I’m absolutely riveted by weight-loss infomercials. The testimonials, the amazing before and after pictures, the enthused exhortations of "If I can do it, anyone can!" It's hard not to get caught up in it. The promise of someone finally making it “easy” to lose all that weight is hard to resist, cost be damned.
I had been watching NutriSystem infomercials obsessively for some time when I finally decided to give it a shot. I'll cut right to the chase: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And that advice definitely applies here.
In a nutshell, NutriSystem supplies you with three entrees (breakfast, lunch and dinner) along with snacks and desserts for a reasonable $10 per day. The entree portion is extremely controlled, smaller than what you get with a Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine frozen meal. Depending on the meal, you supplement the entree with a variety of fruits, vegetable, and dairy items you purchase separately from the food furnished by NutriSystem.
In theory, NutriSystem makes perfect and obvious sense: a small entree supplemented with healthy sides and snacks, assuming that the entrees are as delicious as is claimed in the infomercials. I was actually impressed with the plan when I first received it because I thought it addressed healthy, well-rounded meals.
Unfortunately, I found very few of the entrees as tasty as advertised. I had about three I actually liked, but quickly tired of them. Needless to say, most of the meals don't look like they do in the ads, but that wasn't a surprise as they never do. I could live without the aesthetics if the food was at least appealing, but it wasn’t.
Some of the meals were downright nasty. The Green Pepper Steak with Rice was especially appalling. A boatload of gravy with a few tiny chunks of what I assumed was some sort of beef and about a tablespoon full of gray, pasty matter standing in for rice. It was hideous. I mopped up the bowl-o-gravy with a roll and tossed the rest. I wasn't about to put the "rice" in my mouth. It was a total waste.
The three (count 'em, three) entrees I actually liked were the chicken breast (which I usually ate on a burger bun), the hamburger, and hotdogs. Doesn't really sound like a healthy, well rounded diet, does it? I didn't think so. The pancakes were generous and good, but there was no guidance as far as how much syrup I could use. The illustration on the mix packet showed a minimal --more decorative than anything—amount of syrup as part of the meal, but pancakes alone are pretty dry and I'm sure the amount of syrup I used probably negated the weight-loss aspect of the meal.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Joanne Huspek
I figured as much, especially when Don Shula was the celebrity of the moment. I mean really... the guy makes a living selling the most obnoxiously huge (yet delicious) steaks you could ever imagine. I couldn't see him eating NutriSystem for a year.
If it's on an infomercial, it's probably not a good thing.
2 - Melinda
That's funny, I didn't know that about Shula. Turns out he even has a steakhouse here in L.A., although I'd never heard of it.
Infomercials are such big business. A good one can really suck you in, the way Nutrisystem did to me.
3 - Condor
Shula the steak king, Ditka the pork chop maestro.
Thanks for the article. Years ago a friend of mine took a good 30 pounds off using the Nutrisystems.... I don't think he dug the taste either, although he did state that the chili was his favorite.
It was painful, but he did loose the lbs.
4 - Melinda Loomis
Thanks for the comment Condor. I admire your friend for sticking with this plan and getting results, nice to know someone got their money's worth. Wish I'd had the same result.
5 - PFG
Thought I would throw my 'two cents' worth in here. I have never tried NutriSystem, and never will. However, I came up with my own "NutriSystem" -like meals and they ARE working!
I am almost 63 years old - I have learned never to pay attention to weight loss product commericals if they mainly show success stories among those who are pre-menopausal. Both women and men's bodies change as they get older because most of them have less calorie demands. I have lost almost 60 pounds in two years and I am close to my ideal weight. I have tried everything in the past decade, but finally found something that worked for me. No pills, but sadly, those who wish to lose weight must be absolutely capable of feeling hunger pains. Forget the commercials - "you won't be hungry on this diet!" or, "you are doing something wrong if you are hungry". This simply is not true, even if you are adding enough fiber! But if you get a food scale (I purchased a digital one - under $30) and you are willing to measure and/or weigh every morsel that goes into your mouth, you WILL lose.
Exercise is important too - but not enough if you don't cut calories. I walk about an hour a day, or go to a place like WalMart or a mall when the weather is bad. I try to get in 10,000 steps daily, although I can't reach that goal all the time. No alcohol either! Not only does it add calories, even if you incorporate the calories into your daily total, it still gives most people an added appetite - I don't need that! Worse of all, alcohol slows down your metabolism. If you are trying to lose, when your body recieves a drink, it uses energy from it instead of going into your body fat. Not good! I very slowly started to lose weight three years ago on a healthy, 1400 calorie diet. However, it was entirely too slow. I was still somewhat hungry but got so impatient. My physician told me to drop to 1300. I did, but not much happened.
At my age, I found out that my body cannot consume more than 1200 calories a day, with less than 45 grams of fat if I am wanting to lose. Yes, you MUST count fat grams too - I keep a journal and sometimtes I mess up. Even if calories are low, there have been times that at the end of the day I have consumed more than 50 grams of fat. Thirty is better. You MUST invest in one of those books that gives the calorie intake on all foods including fast foods, and the fat grams. I love those 100 calorie snack products and eat at least one a day, but I also have a couple servings of fruit, which has no fat grams. Just be careful with the 100 calorie snacks as they do have fat grams and sodium. One BIG important thing IF you are serious about losing and keeping it off. No more eating at restaurants! And I am not even talking about fast food - the only exceptions are those places who have a menu for low calorie - low fat entrees. Then go ONLY if you know you have the control not to order something else.
This all may sound rigid, but unless people (especially in my age group) are willing to follow the above rules, you won't lose weight. Or if you do, and then go back to your old life style, you will gain it all back. Hopefully, I will soon be able to increase my calorie intake to around 1300 calories. I am an active woman, but that isn't very many calories. I am thoroughly convinced that America's biggest problem with obesity is that nearly everyone eats entirely too much food - from childhood on up. They have no clue as to what portion control really is.
6 - tatey
I totally understand where Melinda is coming from because me and my husband tried it for 2 months. She nailed just about every aspect of the "Nurisystem" experience. What really angered me is that I'd get a shipment with the most popular "replacement" foods. Just the very items I abhor. I just can't believe they have THAT MANY "Shortages".....right.
My husband and I have cancelled our "membership". I'm sure our tummies will feel a little better, too.
7 - susie troxlar
everybodys taste is different. The food is good and tasty even especially the italian dishes. Why get on here and bash a diet program that may not suit you and might be right for someone else. Let people find out for themselves. The key to this program too is convience and peple that are working heavy schedules love it. You can loose on it if you follow the diet and add the the additional foods you are suppose to. All those pepole on the adds can't be wrong and being they are celebrities are not going to lie expecially Marie Osmond. So be positive and let people decide for themselves and you keep eating your high sodium lean cuisines Melinda and see how much you loose. NS is 8 to 10 pounds a month!
8 - Chasity
Funny, I am getting ready to mail back the super huge box of food that has just sat on my counter for a week now. After 3 meals I am done. The funny thing I noticed right off of the bat is, you don't need their actual food to lose the weight, just implement your own versions of what they have and add in the fruits and salads and proteins when they tell you to in their "diary" book and I am sure you would get the same results if you did the same portions with let's say a lean cuisine or regualr oatmeal. I actually laughed out loud on day 1 when I cooked their "pizza" I kept loking at the pic on the box and looking at my plate and would have paid BIG bucks for a camera at that moment to post on this blog. It was about as comparable as Porky Pig and Jennifer Aniston saying they are identical twins.
The turning point for me was when I opened the "scrambled eggs" yesterday morning, It was a orange powder and after microwaving it, I was surprised at how much it actually did look like eggs until I bit into a bite and got a rubbery hard rock substance that made me dry-heave for the next 5 minutes. I too could not get past how none of it has to be cold and how could that be healthy? it just honestly grossed me out, I guess I should have looked into it, because I guess I thought it was going to all show up frozen...
All in all, you are right, the celebrities are getting something different, and I don't know where they are getting their advertising pics but they are downright deceitful and LYING!
My box is going back on Monday and I am just wondering what it is going to cost me to mail that big heavy thing back...
NOT HAPPY!
Chasity
9 - Chasity
In response to Susy I would just like to say that is true-it is to each their own, but what I think we are trying to say is it is false advertisement when they show you pics of paradise hotel and then when you get to your room it is a roach motel!
It is FALSE ADVERTISEMENT with their pictures!!
10 - Melinda Loomis
Susie, if this food agrees with you and you lose weight with it, great. I found it to be terrible, especially compared to how it's advertised. On the other hand, I've heated up WW and LC meals at work for lunch and countless times someone who wasn't on a diet would comment on how good my food smelled and looked. They thought it was a regular non-diet meal.
It's common knowledge that frozen meals are high in sodium, it's what preserves them. Something was preserving all that NS food so that it didn't even need to be refrigerated, much less frozen. So those two things negate each other in my opinion. The only real difference is that I can find a lot more WW and LC meals that are edible.
Another thing that really irked me was they sent me a bunch of food I didn't order and had to return. I don't understand the logic behind that: I'm free to return something and exchange it for an item of my choice, but why go through all that in the first place? Not good customer service.
PFG's comment hits the nail on the head: there is no absolute magic pill or plan that makes weight loss easy for everyone. The best "plan" for weight loss and maintenance requires sensible eating, attention to portion size, exercise and in many instances sacrificing what you'd like to have for what you should have. In other words it takes work.
Also from Susie's comment: "Why get on here and bash a diet program that may not suit you and might be right for someone else. Let people find out for themselves...So be positive and let people decide for themselves..." First, this is an opinion/review piece (noted as such at the top of the page) and not a direct order to the rest of mankind to do as I command. Second, my experience with this plan was not positive, hence the negative review, like any other type of review. If it had been positive I'd have written something in support of it, hell I'd be volunteering to be in their ads. It's a food plan and in my opinion the food was lousy, so that's what I wrote. People are free to do whatever they want with this information, including disregarding it.
11 - Sue
I have used Nutrisystem and found it a very good way to lose weight especially for a busy person. The food is not as good as home cooked food but it is good and there are some entrees that are very good. It is highly convenient and well balanced. Also, if you get the "weekends off" plan ( and I bought mine from QVC so it only cost about $200.00 a month) on the weekends the food diary guides you as to how to replicate the balanced menu of Nutri. Can you create you own meals of low fat proteins, low glycemic carbs and fresh fruits and vegetables ? Of course, you can. And we should all learn how. But if you have weight to lose and need to re-educate your mind and body, this is a good way. It is a healthy way to eat and I feel better when I am on it than when I backslide. Ms. Lomis says she eats junk food and considers chocolate one of the food groups. Clever. But you can't lose weight with that attitude. That's like saying exercise isn't as good as sex. No kidding. But a more mature attitude is : I got myself fat. I want/need to lose weight. It won't all taste like Haagen Daz and Dove chocolates but that's life. In time I will feel better and look better and be healthier.
12 - Niki
I understand that a lot of people don't like NutriSystem, and I'm not here to speak poorly of those who don't like it because no diet is one size fits all. That said, I'd like to share some of my experience.
My husband and I were given a box of NS meals by a friend who tried it and didn't like it (much like some of you), and I was instantly hooked. I actually like the food (call me strange) and I get full on what I eat.
See, most of my problem, even with the WW frozen meals, is that I was never truly full even when supplementing with veggies, etc. I always felt like I wasn't satisfied.
With the NS meals, I am FULL after I eat. It almost doesn't matter to me that some of the selections might not taste great. I eat on a schedule because of my blood sugar, and I can't afford to be craving food between every single meal and/or snack.
That's what won me on this program. I eat, I get full, and I'm done until my next meal/snack.
I really am sorry that so many people hate the food. Maybe I'm deprived or something, but I have liked all but one meal so far, and even the one I didn't like was tolerable.
But I'm seeing results, and that means everything to me right now, because the next step in this parade is surgery, and I really don't want that.
Continued success to everyone on the road to weight loss, no matter which program you're on!
13 - Cindy
Thank You Melinda for your right to the point comment. I appreciate it when people are up front and tell it like it is.
I too...am one of those who is hooked on the before and after of most any weight loss program. However...I can't bring myself to watch The Biggest Loser for anything.
I have to agree...get off our duffs, stop the processed garbage and move and eat healthy foods. Healthy foods I guess would be to most who understand that...like you do...is to not eat processed anything...eat whole natural foods...the way nature made them...whole grains like wheat and rice and oats...not mixed in cookies and cakes and crackers...eat fruits and veggies...lots of them...eat lots of cruciferous veggies and lots of greens! I think that is the answer in a nutshell!
You saved me a ton of money! Thanks!
14 - Moonpiegirl
I have been on the Nutrisystem program for 5 months and have lost 55 pounds. While it is true the meals are not exactly gourmet, I find them filling and satisfying. As a binge eater, I must say that the first week on this diet stopped my binging cold. This is the first time I feel like a "normal" eater. I eat a meal, feel full and manage not to eat everything in my path, and think about food all day. Yes the portions are small, but hey, this IS a diet after all. There are a bunch of veggies that are unlimited, and I eat a huge salad at lunch and dinner that fills me up. As for the cost? I was spending a heck of a lot more per day when I was binging. Like everything, it's not for everyone, but it has been a very positive thing in my life.
15 - davebagel
I cannot believe the commentary regarding Nutrisystem..I have been trying dietr fads since the beginning of time. I agree some of the entrees are foreign, but if you wnat to lose weight you have to re-learn how to eat, hold on, gulping some black bean soup...I guess if you dont keep an open mind it wont matter what type of diet you try, it will always fail. Would I normally eat black bean soup for lunch, no!, but if you prepare it properly it is really good. So sorry if you grew up on hamburgers and hot dogs, you must re-learn how to eat healthy.
16 - SPKatz
I'm not a huge fan of "space food" meals, but I found the nutrisystem program to be surprisingly tasty. Yes, some meals were duds, but if you order a wide variety to begin with, you'll have a better chance of finding out which ones you like. The big plus for me with nutrisystem was the convenience. Very little cooking, no measuring, no calorie counting -- and very easy to take to work (or anywhere) and prepare.
I followed the plan pretty faithfully (Birthday cake was an exception) but didn't lose as much weight as expected, though I did lose some. Honestly, I think it may have been a little more food than a person of my age and height requires.
Whenever you're trying a new eating plan, you must keep an open mind. I'd say at least for a few weeks. And even if one of those nutrisystem meals seems "unnatural", it CAN'T be any worse than the fast food we've cheerfully eaten.
17 - Hillary
I tried Nutrisystem for one month and lost about seven pounds. I do eat mostly healthy food, but I think my problem is the portions. So it helped me see what a "serving" really was. I even kept one of their trays to serve as a visual aid when I was serving myself a portion. Or if a recipe says "serves 6" I will now divide it up into six equal portions and eat no more than 1/6 of the dish. Where before I would eat however much I could.
I still get on their message boards from time to time. I do like the support you can get from members. Many of them no longer get the meals, but have learned how to control portions and the right types of foods to eat now.
At first I enjoyed most of the food, especially the pasta dinners. The food has the same taste to it that any canned or packaged meal would. The pasta for example has the "beefaroni" taste to it. I also was uneasy with the idea that the food was loaded with preservatives. How can that be healthy? At the end of the month, I cancelled. I couldn't take eating it anymore, and I wanted to just continue eating smaller portions of what I felt was home-cooked healthy meals.
Maybe $11 a day is cheap for some people, but since I usually make everything from scratch, that's expensive to me. My husband and I usually both eat for around $400 or less a month in groceries. Spending $300 for one person, plus you still have to buy extra side items, such as salads, diary, salad dressing, etc. is almost double our food costs. Because I still had to purchase food for my husband on top of that. Not a good buy. What it comes down to is Nutrisystem is a calorie-restricted, portion-controlled weight-loss program. If you restrict your own calories and limit your portions, you'll get the same results with food you actually like, for much less than what you will pay on the program. Buy yourself a good healthy cookbook and enjoy.
18 - Joyce Smiley
I tried Nutrisystem for 1 month.I lost 9 lbs. I got tired of the food fast. It was too expensive for a girl who is on disability. I do believe it works if you stick with it but my favorites would either be discontinued or out and they would supplement something I would not eat. I finally wound up donating the remaining food to a Manna House. By the way, I gained the weight back.
19 - Aerin Sizelove
I tried this diet last year. It was so gross and one tiny meal had my sodium intake for the day. I now eat lean cuisines and other frozen meals and try to generally eat fresh and healthy items. the amount of chmicals in this food is so gross. And nothing tastes like it should I don't like salty foods and that's all I received. I ended up donating my couple month supply to the food shelter becuase it was making me sick and my cravings for food were worse. I know just go to the gym before to avoid the excuse later in the day of talking myself out of it and I eat lots of food high in fiber and protein and I feel much healthier now
20 - Lydia
I totally disagree with your comment that the Nutrisystem entrees are smaller than WW and LC. In fact, just the opposite. And since I sit at the "dieter's table" in the lunchroom at work we often compare our lunches. Nutrisystem is almost always bigger.
On the Nutrisystem message board someone always starts a thred about which foods they hate and everyone comes to the conclusion that for every one they hate, it's someone else's favorite and vice versa.
Yes, I've benn on Nutrisystem for 2 months now and I've lost 42.5 lbs. 3 of the people in my office have signed up because they have seen my results and tasted my food.
I figure after 3 months on the system I'll have the program down pat. I'll do my own breakfasts and I'll keep some of their dinners on hand to make life easy but I'll stick with their lunchs because it's hard to get healthy food at the office. And that's the good part about the program if you actively participate in all aspects of it, especially the wonderful support system. You learn.
I've never been happier or more successful on any other diet. Nutrisystem rocks.
21 - Ken
I have been on the Nutrisystem diet for two months and already have my third shipment in house. After two months I agree that the food is no where near what you see on TV. But, when supplemented with salads, fruit and by following what you should eat when dining out I have lost 30 lbs. I will finish the third shipment and then go to weight watchers with my wife. She has lost 17 so far.
22 - dakota gal
I guess my position is more neutral. I loved the breakfasts, lunches and snacks. The dinners, however, gagged me. Even though I couldn't eat a lot of it, I did not send it back--I feel 'a deal's a deal'. I gave the dinners away to a friend (she can tolerate them) and I ate the other foods. The foods do fight hunder the program gave me the jumpstart I needed to lose weight. Have lost 20 lbs. PS The company is great to work with too.
23 - jo blow
to lose you have to use. less is more
24 - jack kinley
after reading all comments, it seems that the NS will probably help you lose weight but its likely that you wont like the taste and probably will be frustrated by substitutions. for me, the only way i could lose was to take a couple months long vacation so i could devote my entire concentration on shedding pounds. i would be careful what i ate and take several walks each day.
of course, most people cant take off time like that,so i am fortunate to be able to. i always end up losing the pounds i want to. i am 180 now, down from 230.
25 - Jill
I ordered the month long Nutrisystem plan in August, thinking that the food would at least be palatable. Most wasn't. The mashed potatoes that came with the meatloaf were gray. The rice in the pepper steak and rice was a gray blob, and the pepper steak did not exist, it was just a bunch of gravy with some small chucks that could have been meat and/or pepper. The rehydrated eggs were disgusting, even with lots of ketchup that probably negated the carb/calorie content of the eggs. The minestrone was your worst dehydrated cup of soup ever. The only thing that was fair were the sour cream and onion soy chips.
I couldn't go in trying to eat this stuff so I stopped. I called customer service and advised them that the food was disgusting and that I wanted to stop the program. Rather than be concerned, they first tried to talk me into continuing to order anything that I had found edible and just eating that. I had to re-use the word disgusting to convince them that my business was gone. Then, she says that they will charge me for the discount I had received when I placed my order. I had to invoke the 30 day money back guarantee, at which time she transferred me to someone else.
The new person whose name I didn’t catch was even less sympathetic. Then I was told that I could send the uneaten food back at my expense and she gave me an RMA number. All anyone had to do was be a little more concerned that it was a really bad experience and offer to take the food back, not make me bring it up and not try to sell me more awful food. It would have been really nice to be able to ship the stuff back at their expense, but oh well. So I’m off to the post office to spend probably another $15 to $20 or more because there is so much food I couldn’t bring myself to eat.
While I was disappointed by the food, I was even more disappointed by customer service. If this system works for you, that's great and I'm very happy for you and wish you the very best. But this was soooo not for me.