Someone recently asked me if “Nutrisystem was really sustainable in the long term.” The person had looked at the diet and was pretty sure they would be able to support this program for a month or two, but wasn’t sure if this short period of time was going to give them the results they wanted. And she wasn’t sure how long she planned to stay on the diet, either. I will share some of the things we discuss in the next article.

Determine how long you will need to be on Nutrisystem to see the results you want: The person in question expected to lose about 60 pounds. Considering the company literature, clinical studies, and my own knowledge from experience (and on weight loss forums), I would call 2-4 pounds above average and not unrealistic. So, I’ll take half of this range and call it three pounds. Again, I don’t think this range is out of the question for someone who is going to be reasonably diligent in consuming the foods provided and somewhat smart in adding the recommended side elements.

So at three pounds a week I was looking for around 20 weeks or around five months. I can tell you from my own experiences and opinions that I don’t think this is overwhelmingly difficult. You are offered comfort foods with decent flavor such as pizza, fajitas, mac n cheese, ravioli, pretzels, chocolate bars, and pancakes. Most people can find enough foods they like from over 150 options to get a decent amount of variety and satisfaction with their meals.

And you can always switch and rotate the sides for even more variety. So even though I didn’t think 5 months was going to be out of reach, she also wanted to know what would happen at the end of that time period (once she lost enough weight). He finally reached his goal, he was supposed to stay on Nutrisystem longer than if he could quit abruptly. The truth is that that decision is hers, but the company offers her a lot of support with this process.

Nutrisystem Maintenance After You Have Achieved Your Weight Loss Goals – Once you’re happy with your weight, you’ll want to decide how (or if) you want to get off the plan. Some people will choose to stay on the plan, at least a little, because it has become a habit and because it is easy. Some will choose to add a Nutrisystem meal or two to their daily life, as they will somehow relax on regular foods. And, some will just try to take what they have learned about healthy eating in the plan and use that knowledge to make healthy choices with regular foods early on.

One thing that many people don’t know about Nutrisystem is that they offer free advice throughout their entire experience. You can easily call (or chat in real time) and ask a counselor to work with you to come up with a transition plan to regular foods. This process is really not that difficult. It really just depends on your comfort level, your decisions about how quickly you want to stop eating diet foods, and how you can incorporate what you’ve learned in the process. Many people underestimate this. If you’ve been following through, using the free advice, and making smart decisions with your sides, this process might be a bit easier than you think.