Nutrisystem is a commercial weight-loss diet that follows a meal plan comprised of the company’s prepackaged and portioned meals and snacks, including frozen and shelf-stable options delivered to you, supplemented with some vegetables and other grocery additions purchased separately.
Origin of nutrisystem diet
Harold J. Katz founded Nutrisystem, then 34, who was inspired by his mother’s ongoing struggle to lose weight. It was one of the first meal delivery providers in the diet industry.
How does Nutrisystem function?
The Nutrisystem program lasts four weeks. You can repeat the 4-week program as many times as you want.
It would help if you aimed to eat six small meals daily on Nutrisystem, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Several of these will be Nutrisystem-provided frozen meals or shakes that are nutritionally balanced and contain fiber, protein, and fats.
Week 1 is a little different than the rest of the program. You eat three meals, one snack, and one specially formulated Nutrisystem shake daily this week. This regimen, according to the company, supposedly prepares your body for weight loss success.
However, it would help if you aimed to eat six times per day for the next three weeks. Nutrisystem recommends choosing lean, low calorie, and low sodium options for meals and snacks that the company does not provide.
You’re also allowed up to eight “Flex Meals” per week — two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, and two snacks — to account for meals that aren’t ideal for weight loss but are part of a holiday or special occasion.
Nutrisystem food suggestions
Foods to eat
People should include the following foods in their diet:
-lean meats, seeds, and meat substitutes
-skim and low-fat dairy products
-whole wheat bread and other carbohydrates
-plant-based oils
-fresh fruits and vegetables
Foods to avoid
The following foods are advised to be avoided by the company:
-battered, buttered, fried, or crispy foods
-scalloped vegetables
-full-fat creamy dressings
-refined carbohydrates
-butter and liquid oils
-Sample Nutrisystem meal plan
A Sample meal plan
Breakfast
2 scrambled eggs and one slice of whole wheat toast
Snack 1
A protein and probiotic shake from Nutrisystem.
Lunch
1 cup sliced tomato, 1 cup Nutrisystem tuna salad, and two medium celery stalks
Snack 2
2 tablespoons unsalted cashews and 1/4 cup raisins
Dinner
1 cup cooked spinach and 1 cup Nutrisystem chicken alfredo
Snack 3
White cheddar popcorn from Nutrisystem.
About the NuMi app
The NuMi app is designed to assist people who use Nutrisystem plans in tracking their weight loss, activity, and what they eat. It offers people helpful hints, recipes, and weight loss challenges. NuMi is accessible for people who sign up for Nutrisystem plans.
The NuMi app, which is available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, has several distinguishing features, including:
-tracking Nutrisystem meals as well as regular foods
-weight logs for tracking your progress
-daily reminders for water consumption, exercise, and meal tracking
-free resources, such as recipes, hints, and informative articles
-Nutrisystem challenges, contests, and special offers
Will the Nutrisystem Diet assist you in losing weight?
According to research, the vast majority of which is company-funded, you will most likely lose weight on Nutrisystem. However, no new research on the Nutrisystem program has been conducted in recent years.
The Nutrisystem meals were used as part of a “toolbox” approach for patients interested in using them in a 2020 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine looking at the effectiveness of treatment for obesity delivered in primary care settings. The weight loss goal for patients in the intensive-lifestyle group was 10% body weight. The intervention’s initial focus was on portion-controlled foods, prepackaged foods, meal replacement shakes, Nutrisystem meals, and snacks. As part of the “toolbox” approach, patients had access to Nutrisystem meals and snacks after the first month. “A high-intensity, lifestyle-based treatment program for obesity delivered in an underserved primary care population resulted in clinically significant weight loss at 24 months,” the study concluded.
According to a 2015 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that compared various commercial weight-loss programs, Nutrisystem participants lost at least 3.8% more weight after three months than a control group that received education and counseling. According to the authors, diets like Nutrisystem are “promising,” but more research on their long-term outcomes is needed.
Researchers reported in a Nutrisystem-funded study of 69 obese. They Typed two diabetic participants published in the journal Postgraduate Medicine in 2009 that those assigned to eat meals on the Nutrisystem D diabetic track lost an average of 18 pounds after three months, compared to 1 pound for the control group, who attended educational sessions on diabetes management and nutrition.
At six months, the Nutrisystem dieters had lost an average of 24 pounds, while the controls had lost 13 pounds after switching to Nutrisystem meals halfway through the study.
In a similar study published in Nutrition Diabetes in 2013, 50 Nutrisystem dieters lost an average of 22 pounds over six months, while 50 control dieters lost only about 5.
Researchers reviewed self-reported weight diaries of Nutrisystem customers who were overweight or obese and started the program between 2008 and 2010 and used an online tracking tool to record their weight in another unpublished study funded and led by Nutrisystem. Data from over 100,000 customers revealed that after three months, 79% had lost at least 5% of their starting weight, and 33% had lost 10% or more. (A 5% loss can help prevent some diseases.) By six months, when 32,000 of the dieters were still keeping track of their weight loss, 86% had lost 5% of their starting weight, and 63% had lost 10%.
According to a 2013 study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, participants on a Nutrisystem diet lost an average of 12 pounds in three months, including nearly 10 pounds of belly fat.
According to a 2013 study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, participants on a Nutrisystem diet lost an average of 12 pounds in three months, including nearly 10 pounds of belly fat, among 41 postmenopausal women.
Nutrisystem Diet is ranked
#24 in Best Diets Overall
and #7 in Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets
#12 in Best Weight-Loss Diets
#27 in Best Heart-Healthy Diets
#19 in Best Diabetes Diets
, #9 in Best Diet Programs
#22 in Best Diets for Healthy Eating
#15 in Easiest Diets to Follow
Reviews of Nutrisystem Diet
Overall
2.9 stars out of 5
Managing or Preventing Diabetes
2.8 stars out of 5
Ease of Following
2.6 stars out of 5
Heart-Healthy
2.4 stars out of 5
Long-Term Weight Loss
2.4 stars out of 5
Nutrition
3.2 stars out of 5
Safety
3.3 stars out of 5
Short-Term Weight Loss
3.6 stars out of 5
Benefits of Nutrisystem Diet
Convenience: Nutrisystem foods are prepackaged and straightforward to prepare. People can spend less time cooking, grocery shopping, and counting calories. For each meal, the company provides nutritional information.
Encourages exercise: By providing guidance, the program attempts to motivate subscribers to exercise.
Encourages a balanced diet: Nutrisystem meal plans provide a daily calorie intake of approximately 1,200-1,500. According to the company, its meals are well-balanced and contain low glycemic index ingredients, which means they have little effect on blood sugar levels.
Drawbacks of Nutrisystem Diet
Charge: Nutrisystem can range between $200 and $350 per month, and a person must still purchase some food, such as fruits and vegetables.
Processed meals: Despite the company’s goal of assisting with weight loss and blood sugar management, most options are highly processed. Nutrisystem also discloses that many of its products contain genetically modified ingredients.
Conclusion
Nutrisystem is a well-known diet programme that provides ready-to-eat meals. It’s convenient and may result in short-term weight loss as well as better blood sugar management.
However, it can be costly and overly restricted. Nutrisystem meals and snacks are also highly processed, making them incompatible with vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free diets.
Although Nutrisystem has helped some people lose weight, there are alternative, more sustainable ways to lose weight and keep it off.