Any conscientious consumer considering the NutriSystem diet will want to know before paying for the program if it really results in weight loss. Effectiveness of this diet is dependent upon how closely you adhere to dietary and lifestyle guidelines. You and your doctor should jointly decide if NutriSystem is a safe and healthy diet plan for you.
Nutrisystem Diet Plan
The NutriSystem diet is comprised of three daily prepackaged meals and two daily prepackaged snacks. Dieters supplement their meals with yogurt, fruits and vegetables purchased from the grocery store. Diet plans are available for men, women and people with diabetes. Men are allotted 1,800 calories and women are allotted 1,400 calories, according to "NutriSystem Nourish: The Revolutionary New Weight-Loss Program" by Dr. James Rouse, et al. Diabetic dieters eat foods with a low glycemic index, which is intended to minimize the food's impact on the dieters' blood glucose levels.
Science of Weight Loss
The science of weight loss is relatively straightforward: Eat fewer calories than your body burns and you'll lose weight. One pound of fat consists of 3,500 calories. Therefore, to lose 1 lb. of fat per week a dieter would need to eat 500 fewer calories than his body burns each day. A weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week is ideal, according to "Handbook of Obesity Treatment" by Thomas A. Wadden, et al. A faster weight loss may result in loss of muscle mass and rebound weight gain.
Nutrisystem Weight Loss
The NutriSystem program is designed to induce a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. The exact amount of a dieter's weight loss each week is dependent upon a variety of factors, including basal metabolic rate, exercise routine and compliance with the program. The NutriSystem weight loss program only works if the dieter is able to adhere strictly to the plan. Simply adding a candy bar and two cans of cola to the plan could add as many as 500 calories to a dieter's consumption, according to "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies" by Frances Sizer, and could lead to a stall or dramatically reduced weight loss.
Considerations
Because most of the food on the program arrives prepackaged at the dieter's doorstep, NutriSystem doesn't require the dieter to learn how to develop healthy meals, recognize healthy portions or cook healthy foods, which are essential to maintaining long-term weight loss. This weight loss program may be an ideal jump start for someone who feels overwhelmed with the amount of information and skills that need to be learned to successfully lose weight and maintain a loss, but should be supplemented with nutrition counseling, says Sizer.
References
- "NutriSystem Nourish: The Revolutionary New Weight-Loss Program"; Dr. James Rouse, et al.; 2004
- "Handbook of Obesity Treatment"; Thomas A. Wadden PhD, et al.; 2004
- "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies"; Frances Sizer; 2008
- Nutrisystem: Lose Weight and Love the Way You Look
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