Nutrisystem Pros and Cons

Some people swear by Nutrisystem. Others hate it. And there are many reasons for both such feelings and for some in between opinions. I have tried Nutrisystem and also have some opinions. I didn’t become stick thin while on it, but didn’t die from smell of food either. Just like with everything in life, this diet offers some great things, but you also have to deal with a few negative aspects of it.

The reason for my Nutrisystem dieting was my desire to lose a few pounds after winter holidays. I have successfully achieved that. I also learned to watch my portions. These might be common sense to some, but it is always my main struggle. If I would’ve not gorged myself on potatoes every night, I would’ve not gotten on a bigger side in the first place. I guess I had to go through all the frozen Nutrisystem meals to learn my lesson. And for that I am thankful! And also I never want to go back to this bland frozen food routine.

This is what I liked and what I disliked about Nutrisystem:

Pros

Weight loss

Yes, this one is obvious. If you will stay on this strict diet with about 1,200 calories per day, you will lose weight. Whatever diet you are now consuming, it is unlikely that you are eating 5 balanced meals per day that will total to that low number of calories.

Discipline

With 3 meals and 2 snacks per day from Nutrisystem you are bound to learn food discipline instead of random wild snacking all day long. Eating small portions 5 times per day is a verified way to lose weight steadily that can last long term.

Convenience

This is a big one – you get all your meals cooked and delivered for you. You don’t have to think what will you cook, you don’t have to shop for ingredients, and you don’t have to count calories. All you have to do is go to your freezer or pantry and pick your meals every day based on your mood. All the food is delivered to your door and takes just minutes to warm up.

Price

You can buy an entire supply of food for a month for just about $300. If you went to a grocery store, you would spend at least twice this much, maybe even more. I personally spend at least $200 per week, and sometimes more to feed us.

Learning to cook after Nutrisystem

As I mentioned above, I am off the diet now and back in the real world. However, what stayed with me is portion control and simple Nutrisystem inspired meals that I now cook for my entire family. Every day I think what Nutrisystem would offer and cook a healthier fresh version of it.

Cons

Taste of food

This is a big deal for me and this is why I couldn’t stay on this diet for more than 1-2 months at a time. All meals are either frozen or shelf stable for unlimited time, and I simply can’t do it. I grew up with my mom’s cooking and I now cook fresh meals for my family. Staying on frozen dinners and plastic tasting meat is simply not for me.

Smell

This goes along with taste. Some meals smelled so bad while heating, that my husband came running to ask if the dog threw up somewhere. The smell of all the meals is strong. Sometimes it’s good, other times – not so much, but the saddest thing is that smell never translates into a good taste.

No variety

While at first it looks like you are getting all sorts of meals, after a few days you realize that most packages taste, look, and smell the same. All the varieties of white sauce pasta have pretty much the same sauce. Seasoning of all meals is the same. All pizzas use the same tasteless bread. Breakfasts and snacks are pretty much pancakes, frozen waffles, and popcorn.

Price

This was mentioned in the above cons section, but let’s take a look at the other side of this argument. The entire month’s supply of ready to eat meals costs about $300. This is just to feed one person. In addition to this cost, you will still have to buy fresh produce for supplementation. If you also have a family to feed, it becomes pretty pricey. This only makes sense if you live alone.