emgetslim

[emgetslim]

Halfway through Week 1 of Nutrisystem!

So you read the title. I’ve just finished Day 4 of the first week of Nutrisystem. How’s it going, you ask? Let me tell you.

So far, it’s okay. I am definitely losing weight which was the whole point of this, right? I think most of it has gotta be water weight, but to already be losing weight in less than a week feels pretty damn good. I think I’m eating right at or right below 1,000 calories a day according to the Numi Nutrisystem app. Don’t worry - the first week is apparently so restrictive on calories to activate fast weight loss or whatever. After the first week, I can add in more foods and snacks. Read: calories. At that point I am supposed to be losing weight at a rate of 1-2 pounds a week, which is more sustainable.

Let’s talk food. As someone who constantly thinks about my next meal, I was really worried the Nutrisystem food wouldn’t be good. So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised. In the first week, you’re only supposed to eat Nutrisystem meals and snacks. No extras other than 4 servings (2 cups) of vegetables and 64 oz. of water. I have to admit I’ve fallen a little short on the water intake, but I have been getting in my daily veggies. The eating schedule for week 1 is as follows: Breakfast, Nutrisystem Protein/Probiotic Chocolate Shake, Lunch, Afternoon Snack, Dinner. Here’s what I’ve eaten each day so far. Reminder: I’m on the basic Nutrisystem plan, so all of these foods are the pantry versions. Frozen food doesn’t come with the basic plan.

Day 1: Blueberry muffin (yummy but tiny), white chicken chili (freaking delicious), chewy chocolate fudge bar (not the greatest - weird texture), lasagna with meat sauce (very good!)

Day 2: Nutriflakes cereal (good, tastes like raisin bran without the raisins), bbq chicken & beans (it was okay, tiny portion), chocolate caramel bar (loved it), bbq chicken (yummy)

Day 3: Apple strudel bar (loved it, I would eat like 3 of these at once if possible), broccoli & cheddar rice (good but I think I overcooked it a little in the microwave), cheese puffs (loved - wish I had ordered more!), pasta fagioli (it was okay - reminded me of chef boyardee which I’m not a big fan of).

Day 4: Nutriflakes cereal, white cheddar mac & cheese (very good, tastes just like regular easy mac), honey mustard pretzels (tasty), thick crust cheese pizza (horrible - definitely would not order again). 

So there you have it! So far most of the foods have been really tasty, but they do come in small portions. And if you’re like me, a person who often overeats, the portions seem extra tiny. But, like I said, you are supposed to eat 4 servings of veggies daily, so I’ve been eating 2 servings with lunch and 2 servings with dinner.

I have to admit, I haven’t felt “full” after any meal but I guess my body is adjusting to the smaller portions. I’ve often been hungry and excessively tired so far this week, and experienced some headaches. They tell you not to exercise in the first week, and now I see why. I have practically no energy! I just keep reminding myself I’ll be able to eat more next week, as I can incorporate an extra snack and more non-Nutrisystem foods daily, in addition to the 2 days of flex meals aka non-Nutrisystem meals I’ll make myself. 

I’m hanging in there. Dreaming of Taco Bell and McDonalds, but hey, nobody said Nutrisystem would take away Crunchwrap Supreme cravings. I’ll write again when I finish Week 1. Very excited to see the results and I am proud of myself so far for sticking with this. I know, it’s only been 4 days, but we all start somewhere!

[emgetslim]

Wait, why am I doing this again?

So I’m Emily. I’m 23 years old (24 in a few weeks, thank you very much!) and I weigh 193 lbs. Believe it or not, I don’t think I look like I weigh 193 lbs. Yes, I stand short at 5’3, which would lead one to think I must look morbidly obese carrying that  weight with such a short stature. Thankfully, I’ve been blessed with the gift of curves. My whole life I’ve been on the thick side, and I mostly haven’t ever minded much. Of course, things changed and that’s why I’m here now.

Last June, I weighed in around 168 lbs. I was sort of startled, as I had been around 160-165 for about a year at that point. I can’t believe there was a time when I didn’t hop on the scale every single day. Anyway, I figured the weight change could be attributed to the fact that I had been taking antidepressants for a few months at that point. (Side note: I absolutely do not regret my decision to take antidepressants. After a year and a half, I’m no longer taking them, but they changed my life for the better and I’m glad I took them when I needed them). I was comfortable with that weight and thought I looked pretty good most days. I was concerned that by reaching 170 pounds, I would suddenly look fat. That’s what my brain told me. Well guess what? That wasn’t the case at all. I did hit 170, and then 175, and while I knew I was gaining weight, I really didn’t think I looked bad. I love indulging in unhealthy food, and as long as I looked okay, who cares right? I’m young, my blood pressure is healthy, so what? I didn’t change any of my habits and the weight continued piling on. When I hit 180 around December of 2019, I panicked. I knew I was letting my weight quickly get out of control, but once again, I didn’t do anything about it besides verbally put myself down. I could now visibly tell I had gained weight. I saw it in my face, my stomach, and in the purple stretch marks on my thighs. I began to dislike how I looked. After packing on a few more quarantine pounds, I hit 190 in March. I’ve spent the past 10 months feeling horrible about myself but not doing anything about it. I have continued to eat fast food multiple times a week, drink with friends on the weekends, and complain about my weight while doing NOTHING TO MAKE A CHANGE. Of course, knowing I had a problem and not doing anything about it only made me feel worse about myself.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to remind myself that 193 lbs looks different on different people. Sometimes I think I don’t look so big. Sometimes I think all anyone must think about when they look at me is how unappealing I am and how much weight I’ve gained. I think other thick and big women are beautiful, so why don’t I think that about myself now that I’ve put on more weight? I’ve been yo-yo dieting since the spring. I’ll start to eat healthy, count my carbs, cut things out of my diet, work out, etc. and then I stop after 2 weeks because I get discouraged. It’s ridiculous and makes me feel insanely disappointed in myself.

I miss the way my body looked around 160-165 and I am concerned that if I don’t do something now, the numbers on the scale are only going to continue to grow. I feel powerless to my food addictions and emotional eating. I’m tired of the low self esteem. I’m tired of starting diets with good intentions and stopping the second I have a Taco Bell craving. I have decided to invest in my self esteem, my health, and my mental well being. To do this, I have purchased a one month subscription to Nutrisystem. I know some people will say this is a “lazy and overpriced” weight loss plan, but I don’t care. I think this is the kind of plan I need to see some results quickly and be motivated to continue making healthy choices. I NEED pre-planned meals already in my pantry. I NEED someone to tell me exactly what to eat and when to eat it, and that’s what Nutrisystem is supposed to do. Yes, it was pricey, but it was pretty comparable to my monthly grocery bill. Plus, it is money spent on investing in myself.

I don’t expect anyone to read this – it’s more of a way for me to rant and hold myself accountable while documenting how this little journey goes. I’m excited to track my progress and maybe writing this blog will be another way I can make sure I’m staying on track. Will Nutrisystem give me the results I want? Will I be able to kick my indulgent food cravings to the side? Only time (and this blog) will tell! Wish me luck!