AB Review

AB Reviews - Diet Meal Plan Nutrisystem:

I have always been a binge eater and an "event" dieter. Part of my job is being a Corporate Meeting Manager, so it always took an event like a company meeting or a family gathering to get me to change my eating habits. I'd always want to lose weight prior to it and I'd try every diet gimmick and every diet pill. I would practically starve myself to get the weight off. The problem was, after the event, I would go right back to my old eating habits and gain even more weight. Then, in July of 2004, everything finally reached a breaking point.

Hi, my name is Sheila, and this is my weight loss story.

Like I said, last July, everything changed for me. I got an upper respiratory infection and had to go to the doctor. Of course, the first thing they did was to weigh me. Ugh! I weighed in at 214 pounds, which was the heaviest I had ever been in my life.

I am 5'10", so everyone always says, "You're tall, so you can carry it," but the fact is, I can't carry it and I shouldn't be carrying that much weight around. I felt awful about myself and how I looked. I was tired all the time. At that doctor's visit, I decided it was time to take some serious steps to get healthy and get my weight under control, once and for all. No more up and down the scale. No more skinny clothes and fat clothes in the closet!

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In evaluating different diet plans, I chose NutriSystem because it seemed like the easiest to follow, and most well balanced plan. Low-carbohydrate diets seem to be sweeping the nation, but we all know that well-balanced, small meals are the true key for lifelong success.

When I received my first NutriSystem shipment, I have to say, I really did not know where to begin, but I sat down, read all of the material, and called my counselor, Sharon, to go over the plan. The first couple of days were hard for me, but it got easier as time went on, and before I knew it, I had gone 100 days with NO CHEATING! In the first two weeks, I had lost 12.5 pounds* and after seeing those results, there was no turning back for me. Now, I've lost 72 pounds* in less than 6 months, and I've gone from a size 14 to a size 4!

I have to say, my favorite thing about NutriSystem is the quality of the food. Out of the many products that NutriSystem offers, I have only found a couple of items that I don't like. It would be easy for me to eat the same meal every day, but I force myself not to do that. My trick is to restrict my order to no more than four of any one item, so I know I can have it once a week. I think the variety is what keeps me from getting bored or burned out!

And while I have never been a dessert eater, I now look forward to having that last sweet snack at the end of every day. I think of it as my reward for a day well done. I believe the quality of the food is what has keeps me so committed to this program. I never want to cheat; there's no reason to. I never feel deprived. I can actually create a healthier version of some of my favorite foods with NutriSystem foods. For instance, I can have a wonderful Taco Salad with the Beef Taco Dinner, or I can have a great Patty Melt with the Flame Broiled Beef Patty. In fact, some of the food is so good, I actually feel like I'm cheating!

Before I began NutriSystem, my son and I had one hobby—going out to eat. Since my husband works late most weeknights, it seemed silly to go home and cook, so we almost ALWAYS went out to eat, and believe me, I never made good choices. Now, however, we go straight home from school, change clothes, and I run while Zachary rides his bike. We do 5-6 miles almost every day. I'm teaching him lessons that I've just recently learned for myself, like that the hill he's climbing gets easier every time; that he can do it if he just keeps telling himself that he CAN. The great thing is, these lessons not only apply to running and bike riding, but they apply to our everyday lives.

Now that Zachary sees me eating healthier, he has been willing to try some new things, too. He'll actually eat broccoli once in a while and sometimes he'll even eat one of my NutriSystem dinners (and a dessert, of course!). He thinks it's really cool to "eat like Mom." If I can help him lay a foundation now for healthy eating, maybe he'll take it with him in the years to come. That's something I would really be proud of.

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As I said, since starting NutriSystem, I have also incorporated a running program into my daily routine. My former boss, who's a runner, encouraged me to try and run short distances during my walking routine. Are you kidding? I was one of those people who couldn't even run around the block without getting cramps in my side! Well, after I lost my initial 50 pounds, I began running ¼ mile. I couldn't wait until that ¼ mile was OVER and I could get back to my walking. But then, to my surprise, that ¼ mile got easier, and then I stretched it to ½ mile, and so on.

Now I'm running 5 to 6 miles a day around my neighborhood! My husband bought me a marathon trainer for Christmas that has a GPS unit that keeps track of my heart rate, time, speed and distance, so I always know how I did during my workout. It was a wonderful and thoughtful gift and I use it every time I run. It's fun for me to challenge myself and can see how I improve over time.

Speaking of that, I have always been blessed with the unwavering support of my family. My husband has always supported my endeavors, weight loss and otherwise. He was very happy that I chose NutriSystem because he was familiar with the program and knew that it was healthy and well balanced. I'm very close to my Mom and my Aunt, too, and I have received daily encouragement and support from both of them. In fact, my Mom also began NutriSystem while she was visiting over the Christmas holiday and is thrilled with the program. Now that I've been able to help myself, reaching out to others seems like the obvious next step for me. I'm so happy to share the lessons that I've learned and be able to inspire others to reach their goals. I guess we call that "paying it forward!"

Since joining NutriSystem, I have been a daily participant on the support bulletin board, too. I may not always post, but I'm always reading. Throughout my journey, I have been surrounded by some of the most wonderful and supportive people, and this board is where I go when I have a bad day. It's also where I go when I have a good day. There are so many whom I have met through this board and can call "friend." I'm lucky to be part of such a great group!

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The important thing for me to remember, and I'm sure it applies to others as well, is that this journey never ends. It takes on new twists and turns, but every day is still part of the journey. I'm only human, so there are days that I struggle with wanting to binge—I figure, I'm always going to have days like that. The difference today is that even if I have a day that isn't perfect, I know how to get right back on track again. That is a feeling of real empowerment; being able to make a mistake and make it right all on my own.

The important thing for me to remember, and I'm sure it applies to others as well, is that this journey never ends. It takes on new twists and turns, but every day is still part of the journey. I'm only human, so there are days that I struggle with wanting to binge—I figure, I'm always going to have days like that. The difference today is that even if I have a day that isn't perfect, I know how to get right back on track again. That is a feeling of real empowerment; being able to make a mistake and make it right all on my own.

I knew that I was unhappy being overweight. What I didn't realize was how much of that unhappiness was visible to others. I always thought that I could hide that unhappiness pretty well; that no one really noticed. Now that I have lost this weight and know that I have the tools to keep it off, I have had several people say that I've changed. They say that I'm happier, more confident and much more positive.

In essence, NutriSystem has helped me to be the person, and Mom, that I've always wanted to be. I know that my son is thrilled with the "new" me; not because of the physical changes, but because he sees a much happier, healthier Mom.

I wish everyone continued success with their own weight loss goals!

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