Since leaving NS I have been doing WW online and lost another 19lbs (at a MUCH slower pace albeit but I don't think anyone could stay on the NS plan for too long as it's approx 1200 cal a day and that's not realistic for long term). I think NS is AMAZING for giving you a jump start. When I originally started I planned on going on it for a month but I liked the results I got so much I stayed on two and than I liked the convenience so much I stayed on three...and so on and so on...LOL! Before I knew it it was nearly 6 mos and I still had a month to go! But we were going to Florida for 2 weeks and it wasn't convenient to bring all my NS food...so I signed up for WW so that I could still be aware of what I was eating and have some stricter quidelines.
When I joined WW my first shock was the AMOUNT of food I was expected to eat!! I complained that coming from such a strict diet that I was going to GAIN eating what I was supposed to eat to lose!! They agreed that I may gain at first but that I would level off and start to lose again. To my surprise I lost 2lbs my first week on WW (BUT I didn't eat ALL my points which technically I would have been "poo poohed" for! Hee hee). My weight continued to drop...slowly...some weeks with no losses and some with minimal losses and some with a big jump. Now I am eating almost all my points (can't fight the old mentality but honestly...I'm not starving so I can't see it's a problem) and I allow myself the freedom of making poor choices every now and than realizing I can deal with the consequences.
I don't know if I'd go straight from NS to doing it solo...the WW plan works great for me but any plan that teaches you how to eat while eating regular old grocery store food would work I think.
Good choices, smaller portions and water have just become a regular part of life for me now. I don't think I'm on a diet...I've made a lifestyle change and I'm finding it easier and easier to live with. I'm off for the summer and have been LAZY but when the school year starts and the kids are back in school I will get serious with the exersize and make that a regular part of my life also (this will be my biggest challenge!! I'm not a HUGE fan of exercising...BUT if I can learn to love new good for me foods I NEVER ate before I guess I can learn to love exercise! Ha ha!!).
I seriously hope I don't sound know it all or obnoxious here, I am far from done this journey (I still have 42 lbs to go before my goal and than I might hope to go down from there too depending on how 185 looks on my 5'9 frame) but I'm nearing my one year anniversary and I have learned a lot so far.
WOW, I get longwinded!...I hope I answered your question Amanda (in a really long round about way! LOL!)