Makeover Momma

The Diet:  NutriSystem Diet Delivery.

            How many newbie mommas have heard celebrity mothers attribute sudden weight loss to their meal delivery program? Whether Tori Spelling (avid fan of Nutrisystem) or even Denise Richards- the majority of famous mommas seem to shed pounds quickly and easily with pre-delivered and prepared meals.

The Pros= Nutrisystem is good for mothers who need to lose a large amount of weight or simply don’t have time to weigh, prepare and plan their meals. Meal delivery programs like Nutrisystem truly take the guess work out of portions, calories and cooking…they even take grocery shopping out of the equation. The Cons=  Nutrisystem dso not teach you the very basics of healthy eating (which is neccessary for long-term weight loss or maintanence.) If users do not learn proper portion or daily calories from their plan, than they will gain all of the weight back. In addition, Nutrisystem comes with a high price tag for your average mothers (ie. Makeover Mommas), so unless you are a celebrity spokesperson and receive your meals for free… many of us simply cannot afford home delivered meals. Is It Motherhood Friendly? – If you cannot afford Nutrisystem or meals delivered to your home, than try creating your own “portion control” mini meal plan right from your own kitchen.

•         Begin by eating a lunch and dinner that are pre-portioned, prepared and can be cooked via microwave (similar to Nutrisystem), such as Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Amy’s Meals or South Beach Diet. Try to make each meal be between 200-400 calories and add additional fresh produce like a small side salad, cup of steamed vegetables or piece of fruit to create a well-rounded plan.

•  Try using pre-portioned whole grain cups of cereal, cups of egg white omelets or a low-calorie breakfast bar by Slim Fast, Kashi or Luna Bar for breakfast. Add an additional piece of fruit or a small cup of berries for color and nutrients.

• Add 1 to 2 small snacks per day, either from fresh sources of portioned control 100 calories packs of almonds, crackers or a small snack bar under 150 calories.

•  If all else fails, save the microwavable meal containers and begin preparing your own meals according to these portions. If your healthy meal does not fit into the container…than they probably won’t help you stay fit.

* NOTE: If you are breastfeeding, you may need to add more calories than this by including an additional snack or larger portions of fresh fruit and vegetables.