Cheaper Alternative for NutriSystem?

[tink2020]

Hello WISHers! With our schedule, etc something like NutriSystem would be ideal for DH and I to finally start losing weight. We work out regularly, but both keep adding on the pounds instead of losing them, because we fall into the vending machine lunch routine, or don't eat at all throughout the day only to eat whatever is around for dinner.

Unfortunately, for the 2 of us to do this it would be over $700.00 a month! For two students, this is so far out of the question it isn't even funny.

Any ideas of cheaper alternatives? We could even prepare the food for the week over the wekeend, etc if it would be cheaper but I don't know where to begin as far as meal planning. Or are there other "off brand", less popular alternatives I am unaware of?

Thanks in advance!

 

[frogmommy]

Nutrisystem is suposedly based on the Glycemic Index. You could try reading the G.I. Diet by Rick Gallop. http://www.gidiet.com/en-us/index.php It seems to me that there is a focus on eating fresh foods (non-convience items), so I don't know that it will be a huge time-saver. You may find that you are able to prepare items in advance as you said.

Good luck finding something that meets your needs!

 

[KarenAylwood]

I'm on the South Beach Diet and am a commuting student who also works a part time retail job (and obviously am on a budget). I make meals over the weekend like quiche cups, chili, "pizza beans", soup, etc and put them in 1-serving gladware containers, freeze half, keep half in the fridge. I keep fresh veggies on hand and even cut them up on the weekend and bring for snacks during the week. Also keep quick things like jello cups, yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, packages of nuts, small cans of tomato juice and sometimes the SB cereal bars on hand. I use my crockpot sometimes too- make a meal over the weekend, then have meals for almost the whole week!

If you're good about planning and researching recipes, you don't need something expensive like Nutrisystem (and I've heard most of the food tastes horrible anyway).

And the "G.I. diet" is essentially SB. There are more books on SB than the GI diet anyway so that might make it a better choice too.

 

[lindalinda]

I am on nutrisystem right now. Yes it would be quite expensive for 2 people to do. They do discount it if you stay on the program. Yes it is the glycemic index approach. The reason to do nutrisystem , tho, is the conveinience. I mean thats basically why its expensive, you dont have to cook, its totally portable, and what they do it pack ALL the food with added protein. I dont know of any food you can purchase that has 13 grams of protein in your chocolate pudding for example. That being said, it is still basically an "exchange" type diet. Just like WW (they can call it points, its still an exchange) Lean cuisine, and most of the diets used for diabetics. You could basically use any of those diets, and at each meal kind of evaluate how much protein is in it, and make the choices that can add some extra protein grams (I'm a big fan of egg beaters myself). And BTW, the foods not horrible at all. You just have to find which ones you like, same as everything else in life.