Making a Change: Nutrisystem Week 12

I'm struggling. Maybe it's boredom. Maybe in a funk. Maybe it's too many invitations to dine out with friends and family. Or maybe it's the siren song of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that I can't seem to dodge.





(Perhaps I should try this? It's only $6.)

I want to keep trying, but I'm definitely still looking for my mojo. I do really well during the day, for the most part. I love and actually look forward to my Nutrisystem breakfasts. My favorites are probably the scones, which I wouldn't expect to like as much. I'm usually more of a muffin girl. I love the scones because they satisfy my sweet tooth and my carb tooth (can you have a carb tooth?) at the same time. I tend to eat incredibly quickly, for reasons no one understands. Because these are on the drier side (they're scones!) I can't devour them in 3 seconds. I love them.

I hold my own during the afternoon as well. My lunch has been either a Black Bean Soups or a Pasta Parmesan dish, which I like (despite still not mastering cooking them in my microwave without them partially exploding). My lunch usually also contains a string cheese, V-8 and a fruit of some kind.

It's the evenings I can't seem to muster my way through. The call of the Reese's is strong and I am weak.

But in good news, I am down a pants/dress size, which is pretty exciting!

Any tips for getting through a diet slump? Tell me!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me.  

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making A Change: Nutrisystem Week 10: The Key

Turns out, the key to losing weight is complaining about it online. Within two days of writing a post about not finding my mojo, my body spontaneously dropped 2 pounds. Woo hoo!

But the effects of losing two pounds goes a lot farther than just getting below a number I haven't seen in a bit. It is also so encouraging! Not only to make sure that I am drinking enough water, but also to make sure I'm eating enough salads and not just drinking V8. Plus I was also inspired to exercise, which is fantastic, as that is the hardest part for me. I know I need to carve time out in my schedule to just do it, but there are a million things I need to do. So, I haven't quite gotten out of my own way. But I am back on the right path!

While I am in love with the Nutrisystem breakfasts and lunches, I need a little inspiration when it comes to the dinners. Don't get me wrong, I like all of them. Especially the Thick Crust Pizza, which is probably my favorite dinner. And I love the Fajita mix, made into a salad. Maybe that one is my favorite. The rest of the dinners are mainly pasta based, which I adore. But I am starting to get a little burnt out on pasta. Similar to turning the Fajita Mix into a salad instead of a wrap, there must be other ways to make the vegetarian meals feel new, right? Are there any more seasoned vegetarians out there who can tell me how they switch it up? I'd love some inspiration, so please share your ideas! So far, I'm down 12.8 pounds in ten weeks and want to keep it going. Please share your recipe ideas!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me. 

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrisystem Week Nine: Looking for My Mojo

 (Is it just me or does my elliptical look ANGRY?)

Well, I made it past the seven week slump, which is where I usually start to lose my mojo. Where I was once all about doing everything by the book, last week I noticed I was having trouble staying on plan. I didn't feel like exercising or eating another salad. I did feel like eating Reese's Peanut Butter cups, which are not part of the daily plan.

I know if I added some real exercise into my plan, I would see the scale move faster than a half pound each week, yet I can't seem to find the time to do it. How do people with kids find time to work out? I have an elliptical in my house (that needs batteries), 3 dogs that would love to go for a walk (my dogs need to brush up on their leash skills), a dancing video game I love to play (but Loxy doesn't always want to play with me) and a love of rollerblading (I'm terrified I'll fall and re-injure my back. A drunk driver hit me in my 20's and my back goes through its ups and downs.). It seems like I have everything I need at my fingertips. Yet I can't seem to muster the energy to move forward and get out of my own way.

I don't want a walking buddy (thanks for offering, though!) and I'm not wasting money on a gym membership I'll never use. I know I'm full of excuses, which are mainly not legit. But still...

Can someone please tell me how they got out of their own way? I'm getting stuck! And the scale shows it. I'm up a pound and a half. Which could be nothing or could be the beginning of that slippery slope I am so afraid of.

I'm all ears. Any advice on where I can find my mojo?

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me. 


Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem Week 8 - Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I've now been on Nutrisystem for two months and in that time, I've noticed some dramatic changes in my eating habits. This is important for several reasons.

1. I won't be on Nutrisystem forever and will need to be able to live and eat on my own.

2. Habits are the hardest thing to change. When I've done other plans, specifically those with points, you can easily make excuses for eating certain things. And for me personally (remember, food is more like a drug to me, especially sweets) it's a slippery slope. Instead of thinking, "I can eat this piece of cake now and still go out to dinner" and rationalizing using all of the points known to mankind to make that work, I'm making healthier decisions. And that is the ultimate goal.

3. I look thinner. Not only am I down 11.5 pounds (a little more than a half pound from last week), but my measurements are going down. Plus, Loxy is positive I look thinner and jeans that previously didn't go above my knees now fit perfectly. I haven't been yo-yoing, I've been going steadily in the right direction. Even if there are a few stops and starts along the way, slow and steady wins the race!

My new favorite thing I have discovered is making a really special breakfast on the weekend for myself. Normally, during the week, I tend to eat at my desk while I work. But on the weekends, I like to take the extra time and dive into some frozen pancakes or french toast with a side of berries and an egg. It's like eating a hugely satisfying IHOP style breakfast, but without the fat and weighted down feeling you get after those giant meals. It is so satisfying and something I find I am looking forward to every weekend!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me. 

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem Week 7 - Breaking Through the Plateau

Last week, you may remember I was getting annoyed and frustrated because I wasn't really losing any weight. I couldn't break through the 8.5 pound range. I was following the program (although I could drink more water and exercise more) and I wasn't really seeing results.

So Nutrisystem suggested I drink more water, add in more exercise, eat a dinner for lunch, a lunch for dinner and vary up my daily menu. I tend to happily eat the same thing every day. I'm the farthest thing from a foodie there is. But day after day, the same foods started to have an effect on my weight loss and I needed to switch it up.

So for me, that meant conquering that Beenie Man song in Dance Central, a Kinect game for the Xbox I adore, eating real salads again instead of drinking a lot of (reduced sodium) V-8 and varying up my meal plans. The result?

I'm down 10.8 pounds as of this week! Woo Hoo! That was technically as of last Sunday.

Sunday also happened to be the day I left for the lovely city of Charleston, South Carolina to visit family for Passover. If you aren't familiar with Passover, think of it as a long meal, with lots of Hebrew and storytelling and no bread. Families gather from all over the country and tell the story of Passover. Little kids recite the Four Questions and we sing songs about buying a goat that causes nothing but trouble for the cost of two zuzim (which, I imagine, are like pennies). So it's kind of an eating holiday, like Thanksgiving, but with a lot of rituals.

My Charleston strategy was this. No sweet tea (as a southern-born girl, I do declare I am against my own strategy already). Follow the same eating plan as Nutrisystem, but make healthy choices along the way. For me, that means eating five small meals and a little dessert each day.

Here is how it went.

Day One: I had my regular breakfast at home before we left. For me, this means a Cinnamon Bun from Nutrisystem, a hard boiled egg and a kiwi.  Lunch was a salad at the airport. I had a yogurt for a snack and a deck-of-cards-size piece of salmon for dinner with a nice salad. I was proud.

And then I had Ben and Jerry's Cluster Fluff ice cream. The name should have been a warning. Since it's been almost two months of not eating those kinds of foods, my stomach no longer accepts full fat ice cream, even in the smallest size. Maybe I'm a little lactose-intolerant or maybe there was too much fat. Either way, I spent the night catching up on Law and Order re-runs instead of sleeping. Hopefully, I'll remember that the next time I want to eat something called Cluster Fluff.

Day Two: I still wasn't hungry for breakfast, as the ice cream was a frozen brick in my stomach. Still, I had a Nutrisystem Low Fat (and totally awesome) Granola cereal with some yogurt and a banana. Then, like many family trips, we did a little shopping and then we had lunch.




We had lunch at what must be the Willy Wonka equivalent of a southern restaurant, The Hominy Grill.

The Hominy Grill is almost magical. The list of "vegetables" available as sides includes the following options:
Macaroni and Cheese, Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Cheese Grits, Tomato Pudding and Cornbread. All of which, minus the mac and cheese, do have vegetable bits in them, I suppose. But I don't think Patrick or Meredith at Nutrisystem would agree that they count as the type of vegetable they are looking for. Everything I tasted was better than the next. I've never actually licked my fingers and at that lunch, I became a finger-licker.

This is one of the places being a vegetarian saved me. I would have gone for the legendary fried chicken, but since I don't fancy that or the fried catfish, I opted for a side of Mac and Cheese, a side of Tomato Pudding (it has cornbread in it!) and a large side salad. And the Toasted Pecan Caramel Cake, of which I mainly ate the icing. Lucky for me, the portions were all on the smaller side (about half of the size of a softball, give or take) and after the meal, I didn't feel over stuffed (or even stuffed at all). I'll take not having that bloated and gorged feeling as my victory in this part of the story, thank you very much.

Then only three and a half hours later it was time for the Passover seder, or holiday meal. But, since there was no bread and I am a vegetarian that doesn't like chocolate-covered matzah, no damage was done. A delicious salad made of homegrown veggies, charoset (a nut and wine mixture that is part of the seder) and watermelon made up my meal.

So how did I fare the day back from my trip? I was certainly nervous to get on the scale. I didn't think I had done poorly, but you never can tell.

Well, I am up.

But I'm only up 0.4 pounds, as of this morning. Considering in the past, that would have been several pounds, I'm glad I did so well. I also took my measurements again and I a down a total of 9.6 inches!

I spend a lot of time wondering how manageable a program like Nutrisystem can be in real world scenarios, once my weight loss goals are met. And based on my trip to Charleston, I'd think it's totally manageable. Nutrisystem is about eating balanced, healthy meals and cutting out the garbage. Creating habits like eating  small meals five times during the day teaches you how to eat differently. In the past, I craved a snack after lunch, after dinner and while watching TV at night. Now it seems normal for me to only enjoy one snack. I am not even missing the other snacks, for the most part. My habits are obviously changing and I am starting to get more confident in my abilities to continue to stay on the program and see success. And while it's only ten pounds, I think you are starting to see a difference.





                                                                        (My official before Nutrisystem photo)






(Me on Wednesday of this week. I'm trying on new extensions. Nutrisystem did not make my hair grow 18 inches in 7 weeks. Sure it's with different hair and without glasses, but you get the idea. I tend to lose weight in my face first, btw.)

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me. 

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making A Change: Nutrisystem Week 6. Snack Attack!

I am officially frustrated. I've been following the program to the letter and my weight loss has seemed to hit the dreaded plateau.

UGH. I hate this part of losing weight. I do almost everything right (I do need to drink more water), and nothing. Maybe a half pound down, depending on the morning I am on the scale. Normally, when this happens, I am about 15 pounds less than I am now. As of today, I'm down 9.5 pounds. So I'm doing ok, I'm just not doing great. I'd really like to be doing better. I have spoken with my friends at Nutrisystem (I hope they don't get tired of my weekly questions!) and they suggested mixing things up to break through a plateau. Eat my dinner for lunch. Eat my lunch for dinner. Switch up my snacks. Eat more green, leafy veggies instead of drinking so much V-8. Drink more water. Get in a little more exercise. All of which are great suggestions, which I have incorporated into my daily life. Hopefully next week, I'll have better news to share.

But in an attempt to look at the bright side, here is a list of things I considered eating and didn't. Let's not forget, I suffer from having a serious sweet tooth. Some people have been accused of thinking with body parts besides their brain and I am no different. My sweet tooth has a mind of its own.

Obviously, these are all of the foods I walked away from since last Friday, after giving each one serious consideration. Before I made my decision, I thought about where the nutritional equivalent would fit in my eating plan (Would it replace a snack? A meal? A days worth of calories?) and if it was worth not seeing the numbers go in the right direction. Sure, you can snack on something that isn't the wisest choice once in a while, but not that often. And it goes without saying that you certainly should not eat ALL OF THESE in one week. But take it from me, a serious junk food-a-holic, there are times when I could have been convinced. All of these items were presented to me and could be heard softly calling my name.

Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter 31 Below Blended Thingie
Mary Sue Peanut Butter Easter Egg
Chocolate Chip Cookie Samples
Rice Krispy Treat from Noodles and Co
6 Pack of Oreos
TCBY Shiver
5 slices of Cheese
Chocolate Cake
Butterfinger Snackerz Pouches (x5!)
Snickers Mini (x5!)
Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips
Regular size fast food fries

So, in an attempt to turn my unsuccessful scale week into a win of some sort, I decided to look up all of the calories and fat in all of the items listed above and see what the potential damage could have been.

In the immortal words of George Takei, "Oh My".

The grand total for the calories of the food listed above that I considered eating are FOUR THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT. The total number of fat grams are TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY SIX.

Wowza.

In the calories alone, that would equal a little over a pound of body weight and that much fat can't be good for the heart. Plus it's more than 3 days of my total calories alone.

While thinking of a Mary Sue Peanut Butter Easter Egg makes me salivate right now, I know that tonight, after dinner, around 8pm, Loxy and I will have our daily Nutrisystem snack. For me, it's likely to be my beloved Blueberry Lemon bar or a Thin Mint Crunch Bar. Loxy is likely to have a Creamy Fudge Bar or Honey Mustard Pretzels. Either way, knowing that there is something satisfying for my (extremely) sweet tooth at the end of the day seems to be enough to get me past all of the rich treats that cross my path each day. And that is a win, right?

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem, Week 5 + An Update From Loxy

Where does the time go? This week, I did manage to get in working out once, a 100% improvement over last week! And by working out, I mean playing Dance Central and jumping around like a completely uncoordinated fool (Anne from Beauty Xpose can attest to this).

I got my second shipment of food from Nutrisystem this week and I am really excited about it. In fact, I am finding that I have to check myself so I don't double eat things. I have so many meals I am looking forward to eating, it's actually getting hard to choose! I am addicted to the Blueberry Lemon Bars and might be able to live on them. But then I would have to give up the Cinnamon Bun, the Thick Crust Pizzas and the Pasta Parmesan with Broccoli. Decisions, decisions.

This week, I am down about 9 pounds, a pound from last week. I had thought I would be down more by now, but I'm not. Either way, I am feeling better, so I'll take it! (But seriously, I want my NutriBear!)



(This is Loxy and I at our second wedding reception. Please do not get me started on the topic of why this event existed.)

Then there is my husband, Loxy. Let me tell you a little something about Loxy. Loxy was diagnosed with diabetes last summer and has been working diligently to get the weight off and change his habits since getting the diagnosis. He had lost about 40 pounds and was well on his way to achieving his goals. Then late last fall, we ran into some family difficulties, which caused us to make poor eating decisions, which resulted in weight gains for both of us. Nutrisystem came at the perfect time to get us both on track. Since joining me on the program five weeks ago, Loxy has lost 10 pounds and I couldn't be more proud of him.



 (Loxy doing his best Judah Friedlander impression. Post diabetes diagnosis)


He is great at keeping me honest and on track as well. It's great to have a partner who will suggest alternate healthy options when all I really want is a NY-style slice (or Oreos!). I love having a partner who will help me succeed on the program! (And the fact that he actually went to the  Faux Hair store last week to get my clips for hair extensions I was making because "I didn't feel like it" is equally awesome.)

Instead of interviewing my own husband to get his male perspective, I thought I would give him a chance to tell you himself.

Loxy, here. What a charming photograph. Thanks, Mrs. Loxy.


So I'm digging Nutrisystem. I'm following the program, eating their non-vegetarian food when it arrives with my wife's eats, and been very pleased with the results.


The challenges this past fall resulted in me putting on 10 of the 40 pounds I had lost - although it could have been much more. When Kelly started Nutrisystem, I thought that was the perfect time to get back on track. My birthday was about a month away, so I decided that losing most (if not all of) those 10 pounds by then would be a reasonable goal.


I though I would miss it by a pound or two, which would still mean I was back on track. But when I stepped on to the scale last week, on the morning of my 35th birthday, it showed that I had lost those 10 pounds again. It felt great! Who needs tiger blood when there's Nutrisystem? Leave the poor big cats alone.


My favorite part of Nutrisystem? Besides the fact that I really like a lot of the food, from every meal including dessert, I've found that following the program not only means that I eat less. I WANT to eat less. Don't get me wrong - I eat plenty, over the course of the day, it's just much better for me than the way I've eaten in the past 8-10 years. And since I want to eat less, I don't find myself craving the junk I used to consume all the time. That's a real change, and it just helps make me feel healthier, which I certainly am. As of yesterday, I've already lost 15%  of my body weight, and now I'm aiming for 20%, which would be down 55 pounds. Every day has its challenges, but I know I'll get there. Now Kelly and I just need to ramp up the exercise. Loxy, out!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photos by me.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem, Week 4 (and potential over-sharing)

I have officially been on the Nutrisystem plan for three and a half weeks. And since starting the plan, I've noticed some significant changes.

I'm not hungry.

I'm not compelled to eat sweets and carbs constantly.

I feel slightly better (although currently have a cold and am generally exhausted).

I feel like I have "flipped the (magical) switch", where eating healthy is concerned.

All great things! Right?

While my actual weigh in day isn't until Monday, as of today I'm down 7.5 pounds. Which isn't terrible, considering last week I was only home for two and a half days and it was generally a really hard week filled with travel. (It's a loss of a .5 pounds.) Add to that the fact that most of my travel involved eating all meals out, I am happy to have ended up staying basically the same.

I know I need to work on boosting my exercise but I've had a broken toe, which has stopped me from moving around as much as I would like. Hopefully I'll be playing Dance Central on the hard level in no time, which will have to help.  Plus, I discovered the Blueberry Lemon Bars and Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes and am constantly full. In fact, one day at lunch, I wasn't able to finish eating the Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes because the serving was too large and I was full before I finished eating them. That is a new experience for me! Plus, I have been monitoring my measurements and much to my surprise, I am down a combined 4.5 inches! 




My hardest challenge lately has been dealing with diet saboteurs. They seem to lurk everywhere, these well-intentioned people wanting to soothe my unusually high stress levels with offers of delicious cookies or lavish dinners. Or everyone wanting to plan outings around food. Why is it we can only make plans that surround meals?  I've dodged a few bullets by not ordering in when friends come over for dinner and instead made an amazing Nutrisystem Fajita Salad. But so many feelings are tied up with food, it's hard not to step on toes or sound like a brat when you decline food that well intentioned people are offering. It would be easier for me to never leave the house or adopt vegan eating habits around everyone than to deal with diet saboteurs directly.

I bet you know some diet saboteurs, those people who say, "one cookie won't kill you" or "sometimes, you just need to relax and live". I'm sure they don't mean to try to thwart dieting efforts. At least I hope they don't. I don't think people understand how hard it is for some people (read: me) to make healthy eating choices. I can't just eat one cookie. And once I've started not eating cookies, eating one opens up the path to eating all of them. For me right now, there is no middle ground. Maybe I have a real problem with binge eating. I've never talked about it before, with anyone, so I have no idea. I just know that once I flip the switch, for better or for worse, it's on.

Diabetes runs in my family. I am sure I am pre-diabetic and really need to get my habits and body in check before it's too late. I can handle things on my own, but need some help when it comes to going out with others. Since it's not realistic for me to never interact with friends and family, I needed some help on how to deal with the diet saboteurs in life. I asked Anthony Fabricatore, the Senior Director of Research and Development at Nutrisystem what advice he could give me. (A side note: I've done a lot of diet plans and I don't think I've ever gotten the support I've been getting from NS. No kidding.) Here is what he said:

Some suggestions for responding to “here, if you only eat one, it’s not going to kill you”

 - I know one won’t kill me, but when have you ever known me to eat just one?

 - I wish I had the control to stop at one! I’m better off staying away.

Some suggestions for responding to “just this one day of not being good isn’t going to hurt anything”

 - I’m testing myself. I really want to see if I can get through this. Can you help?

 - I used to think that. But I’ve noticed I really have a hard time bouncing back after an off day. I do better if I stick to my plan.

But maybe the most important thing the Nutrisystem counselors conveyed to me was this:

Remember that other people cannot MAKE you do anything.  They can certainly make it easier or more difficult for you to eat according to your plan, but ultimately, you are the one who is responsible for your eating behavior. You may feel like you’re doomed to a eat a whole sleeve of cookies or crackers if you give in to someone else’s temptation, but it doesn’t HAVE to go that way. Remain an active participant in your health. You’re in the driver’s seat.

How do you deal with these issues? Any advice? Please tell me! I'm especially getting nervous thinking about how to handle Easter and Passover. I'm all ears. Share!


Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.  Photo by me.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem, Week 3 (and my first real video post)

This week has been really busy for me. My office moved, I was on a television and photo shoot in Orlando and I didn't have much access to select my food choices in advance, let alone write a post about my progress on the Nutrisystem plan. So instead, check out what may be my first ever video blog in which I talk to see how my week went. (Spoiler! I'm down 7 pounds!)

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

ps- Sorry about the glare on my glasses, goofy graphics and not so great editing. I need to figure that out on my PC. :-)

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own. 

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem Week Two

I've now been on the program for about two weeks and after the first week, I'm down three pounds! I am still getting used to the program and trying to figure out what works for a picky vegetarian. It's not the easiest road to follow, but with a little planning, it's doable.



(My dinner on Wednesday: Shelf-stable Pasta Primavera with Tofu and fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers and my favorite; 1/8 of avocado. So yummy and so filling!)

To get a good start to the week, I spoke with a Nutrisystem counselor for a bit, trying to figure out exactly how the program works. I'm used to doing Weight Watchers, Spark People and Business Plan for the Body. I'm not used to doing a plan quite like this. The other plans focus on calories or points, which isn't something you have to worry about on Nutrisystem. That said, it's important to really double check your grocery guide to make sure the string cheese you selected matches up with what the grocery guide counts as a serving of string cheese. From what the counselor had told me, while calories aren't what's fueling your success on the program, adding extra things (like fat free creamer!) can seriously derail your progress. He told me that the Nutrisystem program gives you a little less than 100 calories of wiggle room per day, which depends on your plan. For those who need to be whipped into shape and have their food habits reworked and retrained, this may be the program for you.

According to my counselor, some things that had made me happy - like a 60 calorie pudding cup counting as an add-on, which I had read on a chat board -  just aren't true. However, 2 oz of fat free cream cheese can count as a dairy/protein. However that is a LOT of cream cheese to eat on its own (Loxy thinks that is a perfect idea!). What is awesome is that the reduced fat cream cheese minis can be used as an add-on to make my baby carrots more enjoyable. It's not enough as a dairy serving, but it's an ok way to enhance my carrots in the afternoon. One of the best parts of the program is the constant support. My counselor actually told me to call them any time, like from the grocery store, for help selecting the right foods. I might just do that!




I'm still getting use to how much food I am eating and the changes happening in my body. I feel full constantly and, well, the effects of the additional fiber are obvious. You do have to plan what you are going to eat for each of the six meals, so it's not quite as grab and go as expected. That said, a bit of planning seems to be paying off!

I am happy to report that my blueberry muffin this week was full of blueberries, so my last one was a fluke.  My favorite meal this week was, hands down, my Vegetarian Fajita. I took a snack pack of Nacho Crisps and buried them under some lettuce. I added my fajita mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, a little bit of avocado and a touch of fat free sour cream (which all covered two of my daily add-ons). It was like a decadent tortilla salad at my favorite Mexican restaurant. Loxy's favorite this week was the Chicken Fajita Melt. And he's down two pounds. So for both of us, we're down five pounds in the first week!





I'm a little worried about how I am going to handle going out of town in a few weekends. I'm going to take some of my food and try to keep my portions small and several times each day, but with me, the switch is either on or off. And it isn't easy for me to flip. If you have any helpful hints on how to keep succeeding while on a mini-vacation, please let me know!



Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own. 

Photos by Bean & I and the NJ Monthly.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change: Nutrisystem Week One

I've officially been on the Nutrisystem Women's Vegetarian Program since Monday. It hasn't been a full week, so I'm not going to share my scale success until next week - but I'm expecting good things! It's been a bit of an adjustment, totally changing the way I eat.


 
 (Here are my dry goods, minus snacks, for the month. It's a lot of food!)

If you aren't familiar with the plan, here is how it works. They send you breakfast, lunch, dinners and snacks and then you fill out your daily menu with fruits, veggies, dairy and some proteins. You also have to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day, which is a little on the hard side for me. On the plan I am doing, I am being asked to eat way more than I normally do and it is taking a little getting used to. Normally, I would eat a small breakfast, a frozen lunch and pudding cup, something for dinner and anything else sweet, salty or carb-y that I could get my hands on. Clearly, that isn't working.




On Nutrisystem, I'm eating a large breakfast, a snack at 10:30, a large lunch, a snack at 3 and a large dinner at 7. Then, while I'm catching up with Criminal Minds (or taped QVC presentations), I'll have one snack. It's a lot of food. I feel consistently full constantly, which I am not accustomed to.


 
(My pantry-ready foods for the week - I've selected them in advance so I can plan what else I'll need.)

It also requires a bit more planning than I was expecting. Partially bringing it on myself, because of my dietary preferences, I've been leaning on the Nutrisystem dietitians and counselors for a little help. My big issue? Getting in enough dairy and protein during meals and snacks. I just need to sit down and plan. For example, a Boca burger and a slice of low fat cheese are one option, but it feels weird to eat that at 10:30 in the morning. So I opt for yogurt. But then at lunch, I need more dairy/protein And then even more at a snack in the afternoon. It ends up being a lot of string cheese and yogurt.

But the counselors gave me a fantastic idea - adding protein powder to a fat free pudding cup counts as a protein! It also curbs my need for something on the sweet side, as well. I asked my holistic wellness guru what type of protein powder she would suggest and she opted for pea protein powder. Why pea? Because it's tasty and it has no artificial sweeteners or hormones, unlike soy powders.



(My snack basket , which doesn't include any of the frozen items!)


At the end of the day, I'm eating quite a bit more food than I am used to, feeling satisfied longer and I haven't been hungry once. And while my stress level has continued to be high, I haven't felt the need to power-eat crackers or cookies. I'm guessing it's because I'm eating balanced meals and more consistent times, which is keeping my cravings and urges at bay.

My favorite meals so far? I'm loving the Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells, the Vegetable Fajita (I added spinach, tomatoes and a little avocado and sour cream!) and the Apple Strudel Scone. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Chocolate Peanut Butter Lunch Bar. Loxy is trying to do this with me and his favorite meal of the week has been the Chicken Quesadilla. The biggest surprise of the week? My Blueberry Muffin, which I was really excited about, was lacking in the actual blueberry department. I'm hoping it was fluke.

Are you doing Nutrisystem? If you are, please let me know your favorite tips! I need all of the help I can get!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.

Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews and more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Making a Change for the Better : Nutrisystem

It's time for me to make a change. It's no secret I'm not the skinniest girl in the room. I never have been. Although I was really skinny once, for about 2 years.I remember it being gloriously easy to get dressed in the morning. I remember not being self conscious in front of my then boyfriend, Loxy. And I remember not feeling like food was in control of me.



 (Me when I was thin, doing a goofy model pose for a friend. She thought it hilarious. I thought I looked possessed. Either way, I can't fathom wearing a halter top as a shirt now and haven't seen my collarbones in short of a decade.)


Then I got engaged and the stress and drama took over my life. Eating felt like a great way to self-soothe. I actually remember thinking to myself, "If I can only keep putting these crackers in my mouth, I'll stop feeling so bad". Who am I kidding? A few days ago, I was thinking, "I know I'll feel better if I can just keep eating these." I don't even remember what "these" are. I just I am consciously soothing myself with food (is it wrong to devour sleeves of Town House crackers in minutes?)

My behaviors haven't changed. I know what to eat, but I can't seem to actually do it. I know how to lose weight, but I feel like I've let food take so much control that I can't win. And with everything going on in my non-blogged about life, I need help getting control of my life and my body.



(Me last week in LA.)

Between working at my day job, running my non-profit, blogging and family drama, I can't imagine having the time to vacuum the bedroom, let alone plan meals that will help me lose weight. And I am so exhausted and worn out, it's getting hard to function, let alone thrive. I need someone to help me get back on track and to help me plan and prepare meals that will make me feel better. Stress, exhaustion and feeling "meh" not only make me less productive and less fun to be around, but it takes a toll on my skin, one of my favorite things about my body.

So I've been given the opportunity for some help to get back on track. I'm starting Nutrisystem. I've been given the chance to join the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program. This means I'll share my journey with you; the ups and the downs, the food I like and what I don't like, and hopefully, my success. Stay tuned for weekly posts on how it's going. In the meantime, if you have any Nutrisystem advice, please share it with me! I'm sure I'll need all of the help I can get!

Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting here.

I am part of the Nutrisystem Blogger Nation and Nutrisystem is providing their plan and food in exchange for my reviews. As always, opinions are my own.



Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2009-2011, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.