Friday, March 20, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 14 - The Dream Is Over

Well, I just canceled my membership at NutriSystem and got a return authorization for the remainder of my food. I just can't do it anymore. I weighed in this morning UP 0.2lbs - enough was enough. And for you naysayers who tell me its not appropriate to track weight more than once a week, even if I had just weighed in each Friday, I have officially GAINED since this day last week. I am UP 0.3lbs from last week. That means one whole week making myself miserable with no results and an in fact the opposite of the desired effect. I'm done.

I'm going back to Weight Watchers. I realize it will be slow going - at least slower than I want - but it is the only thing that has worked for me. I can eat the things I want, not feel deprived and still say within my appropriate range. I'll also be throwing in an evening walk or bike ride with hubby now that things are warming up.

With all the bad effects (gas, bloating) and the bad taste (bland food, weird aftertaste, limited menu), and the concern over quality (grade of beef/chicken, no need for refrigeration, high preservative content) it was just not worth sticking with something that cost me $300 a month.

This does not mean I will be going hog wild. I will not have biscuits and gravy for breakfast, lasagna for lunch and Chicago-style pizza for dinner. For instance this morning I'm having an egg beater omelet with tomato and shredded cheese. But I will be able to be a normal person, functioning in a normal manner, and not feel either deprived, left out, or boxed in.

END RESULTS:
Overall Grade: C-
Weight GAIN s of morning weigh in: 0.2
TOTAL WEIGHT LOST: 4.4 lbs

Yes, 4lbs in 14 days is not shabby. But when you look at how it all played out, most of that loss was in the first three days and was likely merely water weight. For the money (and the misery) it just wasn't worth it for me. Best of luck to you, dear reader, should you try and make the NutriSystem Journey.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 13

Ok, so almost 2 weeks gone on this little diet voyage.  The problem is that - while I had a nice loss today of 0.4lbs - I'm still not any further than I was a week ago.  And that is a real bummer.  But it seems that my body was really in starvation mode because I ate more yesterday than I had any other day prior and lost more than I had all week.  So we'll just try to stay around 1200 - 1300 and see what happens.  I also broke today and had to have something not prepackaged and not salad.  My family was having fried chicken and I picked a few pieces off hubby's serving.  Yes, I've resorted to vulturism.  I may have over-estimated the amount of chicken I ate when figuring calories but I'm trying to be rather safe than sorry!

I also noticed along this journey that I seem to have more - um - gas than usual.  I just happened to be talking to a friend who is a nurse who looked through the ingredients of my foods I had that day. She noticed a lot of Sorbitol.  This is a sweetener/preservative apparently that the body cannot process so it shoots right through.  Bottom line its known for giving you gas.  Mystery solved.  I wonder if this is what is contributing to the weird sweet/bitter aftertaste.  

Breakfast:
  • Yoplait Light
  • Nutricrunch Frosted Cereal
Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese
Lunch:
  • Garden Salad (no cheese) w/ tomato, carrots, black olives
  • Light Ranch Dressing
  • Diet Rite Soda
Afternoon Snack:
  • NS Fudge Graham Bar
  • String Cheese
Dinner:
  • Flatbread Pizza
  • Fried Chicken (approx 2 oz)
  • Green Beans
Dessert:
  • None as of publication time (trying to hold out due to cals already consumed and the thought of the aftertaste is really starting to turn me off to the foods)
Grade:  B
Caloric Intake: 1228.8
Weight lost as of morning weigh in: 0.4 lbs
Weight lost overall: 4.6lbs 

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 12

Bottom line here is that I weighed in UP 0.1 lbs today.  *sigh*  However after posting a message on the NS support boards I'm pretty convinced I'm actually not taking in enough calories and my body is in survival mode.  So today I tried to up my cals to at least 1200 and succeeded.  

There isn't anything new to review so nothing to comment on below.  I will say that as of today I'm really jonesing for SOMEthing that does NOT come in a vacuum-sealed pouch!

Breakfast:
  • Yoplait Light
  • NS Nutrisquare Cinnamon Cereal

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese

Lunch:
  • Garden Salad (no cheese)
  • Light Ranch
  • Imitation Crab 
  • Chow Mein
  • NS Fudge Graham Bar

Afternoon Snack:
  • Almonds (6)
  • Starbucks Decaf w/mocha & caramel (one pump ea)

Dinner:
  • NS Thick Crust Pizza
  • Green Beans

Dessert:
  • NS Chocolate Caramel Bar
Grade:  C+
Caloric Intake: 1227.5
Weight GAIN as of morning weigh in:  0.1 lbs
Weight lost overall:  4.2 lbs

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 11

Ok - new format here.  I'm only gonna review things I haven't reviewed before.   Today's weigh in was a little better... down .3 but still not what I was hoping for.  All I can do is keep going!  I can say that the cravings are going away quickly and now when I go down to my office cafe to eat don't even bother looking at what's on the menu - just head to the salad bar - and don't feel deprived because of it.

New items:  
  • Cheese Ravioli in Tomato Basil Sauce
It was ok.  The rest of the fam was having spaghetti so I really wanted pasta to feel a part.  The ravioli (you get 2) were large - larger than you get in most restaurants - and it wasn't all sauce the way past entrees.  The cheese was a little chalky but not bad.  All in all I'd eat that again.
  • White Cheddar Soy Chips
Not as bland and "rice cake-y" as I thought.  Not great - a bit of a weird after taste but all in all nice white cheddar taste and salt (ooooh how I've missed salt).  If you like Vic's White Cheddar popcorn - these will suit you.

I tried to skip all snacks and even my lunch entree today to make up some calories.  I also went for a bike ride last night to kick up my metabolism.  I also had NO caffeine today.  We'll see if it helps!

Grade:  B+ for the lack of hunger even with low caloric intake
Caloric Intake: 990.7
Weight lost as of morning weigh in: 0.3 lbs.
Weight lost overall:  4.3 lbs.

Monday, March 16, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 10

Another pretty disappointing weigh in.  Down exactly 0.0 lbs.  *sigh*  I'm being told that it may be my body going into a little calorie shock but only time will tell.  I didn't have much for snacks today (instead using my lunch entree as my snack) in hopes that the little extra kick would get my weight loss going again. My goal of 20lbs is pretty outta reach now so I'm hoping for 16lbs.

Breakfast:
  • NS Chocolate Chip Scone
  • Water
Nothing new here

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese 
I would have skipped this snack all together but I had a late meeting before lunch and was afraid I'd get hungry then splurge on lunch.

Lunch:
  • Garden Salad (no cheese)
  • Light Ranch Dressing
  • Imitation Crab
  • Chow Mein Noodles
Again nothing new here.

Afternoon Snack:
  • NS Fudge Graham Bar
  • Almonds (6)
Dinner:
  • NS Beef Tacos
  • Lettuce
  • Sour Cream
Nothing new here either.  Wow I'm boring.

Dessert:
  • NS White Chocolate Chunk Cookie
The cookie was a little weird at first bite and kinda hard (which was also odd) - it had its usual weird aftertaste.  But the white chocolate chunks saved it and made it something I was ok with.

Well today was anti-climactic.  On one hand I'm glad I didn't gain anything back I suppose, but I'm also really disappointed I didn't lose any either.  But as I suspected it was much easier to focus on other things at work and there was no "cheat food" calling my name right at hand.  The only thing I can do is keep pressing on and hope to get to my goal!!

Grade: B
Calorie intake: 1094.2
Weight lost as of morning weigh in:  0.0 lbs.
Weight lost overall:  4.0 lbs.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

NutriSystem - Day 9

Today it all came crashing down - my delusion of 5lbs a week weight loss.  At this morning's weigh in - I GAINED .9 lbs.  Curses to yesterdays cheats!  Ok you know how you don't really miss Oreos until you have one.  Then somehow the day AFTER the Oreo is the hardest day to try and NOT have an Oreo.  Well after cheating yesterday... and then after today's REALLY disappointing weigh in ... it was very hard to get through today.  For some reason I was just CRAVING "normal" food.  Today for lunch my hubby had a bologna sandwich and my daughter had a hot dog.  It about killed me.  But I just keep reminding myself "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

Breakfast:
  • NS Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
  • Decaf Coffee
Ok, I've reviewed the maple brown sugar before and this one is pretty much the same with the addition of a few pieces of apple within.  

Morning Snack:
  • String Cheese

Lunch:
  • NS Chicken Salad
  • Wheat Bread (1 pc)
  • Water
To try and feel normal I pulled out the little foil packs of Chicken Salad.  Whatever it shows on the packet must be an artist's rendition.  It shows nice chunks of chicken - I had my light mayo and wheat bread ready to go.  Then I looked on the ingredients and found the might mayo and relish was already mixed in.  I opened the packet and pulled out a gloppy mess.  There were no flaky pieces of chicken.  There was instead a creamy-lumpy pile.  To be fair, it tasted fine.  I just needed to have a "sandwich" to feel normal.  I would have LOVED to have had some baked chips, or a cookie after but contained it.

Afternoon Snack:
  • Cherry Coke Zero
  • Peanut Butter (2tsp)
Dinner:
  • NS Thick Crust Pizza
  • Green Beans
  • Water
Nothin new here.  I am noticing the aftertaste of most ALL of the NS items, more and more lately.  Tonight I was kinda psycho about it and had to have my last mint crisp bar just to help get rid of the after taste for fear the standard chocolate crunch bar would leave a similar taste. I don't know if its the added fiber, whey proteins, or the preservatives (doesn't seem quite natural to have cheese and chicken breasts that don't need to be refrigerated).  Whatever it is its kinda starting to get annoying.  On top of that my hubby and family had his famous chicken out on the grill (coated with butter, butter and more butter) of which I could have none!

Dessert:
  • NS Mint Chocolate Crisp Bar
I'm looking forward to the day I'm done with this diet.  First just due to the hopeful weight loss goal.  Second just to be able to have normal food again.  That's starting to be my sticking point.  I'm sure I'll do better during the week at work since I'm keeping busy and since I won't have my mother bringing home bakery cakes and setting them out on the counter *eye roll*.  I have a feeling once this first month is over, I'll go back to Weight Watchers.  It is a lot more labor intensive (having to track and record points) but I get "cheat" days and I get to eat normal food. So if I'm craving a hot dog I can have one and then eat sensibly the rest of the day.  Don't get me wrong - NS is exactly what I need right now - something to jump start my better eating and to help train me that I don't need a ton of food to be full.  However once I've got it down and made a good start, I can try and handle it on my own from there.

Grade:  D
Caloric Intake: 1017.8
Weight GAINED as of morning weigh in:  0.9 lbs
Weight lost overall:  4.0 lbs