Saturday, March 14, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 8

Ok, today I let myself down.  This was the first day I actually cheated.  Twice. The first was totally within my control and a bad choice (m&m cookie after lunch) the second, I did the best I could but went out to dinner (already planned and you can't live life in a bubble) and the menu was not diet-compatible. I did the best I could with a salad but it came with a ton of shredded cheese on it (which I tried to pick through) it was huge (I only ate about 1/8 of it) and they had no light dressings.  Argh.

Breakfast:
  • NS Blueberry Flavored Pancake Mix
  • Syrup - 1Tbls
Still like em.  Not much else to say.

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese
  • Starbucks Decaf + Mocha/Caramel (one pump ea)

Lunch:
  • NS Fettuccine Alfredo
  • M&M cookie
Yeah.  Cookie.  Freakin weekend.  

Afternoon Snack:
  • String Cheese
Dinner:
  • Garden Salad w/ Shredded Cheese & Chicken
  • Ranch Dressing (1 Tbls)
  • Diet Pepsi
This was where things continued to go downhill.  The most "diet" thing I could find on the menu was the buffalo chicken salad. I ordered it without blue cheese, used only one small strand of chicken and left the other two, ordered the dressing on the side, and only ate less than 1/4 of the salad.  I didn't have any NS entree to try and do everything I could.

Dessert:
  • NS Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ok this was better than the double chocolate almond one.  Almost like a real cookie, but again, it still had that weird silghtly vanilla/sweet/bitter aftertaste.

Grade: C  (for the cheating)
Caloric Intake: 1119.7
Weigh lost as of morning weigh in: 0.2 lbs
Weight lost overall: 4.9  lbs

Friday, March 13, 2009

Nutrisystem - Day 7

One week down!  Woo hoo.  Ok its Friday night so this will be quick.  I'll edit tomorrow with deets.

Breakfast:
  • NS Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins w/ ICBINB Spray
  • Water
Once again I was pleasantly surprised at the muffins.  I warmed them in the microwave which helped.  They still had that taste that seeming all NS items have - some kind of weird aftertaste I just can't place.  But I'm getting used to it I suppose.

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese

Lunch:
  • Garden Salad
  • Citrus Vinaigrette
  • Edamame w/ Soy Sauce
  • NS Fudge Graham Bar
  • Diet Coke
Nothing much new to review here!

Afternoon Snack:
  • String Cheese

Dinner:
  • NS Chicken & Dumplings
  • Water
This was a little questionable.  It was a little bland which is no big deal - I can add salt.  The odd thing was that you couldn't really tell chicken, from glumpy gravy from "dumplimgs".  No kidding.  I didn't even know when I was eating a dumpling - never "found" one.  I assume they were in there somewhere.

Snack:
  • NS Cheese Puffs (3 puffs)
  • NS Zesty Herb Mix (1/4 pack)
  • NS Nutrichocolates
  • Water
Ok, here is where we ran into to some serious trouble.  I wanted to try and branch out from the chocolates into some of the more "savory" snacks.  Big mistake.  Apparently whatever they can cover with the chocloate and sugar does not translate to cheese puffs and snack mix.  Stick the the chocolates.
Grade: B-
Caloric Intake: 1178.0
Weigh lost as of morning weigh in: 0.9 lbs
Weight lost overall: 4.7 lbs

Thursday, March 12, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 6

Well things are going much better.  Either day 3 really was my low point due to detox, or who knows what.  But since day 4 I've been doing great, not feeling hungry and my energy has been good.  Not even contemplating quitting now.

Breakfast
  • NS Cinnamon Squares Cereal
  • Yoplait Cinnamon Roll Fat Free Yogurt
  • Water
I'm not a cereal girl.  Even normal cereal.  Its just not my thing.  So I got a few NS cereals for one purpose - putting them in yogurt.  It worked out great.  The cereal tasted fine and stayed nice and crispy in the yogurt.  This felt like a "normal" breakfast and the Yoplait diet yogurts are amazing and come in so many flavors.

Morning Snack
  • String Cheese
Lunch
  • NS Pasta Parmesan with Broccoli
  • Garden Salad (no cheese)
  • Light Ranch Dressing
  • Imitation Crab
It seems each day has to have a dismal failure.  The NS Pasta was today's.  Its another "cup o noodles" deal so I filled it up with my hot water and waited 5 minutes.  The smell of overcooked broccoli was almost overwhelming.  When I tasted it, I got through 3 bites before I had to just throw it away.  Good thing I had my salad (which I sprinkled a few chow mein noodles to make up for my disappointment... or that's what I told myself).  I actually really didn't need the NS entree - the salad did fine for me.  [and for those of you wondering, yes, I actually DO like broccoli normally]

Afternoon Snack
  • String Cheese
  • Almonds (12)
  • Mandarin Orange
  • Cherry Coke Zero
Dinner
  • NS Beef Tacos
  • Decaf Coffee
I wasn't sure about beef that comes freeze dried in a packet that you have to add water to and then microwave.  However I was very pleasantly surprised.  It tasted, for the most part, just like taco meat.  I was also really surprised at the serving.  The package shows 2 round "shells" (more like chips) and I figured there would only be 2 and that they would be the size of Tostito round chips.  There ended up being 3 shells and they were about the size of a coaster each.  I put some lettuce and a very small dollop of sour cream on each (you are allowed a dairy serving with dinner).  I didn't need anything else with dinner.

Dessert:
  • NS Mint Chocolate Crunch Bar
Nothing else to say.  These are awesome.  Lurve them.

Ok well its almost been a full week.  I'm kinda dreading the weekend since that is prime snacking time since my family is around and food is within reach at all times.  Plus, there are chips, cookies, ice cream, and other baddies ALWAYS staring at me.  *sigh*  But I found the NS community boards today and posted a few messages.  Hopefully I can strike up some weight loss buddies to help me through the journey!

Grade: A-
Caloric Intake: 1033.3
Weigh lost as of morning weigh in: 0.6 lbs
Weight lost overall: 3.8 lbs

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 5

Today was a bummer wake up call. Hopped on the scale this morning and only lost .1 lbs. Point one. As in one tenth of a pound. Argh. That did not set my day off right. Dunno if it was the extra 1/2 a banana, the non-fat-free salad dressing, or merely my body clinging to what is left as a "starvation reflex". Here's hoping tomorrow is a better day.

Breakfast:
  • NS Blueberry Muffins
  • Decaf Coffee with Mocha/Caramel (one pump each)
  • Water
The last time I tried NS, the muffins were one of the worst things I'd ever tasted.  They literally tasted like someone had mixed sand into the batter.  I was UBER hesitant to order more this time around but had heard someone say they liked them so ordered the blueberry.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  While you can still tell something is a little off (probably the stuffed-with-fiber thing) but they were fine.  A lot like the little hostess mini muffins if you've ever had those.

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese
Lunch:
  • Small Garden Salad (no cheese)
  • Light Ranch Dressing
  • Imitation Crabmeat (2 oz)
  • NS Fudge Graham Bar
Nothing much new here.  I did find out that the light dressing on my salad bar at work is only 45 cals for a 1/4 cup.  That was heartening.  I also found out that 2oz of imitation crab is only 50 cals.  So I could have a nice salad, a few small pieces of "krab" and feel pretty good about lunch. The NS bar was fine.  Nothing great, nothing bad.  Just your typical diet or energy bar.  I wouldn't want to try it as my only lunch item though.  

Afternoon Snack:
  • String Cheese
  • Almonds (6)
Dinner:
  • NS Sourdough Pizza with Cheese
  • Baked Potato & ICBINB
  • Rib Eye Steak (1 oz)
  • Decaf Coffee
The fam had steaks with baked potatoes today.  Argh.  For dinner you're allowed a small protein or dairy so I cut a small slice off one of the steaks and had that with my pizza.  Steak and pizza... totally makes sense.  Right.  But hey I was pushed to my limits.  You're also allowed 2 veggies each dinner so I subbed in a baked potato plain save for ICBINB.  I'm hoping that's ok - we shall see!   Ok so the pizza was fine.  Baked it in the oven and with everything else dinner was all I needed.  Feeling guilty for the potato I skipped dessert tonight.

Dessert:
  • None
Grade: B+
Caloric Intake: 1068.1
Weigh lost as of morning weigh in: 0.1 lbs
Weight lost overall: 3.2lbs

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 4

Ok - MUCH better day today.  I had always heard that the 3rd day of any major diet change (carb deplete, detox, etc) is the hardest.  Judging by yesterday I hope that is accurate because yesterday SUCKED.  I was very ready to quit, and in fact, "cheated" and ate 1/2 a banana around 9:30 last night.  I just couldn't concentrate on anything else.  Even watching TV was too much effort.  Today is much improved. I can honestly say I didn't ever get ravenous the whole day.

Breakfast
  • NS Chocolate Chip Scone 
  • Water
Already reviewed the scone - still love it.  Wish I had more.  And note - no coffee this morning.  Maybe that was part of what helped but I really did try and suck down the water today.  I also slept with my humidifier on 45% last night to try hydrate some overnight.

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese
Lunch
  • Garden Salad (no cheese)
  • Light Ranch Dressing
  • NS Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
  • Diet Pepsi
I'm guessing having the large salad was part of the key today.  After eating the salad (at lunch with a friend) I walked back to work and decided to have my NS item about 30 mins later - so probably an hour after I finished the salad.  The PB Bar was not good.  It wasn't horrid, but when I opened it (after having it in the fridge with my lunch), it had a VERY strong chemical smell.  I almost didn't eat it (but who are we kidding).  It literally smelled like vinyl - like the pages from an old photo album.  After I got into it I guess I either got used to it or it warmed up and was ok.

Afternoon Snack
  • String Cheese
Almost didn't even need this.  Ate it on my way out the door of work at 4:30 just in case I would get hungry before I could get home and make dinner.

Dinner
  • NS Stroganoff Sauce with Beef and Noodles
  • Green Beans
  • Water
The NS entree was good.  Really nice portion, lots of mushrooms and carrots, and the beef was not scrungy!  I would definitely eat this one again.

Dessert:
  • NS NutriChocolates
Loved em last time.  Love em now.  They taste great and you get a ton of them in a pack.  It doesn't feel like until you open it and start munching, but if you eat them one at a time they last a long time.  I'm sitting here now totally satisfied and almost what I would say is "full".  

Overall today was probably my best day hunger-wise and food-wise.  I almost felt like a normal person.  I did have "light" ranch instead of fat free dressing, but I accounted for it in my calories for the day and reconciled it with not having as many snacks later.  The down side was that I only lost .6lbs at this morning's weigh in - even after having a horrid day yesterday.  Bummer.  But I knew at some point the mega loss had to stop.  Unfortunately.  So we'll wait and see what tomorrow brings!

Grade:  B+
Caloric Intake: 1068.7
Weigh lost as of morning weigh in:  0.6 lbs
Weight lost overall:  3.1lbs



Monday, March 9, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 3

Breakfast:
  • NS Chocolate Chip Scone
  • Coffee
Folks we have a winner.  The scone is the best (i.e. closest to "real" food) I have had so far.  I would give it a solid A.  Its a little dense however that is the normal texture for a scone.  Its not going to have the flaky outside that a bakery scone would so hence no A+ but still darn good. I'd eat it even if I weren't dieting.  Plus the portion was very generous - 2 substantial triangles.

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese
Lunch:
  • NS Fettuccine Alfredo
  • String Cheese
  • Water
This was one of the heavy paper cups where you add boiling water (think Cup O Noodles).  It was ok.  The sauce thickened up somewhat... I still wouldn't call it a cream sauce but it had good flavor.  Just make sure you don't use any more water than it states.  The portion was fine.

Afternoon Snack:
  • 6 Almonds (x2)
  • String Cheese
  • Mandarin Orange
  • Cherry Coke Zero
Ok  this is where we ran into trouble.  By 2:00 I was starving.  I ate my 6 almonds, a string cheese and my little Clementine type orange.  By 2:30 I had to get a Coke Zero for the caffeine.  It didn't help enough. At 4:00 I caved and ate 6 more almonds.  By the time I got home at 5:30 I was ready to chew my hand off. I had a huge headache and my muscles were tight/aching like a stress ache.  

Dinner:
  • NS Thick Crust Cheese Pizza
  • Water
This time I did the thick crust pizza I remembered liking from last time.  I also made sure to do it in the oven.  It is only slightly larger than a coaster.  Its about the size of a "Gladware" lid.  I cut it into 4 small "slices" to help myself feel like I was eating more.  The pizza was fine.  There's still a little something wonky with their sauce (its too sweet) but its doable.  I felt better after eating but not full. I chugged a glass of water before running to a 6:30 meeting.

Dessert:
  • NS Double Chocolate Almond Cookie
It doesn't exactly taste like a cookie.  A little powdery, a little dense and not rich chocolate. But its a cookie, its something else to eat and it does have almonds in it.  I'd give it a B-.  

Today was a hard day.  It started off great with a good breakfast where I didn't even feel like I needed anything other than the NS entree.  However it started to go downhill with lunch and by the afternoon it was realllly hard.  In fact I'm hungry as I type (about 30 mins after my cookie)  I'm feeling VERY low energy, my shoulder muscles are tight and achy and I get headaches quite often.  I'm going to try and up my water intake to see if that will help.  All I can say is that tomorrow better show some nice weight loss or I'll be pretty cranky (ok so I'm already cranky).  I will say that after today, had I not paid $300 to do this, I would be really likely to quit.  But I can't look hubby in the eye if I do so onward we go.  [note: NS does have a money back guarantee, but you have to ship everything back and shipping a 40+lbs box is no small trick]

Grade:  C- 
Caloric intake: 1064.1
Weight lost as of morning weigh in: 1.3 lbs
Weight lost overall:  2.5 lbs

Sunday, March 8, 2009

One Last Plea

Peeps, please check out my posting about helping a young man achieve his prom goal by clicking here... we're in the home stretch!!!

NutriSystem - Day 2

Ok day 2 ... harder than day 1 and unfortunately, more calories taken in on top of that.  Definitely noticed being hungry and had some odd side effects?  Here's the report:

Breakfast:
  • NS Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
  • String Cheese
  • Mandarin Orange
  • Maxwell House Coffee
The oatmeal wasn't what I expected. I'm used to microwaveable instant oatmeal.  This stuff you put the water in but then microwave the whole thing for 5 minutes (which I thought was quite a lot).  It wasn't bad necessarily - just bland.  And a different texture - more "whole oaty" - you could actually "chew" each oat.  I wouldn't say it was bad... just bland and not great.

Lunch:
  • NS Cheese Tortellini
  • McDonald's Side Salad
  • Newman's Own Light Italian Dressing (1/2 pack)
  • 2/3 pack Croutons 
The Cheese Tortellini were also bland.  The pasta sauce was almost too sweet and the cheese in the tortellini was chalky.  Also, when I was done I noticed that the container was mostly tomatoes and pasta sauce though I can't say I left the table hungry. My fun find for the day was that a pack of McDonald's croutons only has 60 calories!  (yes I survived a trip to the golden arches with my hubby and kiddo!)

Snack:

Ok here is where I got REALLY hungry.  I think the 2-3 o'clock hungries are going to be my challenge.  I ate my whopping 5 green olives (seriously) for my "fat" for the day.  30 mins later I couldn't take it and caved and ate 1tsp of peanut butter.  I also finally went and got a cherry Coke Zero.  I'm worried about the caffeine I'm taking in, but its the only thing that helps stem the hunger between meals.

Dinner:
  • NS Teriakyi Sauce, Beef, Rice & Vegetables
  • Non Fat Cottage Cheese (1/4 C)
  • Water
I give this a resounding "ok".  The meal itself had good flavors and did taste Asian-inspired.  However note the title of the entree and it will give you a clue as to what order the quantity of ingredients is based.  At least half of the weight of the product was sauce.  There was a fair amount of beef but it was certainly not prime beef - I actually had to put aside a few pieces due to gristle and fat.  It wasn't horrid and I admit I'm a picky eater when it comes to beef, so take that for what its worth.  There was only about 1/8C of wild rice in a small well to one side of the entree.  I think, apart from water chestnuts, I saw three other veggies total.  The one thing I find odd about this one is that most calorie counters know that the easiest place to find hidden calories is in sauces - we usually steer clear of them.  I didn't finish more than half the sauce and so this makes me wonder if I saved significantly in calories.... but since NS doesn't break that out, I'll never know.  I'd eat this one again though. 

Treat:
  • NS Microwavable Chocolate cake
This is where things went horribly wrong.  Horribly, horribly wrong.  I was so excited to see a microwaveable chocolate cake.  So excited in fact that I ordered 4 of them.  Big mistake.  I did not expect them to taste like Betty Crocker, but I DID expect them to taste.  My first warning was when I licked the batter off the fork while it was in the microwave... it tasted like some bland mixture of weak cooking cocoa and water.  Then after the suggested 5-minute cool, I tasted it.  The only way I could describe it would be if someone created a water-based spongy paper product and then BARELY flavored it with chocolate. I felt like I was eating a wet newspaper that someone had spilled a drop of hot chocolate on.  Knowing full well I only have one snack a day allotted to me, I actually threw it away and got out another chocolate bar like last night's.  We'll let Future Me worry about what to do about that missing dessert....

NOTE:  I'm noticing some weird things going on with my body.  I don't know if its the diet, if its detox, if its the caffeine, or if its coincidence.  I'm noticing a lot of the same symptoms that I had when I tried to do the juice detox (the Lemonade Diet - you have only juice for 10 days... I made it 2).   My chest, from time to time, feels "restricted" or as if its a little harder than normal to breathe - I notice this more when I'm having one of my "hungry" times.  I'm also noticing the glands in my neck feel swollen - especially on the left side.  Its almost to the point I'd call it a sore throat but not really.  And I have a headache often.  It could be that the Whoppers and onion rings of days past really are detoxing through my system.  Or it could be that my body is in a bit of caloric shock.  Or it could be the increase in caffeine (I used to drink almost NONE before this).  I'm going to see how things go over coming days.

Tomorrow will be my first day at work on NS.  On one had it should be easier - more to keep my mind busy and not as many snacks in arms reach.  On the other I will be sitting at my desk allll day with nothing else to do and will be around snacking and lunch-eating co-workers.  Yipes.  

FINAL REPORT:
Grade:  C
Caloric Intake: 1157.3 (not counting the bite of microwave cake)
Weight lost as of morning weigh in:  1.2 lbs
Total weight lost:  1.2 lbs