Weight loss has long been a difficult thing for many people to have success with. It’s no wonder obesity is at an all-time high. More people than ever before are classified as overweight [1].
Being overweight can lead to numerous larger issues. It can heighten risk factors for developing heart disease and more [1]. This has led to weight loss programs experiencing a surge in demand. Losing weight is a difficult task. Many feel as if it’s an insurmountable one.
It can be a lonely and tedious process.
Having a program there to guide you makes it much more attainable for many. However, choosing the right weight loss program is essential if you want to achieve success with your efforts.
Two of the leaders in this space are Nutrisystem and Optavia. Both of these weight loss programs come with their pros and cons. By the end of this article, you should have a good idea of which one delivers you the most value for your money.
Diet Overview: How OPTAVIA and Nutrisystem Work
Contents
1. Nutrisystem
Nutrisystem is one of the most reputable weight loss programs out there. It’s been helping people lose weight for a long time. However, in 2021, they revamped the program to make it even better. Now, the program is tailored to the individual’s preferences and metabolism.
RELATED READING: Nutrisystem Food Taste Reviews
This ensures that they get optimal results. Not everyone’s body is the same. Thus, no weight loss program should offer a cookie-cutter approach.
- Fully Prepped Meals
One of the major things to note about the Nutrisystem plan is that it comes with fully prepared meals. You’ll have over 150 choices ready within minutes. This ensures that you have an easy diet to follow with meals that require very little preparation.
A big reason a lot of people don’t adhere to diets for too long is that they require too much work. Nutrisystem takes all of the work out of the equation so you can lose weight without wasting time.
- Feature Packed App
Nutrisystem has recently revamped its weight loss program and entered the digital age. The new Nutrisystem smart app adds a lot of value to the Nutrisystem program. The app is useful for tracking calories, progress, and more. It even offers a lot of features that can keep you continually motivated to strive to reach your goals.
- Personalized Nutrition Plans
One of the major selling points for Nutrisystem’s new program is the personalized nutrition plans. Now, they tailor your meal plan to your metabolism and your preferences to improve your weight loss efforts. This ensures that your body is kept in an optimal fat-burning state which can improve your odds of success.
- 1-on-1 Weight Loss Coaching
With Nutrisystem, you get access to 1 on 1 coaching 7-days per week. They advertise the coaching support to be on-demand and accessible whenever you need it.
2. Optavia
Optavia is another excellent weight loss program that has a high rate of success among those that try it. With Optavia, you are getting much more instruction and guidance throughout your weight loss journey.
You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside independent Optavia coaches who will be there for you every step of the way. You get the same type of clinically proven diet plan that can help you lose weight.
- Ready-To-Eat Meals
Optavia comes with specially designed “fuelings” to give your body the energy and macronutrients it needs to maintain a fat-burning state. These “fuelings” are designed to be smaller. That way, you can get more meals spaced out throughout the day to keep your body out of a state of hunger.
By keeping your body fueled, it can stop your body from shutting down in a conservation attempt which can lower your metabolism and keep you from burning fat in a rested state.
- Coaching
With Optavia, the entire program is centered around coaching and support. It’s easy to see why so many people fail when they are following a diet program. Unfortunately, dieting can be difficult to do on your own. This is where coaching and community support come into play.
With Optavia, you get both. You’ll have access to a bunch of like-minded people within Optavia’s community where you can support one another to achieve your fitness goals.
Likewise, you’ll be able to tap into your Optavia coach who will be there to guide you through the journey. Having a coach there will help offer you the support, motivation, and accountability you need to push you forward.
Menu Compare: Food Styles and Menu Options
1. Nutrisystem Menu Options
Nutrisystem has a lot of variety with the available meals. Their website states that they offer over 150 different menu options [2]. This means you shouldn’t run out of different meals to try. A lot of people end up cheating on their diet because they get bored with their food.
Nutrisystem does a good job of keeping things exciting by giving you a lot of variety suitable for different tastebuds.
Examples of Foods They Offer:
- Cinnamon rolls
- Oatmeal
- Buttermilk waffles
- Parmesan Soup with chicken
- Grilled chicken sandwich
- Chocolate peanut butter bar
- Cajun-Style chicken and shrimp saute
- Ice cream sandwich
Nutrisystem meals could be compared to Lean Cuisine, or something similar that you might find in your grocery store frozen food section. They’re easy to make, most taste pretty good, and they get the job done when it comes to helping you lose weight.
2. Optavia Menu Options
Optavia has a lot of different meals to choose from as well. Optavia calls their meals “fuelings” and they are much smaller in size. They encourage you to eat smaller meals spaced out throughout the day instead of cramming everything into a couple of meals.
Examples of Foods They Offer:
- Spinach Pesto Mac and Cheese
- Chocolate bars
- Smoothie mixes
- Pancake Mix
- Cereal
What Customers Are Saying
1. Nutrisystem Customer Feedback
There are a lot of positive testimonials with Nutrisystem. After all, it’s been around for a long time. Many testimonials harp on the fact that Nutrisystem not only helps you lose weight, but it teaches you how to keep it off.
It helps you develop a much healthier relationship with your food.
They also love that there are so many healthy meals to choose from with a lot of variety to keep you interested.
2. Optavia Customer Feedback
Optavia claims to have over 2 million success stories. Within the testimonials, a lot of people have loved the coaching and instruction they got from the program.
Many fail to achieve their weight loss goals because they lack direction. Optavia solves this with personal coaching and by allowing you to have access to a community of those going through the same thing.
The community and the coaching are two of the major benefits according to a lot of the success stories with Optavia.
Pricing Head-to-Head: Which Diet is Cheaper?
1. Nutrisystem Pricing Range
Nutrisystem has a range of different plans that you can choose from. The plans start at $8.56 per day and they range up to $13.21 per day.
With the basic and lowest cost plan, you get over 100 menu choices with ready-to-go meals and shipments every 4 weeks. With the highest tier plan, you get to choose from over 160 menu choices and shipments every 4 weeks.
See how much Nutrisystem really costs here.
2. Optavia Pricing Range
Optavia offers (3) different plans to choose from. The 5 and 1 plan starts at $428 with 119 servings per container. The lowest cost plan which is the 3 and 3 plan starts at $20.75 with 7 servings per container.
The lower tier plan is for those looking for fewer meals and primarily for those looking to sustain their weight loss rather than ramp it up.
Summary
There is a lot to like about both of these weight loss programs. Nutrisystem is a proven weight loss program that has been around the longest. Because of this, you have millions of people that have experienced success with it. This kind of confirmation could be what you need to get going with it. A lot of people will have much more confidence going with Nutrisystem because it’s been around forever and people know it works.
Optavia is another great option to consider and it’s likely going to be a much better option for someone that needs more guidance and assistance. The entire program is centered around giving people access to more information, tools, and experts that they need to have success with their weight loss journey.
Our Top Reasons to Consider Nutrisystem
- It’s Convenient and Easy
Nutrisystem makes losing weight incredibly easy. While the task of losing weight isn’t going to be easy itself, Nutrisystem does everything needed to ensure the process is as easy as possible.
You not only get access to a lot of different meal choices that are fully prepped and ready to eat, but you also get access to a feature-packed app that makes tracking your progress a breeze.
- Limited Restrictions
Another reason to consider Nutrisystem is that it doesn’t force you into a restrictive diet. You’re not going to have to avoid certain foods. Instead, you get to enjoy some of your favorite foods even if they aren’t the healthiest options.
- Low Glycemic Nutrition
There is a lot of research that shows how effective sticking to a low glycemic diet can be for improving your weight loss efforts [3]. By minimizing spikes in blood sugar levels throughout the day, you can keep yourself from becoming a victim of food cravings and overeating.
This is a big reason to consider the Nutrisystem diet because a lot of people run into trouble with overeating and snacking in between meals.
- Lots Of Variety
Another big reason to consider Nutrisystem has to be the overload of menu options you have to choose from. You won’t find many weight loss programs that offer the same kind of variety that you get with Nutrisystem.
This makes it a very good option for those that typically fall off their diets because they get bored and they start to crave different flavors or foods.
- You Think Their NuMi App Could Help
The free NuMi app is a great addition to the Nutrisystem program. It’s one of the best apps available to help you with your weight loss journey. If you are looking for something that can help you effectively lose weight, the NuMi app can be a major addition to your toolbox.
It will help you track your weight loss progress and even give you ample motivation to continue pursuing your goals.
Our Top Reasons to Consider Optavia
- You Value Coaching
This is one of the main reasons to consider going for Optavia. While you get coaching with Nutrisystem, the entire premise of Optavia is centered around coaching.
Because of this, you’re going to get better support from coaching with this program. You will have access to independent coaches that are there to offer you the support and guidance you need.
- You Value Community Support
Another good thing about the Optavia weight loss program is the focus on the community. Having a community of people who are aiming to achieve the same weight loss results as yourself can be a major contributing factor to your success.
You will have a lot of people to bounce ideas off and to get motivation from. It will also help to hold you accountable which is one of the biggest things you need to succeed with your weight loss journey.
- You Want Smaller Meals
Optavia is designed to give you smaller portions of food throughout the day to keep your metabolism ramped up. This is proven to be effective at helping you burn more fat and to lose more weight.
The science behind the Optavia diet is proven and it should give you confidence that you’ll achieve results.
- You Want To Maintain Your Weight Loss
Optavia has programs specially designed for those who are simply looking to maintain their weight loss. Because of this, if you aren’t out to lose weight, Optavia may be the better option.
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