Packaged Meals and Clinics - Nutrisystem, Medifast, Jenny Craig, EtcFor support and questions about diet meal delivery programs, or weight loss clinics that offer prepackaged meals and products.
Thank you Princess. You are right, it seems just about all the diets include artificial sweeteners. Since you say this one has very little, I will give it a try. I would love to do a more organic whole food type of diet, but right now my life is very stressful and I have so much on my plate so to speak that I just don't have the time for meal planning etc. So I'm going to use DTG to tide me over, jump start my weight loss, and get me motivated again. I've been on Nutrisystem in the past and the food was pretty awful. I lost weight because I was starving most of the time from not eating the food they would send because it was so gross. That was a few years ago.
Within the past year I have lost 40 pounds on my own and also tried a bit of Weight Watchers, but WW requires a lot of planning if you want to succeed, although I do like their approach.
Anyways, I've recently gained back about 10 of the 40 pounds and I want to stop that in its tracks. So I'm going to order my first shipment of DTG today. Thanks again for the help, I'm sure you'll be seeing me around here more often now.
I feel your pain, I really do. I had always been thin and began to put on weight when my thyroid went completely berserk (my TSH level was 180 which is insane). I was a size 4 most of my life so when I ballooned up to a 16, it was tough to face. I've tried quite a few diets and none have ever really worked for me. I finally realized that I am like so many others out there who do so much better if the food is already prepared and ready to eat. I am looking at this type of plan for life actually. As long as I can afford it, I would actually prefer to have my meals shipped to me being already nutritionally sound and planned out. It just works better for someone like me. So even when I lose the weight, I would still like to have meal delivery. It's convenient, the food is tasty and I get a constant variety. With so many meal delivery plans springing up now, you can never really get totally bored with the selection. If you get tired of one companies food, just switch to another's and back again, which is what I plan on doing.
I am learning some valuable things from meal delivery that are inherent from just doing the plan week after week. I am learning what a correct portion size really is and what types of foods are better for me etc.
I also tried Nutrisystems and wanted to love it so badly because it would actually be cheaper than what I spend normally, but I honestly could not handle the food. I really tried but ended up giving most of it away to people who wanted to know what a Nutrisystem meal was like. I did like Jenny Craig however I never really lost like I wanted to on that plan (about ten pounds, but the food became real old real fast). I also did not like how I had to add so many things because it is already a relatively expensive plan. Even though I am a Success Plus member, I took real issue with the fact that you could wait a darn year there and all they would come up with is maybe a new cheesecake or a new soup and that's not going to cut it (it's one thing to get them in the door, but you need to find ways to keep them and if you never change your food, you will lose them or not keep them as long as you could). Many of us complained and were told to just spice it up. Put different spices on their already tired food (not the answer). I just could not face that same tired food again and again with no real influx of new stuff ever coming in. For the most part though, It's a good program
I had an absolutely horrid experience with Bistro's customer service, so I never did get to try their program (and was really put off by them telling me that I would need to buy an additional meal each week which is ludicrous to me if I am paying for a meal delivery service).
I tried Pure Foods Fresh Start and that is a pretty decent program. The food is fresh and tasty and the customer service excellent. The chicken on that program is the best I have ever tasted in my life, but many of the foods began to bore me and all seemed to taste a like to me. I was not as impressed as I wanted to be on that one, though again a pretty decent one.
If it were not for Cheeseheader (another poster here) I would never have even known about Diet To Go because I somehow managed to miss that one in my research. The customer service is the best I could ever hope for (they really are wonderful actually). I was stunned by how delicious the food is on the Low Carb plan. The Prime Rib, Short Ribs, all the omelets.....delectable and I was not that hungry because it was mainly protein. I am insulin resistant so I did very well on the low carb plan. I am now on the Low Fat plan and the food is also delicious (though I am more hungry on this one because carbs tend to make me more hungry). I am going to see how well I do on this one for a week or two and if I am not losing like I was on the low carb, I will just switch back early to the low carb.
I have never tried any of their snacks because I like to choose my own. I like to have a cup of hot cocoa or a low carb chooalate bar everyday. I also like to have an apple. pear or some string cheese so I just provide my own. Keep in mind that snacks from a diet company will almost always have artificial sweeteners in them (you might need to ask). Snacks usually do contain a lot of those kinds of things.
Good luck and glad to have you around.
Last edited by PrincessDietMuch; 02-26-2009 at 08:12 PM.
Wow totally amazed at how delicious a bagel can be after it's been frozen fresh and shipped out. I honestly had my doubts about the bread on this. Thinking it would not taste very good after being microwaved, but actually the bagel was scrumptious! I kept it wrapped in the plastic over wrap and microwaved it on 1 1/2 minutes on defrost (30% power). Then I simply toasted it and it was perfect! Also the amount of low fat cream cheese they give you is actually the perfect amount (more than I expected really). You get a nice thick layer of cream cheese on each half. Yummy!
I thought the meatloaf sandwich was gross. That was the first meal I have ever had with them that I thought was just gag material. It was this odd sort of pureed beef and onion mix that tasted like nothing. Also not thrilled with the salad that came with that so next time I will substitute this if I know it's coming up. I'm also going to start taking my Carb Intercept again so that I can cut some of these carbs in half that I am getting on this plan. I forgot all about my Carb Intercept and that stuff really helps to deflect some of the carbs. Back to drugstore.Com to order more.
OMG Had no idea Ravioli could be so good! Usually Ravioli is so boring to me! This was definitely homemade and the edges were stitched and firm with the most delicious filling! The sauce was incredible and the accompanying Chocolate Mousse to die for! Wow!!!!!!
OMG Had no idea Ravioli could be so good! Usually Ravioli is so boring to me! This was definitely homemade and the edges were stitched and firm with the most delicious filling! The sauce was incredible and the accompanying Chocolate Mousse to die for! Wow!!!!!!
I had the same dinner tonight...you are SO right! Yummy!!!! I'm still amazed at how full I get on these small portions. The food is just so satisfying!
Checking in to report I lost 8.8 lbs on my first week! Yippee.
Tonight was Orange Roughy, with Israel coucous. It was wonderful.
I changed my order for next week. Not getting breakfast, I can do that on my own.
I agree, the meatloaf sandwich wasn't all that great, but I ate it anyway. I'm finding the lunches are pretty basic, but I really like not having to think about what to make for lunch the night before.
Oh wow Brenda that's awesome!!! You must be so excited. That's a great start! You know as much as I am loving this change of pace with the Low fat version, I'm a a little shaky and hungry again (wasn't that way at all on the low carb version of Diet To Go). I already have a weeks worth of low fat food coming on Tuesday, but I may switch over to the low carb after I finish out next week. Even though some of these foods are delicious on the low fat, I am finding more that I don't like on this version than I did with the low carb. Also you lose more on the low carb faster (even the rep admitted this at Diet To Go). I think I will do a little switching back and forth to keep things interesting, but sticking more with the low carb for me.
I wasn't hungry or shaky at all on the low carb plan because of all the protein, but on this one with all the bread and fruit and stuff, I am not doing as well. I'm insulin resistant so I guess it was better for me to stay on the low carb. Oh well. the food is for the most part pretty yummy on this plan however not impressed with some of the lunches (did not like the Salmon Burger or the Meatloaf burger at all). Having those tiny muffins (and they are super tiny) does nothing to keep me full all morning whereas the omelets on the low carb plan kept me going.
On a personal note (lol), I went to the bathroom better on the low carb plan and maybe that was because they loaded you up with veggies with each and every meal including breakfast.
I will be curious also to see how much extra weight I lose by doing the low carb plan again, but this time with Natrol's Carb Intercept (did not do those with the plan before and they help to absorb carbs so you really put things into overdrive). I will miss some of this food though. Some of it is truly yummy and it does get boring eating the same things. I'll just make more substitutions because they do give you a lot of chicken. I miss that Andoiulle Sausage the most (God that was decadent)!
Which plan will a person lose faster on? I am on the vegetarian plan and a bit disappointed because I have only lost 5 lbs in two weeks. Is this normal?
Oh wow 5 pounds in two weeks is actually pretty good. That's a very healthy weight loss! As you know, vegetarian and low carb plans are night and day so I don't know how you would even be able to do a low carb plan. Most vegetarians I know would freak with the low carb plan. You will lose more on a low carb plan because of the dynamic that is set up in your body (it begins a chain reaction) but it's all meat! I loved it because I got a yummy omelet nearly every day and the veggies are delicious. The sauces are wonderfully gourmet. You get things like Short Ribs (my favorite), Prime Rib, Cheese stuffed baked Chicken, Andouille Sausage which is my to die for favorite meal) stuff like that (the hamburger is the most delicious I have ever tasted and I am funny about my burgers). It's not a matter of whether or not you will lose weight although I realize that everyone is different, but can you handle all that meat because you are now on a vegetarian plan?!!
You might want to call and talk to one of the customer service reps. They are all very nice. The two I have spoken with admit that people seem to lose more on the low carb plan, but not everyone can handle the restrictions of the diet such as no muffins, pastas or bread etc. It's definitely a decadent plan where you get some very decadent food, but sometimes it is tough with no muffins or pasta (of course you can take a day off here and there if you want and just get a pasta meal or have a muffin). You do get plenty of veggies though.
Last edited by PrincessDietMuch; 03-01-2009 at 02:49 AM.
I like the varity of the low cal plan, but would like it better with whole grains instead of white bread. I've been adding a string cheese to te breakfast, so I'll have some protein.
Article all over the news this past week...eat fewer cals and you'll lose weight. Go figure! As far as which plan to choose, I'd say go with what you like and look at how you'll be able to incorporate those foods into your life. Remember, we need to eat healthy for the rest of our lives. Not just diet to get the weight off fast. Stats say 1-2 lbs per week is a good loss.
Well we've all known for years that eating lower calories will make you lose weight. If you eat 3500 calories less than you normally do per week, that generally equals 1 pound of weight loss per week (old news). I do like the variety on the Low Fat plan except that I am getting those terrible shaky days where I am hungry and craving even more carbs than I am eating (that did not happen on the Low Carb plan for me).
We are all engineered differently of course. What works for some will not work for others and vice versa (though I can't see someone who is a vegetarian doing the all meat Low Carb plan...lol). Unless of course they are doing the vegetarian plan just because it sounded interesting, but they still like meat.
I don't like the higher calories of the low carb plan at all. That puts me off but I admit I lost more weight due to the chemical reaction it gave me. I have already thought ahead. I think doing a low fat plan for life after I've shed the weight is in order for me as a lifetime maintenance thing (with an emphasis more on protein). I'm already learning portion control by merely receiving these meals each week. The carbs are making my sugar spike and I am needing even more food and so this chain reaction is not working out as well for me. I agree whatever works, that's the best plan for you.
Darn what to do what to do. I just looked at what week 4 is comprised of with the low fat plan and it looks delicious! All foods I want to try (argh). I may decide to go another week after next week and then switch over to the Low Carb again (if I do that I will load up on my Carb cutting supplements). This is a tough one because week 4 is not that hot with the low carb plan, but has all the good foods for the low fat plan. God I wish I could afford that Chefs Diet delivery that all the stars do. The food looks so amazing and so fabulously decadent yet low calorie. (could not believe how many celebs do that plan but when you go there, there's tons that get this meal delivery plan). I may call tomorrow just for the heck of it to see what's what. It looks like the cheapest forms is $32.00 a day which is about $30.00 more a week than Bistro. God that's outrageous but I swear the food looks like pure heaven! The food is mouth watering and yet totally pure and healthy. I have a feeling there's a catch and it's more for shipping or something. I'll soon find out.
Oh wow 5 pounds in two weeks is actually pretty good. That's a very healthy weight loss! As you know, vegetarian and low carb plans are night and day so I don't know how you would even be able to do a low carb plan. Most vegetarians I know would freak with the low carb plan. You will lose more on a low carb plan because of the dynamic that is set up in your body (it begins a chain reaction) but it's all meat! I loved it because I got a yummy omelet nearly every day and the veggies are delicious. The sauces are wonderfully gourmet. You get things like Short Ribs (my favorite), Prime Rib, Cheese stuffed baked Chicken, Andouille Sausage which is my to die for favorite meal) stuff like that (the hamburger is the most delicious I have ever tasted and I am funny about my burgers). It's not a matter of whether or not you will lose weight although I realize that everyone is different, but can you handle all that meat because you are now on a vegetarian plan?!!
You might want to call and talk to one of the customer service reps. They are all very nice. The two I have spoken with admit that people seem to lose more on the low carb plan, but not everyone can handle the restrictions of the diet such as no muffins, pastas or bread etc. It's definitely a decadent plan where you get some very decadent food, but sometimes it is tough with no muffins or pasta (of course you can take a day off here and there if you want and just get a pasta meal or have a muffin). You do get plenty of veggies though.
I should have looked over the low carb plan before I posted my question. NO WAY could I eat all that meat. Guess I will stick with vegetarian after all. However, DTG send me the wrong meals for this week. I ordered vegetarian - they send the traditional plan! I hope they will resend.
That's why I was thinking what the heck! lol! No way is a vegetarian going to want to do a Low Carb plan because it's a lot of meat, eggs and stuff like that.
Wow that's not like them to send the wrong food. Make sure you call them and let them know what they have done and insist they make it right. The problem is that once they are done cooking and packaging everything up over the weekend, they can no longer ship food out past Monday. I learned the hard way when I stopped my service with them to try Bistro (Dear Lord what a nightmare that was) and the girl at Diet To Go wanted to help me so badly, but couldn't in the end. She really wanted to ship out food to me on that Tuesday, but there was literally no food left! You need to call them right away when this happens (I know they do not deliver on a weekend so you must have gotten this last week I am guessing)? Didn't you call them? They should actually give you a substantial discount or a free week if they sent the low fat plan to a vegetarian. Also if they did this, they may have you signed up incorrectly and might be doing it again this week so you need to call right away! That's not right. Let us know how you make out.
Snacks?
Guess I will stick with vegetarian after all. However, DTG send me the wrong meals for this week. I ordered vegetarian - they send the traditional plan! I hope they will resend.
