3 Tips for Weight Loss Success from a Guy Who’s Been There, Done That

Lydon Fruscella didn’t realize losing weight could be so easy—until he found Nutrisystem.

“It takes zero effort. All you do is eat the meals on time,” and you’ll lose weight, the Florida native says. Fruscella should know: He went from 260 pounds to 200 in just seven months,* and he kept it simple. Lydon used his Nutrisystem meal plan, drank some water and otherwise took it easy—and the weight melted off.

Keeping things simple and streamlined is actually a fantastic way to stick to your plan and see the same kind of success.

Here are three take-it-easy tips from Lydon’s weight loss journey, with science to back it all up:

1. Drink lots of water.

To help him stay full, Fruscella drank a bottle of water after every meal and snack while on Nutrisystem.

Having the water before meals can help even more. In one study published in Obesity, participants who had two 8-ounce glasses of water before eating lost 36 percent more weight over 12 weeks than dieters who didn’t down the H2O before meals. So fill ‘em up and you’ll feel fuller at your next meal.

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2. You don’t need to work out.

During his four months on Nutrisystem, Fruscella says he didn’t work out at all. While exercise is, of course, great for your health—lowering your risk for chronic diseases and death—it isn’t a requirement for weight loss success.

In a year-long study from 2011, scientists found that people who dieted without exercise lost 10 percent of their body weight, while those who exercised without dieting only lost one percent of their body weight over the year. So, when it comes to losing weight, diet trumps exercise.

As you start to see success, though, you may find that you want to exercise more: Many people who have success on Nutrisystem find they have much more energy as they start to lose, and they want to get outside, play sports they used to love, or even just chase after the kids more. Fruscella found the same thing: He now runs four miles per day, lifts weights six days per week and has gotten into bodybuilding.

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3. If you slip up, don’t worry!

“It’s okay to have a cheat meal,” Lydon says. “Just don’t overdo it.”

Many dieters get discouraged if they go off-plan, and instead of having just a cheat meal, they binge for the entire day or weekend. But as Fruscella points out, one slip-up does not ruin your whole weight loss plan. In fact, being on a diet that is too restrictive is a recipe for failure: UCLA researchers have estimated that the rate of failure for seriously strict dieting is as much as 66 percent, and a 2002 study found that rigid dieting was actually associated with higher BMI overall.

Fortunately, Nutrisystem is designed for all this: Not only does the plan include healthier versions of foods you already love, the plan includes Flex Meals and Extras—so you can have foods you specifically crave without it even counting as a “cheat” or a “slip-up.” People in the real world eat at restaurants, have chocolate and enjoy the occasional dessert. And with Nutrisystem, that’s part of the plan, and a big reason so many members succeed!

*Real Success Story. Weight lost on prior program. Expect to lose an avg 1-2 lbs per week.

Feeling inspired? Start your very own journey to weight loss success today! >