The Food Has Arrived

Well, everything I'm going to eat for the next month arrived at my doorstep yesterday in a 47 lb. box. While this would likely horrify most lovers of good food (among which I count myself), there was still something exciting about pulling it apart and seeing what was inside. It was a LOT of food--square dinner entrees, microwaveable soup-can entrees, bags of soy chips, about 60 dessert bars, and tons of packets that said things like "Pancake Mix," and "Chocolate Pudding Mix," and "Breakfast cereal," on them. If there is a nuclear war, not only am I set, but I'll look great! (Until the radiation effects set in.) You also got a packet of reading material, which I was surprised really didn't contain much about the science of the system. It just basically throws you right into your "Meal Planner" diary. You eat 6 times a day, every couple of hours, but these portions are SMALL. For example, this morning, I chose my first "breafkast." It was granola, but a couple tablespoons worth. Had it not been prepackaged, I would have had maybe 5x the serving. You do get to eat your own store bought items with their food, though. So I had skim milk with it and half a banana. (They also give you a breakfast carb, so like a slice of toast, but I skipped that.) The granola was good! Very cinnamon-y. Then at about 11 am, when I was feeling hungry again you get a breakfast snack. (I had the other half a banana and yogurt.) They encourage you to subsidize your lunches and dinners with salads and fresh vegetables and fruit. I realize this is all less than scintillating so far.

Weight: 192 as far as I know.
Hunger level: Low (had a small can of beef stew and salad)
Exercise: None (but may head over to gym tonight)
Mood: Still excited!

The NutriSystemist: An Experiment In Engineered Nutrition And Self Control

Hello! Welcome to the NutriSystemist. I'm a 35-year-old male who lives in Los Angeles. I'm fairly active, but thanks to a deskbound job working out of my apartment in Silver Lake, I've put on a little more weight than I'd like to. (It goes directly to my belly and love handles...Attractive!)
I weighed in at 192 the other day, and ideally I should be closer to 170. After thinking I could will-power the extra pounds off, I've come to realize that I cannot. I visited my parents recently, and an ad came on TV for NutriSystem for Men, one of those diet programs that basically sends you a month's worth of prepackaged foods. It's a no-brainer: If you eat them and them alone, you'll lose weight. Dan Marino said he lost 22 lbs and was back to his playing size, and that was good enough for me. So when I got home, I went onto the site, surfed around a bit and discovered the wide variety of delicious-sounding meals in the plan, and plunked down $319.95 for 28 days worth of food--the men's introductory variety pack. The food arrives tomorrow, at which point I'll photograph it all and document the journey. Hope you'll join me!

Weight: 192
Hunger level: Low (ate a ton of pasta and two cookies)
Exercise: None (getting over a bad cold)
Mood: Excited!