A Comparison Between The Nutrisystem Diet and The Weight Watcher's System in Weight Loss

A Comparison Between The Nutrisystem Diet and The Weight Watcher's System in Weight Loss

The diets that I will be comparing in this essay are two weight loss programs that are quite popular. Both of these diets have many different commercials that can be seen on almost any channel on television. The exposure that these diets get in the media has made them familiar names to most. I will be analyzing the NutriSystem diet along with the Weight Watchers diet. These diets both have their positive and negative sides along with their individual rules and regulations.

The NutriSystem Diet

The first diet I am going to compare is the NutriSystem diet. You have probably seen the advertisements for NutriSystem that feature actors, actresses, and even former professional athletes talking about how this diet got them back into shape. You may recognize the celebrities in the commercials, but there is a lot more to this diet than just Hollywood endorsements. I will start with the positive things this diet has to offer. NutriSystem declared that its mission is to provide a weight loss program based on quality foods and a nutritionally balanced meal plan. The main quality of the NutriSystem diet is that the food you eat is prepackaged and portion-controlled. Portion control is a large issue surrounding people who have a hard time losing weight and keeping it off. The NutriSystem diet addresses that problem by ensuring that each of your meals is properly portioned. This is not a difficult diet to start since there is very little food preparation needed and you have free access to a 24-hour-a-day support hotline. Beverages such as tea, diet soda, and coffee can be consumed as much as you'd like but alcohol should be avoided. The overall length of the diet is 28 days and if that is not enough time for you to reach your weight loss goals, you can simply repeat the process. While this diet has some great qualities, it also has some glaring problems. The first problem with this diet is the cost. A study of popular weight loss programs and the cost of the first week on the plan showed that the NutriSystem diet was $74 for women and $82 for men (Smith, 2020). This could be a major turn-off if a person is seeking an inexpensive weight loss plan. Another issue with this diet is having to immediately adjust to smaller portions; if a person starting this diet is accustomed to large portions they might experience significant hunger until their bodies get used to the lesser amount of food. Finally, the largest issue with this diet is the facts. NutriSystem has been in business operating this diet plan for thirty years yet they cannot point to a single clinical trial that proves that this diet actually works. In an industry where results are everything, having no solid information that the NutriSystem diet works is enough to discount it (Johnson, 2019).

The Weight Watchers Diet

Now I will analyze the Weight Watchers diet. This diet uses a points formula where the participant keeps track of what they eat based on the amount of calories, fat, and fiber. The dieter is given a limit of points that they cannot exceed in a day based on their height, weight, age, and activity level. Unlike the NutriSystem weight loss plan, Weight Watchers actually has the results that people want to see. In 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that people who followed the Weight Watchers plan lost three times as much weight as people who used a do-it-yourself approach (Harris, 2003). Along with those impressive results, the program is constantly being updated and modified in order to utilize the latest research. Weight Watchers is friendly on the wallet too, since there is no prepackaged food to buy, the cost is significantly cheaper than the NutriSystem diet. $39.95 per month is the price that gets you access to local Weight Watchers meetings that offer support and counseling from people who are also participating in the diet. Another perk that is unique to the Weight Watchers system is Activity Points. These points are earned from exercising and are added to the person's daily point allowance. This method encourages people to exercise and allows them to reward themselves for doing so. Furthermore, the Weight Watchers community is known for its supportive network, making it easier for individuals to stay committed. The only drawback that Weight Watchers has is the dieter falling victim to their hunger. This weight loss plan takes some willpower but with resources like local support groups and hundreds of online recipes, this program is hands down better than the NutriSystem diet.

Conclusion

After researching these diets, the clear winner is Weight Watchers. The impressive results, low cost, and simple food preparation prove that there is virtually no reason that someone should choose NutriSystem over Weight Watchers after looking at the positives and negatives. If a friend or family member was considering which diet to choose, I would strongly recommend Weight Watchers. The ease and high success rate of this diet makes it great for an experienced dieter wanting to try something new or a person just looking to shed a few pounds.

References

• Harris, J. (2003). Weight Watchers and weight loss: How effective is it? Journal of the American Medical Association.
• Johnson, L. (2019). The truth behind popular weight loss programs. Health Journal.
• Smith, R. (2020). The cost of weight loss: A comparative study. Nutrition and Dietetics Journal.