What Is the Nutrisystem Diet?
Established more than 50 years ago, Nutrisystem is a commercial weight loss program designed to help people lose weight and improve their overall health by providing prepackaged and portioned meals and snacks, including frozen and shelf-stable options, that are delivered to you.
Nutrisystem is a high-protein, lower glycemic diet that aims to keep blood sugar levels steady and hunger in control. The menu includes a combination of perfectly portioned, pantry-ready and frozen meals, including a premium line of Hearty Inspirations meals made with up to 30 grams of protein.
Most plans also include weekly Flex Meals, which are created based on guidelines provided by Nutrisystem, for added flexibility. Nutrisystem offers plans for:
- Women
- Men
- Partners living in the same household
- Adults ages 50 and over, including one to help women to reduce the symptoms of menopause
Nutrisystem also offers Club Advantage, a subscription membership that provides access to Nutrisystem meals and support, that allows greater flexibility for people to tailor the diet to their own weight loss goals and experience. Club Advantage is ideal for people who are looking to transition off a Nutrisystem plan once they’ve reached their weight loss goal, or for people who need the convenience of Nutrisystem meals without the 28-day plan commitment.
Most Nutrisystem meals are also diabetes-friendly.
Is It Easy to Follow?
Yes, Nutrisystem is easy to follow and makes losing weight simple, says Courtney McCormick, a registered dietitian and the manager of Clinical Research and Nutrition for Nutrisystem. You’re provided a detailed meal plan that lays out exactly what types of foods to eat and when, including pre-portioned foods that come right to your doorstep. There’s also an app – the Numi Smartadapt – and 1-on-1 coaching available.
Relying on Nutrisystem for meal planning and preparation may help you control your portion sizes, but you may tire of heat-and-eat options.
- Flex meals, eaten twice per week, allow customers to occasionally go out to eat.
- About 90 menu choices will keep meals interesting.
- In addition to talking with your coach for support, you can track your meals, exercise and weight loss online or through the Nutrisystem app.
- Entrées will likely be smaller than what you’re used to, but you supplement them with protein, fiber-packed fruits and vegetables (some even in unlimited amounts) and “smart” carbs, which generally keep you feeling fuller longer.
How Does the Nutrisystem Diet Work?
Under several Nutrisystem plans, the first week is designed to jump-start your weight loss. During that week, you’ll consume seven days of Nutrisystem hunger control shakes and fat-burning bars, plus a Nutrisystem breakfast and dinner aimed at controlling hunger throughout your day. In addition to the Nutrisystem foods, you will supplement your plan with nutrient-rich food items from the grocery store, such as vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean proteins, fruit and whole grains.
After your first week, you’ll get to create Flex Meals on most plans. That means creating two healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks each week to practice healthy eating for life. In addition to the Flex Meals, you can enjoy Nutrisystem breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks of your choice delivered straight to your door.
However, for people not yet ready to create their own meals, there are plan options that provide seven days of Nutrisystem meals and snacks. This way, you’ll need just a few fresh grocery add-ins.
You can also choose to have Nutrisystem foods for seven or five days a week, as well as whether you want to add-on Nutrisystem’s premium line of Hearty Inspirations meals or receive a preselected assortment of “Chef’s Picks”.
Depending on your plan, you’ll eat five to six times a day.
Can the Nutrisystem Diet Help Me Lose Weight?
Nutrisystem claims to help people lose up to 1 to 2 pounds per week. It may help people lose up to 13 pounds in the first month on the Complete plans.
Clinical trials and analyses of customers’ outcomes suggest people, particularly people with obesity, will likely lose weight with Nutrisystem. However, a vast majority of available research was funded by the company.
Weight loss on the Nutrisystem program may be attributed to calorie restriction and portion control, a well-supported mechanism of weight loss.
Although Nutrisystem includes a high-protein, lower glycemic approach to control hunger, weight maintenance and management may be challenging on the program and could be a difficult regimen to sustain in the long term.
“In general, I think for those looking for long-term weight loss, learning how to implement a healthful and balanced diet is appropriate,” says Christa Brown, a registered dietitian based in Woodbridge, New Jersey. “Since the program focuses heavily on calorie-deficit versus diet quality and it doesn’t help with behavior changes, it could be hard when coming off the program to maintain the weight loss.”
Check Out Nurisystem Diet Plan
Short-Term Weight Loss
Nutrisystem showed promising weight loss results in studies, with participants losing at least 3.8% more weight after three months on the program than a control group that only received education and counseling.
Among a test group of postmenopausal women, participants on a Nutrisystem diet lost an average of 11 pounds in three months, with much of the weight loss from trunk fat mass.
Long-Term Weight Loss
Although one study showed that a high-intensity, lifestyle-based treatment program, including the Nutrisystem program, resulted in clinically significant weight loss after 24 months, there is a paucity of high-quality data supporting the long-term benefits of Nutrisystem.
Health Benefits of the Nutrisystem Diet
The packaged meals – supplemented with snacks of fresh produce, non-fat dairy and protein sources – are generally nutritionally complete and safe. Nutrisystem is considered a low-calorie diet, which is why it may help you lose weight. Additionally, Nutrisystem may help with:
- Heart Disease. Nutrisystem is likely a good diet for heart health. In addition to weight and fat loss, Nutrisystem has been shown to reduce blood pressure, arterial stiffness, total cholesterol levels and triglycerides, a fatty substance that, in excess, has been linked to heart disease.
- Diabetes. Company-funded research has also shown Nutrisystem helps lower blood glucose levels. Nutrisystem has been associated with reduced A1C levels and can help people with Type 2 diabetes meet the American Diabetes Association’s goal of tight blood sugar control. In addition, Nutrisystem dieters may be able to reduce the intensity of their diabetes medication regimen.
Health Risks of the Nutrisystem Diet
No indications of serious short-term risks or adverse side effects on Nutrisystem have surfaced.
Who Should Not Follow the Nutrisystem Diet?
The company does not recommend its programs for certain groups of people, including:
- People who are pregnant
- Anyone who has had an eating disorder within the last five years
- Those with a BMI of under 18.5
- People with certain dietary restrictions and food allergies, including allergies to soy and peanuts
- Anyone under the age of 18
If you have a pre-existing health condition, consult your doctor before starting a new diet.
What Foods Can I Eat on the Nutrisystem Diet?
The bulk of what you’ll be eating are Nutrisystem foods and snacks that are delivered to your house.
The Nutrisystem Grocery Guide groups groceries into three main categories, plus extras and free foods:
- PowerFuels, including beef, cheese, fish, milk and dairy, nuts and seeds, oils, tempeh and poultry
- SmartCarbs, which include beans, legumes, whole-grain bread, fruit, starchy vegetables, oatmeal, quinoa and more
- Vegetables, which include everything from beets to okra, onions, squash and dark leafy greens
- Extras, including condiments and sauces like agave sweetener, cocktail sauce, sour cream and jelly
- Free foods, which are low-calorie foods that Nutrisystem says you’re unlikely to overconsume during the day. These include spices, herbs and some beverages like iced tea, espresso and seltzer
Dietary Restrictions
Some diet modifications are possible when following a Nutrisystem diet:
- Vegan. Nutrisystem offers lacto-ovo vegetarian meal and snack options but does not offer vegan items. See all vegan diets.
- Vegetarian. Nutrisystem offers more than 560 vegetarian dishes, including cinnamon rolls, spinach and cheese pretzel melts and margherita pizza. See all vegetarian diets.
- Gluten Free. Nutrisystem does not offer certified gluten-free foods, and it is not advisable for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. See all gluten-free diets.
- Halal. Although some Nutrisystem meals contain gelatin, which is mostly derived from pork, you can exclude them from your menu. The meals and manufacturing facilities are not certified halal. See all halal diets.
- Kosher. It is not recommended to do Nutrisystem if you adhere to a kosher diet. The Nutrisystem foods and manufacturing facilities are not certified kosher. See all kosher diets.
Shopping List
Other groceries to keep in the kitchen include:
- Skinless chicken and turkey
- Eggs
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Tofu
- Nuts and nut butter
- Beans
- Brown rice
- Pita bread
- Couscous
- Legumes
- Fruit
- Avocados
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Lemon and lime juice
- Garlic
- Ginger
What Foods Do I Avoid on the Nutrisystem Diet?
On Nutrisystem, no foods are entirely forbidden. While eating out isn’t banned exactly, it should be limited to your six Flex meals per week. The company provides an eating out guide with recommendations categorized by cuisine, such as Thai, Italian and French.
Nutrisystem Diet Tips and Advice
Since her teenage years, Michelle Rhoads has worried about her weight. Now in her mid-40s, Rhoads remembers the peak of her weight gain that became a turning point in her eventual weight loss journey.
“After the birth of my second child, the number on the scale was higher than it had ever been,” she says. “I was scared and unsure of what to do. I tried Nutrisystem as a last resort because it was the only program I hadn’t tried before.”
Rhoads, who lives in Ohio, decided to give Nutrisystem a shot after learning about a friend from high school who had found success on the program.
“Nutrisystem makes it so easy,” she says. “All the info you need comes alongside the first delivery of the food. It was such an easy program to follow that I didn’t have a ton of questions, but when I did, I could call Nutrisystem and get help.”
The program worked, and Rhoads saw immediate results. After one week on Nutrisystem, she had lost 5 pounds. In six months, she lost 41 pounds. At the same time, she says she was still excited to eat her next meal and was saving money on her weekly grocery bills. The Nutrisystem program has been transformative for her health, Rhoads says.
“Before Nutrisystem, I was not someone that was active,” she says. “I think the thing I am most proud of, though, is that I am an active mom. I didn’t want to be a mom on the sidelines watching her kids grow up. I wanted to be an active participant. And that is what I am (now).”
In order to be successful on the program, Rhoads adds, consistency is key.
“Nutrisystem can change your life if you let it. I know because it changed mine,” she says. “Stick to the plan and stay consistent. Consistency is always going to win. A lot of people give up on most programs because they feel they don’t see results fast enough. Be patient, and trust the process.”
