Optavia and Nutrisystem are two companies that offer weight loss diet programs to their customers. The programs are carefully designed with specific foods and meal replacements to help you cut down a few pounds from your body weight. So, which one is better and more effective? Below, we discuss the detailed comparisons between Optavia vs Nutrisystem to help you choose!
What you can learn from this article:
- The background of Optavia and Nutrisystem
- Whether the diet programs are easy to follow or not
- The foods and their ingredients
- Whether these diet programs are effective for weight loss or not
- The potential issues or side effects of each diet program
- Which one between Optavia vs Nutrisystem that is more recommended
Overview
Let’s start with Optavia first. Optavia has various diet programs that are specially designed to help in weight management and long-term optimal health. These diet programs are quite complex, as they include carefully tailored foods and meals, regular exercises, and some dietary supplements to aid in the progress. Because of this, Optavia usually assigns professional coaches to the customers who choose their diet programs.
Optavia is actually the new brand for the Take Shape For Life (TSFL) meal-replacement programs. The Optavia name has been in use since 2016. The new logo is quite simpler than the old one, and it suggests the idea of a healthy transformation for a better life. Optavia is under the umbrella of Medifast, Inc. The company is located in Owings Mills, Maryland. The company has been voted by Forbes as one of the 100 most trustworthy companies in America. (Read also : Optavia vs Medifast)
On the other hand, Nutrisystem is a brand of a weight loss program that is designed to take the guesswork away from your diet. A lot of people often have troubles in figuring out what foods that they can eat and when. People also have problems in counting their calories. Nutrisystem takes those unnecessary difficulties away so that you can go on a weight loss diet conveniently.
Nutrisystem was founded in 1972 by Harold Katz. It now has a headquarter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is actually a subsidiary company of several companies, including NutriSystem Fresh, Inc. and Nutri/System IPHC, Inc. At first, Nutrisystem only provided weight loss advice and products in brick-and-mortar stores. However, since 1999, the company has changed their business model to be direct-to-consumer.
They now sell their products online as well as through call centers. In 2010, Nutrisystem launched a mobile platform, and in 2015, Nutrisystem acquired the South Beach Diet brand. All of these facts show that Nutrisystem is continuously growing. The company has helped a lot of people to lose some body weight and have a healthy, satisfying life.
The Programs
Now, let’s find out further about Optavia vs Nutrisystem diet programs. Optavia’s diet programs are designed to help you lose some body weight quickly and safely. Each diet program is assisted by a health coach to guide you and monitor your progress.
There are several Optavia diet programs available, such as:
- Optimal Weight 3 & 3 Plan
- Optimal Weight 4 & 2 & 1 Plan
- Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan
Each Optavia diet program includes certain meals and Fuelings to help you cut down several pounds and enjoy an ideal body weight. What are Fuelings? Fuelings are Optavia’s meal replacement foods with carefully counted calories. We will discuss further about Optavia’s Fuelings in the next section.
Besides those diet programs, Optavia also provides special options for people with specific health conditions. There are diet programs for people with diabetes, people who suffer from gout, nursing mothers, seniors, and teens. Since males and females have different metabolism processes and needs, Optavia provides different diet programs for teen boys and teen girls.
Nutrisystem puts clear restrictions on what you can’t eat; all you have to do is follow the program that has been tailored for you. When you start on Optavia vs Nutrisystem, there are several options of diet plan to choose from. You can choose the one that is the most suitable for your condition and lifestyle. Note that the menu of each diet plan is customizable to a degree; you may choose what foods to include and exclude from the available selections.
Each meal comes with a proper proportion size, pre-calculated calories, and balanced nutrition. On Nutrisystem, you buy the foods directly from the company. You will be given readily-prepared or easy-to-assemble meals for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, and desserts every day. You are also allowed to add fresh fruits and vegetables from the local grocery.
Nutrisystem puts a heavy emphasis on the importance of exercise. This is great. Many people experience overweight or obesity because they don’t exercise enough. By encouraging the customers to exercise, Nutrisystem ensures healthy and effective weight loss. It involves at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity every week.
Note that Nutrisystem puts clear precautions for its diet programs. Nutrisystem is not suitable for breastfeeding women, people under 18 years old, and people who are allergic to soy or peanuts. So, if you fall into any of the three categories, you should not choose Nutrisystem and you must find an alternative.
The Foods
With Optavia, you prepare your own meals. Optavia provides a number of recipes which you can follow and include into your daily diet. The company has carefully designed these recipes to provide just enough calories and the right amounts of nutrients to help you lose weight in a healthy way. The meals in Optavia also include soups, bars, brownies, shakes, smoothies, and drinks.
There are two general categories, Meal Makeover and Lean & Green. In order to find out which recipes fit into your diet program, you can use the Recipe Conversion Guide. This guide will tell you the calories and nutrition of a recipe so that you can determine whether the recipe is suitable or not. Besides the meals, every diet program developed by Optavia includes Fuelings. They are healthy snacks and meal replacements with low calories.
Fuelings come in a bundle, which is conveniently called the Fuelings Kit. Note that there are several different kinds of Fueling Kit. So, you may choose the one that suits your taste best. Each Fueling Kit comes with Optavia bars, which are available in various flavors. For example, there are Caramel Delight Crisp Bar, Dark Chocolate Coconut Curry Bar, Drizzled Chocolate Fudge Crisp Bar, Honey Chili Cranberry Nut Bar, and Raisin Oat Cinnamon Crisp Bar.
On the other hand, Nutrisystem chooses the foods for you. As mentioned previously, you are allowed to customize the menu, but Nutrisystem limits the available options. This way, you will never get confused about what to eat. Simply follow the diet program. This is great if you prefer something that is simple and straightforward.
There are six meals provided in each day. Each meal has a pre-counted portion. The foods have high protein, high fiber, and zero trans-fat. Besides providing high-fiber, low-glycemic foods, Nutrisystem also provides a guide on how to feel full more quickly. There is also an extensive guide on how to limit your caloric intake when you are eating in a restaurant.
The available food varieties on Nutrisystem are good. There are pantry items, such as oatmeal, cookies, and pasta dishes; frozen foods, such as chicken, quesadillas, omelets, and ice cream sandwiches; along with special foods for the diabetics, vegetarians, adults, and seniors. However, vegan and gluten-free options are not available. According to WebMD, while in a Nutrisystem diet program, it is recommended that you stop or limit alcohol consumption. Some alcoholic beverages tend to be high in calories and sodium.
Effectiveness and Benefits
Optavia claims that the diet programs can give you not only weight loss, but also a life-long transformation. An Optavia program can make you adopt new healthy habits gradually. It introduces just one healthy habit at a time, so that you will not get overwhelmed. This is a great idea, because modern health problems are caused by unhealthy eating and lifestyle habits. At the end of the program, you will find that you have transformed your life for the better.
Optavia also claims that their weight loss programs can increase your vitality and energy levels. This will make you more active and powerful, so that you can navigate through your busy daily activities without a problem.
So, is Optavia vs Nutrisystem effective for weight loss? Just like other diet programs in the market, Optavia has received both positive and negative reviews from the customers. Those who give positive reviews say that they are satisfied by Optavia’s effectiveness in weight loss. They were successful in cutting down several pounds. They also say that Optavia gives relatively fast results. They are happy with the diverse food options, and the fact that they can prepare their own meals.
Nevertheless, the benefits and results may vary. This is because every person has a different metabolism rate. So, the effort required for weight loss may also differ from person to person. The main benefits of Optavia include its large variety of foods and recipes, the support from a certified professional coach, and the extensive range of diet plans. The so-called life-long transformation also gives a huge benefit to improve your overall health and lifestyle.
Nutrisystem offers one big distinctive benefit, which is the fact that it is very easy to follow. The difficulties in counting calories, tracking nutritional intake, and guessing the nutritional values of a food or drink are major reasons why people often stop their diet programs abruptly or take cheat days. By making the diet programs as easy and simple as possible, Nutrisystem ensures that people will not encounter such difficulties and actually finish the diet programs.
The second distinctive benefit of Nutrisystem is that it has an online community where the members gather together as a support group. Here, the members can share their stores and support each other. This is great. Psychological encouragement is often a big help when you meet a difficulty or setback. Third, Nutrisystem also includes regular exercise into the diet programs. Regular exercise is very important for weight loss and overall health.
Again, diet programs often get mixed reviews. This is also the case with Nutrisystem. It has received both positive and negative reviews. Of course, different people may have different metabolism rates and nutritional requirements, hence different people may get different results. Nevertheless, according to many of the dieters, Nutrisystem is effective for weight loss. Most say that Nutrisystem can give effective weight loss and make them feel better overall.
Potential Issues or Side Effects
Some of the negative reviews on Optavia are concerned about the use of dietary supplements over a long period of time. Some others are also concerned about the relatively high prices and the unpleasant flavors of the foods. However, the main complaints seem to be about the overpriced products and programs. People may also get bored when eating the same foods throughout the entire diet plan. To avoid this issue, try to add some varieties into your meals.
Optavia is generally free from side effects. However, a small group of customers reported that they experienced some minor side effects, such as headaches, constipation, and gas. Some also mentioned about diarrhea, dizziness, and leg cramps. These side effects may be caused by insufficient calories or unsuitable foods. You may be allergic to some foods without knowing.
One potential problem with Nutrisystem is the limited food choices. Indeed, the foods are chosen for you. This makes things simple and convenient. But people who prefer more varieties and customizations may find Nutrisystem too limiting. Also, not all people are happy with the flavors. Some people don’t like the foods’ flavors, although whether the foods are delicious or not is a matter of personal preference.
Nutrisystem may also cause some side effects. When changing your diet, you may experience some side effects. Those side effects may become more dramatic if you conduct a drastic change to your diet. The potential side effects include constipation, nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. However, most people don’t experience these side effects, so the chance that they will happen to you is quite low.
Optavia vs Nutrisystem
Optavia | Nutrisystem |
---|---|
- Complex diet programs with a professional coach | - Involves regular exercise and support from online community |
- Makes you adopts new healthy habits | - Takes the guesswork away from your diet |
- You make your own meals, with recipes to follow | - You get the foods and snacks from the company |
- Relatively wider range of food choices | - Somewhat limited food choices |
- Suitable if you prefer to make your own meals | - Great if you prefer something simple and easy to follow |
Conclusion
When choosing between Optavia vs Nutrisystem, keep in mind that each has different advantages and disadvantages. However, in general, Nutrisystem is more recommended. It is simple and convenient. It takes the guesswork away from your diet. On Nutrisystem, you don’t need to confuse yourself about what to eat and when. The food selections with carefully designed portions are chosen for you. Nutrisystem also involves exercise and provides an online community, both of which are important for your weight loss effort.