Information on the Nutrisystem Diet Plan

Information on the Nutrisystem Diet Plan
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If you're looking for a simple diet that easily fits into your busy lifestyle, you may want to educate yourself on the basics of the Nutrisystem plan to determine if the program is right for you. The Nutrisystem diet plan claims to help you lose weight by supplying you with an adequate daily caloric intake as well as a wide range of nutrient-dense carbohydrate and protein dishes. However, you should speak with your primary physician about the benefits and risks of the Nutrisystem plan before you begin the diet to ensure that the program sufficiently fulfills your personal nutritional needs.

Identification

The Nutrisystem Diet Plan is a weight loss regimen that allows you to custom-design your own 28-day meal plans that you order online and have delivered to your home. The plan does not include the use of measuring or weighing food or counting calories, nor do you have to give up eating familiar foods such as lasagna, hamburgers and pizza.

Types

The Nutrisystem Diet Plan has four programs available for both men and women. The Basic plan provides an expansive menu of over 150 breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack items. The Silver plan expands on the Basic Plan by providing lower cholesterol, sodium and saturated fat meal options for older men and women. Nutrisystem also offers a special program for diabetics and a plant-based program for vegetarians.

Theories/Speculation

According to the company's website, the program helps you lose weight by supplying you with nutritionally dense meals in smaller portions than most people are accustomed to eating during one meal. The low-glycemic diet focuses on "good" carbs such as whole grains, which give you the fiber you need to feel fuller longer and avoid hunger strikes that can leave you vulnerable to going off of the diet or overeating while on the diet.

Considerations

Although Nutrisystem provides a wide range of menu choices and online resources, the program fails to educate you about eating healthily without the use of their pre-packaged meals, says Discovery Health. The pre-packaged foods also contain numerous preservatives that you would not consume if you prepared your food from fresh ingredients at home, Discovery Health notes.

Warning

Consult with your medical doctor before you begin a Nutrisystem program to ensure that the diet plan is right for you based upon your individual health concerns. Although the program does encourage fresh fruit and vegetable consumption in addition to what you eat in the pre-packaged meals, you may have an illness or condition that warrants the consumption of specific nutrients that the diet does not specifically address.

References

Article reviewed by David Penick Last updated on: Oct 9, 2010

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