How to Easily Stick to and Enjoy a Diet Such As Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem in the United States of America helped millions of people lose weight. We are engaged in the fact that we are not able to follow any weight loss menu regularly. But Nutrisystem made it easy. So losing weight is now very easy. You're ready. Let's see- Nutrisystem has created a nice menu for you. Now the question, how much weight will you lose?
Nutrisystem are weight loss plans that deliver pre-made food directly to your house. They're quite popular because they make following a diet easy. There's no cooking, measuring, calorie counting or food prep. Everything is done for you. All you have to do is heat and serve.[1] Although diets like NutriSystem make weight loss fairly easy, there are still some good tips and tricks to follow to make these plans easy and more enjoyable. Work on incorporating some of these tips, so you stay on track with your diet and enjoy yourself while you lose weight.
A. Making the Diet More Enjoyable
To help make a diet like NutriSystem more enjoyable (and help keep it enjoyable), be careful with how you go about eating the pre-made foods.
When you're selecting your diet plan, you'll be sent a whole entire month's worth of food items.
You will quickly learn that some items are quite tasty and enjoyable, while others aren't as delicious as you'd thought they'd be.
If you notice this, try to avoid finishing all your favorites up within the first few days. Otherwise, you'll have a bunch of food leftover that you don't enjoy.[2]
It's easier to stick to the diet knowing you have some exciting options everyday. So mix it up each day between some of your favorite pre-made items and some that are not as tasty.
Since you do need to supplement your meals with grocery store foods, make sure to pick items that you'll enjoy eating. This can help make sticking to the plan more enjoyable.
Some of the meals that are delivered may not be your favorite. If so, take the opportunity to use some of the grocery store foods to help add in a favorite food. This way, you'll still enjoy the meal overall.
If you're not enjoying any part of your meals, there is little chance that you'll stick to the diet long-term.
Also, purchase a variety of these foods each week. Try not to get stuck in a rut. This can get boring overtime and is another common reason people fall off the bandwagon.[3]
Look at the online resources for ideas on different foods to include with your pre-made items. For example, you could try: pair the spinach stuffed shells with a side salad, or pair the low calorie pancakes with a serving of fruit and a cup of coffee or add in your own afternoon snack of a greek yogurt with blueberries.
Something that is common for dieters following these types of weight loss plans is getting a bit bored with the routine. After a while, just heating and serving the meals may not be as appetizing.[4]
It's normal to feel a little tired of the same routine and the same types of foods after a while.
If you know this ahead of time, you can prepare so you don't fall off the wagon due to boredom.
When you start to feel a little bored, consider changing your routine a little bit, while still staying within the guidelines.
You can try: going out to eat and ordering "approved meals" or making some of the recommended recipes online.
Whether you're weaning yourself off the diet program or are taking a day off of the pre-made meals, using some of the online recipes may be a good option to keep things fresh.
One of the most common reasons people give up on a diet is that it gets a little old, boring and monotonous.
To prevent this from happening, mix up the available pre-made foods that you have at home with some the recipes that are provided online.[5]
This can help you keep things fresh and fun which can make it easier to stick to the diet plan long-term. For example, you can try: homemade turkey burgers, baked eggplant Parmesan, buffalo chicken wraps and even lightened up fettucini alfredo.
It's fun and enjoyable to ditch the kitchen and frozen meals for a meal out. Luckily, diets like NutriSystem give you some great tips on how to do this while still sticking to your diet.
First, plan ahead. Look at restaurant menus online so you're aware of all the choices that are available to you. If there isn't a meal that will fit in your diet plan, find another restaurant.[6]
Stay away from liquid calories at restaurants. To avoid temptations, stick with water or unsweetened iced tea.
Stick to a smaller serving. Order an appetizer or split an entree with a friend or family member. This will help you stick to smaller servings and fewer calories.
Choose to eat out in moderation. Eating out, even when choosing healthier options, is still a little calorie heavy. Limit yourself to just one night out a week.
When first planning to start a diet like NutriSystem, you'll need to go online and select what plan you want to follow. The most basic plan, and the least expensive, includes a pre-set month of delivered meals.
The basic plans generally send you a pre-selected menu of foods for an entire month. You do not get to choose what you are eating during this time period.
The basic plan is great for you if you're not a fan of having to choose so many meals in advance or are not very picky when it comes to foods or meals.
All of the plans limit the amount of work or prep you need to do with your meals. However, you need to choose the most appropriate plan for you or you're more likely to fall off the bandwagon.
Note that on the basic plan sample menus are provided so you know what you'll be getting.
NutriSystem offers plans for women and men, based on their different calorie needs. There are also special plans for vegetarians and people with diabetes.
There are a couple variations on the basic plan that give you more choice in your foods and meals. If you want to pick out exactly what you're going to eat during that month, these plans may be more appropriate for you:
The "Core" plan allows you to choose your own menu instead of the pre-selected kit.[7] You can pick from these foods for your entire month's worth of meals.
The "Uniquely Yours" plan (which is the most expensive) gives you more menu options to choose from, including frozen meals.
One thing you need to do prior to purchasing your foods or selecting your plan is make sure you have adequate storage space. You will be provided with a lot of food and need to make sure your kitchen and home can accommodate it.[8]
Many of the diets like NutriSystem send you about a month's worth of foods. That's about 28-30 days of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks and some beverages.
If you're getting the ready-to-eat foods, these can be stored at room temperature as they are shelf stable. Make sure you have enough cabinet or pantry space for these meals.
If you're purchasing the plan with frozen meals, you'll need to have a ton of freezer space.
Some of the frozen meals that you will be eating within the next few days can be stored in the refrigerator so they are defrosted for you.
Although you will be getting a lot of food in the mail, you still need to budget for additional grocery store expenses. These diets generally require you to supplement their meals with additional foods.[9]
NutriSystem suggests that you supplement each of your meals with foods from one of 4 groups: smart carbs (fruits and starchy vegetables), vegetables, extras (low-calorie condiments) and power fuels (protein).[10]
You will be adding at least one item to each meal that's delivered. For example, you might get chicken Parmesan and need to add in an additional serving of vegetables. Plan to have additions to each of the 4 meals.
Review the suggestions from the guide that's provided with your plan. Then write up a grocery list to match.
You'll need to see if these additional groceries, plus the cost of the diet foods will fit into your weekly or monthly food budget.
With all diet programs, especially those that provide pre-made foods, you need to set your expectations appropriately. If you don't, you may be disappointed and find it difficult to stick to the plan.
One thing to note about these diet delivery services, is that the meals will most likely be much smaller than what you typically eat.[11]
In order to lose weight, your calories and therefore your portions will be smaller. Do not be surprised when you open your meals and see a small serving. And remember, you will be eating about 4-5 meals per day.
NutriSystem has been rated fairly highly when it comes to taste. However, the foods may not taste as good to you as your previous dietary choices.
This is especially true if you were eating a lot junk food, fast food or rich foods before. It may take some time to adjust your tastebuds to healthier foods and cooking methods.
To help you make sure you're following the diet correctly and to make life a little easier, lay out your meal plan for the week. This will give you a blueprint of what you'll be eating at every meal and snack.
Many of the diets like NutriSystem, will help you by providing some sample meal plans. It may be a good idea to use one of these the first week or two to get you started.
Afterwards, try to make your own meal plan. Start by taking an inventory of all the meals that you have available.
Write down what pre-made food you will have for each meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner and planned snacks. Do these for an entire week.
Then, go back in and add in the supplementary foods from the grocery store. For example, you may pair a side salad with your dinners or add in a piece of fruit with your lunches.
A very difficult area that many people struggle with while on diets like NutriSystem is the time when they want to stop the diet. It's important to be smart about this so you can easily transition into more regular eating.
There are a ton of resources that are provided just for this specific part of the diet.[12] Look into the tips and suggestions provided by the diet itself to help you easily go through this stage.
Instead of just discontinuing the diet immediately, start by picking one meal a day to make completely by yourself without any of the pre-made items.
After a while of that, move on to replacing the other two meals with regular food overtime.
If you notice a stall in your weight loss or see a weight gain, revisit how you've been eating and see if there are adjustments you can make to get back down to your goal weight.
To make following a diet like NutriSystem a little easier, take advantage of their available resources. There are tons of resources online or that you can purchase that can make following the program a little easier.[13]
One of the great resources that is offered is counseling. They can help coach you and motivate you, but also answer questions and help provide you with nutrition advice.
There are also blogs and community forums. This is a great place to get ideas on what foods are most liked, which foods are least liked and tips from actual dieters on how they got through more difficult stages.
Consider using the online tracking tools that are available as well. You can track your foods and exercise to see how well you're doing. The more often you track, the more likely you are to stick to the plan long-term.
Once you're ready to wean yourself off, take a look at their recipes online. This is a great place to find meals that will continue your weight loss without having to use the pre-made food items.
Expert Reviewed
Patricia Somers, R.D.
Registered Dietitian
Patricia Somers is a Registered Dietitian in Arkansas. She received her R.D. from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 1979.
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