[teach73]

I'm going to try a delivery service. While it will be difficult to still cook for my family, I can't keep myself on track. The only thing that works for me is WW and for some reason I cannot get on the bandwagon this time. I've tried diets/eating healthy on my own and have stayed within 5 pounds-either way- of what I am today for the past year. I work out 4-5 times a week.

I did the 3 day sampler of Pure Foods Fresh Start and either really liked or really disliked what they sent.
I tried a free day of a local company, Success Meals.com and LOVED the food. It is dropped off fresh at your door before 6 am every day. You can choose your likes and dislikes.
I would hands down choose it, but the price and the inflexibilty has given me pause.
You have 1 week to nullify your contract with them. Your contract, to start, is 12 weeks. So for $2500 I would get meals delivered to my house for 12 weeks 6 days a week. I have an ad/coupon that would give me 12 weeks free at the end of that. If it is good and I can stick to it, that is $2500 for 6 months of food ( with the 12 free weeks) . However, if I cannot, I'm stuck paying. They did say the following:

"A 12-week program is the shortest term initially offered, once a client has completed a 12-week program he/she then has the autonomy to do any length of program they choose. We mandate a 12-week minimum program for new clients as it is the amount of time necessary for making significant changes in the way you look and feel.



All beginning the program all clients have 1-week to nullify their agreement. We feel it’s necessary to keep clients obligated simply for the motivational factor however if you were not seeing steady progress from one week to the next and we were unable to fix the problem then we would most certainly allow you to quit your program. "

So, if I am NOT losing, I COULD have them make changes and if they don't work, I could terminate.

I posted on a local board and got 2 responses from people who did it for almost a year, each. Both lost a good deal of weight.

The owner is local and you can call him yourself.

So- are there other diets out there I should try or should I take the plunge with Success Meals? I can afford it, but really am struggling with the necessity of the price. Should I try something less expensive?
I need to lose 40-50 pounds, but if I did so, I'd be the smallest I've been as an adult. I'm shooting for 20-25 pounds to get me back to my pre-baby/adult low of the 150-60 range. I plan to try to get pregnant again in the winter, so this is definately the last ditch lose it attempt I have!

I'm also concerned that I will get burnt out in say, week 7 and have lost all the $$$$ and/or waste food. I think the investment would motivate me, but I'm still concerned.

Thanks for getting this far- I'm struggling with what to do!

[full of grace]

The investment is a big part of what motivated/motivates me, for sure.

But mine is a personal investment. I don't have a commitment contract or anything. I can cancel at any time. But I knew, when I started BistroMD, that I was going to stick with WHATEVER delivery program I chose for at least six months, no questions asked.

So, I started mid-February and that means I'm committed for at least another month. I love the food and the results so much that I'll probably stick it out through the start of 2009. That should bring me to my goal weight, too.

I don't know what to tell you. That committed amount of time has been helpful for me, but there may be others for whom it would feel too restrictive and cause a need to rebel. Or perhaps boredom would become a factor. Not sure.

Sounds like an interesting program though. I've gotten two of my weeks at half off but it seems there are no further incentives for sticking on the program for any length of time. I love the idea that after 12 weeks you get another whole 12 weeks of food free! That would be hugely motivating for me.

But everyone is different, y'know?

Good luck with your decision!!

[teach73]

I'll add that after the 12 initial weeks you can go week by week or even do less days a week.

[noodlebean]

Well, it is a bummer that you can't stop in the middle to evaluate the effectiveness of that plan for you. I mean, $2500 for 6 months of meals delivered fresh every single day is an AMAZING price -- that's under $100 a week. So if you feel confident it will actually work, and you liked the food, it seems like a great choice!

But as Grace said, only you can decide what's best for you. For me in your situation the issue would be more about the inflexibility of your commitment. That price is cheaper than most mail-order meal delivery services, and it sounds like the quality of what you get would be extremely good and fresh.

Let us know what you decide!!!

[teach73]

Exactly Noodlebean ( love your site, BTW)! I am terrified of the inflexibilty, but feel like as picky as I am, the freshness and ability to call the owner and tell them not to give me something etc would be nice. I also can "hold" a week or a day if I am going to be out/ out of town. So there aren't any wasted days.
I like that it is a daily delivery right to my door.
I also found a couple of locals who have used it- both for up to a year, and both lost significant weight.
70 pounds for one and the other just said "significant."
I'm going for it, but I'll need some support, I'm sure! This was a hard decision! 3 months is a long commitment!

[noodlebean]

Congrats! Let us know how it goes for you. It does sound like a good plan.

Good luck!!

[teach73]

Got my first day delivered this morning. Off to a good start! The food was just like I made it myself!

[Rachael81]

Yippee! Glad you've made the decision to get started. Keep us updated on how it's going!

I got a laugh when you said the meals are "just like you made them yourself" because if I made meals for myself, it would be nothing like a meal delivery company's product. It would have at least a stick of butter and bacon or cheese, or better yet buttery cheesy bacon worked in somehow. But that's why I'm committed to these meal delivery companies!

[teach73]

Well, I just completed week 4 and lost a total of 10 pounds on the dot. I'm pretty happy with that so far! The food is good 95% of the time and decent the other 5%. I don't dislike anything. They don't repeat foods for a month, so I am just now seeing some repeats.

Since I started Seattle Suttons came to town, but it seems like I made the better choice from the reviews I read.

My food is on my doorstep every day M-Saturday by 6 am.

Aside from a few stray bites of what I cook for dinner for my family, I've been able to stick with it closely. My Sundays are free so that is something I look forward to. I adjust it to Saturday often and save my Saturday food fof Sunday.

[kaplods]

I've done Seattle Sutton's and I'd say the food is only decent (it's pretty bland) most of the time, so I think you made a very good choice