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.

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 

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

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.

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.