Nutrisystem Update Week 28: New 5-Day Jumpstart Your Weight Loss Kits!

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The hubby and I are back with another update for you on our weight loss, but first we’ve got some exciting  Nutrisystem news to share!  The new 5-Day Nutrisystem Jumpstart Your Weight Loss Kits are now available at a store near you!

nutrisystem 5 day kit

We can tell you from personal experience that the first week of the weight loss journey can be the hardest, and the Nutrisystem 5-Day kits allow you to get off to a quick and easy start in reaching your weight loss goals. At $44.98, the kits are an affordable way to commit to losing weight and sample foods from the program.

The kit offers structured weight loss with menu items perfectly proportioned for weight loss, including some of our favorite Nutrisystem items:

  • 5 Breakfasts – Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar, Cinnamon Bun Bar, Granola Cereal, Double Chocolate Muffin and a Honey Wheat Bagel.
  • 5 Lunches – Fudge Graham Bar, Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes, Chicken Noodle Soup, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar, and Red Beans & Rice.
  • 5 Dinners – Chicken Alfredo, Lasagna with Meat Sauce, Rotini & Meatballs, Homestyle Beef with Potatoes and Thick Crust Pizza.
  • 5 Desserts – Chocolatey Nougat Bar with Peanuts & Caramel, Peppermint Cookie Patty, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Fudge Brownie and a Coconut Almond Bar.

If you’ve been following along with our updates, you already know that Nutrisystem foods are intended to be combined with fresh grocery additions such as low fat yogurt, salad, fruit and vegetables.  To help you figure it all out, a free sample meal planer with program guide is included with all kits.


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Nutrisystem Update Week 27: Keep Calm and Carry On

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If you’re just joining us, the hubby and I have been losing weight together on the Nutrisystem program. Each week, we post a new update and share tips,  info about our experiences, let you know about the program, and tell you how much we’ve lost so far.

tips for losing weight

 

We’re still plugging along with our weight loss program and since I’ve been a bit down about how slow my progress has been recently, I thought I’d take a step back and really look at the big picture. I’ve lost 31 lbs and the hubby has lost 55…that’s reassurance that what we’re doing IS working and a great source of encouragement for me to keep doing what we’ve been doing even if I’m not losing weight every week.

I’m more convinced that ever that this whole weight loss thing really is as much mental as it is about the food, and since we’ve got the food covered with great Nutrisystem meals, it frees me up to focus on everything else that’s in my control. To give myself (and anyone else who can use it) a little encouragement and inspiration, I’ve made a list of what I know works and what I could be doing better.

1)Follow the Eating Plan – This seems obvious, but every now and then I catch myself changing the rules or negotiating with myself about what I can and should be eating. It can be easy to get complacent or not pay attention to portion sizes but the plan has been working and it’s important to make sure that every now and then I do a reality check to make sure I’m measuring and logging the extras since even something as simple as an extra handful of almonds can have an impact if it becomes a daily thing (guilty as charged)!

2)Exercise  – Another one that seems obvious and probably the biggest difference between the hubby’s results and mine. He really pushes himself every day to run and workout hard. I’ve been going easier on myself to avoid injury (I’m prone to hurting myself and then not being able to do anything due to knee and shoulder problems) so I’ve stuck to basic walking and have only recently started to add some other cardio workouts using exercise DVD’s at home. I need to keep pushing myself and am finding it a little easier as I keep losing more weight since there’s not as much stress on my joints!

3)Focus on Smaller Goals – It’s so easy to get discouraged looking at how far I still have to go to reach my overall weight loss goal but I keep reminding myself to focus on mini goals. These include things like “lose 5 pounds per month” and “add 30 minutes to your weekly workout total”. Less overwhelming that way.

4)Drink More Water – I was going to include this in my mini goals but I really have not been drinking nearly enough water so it needs its own item…I just forget. I know it’s important and should be such an easy part of the plan, so I’m going to set hourly reminders on my phone and computer and see if that helps.

5)Keep Calm and Carry On – Patience and persistence are the secret sauce of weight loss. It’s amazing how after so many weeks and months, I still get that voice in my head telling me it’s not working and I should just give up and go back to my old ways of eating. Intellectually, I know that what we’re doing is obviously working, and I have to block out the negative thoughts and doubts,  and just keep going!

Do you have tips or stories about what’s worked for you? We’d love to hear about your own weight loss experiences, challenges and goals, so leave a comment and share them. We’re also happy to answer questions, so ask away!  If you missed any of our previous Nutrisystem posts, just visit the links in the table below or click here to catch up!

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Nutrisystem Update Week 26: Six Months Completed and 85 Pounds Lost So Far!

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If you’re just joining us, the hubby and I have been losing weight together on the Nutrisystem program. Each week, we post a new update and share info about our experiences, let you know about the program, and tell you how much we’ve lost so far.

 thumbs up

It’s hard to believe that it’s been half a year since the hubby and I started our weight loss journey together! I’ve been super happy with how easy the Nutrisystem program has been to follow, and with the success we’ve had so far. My weight loss has not been nearly as rapid as his but between the two of us we’ve managed to lose a combined 85 pounds! He’s lost 54 lbs so far and I’m down 31 pounds to date.

Moving forward I’m going to be looking at some ways I can pick up the pace on my weight loss including drinking more water and adding more exercise to my routine, since I’m still 13 pounds from my goal weight, but this week I’m just taking time to give some thumbs up to both ourselves and to Nutrisystem for everything we’ve been able to accomplish so far!


If you missed any of our previous Nutrisystem posts, just visit the links in the table below or click here to catch up! We’d love to hear from you about your own weight loss experiences, challenges and goals, so leave a comment and let us know you stopped by. We’re also happy to answer questions, so ask away!

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Nutrisystem Update Week 25: Easter Week and Family Vacation

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For those of you just joining us, the hubby and I have been losing weight together on the  Nutrisystem program. Each week, we post a new update and share info about our experiences, let you know about the program, and tell you how much we’ve lost so far.

easter bunny diet

 

This week, we had family visiting us for Easter break so there was lots of restaurant eating and big family meals and we were on the go a lot…super FUN to all get together but challenging for those of us watching our weight.  Even though we did splurge just about every day, we did it on a smaller scale than we would have before being on Nutrisystem. That means just having a couple of jelly beans, and not the whole bag. We colored 2 dozen Easter eggs, but I only ate one egg. I had a big slice of pizza for lunch one day…but another day I had broiled fish. Last night I had a small cup of frozen yogurt instead of a large one…you get the picture!

We did our best to keep a balance between the splurges and the sensible eating so we could have fun and not regret it later. We also stuck to our exercise plans. The hubby went running as usual, and I walked with Daisy every morning. We ate Nutrisystem meals for all our breakfasts and didn’t do any snacking during the day to save the extra calories for lunch and dinners.

One more thing that I think really helped this week was weighing in every morning. In the past, a week of vacation or family visitors would mean completely ignoring the scale for 7 days and just pretending we wouldn’t gain weight. It would be common to have each gained 10-15 pounds in a week and then feel really surprised and bad about it after all the damage was already done.

While we both still gained a little bit over the past 7 days (I gained 1.4 and the hubs put on 4 lbs), seeing our weight each morning helped us stay accountable and more in control. I feel pretty good about how we did and we’re right back on track today now that everyone is on their way home.


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Nutrisystem Update Week 22: St. Patrick’s Day Diet Tips

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Just because you’re dieting or watching what you eat doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a great meal (and drink) on St. Patrick’s Day! The hubby and I are already planning ahead on how we’ll celebrate while still staying on track with our Nutrisystem weight loss program.

irish lunch nutrisystem diet

After going a little crazy for National Margarita Day, we decided to get smart and plan ahead for St. Patrick’s Day. The goal is to enjoy a little of our favorite food and drink, but not derail the diet. Even though we LOVE going out for St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve decided to stay in this year. We’ll still be celebrating the holiday AND hubby’s Irish American heritage, so I thought I’d share a few tips with you.

Irish Lunch with Nutrisystem

One of our favorite lunch items is the Nutrisystem Loaded Baked Potato meal. Just add extra hot water, low sodium chicken broth or skim milk and it becomes Irish Potato Soup. Sprinkle some green onion, crumbled turkey bacon and low-fat cheddar on top. Skip a SmartCarb for the day and you can also enjoy a Guinness at 125 calories for 12 oz instead…not a bad swap if you ask me!

Diet-Friendly Corned Beef and Cabbage

I couldn’t even imagine not having corned beef and cabbage for dinner on St. Patrick’s Day. As our Nutrisystem coach Meredith always reminds us, everything is OK in moderation.

corned beef
Some important tips to keep in mind when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day:

Portion size: the brand I buy is 190 calories for 4 oz of corned beef. That’s really not too bad if you stick to the recommended portion size. It IS  high in fat and sodium, so  keep that in mind and adjust the rest of your day/week accordingly to compensate.

More veggies: Put the emphasis on more cabbage, onions and carrots so you’ll feel full and satisfied. By cooking everything together in your crock pot or french oven on the stove top (that’s the method I use), your veggies will absorb all the flavor from the meat and spices making them extra yummy! Also, start your meal with a healthy salad to help keep your appetite under control.

Parsnips instead of Potatoes: I haven’t tried this one yet, but I’ve read that you can use parsnips instead of potatoes when making a more diet-friendly version of corned beef and cabbage. You’ll cut your calories in half, and carbs are less too.

Watch the booze: Not only do alcoholic beverages add empty calories, but they also impair your judgement meaning you’re more likely to eat stuff you shouldn’t or eat more than you should. Limit it to one or two drinks to be on the safe side!

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