Hi to all, I am new here and had a few questions. I started Nutri system this week and I am doing the weekends off plan from QVC. It is going well, but I wondered if any of you have ideas for meals and snacks that are pretty equivalent to the nutri system meals and snacks. I have started to compare bars and south beach diet meals and they are pretty close. I know there are some pros on here that may have more info. Please pass along any ideas and advice you have. Thanks in advanced. C:

Here is a posting done by Lynn on the NS boards (gray lady). She is super helpful.

Weekends Off Plan for Women

There are some differences between the listing that has been shared on the BB's and what I'm seeing in the booklet --- mostly that's because the BB info is based on the "under 40" plan --- There is also no fat listed in the BB info (and remember there IS fat in the NS entrees) --- here are the plans per the booklet

Under Age 40:
Breakfast -- 1 protein + 1 fruit + 1 carb + 1 dairy
Lunch -- 2 protein + 1 salad + 1 carb + 2 fat
Snack -- 1 protein + 1 fruit
Dinner -- 4 protein + 2 veg + 2 fat + 1 carb
Dessert -- 1 dairy + 1 fruit

Over Age 40:
Breakfast -- 1 protein + 1 fruit + 1 carb + 1 dairy
Lunch -- 2 protein + 1 salad + 2 carb + 1 fat
Snack -- 1 dairy + 1 fruit
Dinner -- 3 protein + 2 veg + 2 fat + 1 carb + 1 salad
Dessert -- 1 dairy + 1 fruit

If you have 100+ lbs to lose, add 1 carb to breakfast and dinner and 1 fruit to lunch

Note --- The Weekends Off plan makes a distinction between Dairy and Protein --- The "Dairy" items are milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese & parmesan (these items qualify for the dairy/protein guidelines used by many people of 100 calories, 7+ gr protein, no more than 3 gr fat - women, if you select non-dairy items for this menu item, take supplemental calcium)... The "Protein" items are chicken, egg, fish, meat as listed in the "regular" planner and should be used in the serving sizes listed in the Grocery Additions section of your booklet or online.

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NS "Basic" Under 60 Plan:
............................................... Women & Men ................................ Men only
............................................. Grocery Additions ............................. Additions
Breakfast:.... NS Entree ........ plus 1 Fruit & 1 Dairy/Protein .................. Plus 1 Carb
Lunch:......... NS Entree ........ plus 1 Dairy/Protein & Salad ................... Plus 1 Carb
Snack:.................................. 1 Dairy/Protein and 1 Fruit
Dinner:........ NS Entree ........ plus 1 Salad & 2 Vegetables ................... Plus 1 Carb
.................................................. ... & 1 Fat....................................... & 1 Fat
Dessert:...... NS Entree

If you have 100+ lbs to lose, add 1 carb to breakfast and dinner and 1 fruit to lunch - Men & Women

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...........................NS Entree
Breakfast:.. about 120 cals = 1 protein & 1 carb
Lunch:....... about 160-180 cals = 1-2 proteins & 1 carb
Dinner:....... about 300 cals = 3-4 proteins & 1 carb
Dessert:..... about 100 cals = 1 dairy & 1 fruit

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From posts of info received directly from NS counselors:

1 Vegetable Serving = 5 g. carbohydrates, 2 g. protein, 25 calories
1 Fruit Serving = 15 g. carbohydrates, 60 calories
1 Low-GI Carb Serving = 15 g. carbohydrates, 3 g. protein, trace of fat, 80 calories
1 Fat Serving = 5 g. fat, 45 calories
1 Protein (lean) = 7 Grams of protein, 3 grams of fat and 55 calories
1 Dairy (or Dairy/Protein) Serving = 12 g. carbohydrates, 8 g. protein, a trace of fat, 100 calories

NOTE: I have also seen 7+ gr protein & no more than 3 gr fat, and the occassional yogurt at 120 cal - for a dairy/protein serving in the E-Classes with Mary Gregg, NS dietitian

Free Foods = A food that is 20 calories or less... You can add 2-3 free foods to your meal plan

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And if you are preparing your own food here are the average values:
NS Breakfast Entree averages = 150 cal, 2.75 g fat, 23 g carb, 10 g protein
NS Lunch Entree averages = 170 cal, 3.25 g fat, 26 g carb, 10 g protein
NS Dinner Entree averages = 240 cal, 5.25 g fat, 28 g carb, 20 g protein
NS Dessert Entree averages = 110 cal, 3.25 g fat, 12 g carb, 10 g protein

Daily with additions average for the Women's Under 60 Plan (Men, anyone with over 100lbs to lose and Over60 Men & Women increase daily average by the additional grocery additions): 1200 calories, 80 grams of protein, 160 gram of carbs and 27 grams of fat. Fiber averages 20-30 grams. The recommendation for sugar is no more than 10% of your total calories

1 gram of carb = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories
1 gram of protein = 4 calories