Frequently Asked Questions

So, you've just started the program and you want to make it work for you? Or you've been around for a little while and still have some questions? These are ones I see posted over and over on the Nutrisystem Facebook groups, so you aren't alone! Hopefully these answers can give you a little more help!

Don't forget to start with my Tips for Newbies, if you haven't read that page yet!

#1- Does anyone stay on Fresh Start/Fast Five longer than one week, or do it over again? Or I'm not hungry, do I have to eat all my portions?

While it sounds like it makes sense- after all, doesn't fewer calories mean more weight loss? This is definitely a bad choice. If you reduce calories too much, you are essentially sabotaging your metabolism and while you will lose weight more quickly short term, any longer than that and you will start to lose more slowly or even plateau. And when you finally do start eating more appropriately, your body won't metabolize the energy quickly enough and you will start gaining much more easily! Nutrisystem does not recommend doing Fresh Start more frequently than every six months.

The program is designed the way it is for a reason, please don't second guess it. It's very important to eat all your entrees and add ins. While you can move them around any way during your day that works best for you, it's important to get them all in.

#2- Why am I losing weight so slowly? I've only lost 9lbs in 3 weeks!

First things first- that is a GREAT weight loss! Healthy weight loss is only 1-2lbs per week. While I know we'd all like to see huge results and we've been conditioned by shows like the Biggest Loser to think that it must be normal to lose 5 or 10lbs per week, it's not normal, nor is it realistic. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of contestants on that show yo-yo back up to their original weight or higher!

The research has shown that the slower you lose your weight, the more likely you are to keep it off long term. Fad diets and quick loss programs aren't healthy and even if they work short term will not work over time. Remember, you didn't gain it overnight, either! As long as you're in the healthy loss range, you are doing fine, keep it up!

#3- I lost a lot of weight during Fresh Start week, but I didn't lose any week #2 or maybe I even gained some back. I am following program, what am I doing wrong?

Well, the first thing to do is to make sure you are in fact following the program correctly. Have you read about how to add in your Smartcarbs and Powerfuels? There are articles posted on my Tips for Newbies page. Are you eating all your add ins correctly for your personal weight loss program? Are you getting in 4 servings of non starchy veggies and at least 64oz of water? If not, you're not in fact following the program and you'll need to adjust your habits because the rules are there for a reason.

If you are following the program correctly, then keep in mind that you likely just had a big loss the first week and now your body is adjusting. It's very common for people with large week 1 losses to have very little loss for the next week or even two. Don't worry; keep doing what you're doing and the weight will start coming off again! It's way too early for a plateau, so don't even worry about that.

#4- I'm on Fresh Start. Can I add fruit to my shake? 

Fresh Start/Fast Five has very specific rules. Unless you have more than 100lbs to lose, in which case you will have some extra add ins, you only eat what comes in your Fresh Start box, plus 4 servings of nonstarchy veggies, and anything an entrée specifically calls for like the milk for the cereal or the roll for the bbq chicken.

So no, unfortunately you cannot add fruit to your shake during Fresh Start week. After the first week, you can do so, but fruit is not free. You'll need to measure it and it uses a SmartCarb serving.

#5- I'm on Fresh Start, and Numi says I get 1000 calories. I am only at 750, should I eat something else?

Unless you have 100lbs or more to lose in which case your Numi will be set differently for Fresh Start, you only follow the rules for Fresh Start. Remember again that veggie calories are not counted but you're still eating them.

So no, you do not add any additional foods, and you're not missing anything if you've had breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and your shake.

Nutrisystem is not a calorie counting program in general. We only use calories to calculate if an item is an appropriate choice for an add in, so don't get caught up in calorie counting. It's more important to have eaten all your portions than to hit that calorie range (and no one hits 1000 during Fresh Start anyway). So once you've eaten all the food for your day, you can either eat non starchy veggies, or drink water.

Yes, it's a tough week, but remember it's only one week! Think of how much easier next week will be when you can add those Powerfuels and SmartCarbs!

#6- Do I have to add something when the entrée package calls for it, like milk to my cereal or the roll to my BBQ chicken?

As for the additions; if the entrée specifically calls for an addition on the package, you are required to add that serving. It's considered part of the entrée and the meal isn't complete without it. In the case of cereal, you're required to add 1/2 Powerfuel. You don't have to use skim milk, you can use any 1/2 Powerfuel that you like. But that means the requirements for this are 40-60 calories and 2.5g of protein. And in the case of breakfast entrees, remember that this does NOT count as your add in, so if you are supposed to eat an add in with your breakfast then you still need to add that as well.

Keep in mind that milk substitutes like almond milk and the like will very likely not work in this case because they have too few calories and protein. While you could use them as an extra (under 35 calories total), then you would still need to add 1/2 Powerfuel to your breakfast.

Likewise with the BBQ chicken, the tuna salad, and the frozen omelettes. You don't have to specifically have a roll, but you must have a SmartCarb to complete the entrée. It doesn't count as a SmartCarb, it is considered part of the entrée. You can choose to have fruit, or a starchy veggie like sweet potatoes, but you do have to add one- you can't just throw it on cauliflower rice and call it a day.

#7- I don't like eating much in the morning, but I get hungry at night. Can I move my food around?

Yes, absolutely! You may eat your food in any order that you like that works for you. It's OK to combine things as long as you get all your portions in. Ideally, the plan is structured to eat six times per day to keep your blood sugars balanced, and that would be optimal. But for the days that doesn't work, go ahead and save a snack or PFs or even your breakfast entrée for later in the day if that works best for you. Just don't eat a SmartCarb serving by itself; it's important to pair them with Powerfuels to avoid blood sugar spikes.

#8- Can I order extra Nutrisystem snacks to use for my snacks?

Yes! As a matter of fact, breakfast, lunch, and snack entrees are all considered interchangeable, so you can use any of those for a snack you're supposed to flex that is considered 1 SmartCarb and 1 Powerfuel. So if you feel like having a gooey cinnamon bun for your afternoon snack at work with a coffee, go for it! If you're really hungry late at night and wanting something more substantial, go ahead and eat your favourite lunch entrée.

Just remember that the morning snack (unless you have 100+ lbs to lose or are a man) is just a Powerfuel, so you can't use a Nutrisystem snack then. But it's totally fine to use as your afternoon snack, so if you wanted to have 2 Nutrisystem snacks a day, go for it!

#9- Are (non starchy) veggies really unlimited?

According to the current program requirements, yes they are. Numi won't count veggie calories. Keep in mind though, that just because the program doesn't count those calories, they are high value calories, and realistically we didn't get fat eating vegetables- they still do have calories. If you are eating tons of vegetables each day and your loss starts to slow down, you might want to cut back. Personally, I could eat a 2lb bag of baby carrots every single day, and that's a whopping 324 calories! I still try to stick to the original guidelines of 4 servings of veggies per day, either 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked.

#10- Can I drink alcohol on the program? Should I skip food so that I don't go over on my calories?

Yes, you can- it's just something you need to balance out. Your body will switch out of weight loss mode and has to burn off the alcohol calories first, so it will definitely slow your weight loss down. That being said, we still have to live our lives and there's nothing wrong with having an occasional adult beverage. Your best choice would be to have something low calorie, like a glass of wine or a vodka spritzer- I'd recommend staying away from the heavy calorie laden drinks like frozen cocktails.

However, you definitely shouldn't skip food to "make more calories" for alcohol! Even the Nutrisystem snacks are not treats- they are mini meals loaded with protein and fiber. Skipping food will not be a good thing for your metabolism. So indulge in that drink if you like- just remember that it is empty calories.

#11- Can I cook my veggies in olive oil or butter? 

Yes, and no. I suspect most of us are used to having a free hand, especially since olive oil is considered a healthy fat. Unfortunately, Nutrisystem classifies fats as an extra. You can have up to three per day, with a maximum of 35 calories each.

So yes... you can have some, but only 1 teaspoon worth. That isn't very much, so make sure you measure it out. What I will often do is airfry my veggies and then drizzle the melted butter or oil on top so I don't lose the flavour. Or I'll saute them in chicken broth instead of oil. There are lots of creative ways to avoid using the fats for cooking so your veggies stay "free". Don't forget to check out my Recipes page for ideas!

#12- Why am I not losing weight????

There are a lot of answers to this one, but generally the issue is that you aren't following the plan properly. If you are 100% positive you are following the plan correctly (check with a Nutrisystem counselor if you aren't sure), skip the rest of this answer and read my post on breaking plateaus.

Otherwise- if you aren't following the program correctly, then there is your answer. It really is important to follow the program as written. If you aren't eating your veggies, you aren't following the program correctly. If you are too full and can't eat all your portions, then you aren't following the program correctly. If you're having bites of off plan food, or going out for cheat meals, or not measuring or tracking your food, you aren't following the program. If you're not on Fresh Start and only eating Nutrisystem food, you definitely aren't following the program.

The bottom line is, that the program works as designed. If it's not working, you need to analyze and figure out what you're doing wrong. Don't give up!!! It's not easy to make a big change, and I understand it can be difficult or frustrating to change your habits. But this program WILL work if you stick to it and follow it correctly.

It's easy to throw in the towel, but dig down, find your why, and keep going! Take it one day at a time, one meal at a time. Follow the program and watch the pounds melt off!

#13- Which plan should I order? What about the Advantage plan? Do I need a plan at all?

This post will break down the differences between the plans and give you all the information you need to make the best decision for yourself. There's an option for everyone, we just need to figure out what works best for you!

#14- Can I combine Nutrisystem with intermittent fasting (IF), or keto, or Weight Watchers?

The short answer is no, you can't. Specifically, Nutrisystem recommends that customers not follow intermittent fasting since part of the science behind Nutrisystem is keeping your blood glucose level and eating every 2-3 hours. If you fast, you are not following the program correctly. Keto, obviously, isn't compatible with Nutrisystem since part of the principles are eating low glycemic carbohydrate servings (SmartCarbs). If you reduce your carbs to keto levels, you are not following the Nutrisystem program correctly. And as for Weight Watchers, I think it is a great program in general, but it does count things differently. I think that it is much simpler in this case to choose one program and follow it, rather than go back and forth figuring out what things would be in two plans.

While generally, any weight loss program will work if you follow the requirements, each program is different enough that mixing principles from each will defeat the purpose. It is best to choose one program and follow it properly to see the best results. 

#15- I still have calories left over, can I eat something else?

Remember, it's not (really) about the calories! The daily amount that is posted in Numi is just a guideline. If you are following the program correctly, then your calories will fluctuate- some days you will be under your posted amount, some days you will be over, and that's just fine. You are not supposed to focus on staying under that number! As long as you are eating all of your servings, and your add ins fit the program guidelines for Powerfuels and SmartCarbs, then you are on plan. You never have calories "left over", nor have you eaten too many if you are following guidelines.