Musings

I received an email from one of my readers that made me think. She told me that she enjoyed reading my blog because it wasn't so negative.

It's true- the vast majority of NS blogs that you find when you Google are all negative. When I ordered the program, my husband asked me if I had read reviews and I admitted I hadn't. When I did, I honestly regretted ordering because everyone had such awful things to say about it. Fortunately, I didn't cancel because of Nutrisystem's money back guarantee (try the program for a week, if you don't like it, send back your remaining meals and get a full refund). I'm really glad I decided to try it for myself!

So the question remains- why are so many people so negative about Nutrisystem? I think it's a combination of reasons. If you go into a weight loss program with a negative attitude, and think that you're not going to like it or it's not right for you- it won't be. I have read lots of complaints about the portion sizes and the taste of the NS foods. Well, portion control is one reason why we've gotten to where we are- we have been eating massive servings because that's what we get when we eat out. Check out this quiz- I saw it a few years ago and it's really stuck with me about how crazy restaurant meals have gotten. We have to relearn what is an appropriate amount of food for our bodies- and believe me, after a few days, your stomach does shrink back to normal and you're not hungry after dinner anymore!

I think that the comments about the food are also based on attitude. If you're expecting your mother's lasagna (oh, do I miss my mother's lasagna!), you're going to be disappointed. If you take one bite and it's not exactly what you're used to so you give up, well, it's not going to work for you. I think that the food is pretty good, given that they offer so many choices and that you can eat all these things and still lose weight. I mean, come on- on how many weight loss plans can you eat pizza, hamburgers, pancakes, pasta, and chocolate every day? Those are usually the first things you have to cut when you're trying to lose weight. Do they taste exactly like the "real thing"? No, but for what they are, I think they are generally excellent.

In my opinion, the last key ingredient to success at weight loss is being motivated and ready to make the changes you need so that the weight stays off. I've talked to people who say they want to lose weight, but then ask me how they should do it if they still want to eat out all the time, or they like their food fried, or drink a lot of alcohol. I mean, there's not much to say to that. If you're not prepared to make a lifestyle change to become a healthier person, nothing is going to work for you. This Nutrisystem Daily Dose helps put it all into perspective. (I love the Daily Dose and read it every day- it's very positive and affirming for weight loss!).

If you stuck with me for this long, it's time for the fun stuff!

Pasta with Beef (Lunch):


I can't believe I'd never reviewed this item before, because it's one of my staple lunches. I love food with lots of flavour and this meal definitely qualifies. It it spicy and filling.


Penne Pasta with Chicken In Alfredo Sauce (Dinner):


I am not sure if it was hormones or something else, but this meal triggered me to want to eat more. I wasn't hungry but I just wanted to eat something after I finished my dinner. I thought that I had ended the battle against random cravings, but apparently not. The meal was good though- the alfredo sauce tasted kind of like Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese on top and really enjoyed it.


Double Chocolate Muffin (Breakfast):


This was yummy! There weren't very many chocolate chips in the muffin though- I was actually surprised when I bit into one because I'd eaten half the muffin and hadn't noticed any before. It would be nice if there were a few more but maybe I just got a dud?


Chocolate Cake (Dessert):


I was expecting this to be similar to the Golden Pound Cake, but it wasn't really. It was still very light but not as sweet as the vanilla version. It was good but nothing special. Although this was bigger and fluffier, for a chocolate dessert I definitely prefer the Fudge Brownie instead.