The NutriSystem Diet Plan

Control what you eat by consuming foods that are delivered right to your door. If you follow the NutriSystem Nourish Weigh Loss Plan, you'll eat foods that are high in protein, and carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index. Prepared, pre-measured NutriSystem foods arrive at your home ready to eat. For some dishes, you'll add a few store bought ingredients. You will follow your own specific plan, eating five meals a day - breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and a dessert.

The NutriSystem Diet plan offers a wide variety of food choices. You can get a special plan for men, women, vegetarians, type II diabetics, men and women over age sixty, or those with other specialized needs.

Along with the meal plan guidelines, you can design your own exercise plans and have access to nutrition professionals for support and guidance by email or phone.

What makes the Nutrisystem Diet a different weight loss plan?

You have access to online guidance about healthy eating - and most of the food you need is also delivered to your doorstep. The plan also provides step-by-step shopping lists and guidelines for preparing some additional meals.

What is NutriSystem?

With NutriSystem, you set up an account, set a weight loss goal, and create a meal plan designed specifically for you. The online program will keep track of weight loss progress, food intake, and exercise plans. You will also find articles on current nutrition information, tips to help stay motivated, and fashion advice right on the Web site.

You can select foods based on your preferences and order your meal plan foods online or over the phone. There is a wide variety of foods to choose from; the initial shipment includes a free week of meals and snacks (for a total of five weeks).

You're encouraged to eat five times a day on the Nutrisystem Diet plan, as follows:

• Breakfast: a NutriSystem breakfast entrée, one dairy or protein serving, and one fruit serving
• Lunch: a NutriSystem lunch entrée, one dairy or protein serving, and a salad with fat-free dressing
• Afternoon Snack: a NutriSystem bar or one dairy or protein serving, and one fruit serving
• Dinner: a NutriSystem dinner entrée, two vegetable servings, one salad or fruit serving, and one fat serving
• Dessert: a NutriSystem dessert

A one month supply of NutriSystem food costs about $300 and monthly payment plans are available. Your subscription will automatically renew each month unless you specify otherwise. Shipments arrive in two to seven business days.

Five weeks of NutriSystem food will arrive at your home in a 40-pound box. You will find powders, bars, snacks, entrees, pizzas, and dehydrated pasta and rice dishes (similar to ramen). Meals include: banana spice muffins, scrambled eggs, vegetarian pasta salad, green pepper steak with rice, Cajun-style chicken and sausage with wild rice, puddings, biscotti, and chocolate fudge cake. These foods require no refrigeration, ever. Foods are microwavable or only require the addition of hot water. Most snacks and desserts on the Nutrisystem Diet plan are ready-to-eat. You'll need to assemble your own salads - and you'll also need some other grocery items such as low-fat dairy products, eggs, pita bread, low glycemic index fruits and vegetables, condiments and diet beverages. You can enter your daily food intake into the computer to get daily totals of calories and other nutrients.

Nutrition counselors are available seven days a week for extended hours on the weekdays and 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday. There are also weekly online classes taught by dietitians and nutritionists.

Also on the Web site, there are dining out guidelines for many different cuisines, where you can find useful tips on ordering and which foods to avoid. You can also build your own profile and share information in online chat rooms, where you can discuss the plan and gain support from other dieters. The website features a virtual model, where you can create a virtual image of yourself to help see what you will look like after weight loss.

The Nutrisystem Diet plan strongly discourages consuming alcohol. If you insist on having a drink, NutriSystem counselors recommend using extreme moderation and choosing dry wines, light beers, and diet sodas (as mixers, instead of fruit juices).

What are the weight loss expectations?

Weight loss expectations vary depending on sex, age, activity level, and the amount of weight loss you want to achieve. The Nutrisystem Diet plan instructs you to weigh yourself daily and to use the online program to help track progress.

Is exercise promoted?

By entering the online fitness center, you can follow beginner, intermediate, or advanced workout routines. The fitness center includes cardiovascular and weight lifting plans or you can create your own workout plans based on ability, problem areas, and exercise preferences.

Workout plans on the Nutrisystem Diet consist of walking two to three days weekly and light weight lifting two days weekly. The Web site also includes anatomy lessons and exercise instructions.

If you prefer to join a gym, NutriSystem has opened its own chain of fitness centers. Slim and Tone studios can be found all over the country. If there is not a center near you, NutriSystem offers tips to help dieters find a gym that is right for them.

Are supplements recommended?

A multivitamin supplement is recommended for dieters over age sixty. If you're in this category, the NutriSystem Diet offers you a free one-month supply when you sign up for the meal plan. The plan's NutriPeptide bars and shakes are fortified with extra protein and nutrients and can be used as meals replacements at lunch time.

If asked, NutriSystem counselors will recommend a multivitamin supplement. NutriSystem markets its own brand of multivitamins, calcium supplements, and a green tea supplement to boost metabolism and provide extra antioxidants.