NEW Nutrisystem Review 2024 [MUST READ]: Does It Really Work?

QUICK FACTS

• Established: 1972
• Founder: Harold Katz
• Headquarters: Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
• Stock Symbol: NTRI
• Accessibility: Online, Phone
• Diet Type: Low-fat, Low-calorie, Meal Delivery, Portion Control
• Gender: Male and Female
• Celebrity Endorsements: Melissa Joan Hart, Marie Osmond, Dan Marino, Jillian Barberie, Terry Bradshaw
• Get started with this 40% off coupon! Nutrisystem Coupons

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BACKGROUND

Nutrisystem is one of the most recognizable names in weight loss and has rightly earned its place among the top diets. Founded in 1972, Nutrisystem has helped millions of people lose weight on its convenient portion-controlled meals. This program takes the guesswork out of dieting and many people find it to be an easy approach to healthy weight loss.

The brand is one of the first diets to earn its marks by offering a hassle-free way to lose weight with its meal delivery service. The diet plan takes care of the majority of grocery shopping, cooking and portioning by delivering meals and snacks that are calorie-controlled and pre-prepared. All you have to do is heat and enjoy, supplementing with a few fresh grocery store items. Nutrisystem originally offered only pantry-ready foods, but in 2009 added a frozen line of meals; combined the two lines offer more than 150 menu options.

In 2014, the company unveiled Nutrisystem My Way, its new, customized plan for each individual’s metabolism. All new Nutrisystem customers will be enrolled in this personalized program, which calculates a person's metabolic rate by taking into account a variety of factors including age, sex, weight, and level of physical activity. (Prior to this program, the diet had two levels—one for men and one for women.) As part of the new My Way plan, Nutrisystem is also offering a one-week plan called Fast 5, which is being marketed as a low-calorie (1,000 a day) weeklong “jumpstart” to the program that guarantees a weight loss of 5 pounds in the first week. These results were confirmed in a clinical study.

In January 2016, Nutrisystem launched Turbo10, a clinically tested program that promises up to a 10-pound weight loss and an overall reduction of five inches from the waist, hips, thighs, chest, and arms in just the first month. In a clinical study sponsored by Nutrisystem, those who followed Turbo10 lost 3x more weight, 3x more total body inches and 3x more body fat in the first month compared to those who followed a do-it-yourself weight loss plan. In addition to weight loss, those on Turbo 10 also significantly reduced their systolic blood pressure after the first month.

The Nutrisystem diet is personalized to meet individual health goals and consistent with national guidelines for dietary intake meeting targets for fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol and fiber as well as national guidelines for physical activity. All the foods are portion controlled and rely on a balanced approach by offering low glycemic index eating, to control blood sugar, that is high in protein and fiber, for satiety.

There are a range of plans at varying price points that are tailored to suit different nutritional needs, with those specifically for men, women, teens, people with diabetes and vegetarians.

Plans and meals are selected and ordered from Nutrisystem's website or by phone. You'll receive 28 days worth of food that comes in pantry-ready and or frozen containers that you simply heat before eating. Some grocery purchases will need to be made for items like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grain bread, fish, and more.

When you sign up with Nutrisystem, you'll also receive access to a Mindset Makeover behavioral guide, a 13-week online plan to help you better understand your relationship with food. It provides steps for taking control of your eating habits. Nutrisystem customers also have online access to health information, community support, weekly newsletters, smart phone applications, and tracking tools. Additionally, you receive complimentary, optional counseling from trained weight-loss coaches, registered dietitians and certified diabetes educators.

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PRO

• Makes it clear what you need to do to lose weight

• More than 71 million pounds lost by Nutrisystem customers in the past decade

• Features more than 150 meals and snacks

• Customizable

• Provides balanced nutrition

• Promotes exercise

• Convenient

• Vegetarian and diabetic friendly

• Promotes weight loss at a healthy rate

• Complimentary access to registered dietitians and weight loss counselors

• 6th Most Popular Diet in 2012 at DietsInReview.com

• Named "Best Convenience Diet" in USA Today's The Best of Diet & Fitness Magazine, 2013

• Start Here for Discount Offering

CON

• Meals may leave you feeling hungry

• May be cost prohibitive for some

• Limited flexibility for eating off plan (i.e. restaurants)

USER REVIEWS

A sampling of feedback and experiences shared by our community.

I tried nutrisystem in 2008 and lost 28 pounds. It was the only diet I ever went on that actually worked,yes it is a little expensive, with the veggies and dairy but if you stick to it it works. - Lori 6/28/11

I've been on NS, the diabetic program, for 3 months. I've lost 35 pounds and my blood sugar has come WAY down (from mid 200's to low 100's). And I don't find the food unpalatable at all. You can customize your order, so anything I don't like I just don't order again, and anything I like I order more off on the next shipment. Customer service has been excellent, and there is a huge member support that is extremely helpful. Plus, I AM learning how to eat properly to keep the weight off when I reach goal. Yay, Nutrisystem! - Betty 6/16/11

it absolutely works if you follow it correctly. It is easy to follow as well, but the food is horrible!!! There are only a few things that are tolerable, and even if you customize your order you will get extremely tired of eating those same things over and over. They have a plan where you get these other foods added that are frozen. They are WAY better, but you only get a couple of weeks worth of it then your back to eating the other horrible food. Totally not worth it. I've tried it three times because I did lose the weight, but I couldn't handle the food. - Whitney 5/17/11

The portion sizes are sooo small. It's not possible to just grab and go. To feel satisfied you have to add fruits and lots of vegetables. It's not as mindless as I thought it was going to be. Fruits and vegetables are expensive. Overall it works because your fat/calories are so restricted and because no one wants to wstet all the money they spent on the program. I didn't mind the food. I have don't have gourmet taste or anything. No worse than the frozen/dried meals in stores now. I will probably not buy another month worth of food. Could have probably lost weigt eating lean cuisines, protein bars etc. I think nutrisystem is a good jump start to a diet and healthier eating. - TB 1/21/11

See our in-depth Nutrisystem review completed in 2010.

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DIET and NUTRITION

Whenever people sign up for a meal delivery diet, the big question is "What can I eat?". With Nutrisystem, there are more than 150 meal and snack options to choose from, to include pantry-ready and frozen meals. Muffins, roasted vegetable pizza, stuffed shells, macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle soup, chicken parmesan, and tacos are just a few of the entrees, while snacks include bars and pretzels. Dessert isn't out of the picture with options like oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate, ice cream and whoopee pies. All of this is complemented by a few grocery purchases, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Each Nutrisystem meal is pre-packaged and prepared to the appropriate portion size. Many items are ready-to-eat but some require heating.

All of the Nutrisystem meals are low on the glycemic index and contain a balanced proportion of quality carbohydrates (50%), good fats (25%) and protein (25%). Meals are also low in sodium and trans fat. All of this allows customers to maintain blood sugar while maintaining a feeling of fullness, or satiety, between meals.

The women’s program contains about 1,200 calories and the men’s contains about 1,500 calories per day, but these numbers may change depending on your current weight, age, and activity level. Each day you’ll eat three meals and and two snacks with the addition of six servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. You can either custom select your own meals or choose an automated favorites meal and snack menu. Pantry-ready foods do not need to be refrigerated; however, fresh-frozen meals ship in a cooler and must be frozen until ready to prepare.

A typical day on the Nutrisystem SUCCESS program includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, one snack and a dessert. Below is a sample menu from the Nutrisystem Select option, which features some fresh-frozen items:

• Breakfast: Granola Cereal or Honey Wheat Bagel

• Snack: Hummus or an orange

• Lunch: Red Beans and Rice or Chicken Tacos

• Dinner: Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes or Sweet and Sour Chicken

• Dessert: Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies or Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

In December 2012, Nutrisystem announced the addition of two dozen new and improved meal options to their menu.

• Chicken Pot Pie
• Stuffed Egg
• Cheesecake Bar
• Spicy Kung Pao
• Margarita Pizza
• Chicken Pot Pie
• Cinnamon Streusel Muffin
• Chicken Parmesan Melt
• Stuffed Apple Pie
• White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

In 2016, Nutrisystem has reformulated more than 50% of the Nutrisystem menu items to contain no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Whole grains were also increased in a large number of their foods with the goal to have at least 50% of the grains coming from whole grain sources while still meeting the USDA guidelines for fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein.

In an effort to keep with customer demand for more fresh-frozen selections, Nutrisystem unveiled Uniquely Yours, which allows for ultimate flexibility in your food choices, allowing consumers to choose between ready to eat and fresh frozen menu options, with no restrictions, from more than 150 menu items.

As part of the Turbo10 program, Nutrisystem also introduced Turboshakes, the company’s first ever line of shakes with protein and probiotics to support digestive and immune health and help reduce belly bloat.

EXERCISE

Nutrisystem sees exercise as an important component to lifelong weight management and encourages members to get 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week (or 30 minutes five days a week).

The addition of the “My Daily 3” program has helped users achieve their workout goals. The program is made up of three 10-minute interval activities each day, allowing even the busiest of schedules to easily make fitness a priority. Nutrisystem customizes a fitness plan for each customer, based on an assessment taken online, and encourages your doctor to sign off on it. An example plan for a woman looks like this:

• SUN: 20 minute hike, 10 minute bike ride

• MON: 10 minute treadmill, 10 minute stationary bike, 10 minute rowing

• TUE: Total body circuit training workout

• WED: 10 minute walk before each meal of the day

• THU: Total body resistance band workout

• FRI: 10 minute walk before each meal of the day

• SAT: 10 minutes stairs, 10 minute treadmill walking, 10 minute stationary bike

Members receive a two-week personalized fitness plan with guidance on how to increase their activity as fitness level improves and the weight loss journey progresses.

When you eat Nutrisystem's meals, you will lose weight without exercise. However, your weight loss will be more effective and sustainable if you incorporate a consistent exercise regimen. You will see faster results, have less trouble keeping the weight off, and enjoy better overall health. Find an activity you enjoy and that interests you. This will keep you motivated and looking forward to your workouts. There are online forums available to dieters for tips and suggestions from other members. Below are just a few examples of some popular choices:

• Zumba
• Aerobics classes
• Walking with a buddy
• Kickboxing
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Biking
• Swimming
• Jogging
• Fitness video games (example Nintendo Wii Fit)

NUTRISYSTEM FAQ

Common questions asked about the NutriSystem program by our community. Click each to see the full answer.

What meals are on the menu for NutiSystem D? - Mike 5/25/11

What is the cost of NutriSystem? - David 6/4/11

Can you buy a sample of NutriSystem? - Sandy 7/6/11

CONCLUSION

Nutrisystem is a well-recognized and successful weight loss program that has helped millions of people lose weight and improve their health. It’s been calculated that in the past ten years, Nutrisystem has helped people shed more than 71 million pounds. Its convenience and portion-controlled meals are delivered to your door every month making it easy to eat healthy as you lose weight. The company has implemented many ways for members to gain support as they lose, transition, and maintain. Members are also being taught how to cook for themselves throughout the process and have access to support at all stages of the process. Exercise components to aid in faster loss and maintenance have also been added to make the program more well-rounded and allow for long-term success. While weight gain after ending a diet is common, Nutrisystem puts a lot of components in place to ensure customers have as much success during as they do after.

Nutrisystem has added many support elements so that individuals will feel comfortable to seek advice and assistance once they are past the pre-made meal stage. All variations of the Nutrisystem plans fall under the SUCCESS program and tailored to each individual, whether that be diabetes, vegetarian, men’s needs, women’s needs, budget needs, or any other issues.

NUTRISYSTEM RESOURCES

Nutrisystem Channel on DietsInReview.com

Nutrisystem.com

NutriSystem on Twitter

NutriSystem on Facebook

About NutriSystem at WebMD

NutriSystem at Wikipedia

Common Misspellings

Nutri System, Nutrasystem, Nutra system, Nutresystem, Nutrisystem.com, Nutrisytem, Nutrisytem, NutriSystem

DietsInReview.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.

Author

by Brandi Koskie