Nutrisystem Reviews | Does Nutrisystem Work? The Truth About Nutrisystem

What You Need to Know about Nutrisystem (Reviews: Does Nutrisystem Work?)

Fad diets can rise quickly in popularity without necessarily demonstrating a proven method for losing weight. Having been around for almost four decades, Nutrisystem has become a household name for those looking for weight loss remedies, but does Nutrisystem work?

Consumers can be skeptical of an online direct sales company that promises an average weight loss of eight pounds each month, and many are asking questions like, “Does Nutrisystem really work?” “Does it matter which Nutrisystem foods you order or which plan you choose?” “Is there really a difference between Nutrisystem for men and women?”

Before you invest in a month’s supply of Nutrisystem food or spend time hunting online for a Nutrisystem promo code or Nutrisystem coupons, you should know the facts.

In our objective Nutrisystem review, we will take a closer look at just what Nutrisystem is and what you might be able to expect from this popular form of dieting. Does Nutrisystem really work? Let’s find out.

Image from: Nutrisystem

What Is Nutrisystem?

It would be impossible to have a thorough Nutrisystem review without first taking a closer look at exactly who Nutrisystem claims to be. While they have been around for almost forty years, some individuals are still wondering, “How does Nutrisystem work?”

The answer is fairly simple: they teach you what they consider the three biggest contributing factors to weight loss:

Portion control: Nutrisystem reviews the number of calories and the nutritional content prior to packaging and shipping directly to your door. You can still consume some of your favorite foods (think blueberry muffins or cookie crisp bars), but you will instead do it in a proper portion size.
Nutrition: Nutrisystem food emphasizes finding a proper balance of nutrients to help you feel fuller longer and to keep your strength up even while dieting.
Frequent meals: Does Nutrisystem really work to keep your hunger at bay? With up to six meals each day and the proper nutrition from each, you should feel full all day.

Image from Nutrisystem

When you opt for one of Nutrisystem’s three meal plans, you can choose a Nutrisystem for men or women option. The Nutrisystem for men plans typically include an extra snack throughout the day to account for the higher caloric intake that men usually require. Nutrisystem reviews your weight loss goals alongside your current height and weight to help you determine which plan works best for you: basic, core, uniquely yours, vegetarian, or diabetic.

No matter which plan you go with, during the first week you will always have two shakes each day along with your meals to help you jump right into your weight loss. After this first week on the program, you will receive four weeks’ worth of Nutrisystem food that you will supplement with fresh foods from the grocery store. The food is a combination of shelf-stable, frozen, and fresh, giving you options such as frozen waffles, double chocolate muffins, grilled chicken sandwiches, mushroom-stuffed chicken, and cheesecake bars.

An important feature to note in a Nutrisystem review is that by upgrading to either the core or uniquely yours plans, you also receive access to a counselor and dietitian for any additional questions you might have.

How does Nutrisystem work? By providing you with meals and a controlled program, Nutrisystem reviews the caloric count for you to help you to lose weight quickly with minimal effort. But does Nutrisystem really work? What do the facts say?

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Does Nutrisystem Really Work?

Have you ever wondered, “Does Nutrisystem work?” You wouldn’t be alone if you questioned what the Nutrisystem reviews say and whether the Nutrisystem before and after pictures shown on their infomercials could possibly be realistic. Is there any science behind the dieting program to prove that it can lead to significant weight loss? Fortunately, there is.

When compared to a self-directed diet, the Nutrisystem for men and women program was proven to show “meaningful changes in body weight, total body circumference, and body fat mass” when examined for just one four-week period. In a scientific Nutrisystem review, meal provision and replacement products (such as the shakes included in the first week of the program) could help consumers to reach greater weight loss. Does Nutrisystem really work? Take a look at the numbers:

39.5% and 26.8% of participants in the study lost more than 5% of their initial body weight in four weeks. By comparison, just under 8% lost the same amount on a self-directed diet.
Average participants lost 8.3 pounds during the four week span using the Turbo 10 plan featuring the weight loss shakes and stricter Nutrisystem food program.
The Turbo 10 plan helped users to lose three times more weight, total body inches, and body fat than those on self-directed plans.

Does Nutrisystem work? It seems that the science behind the Nutrisystem review above would affirm that the program does certainly promote healthy weight loss.

Image from Nutrisystem

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Nutrisystem Pricing

Nutrisystem reviews wouldn’t be complete without mentioning how much it will cost you to obtain the potential weight loss demonstrated in the Nutrisystem review from the previous section. In exchange for four weeks’ worth of Nutrisystem food, already portioned and packaged, how much can you expect to pay? The answer varies depending on which plan you opt for:

Basic: The basic plan will cost you $249.99 every four weeks for both the Nutrisystem for men and the Nutrisystem for women programs. With the favorites package, the company will choose your meals for you, but for an extra $19.99, you can select your own meals.
Core: The core plan is listed as the most popular option according to the Nutrisystem review on their page, costing $294.99 each month. This includes access to the counselors and dietitians, as well as no additional cost to choose a custom menu.
Uniquely Yours: The most expensive of the three main choices at $334.99 per four weeks, this plan opens up more selection for your meals and snacks, as well as access to the counselors and dietitians.

Of course, our Nutrisystem review would be remiss not to point out that you can also opt for a plan specifically for vegetarians and individuals looking for a diet to help them control their type 2 diabetes. If at any point during the first fourteen days of your first order you decide that you don’t like the product, send back the remaining food for a full refund (less shipping). You can try the food first without making a huge commitment.

Is the price tag still high? Searching for a Nutrisystem promo code or Nutrisystem coupons might yield some success for you. At the time of writing, we were able to uncover a Nutrisystem promo code for 40 percent off your order, a new shaker, and Nutrisystem coupons for $25 off of your first two orders. Depending on when you place your order, you might be able to stumble across the same or similar Nutrisystem coupons.

How do the prices for the Nutrisystem reviews stack up against the competitors? In a Nutrisystem review from Yahoo Finance, Vera Gibbons broke down the average cost per weight loss pound for Weight Watchers ($86 per pound), Jenny Craig ($163 per pound), and Nutrisystem ($120 per pound). Nutrisystem fell squarely in the middle, but it’s important to note that in her Nutrisystem review, the Weight Watchers program did not include prepackaged meals. It is based on using the Weight Watchers principles and points system to purchase your own food and prepare meals.

You might pay slightly more for the Nutrisystem food, but you are also receiving an added amount of convenience. When we took a look at the question “How does Nutrisystem work?” our own Nutrisystem review concluded that having meals or meal-replacements provided ended with significantly greater weight loss than in a self-directed diet.

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Nutrisystem Food

Does Nutrisystem really work? Based off the number of Nutrisystem reviews from celebrities such as Melissa Joan Hart and Genie Francis who lost forty pounds, Dan Marino who lost 22 pounds, and Marie Osmond who lost fifty pounds, the Nutrisystem before and after stories are undeniable. In fact, there is even an entire Nutrisystem before and after section in their site.

So, it does really work, but does it taste good? Nothing is worse than investing a couple hundred dollars in a month’s supply of food that you would rather toss in the garbage.

In a side-by-side taste comparison with Jenny Craig, Consumer Report’s Nutrisystem review found that the only items that score in the “very good” category came from Jenny Craig. However, eight of the ten “fair” rated items were from Nutrisystem food products.

They referred to the food as “low-flavored” and a “highly processed impression,” not exactly giving it a stellar Nutrisystem review when it comes to taste. It was noted that the frozen entrees from the select menu did have a better overall taste than the shelf-stable counterparts.

ABC News conducted Nutrisystem reviews with professional chefs and with college students to determine which of three brands had the best taste. In both categories for the chefs and the students, Nutrisystem food came in at the bottom of the list. In a statement from the company, they said that the testing was unscientific and could not determine overall levels of satisfaction with the taste of their products.

Furthermore, they included the results of a Nutrisystem review from the National Business Research Institute on a 2009 customer survey. They were able to conclude that eight out of ten customers “love” the food.

Overall, it would be difficult to determine whether the taste of the food should deter you in just one Nutrisystem review. Most people understand that it is prepackaged food specifically designed for a diet and aren’t expecting gourmet meals from their freezer or pantry. With those expectations in place, taste is an incredibly subjective thing. Our suggestion? Take advantage of the 14-day trial of Nutrisystem food to give it a shot.

Ending the Program

When it comes time to transition out of the program, what do Nutrisystem reviews have to say about the process? Does Nutrisystem really work for the long haul?

After spending so much time on a diet where your meals are very strictly controlled by the company who packages and sends them, it can be quite an adjustment to begin preparing your own meals again. You were still shopping for fresh foods during your diet and preparing various portions of fruits and vegetables each day. However, you will now need to portion control all of your meals.

This is the biggest adjustment that Nutrisystem reviews emphasize when it’s time to transition off the Nutrisystem food. One Nutrisystem review from WebMD points out that eating “real food” at the tail-end of your diet can be difficult. You will need to consider the nutritional value of the foods you consume in a way you didn’t while on the Nutrisystem program.

To their credit, Nutrisystem reviews do note that the company makes an attempt to help prepare you for this transition. Any Nutrisystem review should include their maintenance programs and transition programs, which cut back the amount of meals and snacks you receive to help you learn to prepare meals on your own while you still have access to their team of counselors and dietitians.

Does Nutrisystem work? Yes, but only if you are paying close attention to the lessons in portion control with each prepackaged meal you heat up.

Conclusion: Does Nutrisystem Work?

Many consumers have been wondering, “How does Nutrisystem work?” and “Is it worth the money?” The jury is still out on whether the taste is worth the cost on this dieting program, but you can’t expect gourmet meals on a diet of prepackaged Nutrisystem food. You can always opt for the money back guarantee if you really don’t care for it.

Be aware that enrolling in a monthly plan does set you up to have four-week supplies of Nutrisystem for men and women shipped to your door automatically each month. If you plan to cancel or can’t afford the program for another month without a Nutrisystem promo code or Nutrisystem coupons, be sure to opt out of this auto-enroll feature.

Does Nutrisystem really work? Based on the studies and the numerous Nutrisystem before and after photos, it seems that the Nutrisystem food combined with light exercise each day should result in greater amounts of weight loss. In our own Nutrisystem review, it seems like an obvious choice to at least give the program a shot if you’re looking for a convenient way to lose a few pounds each month.

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