‘I Lost 135 Pounds Thanks To This Super-Simple Eating Plan’

The night before I got my shipment, I ordered Applebee’s for pickup—an appetizer, entrée, and dessert—and I couldn’t even make it the three-mile drive home before tearing into it. I pulled into a Burger King parking lot and ate it all. After, I told myself that was the last time I’d ever eat like that. And it was.

The Nutrisystem plan I went on was the women’s Core Plan. Every four weeks, I got an auto-shipment of meals that I had selected—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and three snacks. Some of my favorites were the double chocolate muffin for breakfast, the three-cheese chicken for lunch, and the lasagna for dinner. As a snack, I often had a yogurt or some cheese. I lost 15 pounds in the first month of the program, and 135 pounds by June of 2016. I was able to switch to the Nutrisystem transition program by that Christmas, which helped me understand how to portion out food I make myself using portioned containers.

Now, I start most mornings with a cup of cereal with milk and hot tea for breakfast. Two to three hours later, I’ll have two tablespoons of peanut butter with an apple as a snack. I’m super busy at my job as a nurse, so lunch is usually just a Velveeta cheese cup with veggies. Later in the afternoon, I’ll snack on celery with a fourth of a cup of hummus. Dinner is where I try to get in my fiber and protein, so I’ll have a salad with grilled chicken and vegetables or, if I’m in a rush, a frozen meal that’s under 350 calories. I try to watch my portions more than anything—if I want to have chips, I will, I just get a small bag that’s under 150 calories. And if I go out for a cheat meal, I plan to eat lighter throughout the rest of the day.

These crazy cauliflower rice recipes all weigh in at 250 calories or less: