7 Things Nutrisystem Success Stories Have in Common

While everyone is different in terms of “what works” in achieving weight loss, there are some commonalities among our long list of Nutrisystem success stories. We surveyed them to come up with seven things that helped the most. Here’s what we found:

1. Accountability Counts
Whether it’s having a workout buddy to go to the gym with, checking in with a friend, or even just posting your progress on social media, accountability can have a big impact on the likelihood of your success—as it did for many Nutrisystem success stories. Many of the men and women who have had successful weight loss with Nutrisystem say that accountability was just the motivation they needed to keep the pounds coming off.

2. Drink More Water
Because thirst is often mistaken for hunger, many of our success stories say that drinking more water was the key to feeling satisfied longer and eliminating mindless eating. Pay closer attention to your body. Are you actually hungry or do you just need a drink? You may be surprised just how often a glass of water will take off the edge that you were mistaking as hunger.

3. Have Some Fun
When losing weight feels like a chore, it’s hard to do. But those who have had a lot of success with Nutrisystem have embraced the fun. With so many delicious shakes to enjoy along with fun, on-the-go snacks, our successful participants say that they were thrilled to “ditch the diet” and actually enjoy what they ate. Our success stories say they are also having a lot of fun with their workouts by trying new classes or making it a social activity with friends.

4. Keep a Record
Maintaining a healthy diet is easier to do if you keep a food journal—and many of our Nutrisystem success stories do just that. Writing down each and every food they eat throughout the day helps them stick to a plan and eliminate mindless eating. It can also set you up for success. A study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that keeping a food diary can double a person’s weight loss.

5. Make it a Family Affair
Whether it was keeping up with the kids on a family bike ride or running a 5K along with a spouse or partner, engaging in exercise goals as a family helped our Nutrisystem success stories to stay on track. When fitness is a family affair it’s not only more fun, but it becomes part of an overall lifestyle, setting you up for long-term success.

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6. Plan Ahead
Nutrisystem participants who lost weight say that just a little bit of planning went a long way in their success. Whether it was doing meal prep on Sundays for the upcoming week or planning even further ahead with freezer meals, our Nutrisystem success stories have found many ways to simplify healthy eating by planning ahead. Even snacks can be prepped ahead of time. If you’ve already cut up a bunch of veggies and have them ready-to-go in the fridge, you’ll be more likely to grab for that as opposed to junk food.

7. Catch your ZZZs
Being well-rested is a common trait among the Nutrisystem success stories. That’s because they know that sleep absolutely has an impact on weight. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. And a study published in the journal Sleep found that those who slept fewer than seven hours a night typically had a higher BMI than those who slept more than nine. When you’re well rested, you have more energy and are more likely to work out and stick with your goals.