The Points

With Nutritsystem television commercials seemingly running every five minutes on cable, it's highly likely you have a decent idea what it's about.  However, for those of you that don't, Nutrisystem offers prepackaged, portion-controlled meals delivered directly to the customer.  Nutrisystem offers a variety of packages based on a customer’s needs.  There are four plans to choose from: Basic, Silver, Nutrisystem D and Vegetarian; and each plan is offered in a package customized for men or women. 

The Basic plan is their standard plan, the Silver is for older customers, Nutrisystem D is for Diabetics and the Vegetarian is for, you guessed it, vegetarians.  The prepackaged meals are designed to be combined with exercise to achieve desired weight loss, but how you choose to exercise is up to you.  Nutrisystem meals need to be supplemented by fresh fruit, vegetables, and dairy because they are not included with the prepackaged meals.  The meals are easy to prepare and come straight to your door.  Once the plan starts, if you stick to it and it should work.  In addition to the meals, Nutrisystem also offers weight loss counseling and online tools to assist you with your weight loss efforts.

The Pros

It’s Easy:  The meals are delivered to your door.  Each day you get three meals and two snacks.  Don’t forget to mix in some fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy, and a good exercise plan.  If you are on Nutrisystem, try combining a FitClick exercise program with it.  You can also track the Nutrisystem calories and the calories burned exercising and know whether your net calories are where they need to be to achieve your weight loss goals.

Time Saving:  If you don’t have a lot of time to shop and cook the food you need for your diet, don’t worry, this plan delivers what you need.  You will have to pick up some fruits, veggies and dairy foods, but that's a breeze.

Variety:  At the moment, there are around 160 dishes to choose from.  All you have to do is pick which ones you want.

The Cons

Short-Term Fix:  While Nutrisystem provides a good solution to transitioning to a healthy diet, ultimately it will be up to you to develop healthy habits for the rest of your life.  Weight will be lost, but to develop long-term health and fitness you’ll eventually have to learn how to find healthy foods and eat healthy portions on your own.

Cost:  Nutrisystem will cost you around $300 a month.  It's a sizable bill, but remember that you are getting all of your meals for an entire month and that you would probably still end up spending at least half that amount if you bought and cooked your own food.