I admit that when I first started researching this diet, I was intrigued by the idea that I could eat comfort foods like burgers, pizza, and tacos and still emerge looking like Jillian Barberie in her bikini or Marie Osmond in a skimpy dancing with the stars get up. OK, so she knew this wasn’t entirely realistic. I am a mom with responsibilities and two small children. I didn’t have a trainer or a chef, but I would have liked to have settled for looking good in a pair of jeans or not mortifying myself about going to the beach this summer. I guess in a nutshell what you wanted to know was does the nutrisystem really work and if so how? What was life going to be like on this diet? Was the food edible? Would I be hungry all the time? What would it take on my part to be successful? I will answer these questions in the next article.

How Nutrisystem works:The foundation of this diet is getting the glycemic mix right to get your body into ketosis (the fat-burning state). It’s as simple as that. Foods are designed to be low in carbohydrates and on the lower end of the glycemic scale. But, the company has done, at least in my opinion, a very good job of providing foods that adequately hide this fact. You don’t feel like you are on a high protein diet because you can eat the chocolate brownies, chips, cereal, cakes, etc. of the diet. – all the things that would normally be prohibited on most low-carb diets.

You are asked to eat five times a day: three meals and two snacks/desserts. For each of the meals, you will eat one of the company’s foods. Some are the kind you ride and some are frozen. Most are very convenient. They don’t require a lot of prep, but you’re also prompted to add healthy sides. However, the company helps you with this. Each meal will include a side suggestion. For example, the nutrisystem pancakes suggest strawberries as their fresh addition. The taste of most foods is surprisingly good, and eating often helps you feel like you’re not starving.

You order groceries online and they ship to your door in a big box. It costs about $299 per month for the entire month, but there are usually coupons that can help with this. There is also free advice and support. I didn’t want to use this at first, but found it to be a lifesaver. I really appreciate this feature because I know you would pay a lot for it if it wasn’t included for free with your order.

So does the Nutrisystem really work?  How to make sure it works for you:I spent a lot of time lurking on message boards trying to determine this answer before going on the diet. I found that most people have decent results. But, a few things separate those who have exceptional results from those who have average results.

To really lose a ton of weight, you’ll need to be diligent with your sides. You want to make sure you’re keeping it on the low glycemic side. The whole key to your success is ketosis, so you don’t want to put anything in your mouth that would stop you from doing it. So if she’s eating the plan’s pizza and adds a side of fries, she won’t be as happy when she steps on the scale as she would have been if she’d added celery and peanut butter. You can get strips in the diabetic section of your supermarket that will tell you if you have reached ketosis.

Now everyone cheats. That is being a human being. But don’t let an indiscretion throw you off track. It only takes two days to get back into ketosis, but it will set you back if you don’t get back on the diet when you crash. Also, just power walking has dramatically increased my results. It is about burning many more calories and carbohydrates than you take in. Just a little bit of exercise can go a long way with this. You don’t have to go crazy. Just take more steps than you normally would and you’ll be ahead of the game.