lost 3 lbs the first week on Nutrisystem

[Rising Phoenix]

once my flu is gone I'll be able to start exercising again and my weight loss should be even greater.... I'm pleased. After all, you put the weight on one pound at a time and thats how you have to take it off..... :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Droopy]

1. That's a good start

Keep up the good work.

I think the outer range of healthy weight loss is considered 2 pounds a week. But when I started dieting I lost something like 15 pounds the first month. I somehow lost 9 pounds in one week back then. I think big losses are common when people start dieting. Things have settled down since then and I've been losing 1.5 to 2 pounds a week when I haven't been munching on Christmas cookies. :) And I haven't changed a thing. So look for big losses in the beginning and expect them to level out later on down the line.

Do you have a scale with a digital read out that also measures tenths of a pound? I got a nice one like that for $35. I've found that it's more accurate and I can see more progress with it than with a traditional scale.

[Rising Phoenix]

2. I expected big losses at first

I know the closer you get to your goal the harder it is..... I do have a digital scale that measures tenths.....its great....seeing that extra fourth of a lb gone is a big boost, little though it may seem....

thanks for the encouragment....you keep up the good work too :hi:

[MountainLaurel]

3. What do you think of the food?

In particular: Are the shelf-stable meals full of preservatives and artificialness? I'm thinking of doing NS starting next month, as Mr. Laurel goes off to law school and it's unlikely we'll be eating at the same times. But I am highly sensitive to artificial anything in food, so if I can tell the tomato flavor comes from a powder and not an actual tomato, I couldn't gag it down if I wanted to.

[The empressof all]

4. This is not "natural" tasting food

The tomato based products are similar to Chef Boyardee in texture and flavor (less salty). I wouldn't call any of the lunches or dinners terrific though the lasagna is IMO- not bad.

I've been doing Nutrisystem for the past three months and have lost about 30lbs. (My results have been well above average but I have lots to take off) I have difficulty with wheat products but have found I can tolerate most of the nutrisystems pastas.

Honestly, when I signed up for the plan I did so knowing that the food would not be that great. Eating great food made me fat. I eat the food because every week the scale goes down and I am learning to eat smaller portions. I'm an emotional eater and the portion control with this program is really helping me to gain more control over what goes in my mouth and why.

The food is certainly edible but it's not super yummy deliciously satisfying in the way a good hunk of fresh bread or a bowl of ice cream is. It's not even as good as most of the frozen entrees you can purchase at the grocery store.

Go to the web site, read about what the diet entails and maybe even order a few meals to try it out if you're worried about the taste of the food. If you have more self control than I do you can even follow the plan without buying the nutrisystem food.

All this being said, Nutrisystem is working for me. I'm happy that I made the decision to follow it. But for me it was a choice between this and surgery. It's my "last chance" so to speak. For me I'd rather commit to eating nutrisystem meals to lose the weight rather than protein shakes and restricted diet needed after bariatric surgery.

[MountainLaurel]

5. Thanks for that rundown

And congratulations on your 30 pounds!

[Longhorn]

6. Just so you know,

there are different kinds of surgeries and not all of them require drastically different diets. I had lapband surgery and I did drink protein shakes for the first couple of weeks. But then you start adding soft food and then solid food. There is nothing I can't couldn't eat when I had my band filled to 70 percent of capacity (I've had it unfilled some while I undergo chemotherapy for cancer.) Here's a quick summary of the main rules:

1. Your appetite decreases as you gradually have saline added to the band (called "fill") so it is important to eat protein first. Some people choose to drink protein shakes because it's easier to make sure they get enough protein. However, we're encouraged to eat "real" foods.

2. You must chew eat bite a lot and wait between bites. I thought this would be difficult but it quickly becomes a habit and you do have time to work up to it since you usually don't get fills more often than once a month or longer. You can tell if you go too quickly as you can feel the food go down. Worst case, you can get stuck and the last bite comes back up, though that has never happened to me.

3. You are supposed to refrain from drinking liquid with your meal and 30 minutes or so afterward (these directions vary from one doctor to another.) Liquids wash the food down, defeating the purpose of the band -- because of the small pouch it creates at the top of your stomach, you feel full faster.

Since I've been filled to a perfect amount and unfilled, I can really tell a difference in how the band works. When I was at 70%, I rarely thought about food and could eat very little before I was completely satisfied. I lost about 35 pounds in five months and was feeling great. Since I've been unfilled, I've gained back about 20 pounds. This is due to many factors -- I get steroids with my chemo every three weeks; I am in radiation/chemically induced menopause; I am getting very little exercise due to fatigue; and I tend to have an attitude that I'm having to deal with cancer so damn it! I'm having Oreos!

Before I got the surgery, I told people that one of the benefits of the lapband is if I needed to unfill it -- for example, if I got cancer or something -- I could. I had the surgery November 1 and was diagnosed with either cervical or uterine cancer (we still don't know) on March 2. Little did I know how prophetic my words would be but I'm still glad I got the surgery. I'm in my sixth round of chemo this week and will find out in a couple of weeks if this might be it for now. If so, I'm going to get a fill and get started on losing weight again!

I'm not trying to talk you into anything but I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about what this type of surgery is like. Congratulations on losing so well with Nutrisystem and keep up the good work! :yourock:

[The empressof all]

7. Thanks for the info

I think the lap-band is an extremely effective method for many people and it is the way I will go if I don't continue to suceed with this plan. I looked at all the options a few months back and felt I needed to give a structured meal plan a try as frankly, I've never done it before. My concern with going to the lap band without giving myself time to even see if I can follow a food restrictive plan was that I wouldn't be able to comply with the recommended guidelines after the surgery.

Sucks about the cancer btw. I'd be eating the oreos too in your shoes.-- For me it was the medical issues that pretty much forced me into the weight loss. I'm losing my mobility and don't want to place more of a physical demand upon my family when they need to provide more hands on assistance to me. I also kept imagining my funeral and even if I was killed by getting run over by a bus I just know folks would be saying..."Oh, It's so sad she was so fat that she couldn't jump out of the way of that bus that was careening down the road at 80 miles an hour." It enrages me and makes me giggle at the same time to think about it.

[Longhorn]

8. It's so true that overweight people tend to get blamed for everything

bad that happens to them, even when their weight has nothing to do with it. Your example made me giggle, too. :)

To me, the hardest part of losing weight is keeping it off. I've lost weight many times over the years, with my biggest loss in 2003 on Medifast when I lost 70 pounds. I tried as hard as I could to keep that weight off but regained it over the nexst four years. My main motivation for getting the lap band was to keep me from regaining weight. I think your emphasis on portion control and getting away from rich foods will help you a lot in that regard. Good luck! :hi:

[Catshrink]

9. Congratulations!

Hope your flu is over soon.

[Coexist]

10. I'm down 14lbs on Nutrisystem so far

they are the only diet that has a vegetarian program. I'm hoping to drop 30-35 that I gained after I hurt my foot and couldn't run anymore. Man, my metabolism w/o assistance after 40 is a BEAR!! Suddenly after about a month, I just began to gain and it didn't stop.

I used to just exercise in the am for 1/2 hour, or however long I felt and never really watched what I ate.

The food is mediocre, sometimes good, nothing really bad (yet). I broiled the mushroom risotto in a portobello cap w/ff cheese and it was great. I also like the pasta fagioli.

I've been doing it for almost a month. The first week I lost a bunch, now its about 2.5 lbs/week, which is cool with me.

Best of luck to you on this journey - I hope we both keep losing.

[The empressof all]

11. For many people Nutrisystem is a great plan

You certainly can't call it gourmet cuisine. I usually tell people the food is good but not good enough to want to eat more than your serving. I've lost almost 50 pounds since April using the program. I had a lapse between Thanksgiving and New Years due to holidays and vacation but I didn't gain during that time either. The plan has gotten me into the habit of eating small meals throughout the day and has also helped me to understand portion size. It's easy and convenient and in the scheme of things for me at least reasonably priced. Yes, I could eat cheaper on my own but I'm I'm not quite there yet. The other thing I appreciate about the program is that it has helped me learn balance. I'm aware now that I must get in my veggie and protein servings in every day. I'm losing about a pound a week which is great considering I'm not able to do vigorous exercise and also have thyroid issues.

I like the Mushroom Risotto too. I eat it with a half a cup of Spicy V-8 juice mixed in with a wedge of laughing cow cheese. I pretty much stick to 4 or 5 entrees but I have a bigger selection as I still eat cow. I like the Pasta Fagioli, Both of the Lasagnas (my favorites-with a half a bag of cooked shredded cabbage) and the burgers. I prefer using the Quaker Weight Control oatmeal for breakfast, use the bars for lunch most every day and love the new candy bars.

All in all it's been a very positive change in my eating habits. Sure, I'd love it if I could hate chocolate and sweets or be full after a thimble worths of food or be one of those people who has to remind myself to eat. I am what I am and all I can do is the best I can. This is working for me.

I have a great recipe for egg roll on a plate btw which is a veggie/protein/free food serving

I cook up a bag of shredded cabbage, cut up a cooked Morningstar Farms Asian Patty (Stats are a little over NS but not enough to sweat it a few times a week) combine them and add a hit of Sri Racha or hot chili oil (optional if you like spicy)

My other go to filler food are the Shiritaki noodles which are 20 calories a serving. They're great for bulking up dinners or lunches on those hungry days.

[Coexist]

12. I read on the NS board to add LC cheese to the pasta parmesan

and that makes it much more palatable.

I'll try those egg roll on a plates. they sound really good!

I agree on the portion size - it really teaches you what a plate of food should look like.

[The empressof all]

13. Just never try to talk politcs on those boards

Quite a few really crazy freeper types there take over and disrupt any reasonable discussion and get the threads shut really quickly. Oy, did I have fun before the election.

[lavenderdiva]

14. hey, The empressof all!

Please tell me where I can find the Shiritaki noodles? I've read you talking about them before, but neglected to ask where I can find them. I think they might help me with the nibbling I am bad about. Also, how do I prepare them? :hi:

[The empressof all]

15. Hey there LD

Sometimes they are hard to find. Trader Joes stopped carrying them. I get them at my local market in the tofu area or in the refrigerated organics. They come in small plastic bags packed in liquid and must be refrigerated. The brand I use is "House" brand. Ask your market to order them. If you have Asian grocers by you they should also have them. They have the white ones (the ones I get) or gray ones which frighten me and I haven't tried. They carry no name brands and are much cheaper.


There is also a company that sells them on line. I haven't tried them and I assume they come dry.

http://www.miraclenoodle.com/


Now, about the Shiritaki. I think they are wonderful but they take some getting use to and require special handling. They do not have the same texture or bite of a wheat based pasta. The best way it describe them is slippery. They don't break up in your mouth with chewing in the way you would expect but rather slide down your throat. Some people are turned off by the smell when you open the bag. I think they smell "fishy" so here's what I do. You got to rinse them. I soak them in cool water and swish them around and break them up a bit. I rinse them again. Then I put them back in a bowl of cool water with some vinegar added to the water and let them soak again. Swish, drain and rinse again a few times. Depending on how I plan to use them I vary the vinegar. Usually I use Rice Vinegar or just plain white vinegar. After you are sure the vinegar is rinsed off drain them well. I blot them with a paper towel to dry them. Then I microwave them for one minute. I then blot any moisture out again. They really taste better when they are dry...except of course when you put them in soup which is one of my favorite ways to eat them.

I can't tell you how much I love this product. As a dieter they have saved me on many "hungry" days. They make you feel like you are eating something substantial and I find them filling. A bag of the "House" Brand is 40 calories. So that's 20 calories a serving. Can't beat that for noodles.

[lavenderdiva]

16. that helps a LOT!

thank you for explaining them to me! I like the idea of including them in soup. They sound like they might be good included in a number of things I can think of: pad thai, peanut noodles, spaghetti (?) I don't know about that last idea....

I am going to get some this week-- thanks again. They sound like they would be filling, and for 20 calories per serving, hard to beat! :hug: