A review of the Nutrisystem Weightloss Program

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On the Nutrisystem program you buy the prepackaged food from the company. They have created a new line of foods that are low in "bad" carbs and high in "good" carbs and protein.

The company calls the diet "the best of both worlds" low fat AND good carb.

They offer a "28-day NutriSystem Nourish Program" where you eat their foods for four weeks. You eat five times a day and the portions are already measured and the calories are counted for you. This might be an easier diet for someone who is always too busy to cook slimming meals and ends up grabbing some fast food.

Most of the Nutrisystem meals contain foods that are "low glycemic and high protein." They've tried to replace "empty carbs" with "good carbs," and add more protein to the meals. Their idea is to help keep your blood sugar levels stable and your metabolism going strong, to help you burn fat.

One doctor explained the idea this way. "One can obtain the advantages of both the low-fat diet and the Atkins diet on a low GI diet," said David Ludwig, M.D., Director of Obesity Programs, Children?s Hospital, Boston, MA.

That is an interesting idea. How does it work? What is a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet? In a nutshell, the Glycemic Index measures the food quality of carbohydrates and how they affect your blood sugar. Some carbs break down fast and some take time.

"Bad" carbs break down too fast and cause a temporary spike in your insulin levels. The blood sugar spike passes quickly and soon you feel hungry again.

"Good" carbs break down slowly and don't cause an insulin spike. Your blood sugar levels remain more stable. These good carbs rate "low" on the Glycemic Index.

However this is not a "give up all carbs" diet. This will be a welcome relief if you love carbs and are having difficulty giving them up. Nutrisystem managed to lower the carbs and add more protein to many dishes. Here are examples of some typical foods on this diet.

Breakfasts:

Granola barsFrosted cerealsScrambled eggs

Lunches:

Chicken and pasta in cacciatore sauceFettucceni AlfredoSweet and sour chickenVegetable beef soup

Dinners:

Pot Roast - Gravy Over Beef, Potatoes and CarrotsBeef Stroganoff with NoodlesFlame Broiled Beef Patty with Cheese and Whole Wheat RollCheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce

Desserts and snacks:

Chocolate ShakeBBQ Soy ChipsChocolate Macadamia Nut Biscotti

These are all pre-packaged meals. With Nutrisystem there is no grocery shopping to do and very little meal preparation. There is no worry about portion size or calorie count. The meals cost the same or less than what you'd pay for food at the grocery store, and they are delivered to your door.

If you love to cook, this diet is obviously not the one for you. There is no meal preparation. It is all done for you. All you do is heat and eat. If you want a break from cooking, this diet will get you out of the kitchen.

Nutrisystem calls this a "no brainer" way to lose weight. Indeed, some really busy folks have told us they like this diet because they don't have to think.

Others have said it helps them stay on their budget and stay on their diet. They stay away from the grocery store where they are tempted to spend money on fattening foods. That is another advantage to consider.


The statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease. Always talk to your Doctor before going on any kind of diet.