The NutriSystem program is very flexible. The program has many foods to choose from. You pick the ones you like!

NutriSystem also offers a comprehensive support program including FREE counseling.

Click below to take advantage of this new offer from NutriSystem!

I decided to play around with the “create movie” feature of the Flip video camera software. I tried not to go overboard with it, but I still had a little fun.

EatingIntuitively.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.

My philosophy with the Nutrisystem foods is that there will be some foods you like and some foods you don’t. Luckily, you can just pick the ones you like (of course).

EatingIntuitively.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.

EatingIntuitively.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.

I went to a famous Italian restaurant and had some really good food.  From the garlic bread to the ravioli with meat sauce to the chicken carbonara to the cassata cake for dessert, I ate it all.  Oh yeah, there were some vegetables in there, too.  A salad, some green beans, and some broccoli helped offset some of the other stuff. 

Here are the pictures:

My job is still interfering with my exercise plan, but I am determined to get my job under control, so I can get my weekends back.  I enjoy the weekend exercise the most, and I don’t want to miss it.

Life is going to get crazy, and it can be difficult to keep everything together.  I’m in one of those spots, but I am determined.  I will get everything back on track and soon!  What are your strategies for getting your life and/or schedule back on track when things get crazy?

Breakfast:  Pancake Mix; Egg Whites; Banana; Bread, multigrain; Morning Coffee

Morning Snack:  Fish, baked or broiled; Raisins

Lunch:  Red Beans and Rice with Sausage; Lettuce, green or red leaf; FF Dressing; Year Round Average Cherry Tomato; Canned Hearts Of Palm

Afternoon Snack:  Chocolate Chip Cookie

Dinner:  (see above)

Dessert:  (see above)

Drinks:  Crystal Light, iced tea

Exercise:  none

Pedometer:  ?

I used to fall asleep while watching television quite frequently and at all times of the day.  I was carrying around over 350 pounds and that was quite exhausting!  I took afternoon naps, and the couch was my friend.

Since I have lost over ninety pounds and I exercise regularly, I have a lot more energy.  I do not need as much sleep.  I usually sleep for seven hours a night, and that’s all I need.  Last night, I did not even see it coming. 

EatingIntuitively.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.

So, today I had to wonder why I feel asleep so early on the recliner.  Am I getting sick?  Do I owe the sleep bank?  Am I stressed?  What gives?

Well, I’m feeling well (it must be the healthy food).  I have not been missing my seven hours of sleep each night, so there’s nothing owed to the sleep bank.  So, am I stressed?  Am I stressed???

Okay, it’s true.  I am stressed.  A big project at work is kicking my butt!  What’s worse?  It’s not even helping me burn any extra calories.

I’m putting in extra hours.  I’m drinking extra coffee.  I’m doing everything I can to make progress on the project, and I am putting aside some of the relaxing things I do in my free time, so I can work more.  Argh!!!

I guess falling asleep on my recliner should be an expected outcome of the stress.  I guess I should be thankful recliner sleeping is the only side effect of the stress.  It could be worse.

I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I think I’ll get my life back soon.  What stresses you out?  What effects have you seen from extreme amounts of stress?

Breakfast:  Lemon Poppyseed Muffin; Egg; Mandarin Oranges; Morning Coffee; Cracker, Honeymaid Graham Crackers (Nabisco) ,Low Fat Honey

Morning Snack:  Cottage Cheese, 1% Fat; Applesauce, unsweetened

Lunch:  Pasta with Beef; Mushrooms, raw; FF Dressing

Afternoon Snack:  Cheese Puffs

Dinner:  Rotini with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce; Asparagus, cooked; Mandarin Oranges; Oil, canola, olive, peanut, safflower; Bread, pumpernickel

Dessert:  Chocolate Crunch Bar

Drinks:  Crystal Light

Exercise:  30 minutes on recumbent bike at 138 bpm.  50% of weekly exercise goal is complete.

Pedometer:  ?

There is another plan called NutriSystem Flex.  It’s relatively new, and it is very similar to the NutriSystem Advanced plan.  Instead of getting food for 28 days in your automatic order, you receive food for just 20 days. 

What do you do for the other eight days?  Take the weekends off!  Well, it doesn’t have to be the weekends.  It’s just eight days you can play with.  If you know there are meals where you just can’t bring your own food, NutriSystem Flex gives you the flexibility.  You won’t worry about the food you’re not eating.

I am intrigued by this plan, because I have often thought about how I will transition from losing weight to maintaining my weight.  I thought I would eat sensible, pre-prepared meals for six days, and I would enjoy other foods on the seventh day.  The hard part is making the meals for the other six days.

NutriSystem Flex is a great solution, because I am already familiar with the program and the foods.  I can just continue as I have been for the last eight months on Monday through Friday only.  I would then need to figure out the best way to eat over the weekend.  I haven’t seen the NutriSystem Flex literature, but I am sure NutriSystem has suggestions for the weekend!

I still have a few months until I reach my goal, so I’m going to continue on NutriSystem Select until I lose at least another 60 to 70 pounds.  At that point, I’ll definitely inquire about transitioning to NutriSystem Flex.

Breakfast:  Lowfat Granola Cereal; Yogurt, nonfat; Cherries; Cracker, Honeymaid Graham Crackers (Nabisco); Morning Coffee

Morning Snack:  Egg; Peach

Lunch:  Chicken Noodle Soup; Cabbage, raw; FF Dressing

Afternoon Snack:  Zesty Herb Snack Mix

Dinner:  Chicken Breast Patty; Mandarin Oranges; Oil, canola, olive, peanut, safflower; Sweet Potato; Boiled or Baked Spaghetti Squash with Salt

Dessert:  Ice Cream Sandwich

Drinks:  Crystal Light

Exercise:  none today.  I’m holding at 66.67% of my weekly exercise goal.

Pedometer:  ?

I credit my nice drop in weight to a few things:

• Additional thirty minutes of exercise each week
• Going from three coffees per day to one
• Eating right and learning more strategies to deal with hunger

 

EatingIntuitively.com is a paid affiliate of Nutrisystem, Inc.

I feel like I have pushed through a plateu.  I am now in the 260s, and I have my sights set on 250.  I went back to my spreadsheet to calculate the date ranges for my short-term goals:

• 250 lbs:  03/23/2009 – 04/06/2009
• 225 lbs:  05/25/2009 – 07/06/2009
• 200 lbs:  07/27/2009 – 10/05/2009
• 180 lbs:  09/21/2009 – 12/21/2009

My primary goal is to stay within these ranges, but I really want to achieve my goals before these date ranges. 

Are you a long-term dieter like me?  If so, how did you have to adjust as you continued on your healthy eating plan for months and months?  Please share in the comments.

NutriSystem Select

I received my NutriSystem Select shipment today.  These are the foods I know and love.  The frozen meals will get delivered tomorrow.  I’m so excited!

Body Weight:  266.5 pounds.  I weigh 93.5 pounds less than my all-time high of 360 pounds.

Breakfast:  Chocolate Chip Granola Bar; Egg; Banana; Bread, sourdough; Morning Coffee

Morning Snack:  Crabmeat; Banana

Lunch:  Pasta with Beef; Cabbage, raw; FF Dressing

Afternoon Snack:  Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks

Dinner:  Florentine Sauce with Chicken Fettuccini; Zucchini, cooked; Mandarin Oranges; Oil, canola, olive, peanut, safflower; Rice, brown, cooked

Dessert:  Chocolate Caramel Bar

Drinks:  Crystal Light; water

Exercise:  30 minutes on recumbent bike at 138 bpm.  16.67% of weekly exercise goal is complete.

Pedometer:  ?