program for 4 weeks and have lost 13 lbs. I feel so much better in my clothes. I plan to lose another 20 lbs. The first week on the Turbo diet I too experienced gas and bloating. So much so that I had to put a fan on the floor of my cubicle to keep the air clear. I think it’s caused by the shakes and the crush bars. Since I’ve switched over to their food the gas has stopped….except for the chili and the rice and beans, which I won’t order again. Not that they tasted bad but they gave me serious gas.
I just started and for someone who has lived to eat instead of eating to live, it has been perfect. My problem was controlling my eating once I started. This plan makes it easy because there is no thinking, just look at the list of food to eat, take it out of the box, and eat it. No questions about what to eat, if it isn’t in the package, don’t eat it. As far as taste, I need to get away from enjoying eating and realize eating is just to give the calories I need to function. I need to focus on routines, activity, being with friends and family. Food can’t be my focus or I will fail. Just my thoughts though, we are all different:)
I bought 3 different kinds of the 5 day boxes at Walmart. The first 2 weeks were great, I was never hungry and lost 12 lbs. Week 3 was the total opposite, the food tastes horrible, I’m constantly hungry and the only weight I lost that week is from vomiting. I will not be purchasing again
It works… it about portion control, regarding taste, try to be creative I always add garlic, onions (from the pan) tomatoes even a touch of pesto to give the food some love etc. Simply if you have the desire to you can. The 1st week is the toughest, because you are breaking a habit, but will show great results if you stick with it.
I wish I could say all the nice things I am reading. I’ve been on the program for 2 weeks now and have not lost a pound! I followed the first week strictly and was expecting some great results and I only lost 2 pounds. The first week was difficult but I stuck it through. I was disappointed but still encourage. After my second, when I started eating more calories, and working out even more, I gained the 2lbs right back! Very discourage at the moment but I am going to stick with the for the rest of the month. Although I am not losing weight, I am loving my new eating habits. I eat at least 4cups of veggies a day, I stopped eating candies and drinking soda. I used to eat peanut M&Ms everyday and now I don’t even pass by the vending machine. lol I was told by a counselor to increase my calories intake because I workout a lot so hopefully, week 3 and 4 give me some happy results
Hello Mya! We are sorry you haven’t been seeing the weight loss results you seek. If you want to add a clinically researched supplement to your healthy diet, you may want to consider Dietspotlight Burn.
Don’t get discouraged on this or any diet. I asked the Wellness Director at work why I wasn’t losing weight, but my clothes were getting looser. I was also going to Planet Fitness with a friend a few tines a week. She said that what was happening was that I was building muscle, and redistributing my weight bc of exercise.
I say, if my clothes are getting looser, I don’t care what the scale says.
Good luck on your quest!
I’ve been on Nutrisystem for 4 days and have followed it to the T, and I’ve lost 11 pounds. 11 POUNDS!! I know it’s still very early for me, but frankly, I think the food tastes pretty good (although the portions are laughably small), and yes, it is expensive. But, when you really look at what you used to spend on food….groceries, going out to dinner, running to the store here and there just to pick up a few things, the plan isn’t THAT expensive. $340/4 weeks = $85 per week, plus you are probably spending $20 on extras. So $105 per week….I think we used to spend more than that before, going out to dinner, etc. I am finding that the shakes are AMAZING at curbing appetite, and drinking enough water is CRITICAL in not only helping to curb hunger, but also in digestion. I think I am getting A LOT more fiber (and protein) than I used to, and the water helps in processing that extra fiber. I’ve tried Weight Watchers in the past, and lost about 20 pounds then stopped (weight loss stopped…got stuck). Trying on my own has been very unsuccessful. I have a long way to go (over 100 lbs.), but so far I’ve been quite happy with Nutrisystem. I feel I have more energy and ‘bloat’ feeling I used to feel is GONE. I guess it’s all about priorities….how bad do you want to lose the weight? I will add though that if you have any kind of issue (IBS, digestion issues), then you should definitely check with your doctor before starting any weight loss plan. Good luck everyone!!
The food is truly inedible unless you have no taste buds. Here’s an example. The pizza was a tasteless cracker that is covered with a small amount of tasteless sauce and covered with an even smaller amount of tasteless fake cheese, it was absolutely disgusting. The other entrees were also horrible and I ended up throwing everything out. The food is truly terrible.
I didn’t think the pizza was as bad as you say. I sauteed some onions with zucchini and put on top and it added flavor and gave me a vege item.
I, also add veggies to the pizza. I add onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and eggplant when I can get a good one.
In the past 5 years I have gained almost 30 lbs due to hypothyroidism, which has caused depression and isolation. I live alone. Because I am self employed. I go out to do my work and return home immediately. My social life consists of babysitting my grandchildren. I’ve done pills, supplements, plexus (which can be just as expensive if you buy all the different parts). I joined weight watchers. Then I just said..I’m done with all that nonsense and joined nutrisystem. When I set my mind to something I follow through. I do not cook for myself very often. When I do it is usually something quick that has too many carbs. Plus I would only eat at night time. I don’t understand what people are saying about the high sodium. If I have too much sodium. I swell up like a balloon. The key is to drink enough water to counteract the sodium. I’m a very picky eater. I find the food very good. So, instead of eating 1 meal at the end of the day, my meals are picked out for me. I am eating 6 times a day. Yes the first week is hard. It is on anything you do. What makes us fat in the first place is eating all the yummy foods that are loaded with fat, carbs, sugar and other harmful things. Of course this isn’t going to taste like that. Someone said the muffins are so small, yet have 150 calories. Do you know that a muffin you buy at the grocery store has around 500-600 calories per muffin? If you are complaining, you must not be ready to make a lifestyle change. I am pleased that everything is marked. I can grab and go.
I agree. I had been struggling to try to curb my carb and sugar addictions. After moving from Florida to Ohio 8 years ago, my lifestyle came to a screeching halt….and I put on about 30 lbs over that time. I’ve tried several diets and they worked short term but I’ve always gone back to my old eating habits I picked up after moving. So 4 weeks ago I decided to try NutraSystem. As of yesterday I’ve lost 13 lbs. I really love the fact that I don’t have to think about what to eat…I like the grab and go and not having to prepare foods too much. Not that I’m lazy, I love to cook, but eating this way is teaching me portion control…it’s shrinking my stomach size and I truly feel full after eating my meals and because of the snacks (low fat string cheese, almonds, yogurt, etc.), I’m not getting hungry in between meals…and I love the fact that I can have a snack in the evening. I’m going to stick with this…waiting for my second order to arrive this week. It was nice to be able to choose the foods I want so I was able to avoid the items that made me gassy. Good luck…stick with it, and try to learn something along the way.
I agree with Kim here. Most of the people on this website who are complaining is because they have to go through the pain of changing bad eating habits, so they ultimately blame Nutrisystem. Any diet you go on will be difficult at the beginning. Y I have been on Nutrisystem for 3 years. I have lost about 21 lbs and kept it off. I only purchase the Ala-Cart items then add fruits and veggies. The biggest learning curve from Nutrisystem is portion control. Americans all eat way too much food. It took a while to get used to eating half sized portions of food, but believe me, it’s the only way. Exercising and eating too much just doens’t work and it’s a waste of time. PORTION CONTROL IS THE KEY!!
I’ve been on Nutrisystem for a week and now I have a bladder infection, even after drinking the amount of water recommended. I wish I had done this research before committing to this program. I’ve never eaten so many preservatives. I hope I haven’t ruined my health!
Ruined your health? Wow, that’s quite a dramatic statement to make. You had a bladder infection, you weren’t poisoned. LOL! You should have done your research before you ate “so many preservatives”. Know this, Nutrisystem has one of the most robust and advanced Research & Development labs across the food & drug category. I now this because my employer, an executive search firm, placed their SVP, R&D. You should have been drinking at least 64 oz of water BEFORE you even went on NS, if you are concerned about your health. Again, I shake my head at those of you who complain and blame right out of the gate. Good luck!
I opted to try the program when a friend introduced me and I received a $50 discount. Even with the discount the cost was $250 for 4 weeks for the Core Program including the Turbo start-up kit. I didn’t notice at the time that I had committed to another 4 weeks via their auto-delivery plan (another $299) as this was in the fine print. I didn’t like that and felt it was somewhat unethical but that’s another story. I am now almost through the second week. The first week was tough to say the least. You have got to really want to do this! The food is rather tasteless so you have to really doctor it up. You can eat as many vegetables as you like so I would add some of these and some spices into the dishes. I think the frozen food may be better but I didn’t chose this due to the added on expense. I did buy a few Lean Cuisines and sub’d some of these for meals. They tasted much better than the shelf entrees from Nutrisystem. The shakes do help curb the hunger in between. I am looking for some alternative shakes I can buy from grocers since I ran-out of these. I received an offer for 50% off the Turbo shakes from Nutrisystem but noticed it required another auto-delivery plan to get the reduced price. gggrrrrrr! Won’t fall for that again!
You can buy the shakes at Walmart in the diet isle.
I went on Nutrisystem Jan 27 2016. I was 305 lbs. Went back to Dr April 7 2016. Lost 50.4 I guess weight loss may depend on individual body chemistry. I I was eating Nutrisystem and drinking 4 bottles of water (sometimes more) 16.9 oz. I’m maintaining by eating regular food sometimes and Nutrisystem sometimes. This week I’m doing both…so far, all is well.
50.4 pounds in 2 months! Yay! Congratulations!! Keep up the good work.
Congratulations on your weight loss! Inspiring!
My husband and I started on the same day. We like it, cut back to dinners my way which fits our life style with such a busy work schedule. Learned to work in my own snacks occasionally. Best of all after being on 5 months have learned portion control. My husband lost 25 lbs and got to goal weight quickly (good for him). I’m at 20, losing very slowly but it took me decades to put the weight on. I plan on using the turbo shakes as long as I can.
I do not recommend this diet esp. If you suffer from Bowel Disorder do not use this diet you will be sick, it was to the point
I was passing blood, the food is horrible, the meat smells like Dog Food. I lost 14 lbs.no wonder I could not tolerate the food, my Dr. told me to get off this plan but now I am using something else. Having no problems.
I have been on the nutrisystem mail plan for about 4 days now. Sunday evening for dinner I had the chicken alfredo and I felt like I wanted to gag. And then on Monday I had the Kung Pao Spicy noodles and yet again I wanted to gag. Is that normal? Or better yet, is this happening to anyone else? What should I do.
The dry goods chicken alfredo was was absolutely gross. Not sure the specs are the same (ie calories and protein) but the Weightwatchers chicken alfredo – especially if you add some frozen broccoli – is excellent. I made the mistake of ordering Core too – that dry food stuff is barely even food. I’ve made it easy by just adding a two-ingredient salad (with one Tablespoon low cal dressing) every lunch and at least one large serving of (usually frozen) veggies every dinner. That will even get you thru Turbo Takeoff week. I found I need to supplement (cheat) with apples, low fat cheese sticks, deli meat etc. every once in a while or I start to feel sick. I plan to stop using NS foods (replacing quick meal plans with other decent tasting frozen low fat meals from the store) but keep up the salad and veggies habit. Weighing yourself weekly for life is just about the only way to stay on track 🙁
I agree the dry food isn’t all that good and I’ve have off the charts pain in my abdomen after eating it. (Has anyone else had this problem?) I’ve had no problems with the frozen food. It tastes better, too. Good luck on your weight loss journey.
Try everything they have to find out what you like then on your next tell them exactly what you want thats what i did and I’ve lost 27 pounds in just under 4 months.
Hello Lisa! All users are different and can experience different results, but please make sure to consult with your physician before continuing taking this product if you are still having side effects.
Robin I have IBS and have not only had a lot of gas I have been very constipated. So what are you using now as I need to loose at least 50 lbs. Do you suggest I contact my GIFT dr.?
If you don’t cook and if you normally eat a lot of processed foods, this may be for you. And if you want to loose substantial weight. Tried it for month, the food was not pleasing to taste, too high in sodium and calories for the portion size. I can make better tasting, healthier food for less sodium and larger portion size on my own. Yuck, in my opinion. Had 20 pounds to lose, didn’t lose much at all to make it (the cost, the lack of enjoyment of food, etc) worth it.
I have 20 pounds to lose as well. I found the diet made me experience gas, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. The food is also high in sodium. I sent the rest back.
i started nutrisystem through a wall mart jump start packager. I found it super easy….then I found a nutrisystem store nearby that I can buy what ever I want.. So I just buy the breakfast and lunchs and do weight watchers dinners for our family. Works out great..so far have lost 10 pounds in over a month. I deaf. would not want to do the dinners.. too much sodium, and I think the point is to learn portion control and how to cook.. this way I am learning both… I would tell everyone to see if they have a nutrisystem store nearby.. this way you don’t have to join.. no shipping fees.. just buy what you want..
Some of the shelf-stable foods are a bit weird, or just plain gross. But the frozen options were really good! They now offer a plan where you can choose all frozen, instead of just the ten days. I had horrible IBS for years before starting this. I have had almost no issues with it at all in two years. And I lost 40#. It’s a great program if you pay attention to portion size and learn from that.
Jennifer, do you mean it took you two years to lose 40 lbs? I would find that discouraging.
I’ve been trying to tell ppl about this piece of shit product for the longest time. Of course you are going to lose weight when you cut your caloric intake by half. Guess what also happens when you do that? It lowers your ability to metabolize calories as effectively. Why? Your body is amazing it senses the lower calorie intake and slows it’s metabolism process down, because it knows it needs calories to function and if it burned calories at the rate it used to you’d be fainting in the middle of the day. So now you’ve lost the weight you wanted to, so you think hey I can go back to my regular diet and be ok, NOPE! Your metabolism is now working at a slower rate because you were starving yourself. Your body won’t be able to burn those extra calories as efficiently as it once did and then you balloon back up to what you used to be or worse. Also look at the nutrition labels on their food the ratio of carbs to protein is like 2.5/1!!! A diet that consists of more carbs than protein, you fucking kidding me? People need to realize you need to eat MORE to lose weight. You cycle up for 3-4 days (add 500 calories) then cycle back down for about two weeks. That way you train your body to improve its metabolic process by adding more food. Your body says hey I’m getting more calories I should start burning these faster, AND THATS HOW YOU DIET
You are so right. At least SOMEONE is talking about the science of weight loss! Nutrasystem doesn’t have a clue, or else, they’re not telling! The food is too high in carbs. When I told the counselor that, he said “But they’re complex carbs!” If I ate a loaf of Wonder Bread, or a loaf of stone ground whole wheat, both have the same carbs. Today I just quit after gaining 2 lbs!
Kbenny…..seriously? Eat more to lose weight? If that were true I wouldn’t weigh 220lbs! I’m giving Nutrisystem a try as my last hope before I go for weight loss surgery. I really don’t want surgery, so I am determined to make this work. Granted I’m very hungry when I get home from work. I like to work out upon getting home from work. Last night I just didn’t have the energy, blood sugar was too low. Today, I’m saving my afternoon snack, dried cranberries and almonds, to eat on the way home from work. Hopefully that combination of sugar and protein will be the boost I need to give me the energy to workout.
Sorry to tell you this Kbenny however, I’ve been on Nutrisystem twice and it has worked perfectly for me everytime. Lost 70 pounds between April and November. This plan works!
well, it is NOT working for me. Yes look at the nutrition label on back. The carbs are too high. Except for wk1 on turbo and crush bar (lost 4lbs, prob water) I have lost nothing nothing nothing..and spent 300×2 to do so and be tortured. Clearly, I am eating too many carbs! For me, this nutrisystem is not working. Yes, I’ve called counselors, have followed it exactly and not getting the results. so for those of you who are losing, good for you. For me, what the heck do I now do with the hundreds I spent on month 2 cuz I tried to cancel on day 15 and nutrisytme rep talked me out of it plus would chaRGE ME 99 BUCKS! i WISH i HAD JUST LET THEM HAVE THE 99BUCKS AND NOT WASTED CLOSE TO AN EXTRA 200BUCKS ON CRAP AND NO POUNDAGE LOST!
HI, Noah. I’ve been on NS for 12 weeks and have lost 32 pounds. The NS food program works differently on different people. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you.
I agree!! I just finished my first (and last) month on nutrisystem. I lost 1 pound and felt like crap the entire time. It stinks that I spent $270 to lose 1 pound. Granted i am only about 7 pounds overweight but i was expecting to lose around 5 pounds, not 1!! Very very disappointed.
I’m on day #10. I’ve lost 5lbs so far. I chose to do the 5day boxes. The only box I cannot stand is the home style box. I started with the Jumpstart box and it wasn’t bad at all. I just won’t get another home style box…..
First time trying and I am on Day 2 of the jumpstart box. Not too bad, however VERY disappointed in how much sodium in all of the products and also FRUCTOSE! C’mon Nutrisystem… get a bit more nutritious!!!
yes, too much sugar, carbs and fructose. How are we supposed to ever wean ourselves off that!?
Interesting neither Marie or Marino mention any of these things.
My son lost 25 pounds, so I started the diet, but I have arrhythmias and high blood presure. This food really trigger my arrhythmias. I think is beacuse of the sodium. The food is ok. The portions are very small but its a diet… My doctor told me to stop. This is not a good diet for me. But if you are a healthy person, I dont see why not. It worked for my son
I have been on the Nutrisystem for 5 days and the food is horrible. It tastes like ‘dog’ food on certain items there is a plastic preservative pack with ‘do not eat’ and stuck to the food I mean on the food! The food is full of sodium. The food gave me gas, bloated stomach, frequent bowel movements and constipation to…
I would not recommend this food to my dog as I love my dog and I wouldn’t want my dog to get constipation. Awful, repulsive, disgusting. Hey Marie what did you eat, it certainly could not have been this crap?
This is an honest appraisal so in essence don’t waste your money on this ‘shit’.
I had a similar experience. After just 1 week on the plan I was unable to move. I had incredible pain on the left side of my abdomen. For almost a month I could not touch or lay on my left side–stomach so sore and very bloated. I am still not fully recovered. I have researched the ingredients in Nutrisystem’s food and it would appear that Resistant Maltodextrin is the cause of my pain.
Resistant Maltodextrin are chemically processed to resist digestion and act as a fiber. I was unable to digest it. Buyer beware!
This weekend I was in so much pain I thought I had a bowel obstruction or maybe having a diverticulitis attack. I could not stand fully upright. When I walked lightly the impact of my feet on the fllor hurt my side intensely! The only thing I could think of was I had been replacing my lunch with Nutrisystem shakes for 3 days that week. I was bleeding and passing huge clots (TMI – I know, but important to share I think). I was afraid and almost went to the emergency room. I started a barrage of OTC treatments, and am still tender on my right side three days later. The food smells and tastes so bad, canned dog food is about the best description I’ve seen. The shakes actually tasted pretty good! I am afraid to use meal replacement shakes now because of this incident.
My wife and I started Nutrisystem on the same day (basic program). Food is not to bad but we can’t complain because we have really let ourselves go. We hate our bodies and our eating habits. We are now saving close to 700 a month because everything we eat is delivered to our door. Yes we have kids but our groceries are cut in half. All the crying on here is quite funny. I would love to see 1 person who loves dieting. Bottom line stop crying about the taste of the food because I know sucking down great tasting donuts is what got most of you here in the first place.
Um, bs. I have eaten more junk food in the past (Fast Five) days than I have in the past year. I lost a whopping 1 pound.
I usually eat once a day (ex: small skinless/boneless chicken breast, rice, brussel sprouts).
I have a back injury which prevents sustained heavy or even moderate excersize.
Your pronouncement that “I know sucking down great tasting donuts is what got most of you here in the first place” may apply to you, but it certainly does not to me.
Amen!! I totally agree
On my second week and honestly I think the food is good! I am surprised. Yes, the portions are small but that’s to get you on the right track–eating LESS!! If you make a big salad to go with the entrees, it’s perfect. The power-type bars for lunch fill me up. I think the high fiber content helps expand in your stomach. The snacks are tasty. I am having trouble with constipation too but I eat 2 fiber gummies each day. Helps a little. I think high protein diets always have this effect. I think if you can learn to eat less for a whole month, your stomach shrinks and expects less. Just need to hang in there and pray for strength to resist goodies.
I completely agree with ur comments on the chocolate!! I had to go with the cheapest meal plan (it’s to expensive). I can’t believe the amount of choc it included!! I was so sick of choc by my 2 mths it was awful. Who would think choc would be so overwhelming. I pretty much liked ever thin except the pizza and the Italian flatbread. Also not a fan of the turkey sausage!! Also horrible sick trying to get off the food!!
I tried NS recently and foolishly missed where, in the fine print, they say you have to commit for at least 2 months – that’s a commitment of about $700. I lost no weight and stopped having bowel movements. My options were a) pay a $100 cancellation fee for quitting before the 2 months b) pay $150 for a lunch and snack plan to “spare” me the fee or c) just accept the next $350 shipment of food and spend another month not using the bathroom. Thankfully the CS rep waived the fee for me due to the health issue (which I had previously reported) but the whole experience left me feeling icky. I’m not a fan of companies who not only HAVE high, arbitrary cancellation fees (why do I have to stay for 2 months if I hate it after 1?), but who also feel they need to place any mention of them at the bottom of the page in “fine print” so small you can just barely read it. Like what’s your deal, what’s up with that?
Admittedly, I weigh ~155 and only need to drop 20 pounds so it wasn’t likely to roll off me quickly anyways but the constipation was a nightmare.
First of all I didn’t lose but 4lbs on the turbo10. I followed it to the T. Then only lost 11 lbs in the 2 mths I did the diet. I followed it to a T. Now trying to ween myself fm NS is a nightmare!! I had terrible gas and awful bloating the whole time. I have constipation that I still haven’t been able to get any relief fm. When I try to eat my own food I get vilantly I’ll. Throwing up and still constipated. Just wanting to know if anyone else is feeling the same.
Horrible stuff! I’m so swollen and bloated! Started two weeks ago and have horrible pains I abdomen and back. It’s a going in the garbage as I can’t return it! My bidy is screaming for real food…fresh food!
I GUESS IT MAY BE OKAY IF YOU LIKE TO SUCK DOWN SUGAR AND CHEMICALS ? . AS FOR ME I LIKE TO KNOW JUST WHAT I AM EATING #
I pretty much agree with the above comments. Especially all the difficulties with the colon system, bloating, gas & constipation. Plus the list could go on & on. This is month 2 & I’ve only lost 6 lbs. of the 30 pounds wanted to lose.
That’s weird. Thanks for your review.
i went on NS for 3 months and was disappointed. I’m 5’2″ and was 155 lbs, wanted to drop 40 lbs. The first week, I lost 6 lbs, but I was lightheaded and weak, which meant I couldn’t exercise. Second week the lightheadedness went away but I still didn’t have energy to exercise, and I lost another 3 lbs. I was adding in proper food as needed and was very strict about following the rules. Third week I lost 1 more lb, for a grand total of 9 lbs. I exercised as suggested, as I was able, but would get lightheaded if I did much activity. Then I plateaued. It didn’t matter what I did, I couldn’t lose any more. I was so sick of the food after only three months. (Breakfasts were good, lunches ok, dinners mostly gross and needed garlic salt to be edible. It was just so terribly repetitive.) So I finally quit. Within the next 4 months I gained it back and then some, going over my heaviest weight ever by 5lbs.
The only thing I liked about it was that it made me realize what a TINY AMOUNT of food a portion size really is. It’s shockingly small. Which seems crappy because you’re paying through the nose for it and they’re giving you so little.
The ingredient lists were staggering: the amount of sodium in some things that tasted like they couldn’t possibly have salt, the amount of preservatives needed for what is essentially a TV dinner that remains unrefrigerated for a month or more, the amount of fillers in some dishes to round out the protein since you hardly get any actual meat (and the vegetarian options had a gritty, unnatural consistency that was very off putting). It made me learn to stop looking forward to meals.
I may be one of the few who didn’t gain my excess weight by eating snacks and sweets or by overeating and indulging in bad foods. Actually, my weakness was alcohol. Which of course, I cut out completely while on NS. But eating the sweetened breakfasts, the candy-bar-like lunch bars, and the requirement of desserts (mostly sugary) made me start craving sweets more, which did NOT help me when I got off NS. It actually made me develop a habit of looking for sweets. I was not taught to figure out what a proper portion is when a homemade dish is made of many different ingredients. Actually I got so used to eating processed crap and not thinking about what I was eating (since it’s so automated), that when I went off NS I was in the habit of choosing convenience over quality, and my variety in what I made at home went from fairly varied (before NS) to rotating between about 5 dishes (which is what I was doing on NS – cycling between the 5-6 dinner entrees I found palatable enough to order again). One other change – I felt so deprived of options after a while on NS and so when I was off it, I wanted different foods that were convenient, which meant eating out a lot more than I ever used to. I think my eating habits are a lot worse now, for having been on NS. I wish I’d never done it. Now I’m thinking of finding another diet to try. NS was my first diet ever and I really wish it would’ve worked.
As a side note, my fiancé who is obese also did NS with me and he lost 20 lbs in the first two months and none in the third month. His job is physically strenuous and he also exercised regularly. He experienced lightheadedness the first two weeks and had horrible stomach problems pretty much the entire time we were on it. For me, the stomach thing was just the first two weeks. When we were getting our initial positive results, we recommended it to his mom and she tried it and had the same stomach problems the first two weeks as well. She lost 15 lbs with NS and exercise but gained it back right after getting off NS.
Not good. I have been the program 2 weeks. Started with turo.10. Lost 1 lb. spoke with rep. Also, do not care about food allergies and way too much sodium in food. I was told I can upgrade and pay additional 19.95 to customize plan. Also, if I cancel, I have to pay $99. I told the rep all they are interested in is selling their products and making money. No consideration is made for food allergies. I never ate so much chocolate which I am allergic to milk chocolate and peanuts. Pizza, my Italian mother and grandmother would say, is NOT dinner. I am very disappointed in this program especially since my endocrinologist recommended it. The rep told me that since I was under 5′ tall and wanted to drop 8 lbs. it would take longer and slower. This is not mentioned in the ads nor about the high sodium content nor be aware of food allergies. Not happy. Will not recommend this plan and I told the rep that.
I tried Nutrisystem. You may be able to lose weight but in order to keep it off you would need to stay on this food forever. I really did not care for the taste of the product. I tried it for one month and much of the stuff I dumped. It is not really healthy due to all the preservatives, etc. in this food. I did have quite a bit of stomach discomfort which may be how they process their food or whatever they put in it. Now on Weight Watchers and have lost 18 lbs. Like this plan better because it costs less and I can choose really good whole foods — not processed stuff.
You need to research the physiology of weight loss. Weight loss predisposes the body to gallbladder issues. Not everyone gets them, but some do and it has nothing to do with Nutrisystem except that it is helping you to lose weight. I am not a fan of Nutrisystem as it caused me significant gastric discomfort, but I stopped using it. But gallbladder problems can happen in anyone who loses weight…with or without a “program.” You have no basis for a lawsuit in my opinion. Your doctor should have explained that too you during your gallbladder treatment. And by the way, you don’t need a gallbladder to live.