Nutrisystem: What's all the rave?

You've probably heard about The Nutrisystem Diet.

This diet's spreading fast as people are enticed by the relatively low price and ease in having every meal delivered right to your door. A diet that promises you a weight loss of 13 lbs. and 7 inches in just your first month!

So how does this fad diet differ?

Their secret: Portion control, frequent meals, and balanced nutrition.

Nutrisystem focuses on the Glycemic Index of foods, zoning in on carbohydrates with a lower GI to encourage slower digestion. This, in turn, improves blood sugar levels which is perfect for individuals with

diabetes.

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Meal replacement-based weight loss programs

They’re effective because they are forcing consumers to completely redirect their food choices, eliminating energy dense options and replacing them with portion controlled, low-calorie options.

So how nutrient dense are they?

Breakfast items: These items are great sources of fiber but some may be low in protein, vitamin A & C, iron, and calcium. Popular options include the waffles, cinnamon rolls, and muffins.

Lunch items: Unfortunatley, many items are high in sodium including the grilled sandwich, fiesta melt, and white bean chili. These items are also low in protein, averaging about 6 grams per serving. (The recommended daily intake (RDI) is relative to weight and is generally at least 60 grams per day if over 140 lbs.)

Dinner items: These options seem to consist of plenty of pastas, ranging from rotini and meatballs, bolognaise, Alfredo, lasagna, and ravioli. Other options include pizzas, burgers, chili, enchiladas, and meatloaf to name a few. These foods are great sources of protein but again are high in sodium (averaging 600mg per serving) and low in fiber (average 4g per serving - the RDI for fiber is 25-30g)

Rotini & Meatballs Nutrition Facts:

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Pros:

Three different packages of Nutrisystem allow you to customize your diet plan depending on how many items you wish to purchase each month. Each plan is kind to your wallet, costing between $8.90 - $11.04 per day.

The convenience of Nutrisystem is unreal. With meals delivered right to your door and practically zero prep time (aside from a couple minutes microwaving) this diet plan graces you with those precious extra minutes of freedom.

A small Randomized Control Trial by Wadden et al. explains the mean weight change after 12 weeks of adherence to Nutrisystem is roughly -7% and -9% after 24 weeks.

One clinical trial conducted by Baetge et al. studied biomarkers in Nutrisystem (NS) users at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks. Results showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Nutrisystem is beneficial as it teaches consumers good habits on eating frequently and eating smaller portions.

Another thing to appreciate about Nutrisystem is their straightforward Nutrition Labels. If you’ve ever taken a glance at maybe a label for potato chips or some nuts, you may have noticed that there are usually multiple servings per container. With NS we don’t have to worry about those secret servings! What you see on the label is what you get if you’re eating the whole portion.

Cons:

Compared to other meal replacement-based weight loss programs such as Optifast and Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem doesn’t offer life-coaching or support groups to help with behavior change.

While Nutrisystem delivers snacks and meals to your home, they advise consumers to grocery their own fresh produce to improve those meals. Without these independent grocery trips, the quantity and quality of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals you’re getting may not be enough for an optimal diet. Keep in mind you're looking at adding on another bill, increasing that original $8.90 a day price.

In the same study by Baetge et al. NS participants didn’t show any significant reduction in the presence of Metabolic Syndrome. Also, NS participants did not experience a significant reduction in leptin levels (leptin levels are known to increase or decrease according to the body's quantity of fat tissue).

Unfortunately, there is a lot of data on weight loss and differences in biomarkers for Nutrisystem on a short-term basis, and very little represented for trials lasting after 12 months, or following the participants after discontinuation.

While following the diet, it’s easy to be tempted to have a “cheat day” or steal yourself a quick dessert here or there to satisfy some cravings. Diets that require you to only eat their products can leave consumers feeling guilty or depressed for indulging in anything else.

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It’s important to be realistic here when analyzing Nutrisystem.

How do consumers feel while dieting?

Most individuals are accustomed to eating 2400+ calories per day, and suddenly they are forced to reduce that down to 1200 and 1500 calories per day for women and men respectively.

Semi starvation can be a risky weight loss method, as it may encourage other risky behaviors such as purging, diet pills, laxatives, or even surgery.

Semi starvation is considered by professionals to be an eating disorder, and can cause many problems such as trouble concentrating, a decrease in metabolism rate (up to 40%), edema, hair loss, irritability and other personality changes.

While Nutrisystem may work for many individuals, it may be sending the wrong message. Are we too focused on losing those pounds and fitting into old jeans, that we forget the underlying importance of a healthy and balanced diet? If losing weight is our only motivation to eat nourishing foods, what are the chances we continue the balance and cut portion sizes once we’ve met our goal weight?

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Losing weight fast can slow down your metabolism

Semi-starvation can cause harmful drops in protein, potassium, fluids, sodium and may lead to other nutrient deficiencies

Meal replacement programs are only encouraged if other weight loss methods have already been exhausted

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Sustaining that weight loss once you're off: (RD perspective)

Hopping off Nutrisystem is inevitable. Eventually, these dietary changes can not be maintained. Consumers find the same options unappetizing, miss dining out and enjoying meals with friends and family, miss cooking and often reach their weight goal and don’t feel the need for it anymore. Either way, once you end the diet, keeping that weight off becomes extremely difficult - especially without the proper tools and education to eat properly on your own. In fact, clinical studies show that drastic dieting can be an early step on the path to disordered eating.

Here is a list of important skills and tools necessary to sustain that weight loss.

[if !supportLists]· [endif]Cognitive restructuring

[if !supportLists]· [endif]Exercise -150 minutes/week of moderate activity

[if !supportLists]· [endif]Support - family and friends

· [endif]Permanent dietary changes - reduce trans fat, saturated fat, processed foods & added sugars. Increase fruits, vegetables, fiber, whole grains, etc.

[if !supportLists]· [endif]Self-monitoring -Being aware of your hunger, appetite, portion sizes, exercise, calories, self-control, etc.

[if !supportLists]· [endif]Stress management -Avoiding situations that tempt unhealthy eating habits

Remember: The proper method to losing weight and becoming healthier is different for everyone. Listen to your body, and don't forget to take care of yourself.

To read an interesting and supporting article from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics here

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References

Baetge. C, Earnest, C. P., Lockard, B, et al. (2017). Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 42 (2), 216-227. DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2016-0456

Berg, F. M. (1999). Health Risks Associated With Weight Loss and Obesity Treatment Programs. Journal of Social Issues, 55: 277–297. doi:10.1111/0022-4537.00116

Carlson, J. (2014) Of the Most Common Weight-loss Programs, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Medifast, which is the most effective? The Keep. Paper 2. http://thekeep.eiu.edu/lib_awards_2014_docs/2

Gudzune, K. A., Doshi, R. S., Mehta, A. K., Chaudhry, Z. W., Jacobs, D. K., Vakil, R. M., ... Clark, J. M. (2015). Efficacy of commercial weight-loss programs: An updated systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine, 162(7), 501-512. DOI: 10.7326/M14-2238

Kopelman, P.G., Caterson, I. D., & Dietz, W. H. (2005). Clinical obesity in adults and children. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2009). Preventing Obesity and Eating Disorders in Adolescents: What Can Health Care Providers Do? Journal of Adolescent Health,44(3), 206-213. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.11.005

Vakil, R. M., Doshi, R. S., Mehta, A. K., Chaudhry, Z. W., Jacobs, D. K., Lee, C. J., ... Gudzune, K. A. (2016). Direct comparisons of commercial weight-loss programs on weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 16(1), [460]. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-3112-z

Wadden T. A., Webb VL, Moran CH, Bailer BA. Lifestyle modification for obesity: new developments in diet, physical activity, and behavior therapy. Circulation. 125(9):1157–1170. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.111.039453. http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=22392863.

http://www.nutrisystem.com/jsps_hmr/how_it_works/index.jsp

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