Chubby Mommy

Until my diagnosis of Celiac disease — which means I can’t eat gluten in any form — I’d been toying with the idea of diet food delivery again. I’ve tried it in the past and have to admit that I loved the experience. Having UPS show up weekly with a dry-ice filled box of breakfasts, lunches and dinners made dieting such a simple matter. With a husband and son content to live on pizza, PB&J’s and McDonald’s, prepackaged diet foods liberated me from the kitchen. They also cut down on dish washing, one of my very least favorite chores.

Unfortunately, I’d made the mistake of not doing much research before signing up for the program I followed. Based on Kirstie Alley’s results, I went with Jenny’s program… and a glance at Kirstie these days tells me she encountered the same problem that I did. The food was disappointing, the servings were minuscule, and, ultimately, I learned very little about portion control. When I finally ran out of food (and money), I gorged on everything in sight. I was that hungry.

Since then, I’ve checked into other diet delivery food programs, including Nutrisystem reviews. The Grand Daddy of dieting programs has been helping people lose weight for over 35 years. Throughout that time they’ve kept their program current with nutritional research. For instance, they recognize that men and women not only need different calories but do better losing weight with different foods. As a result, they offer both male and female programs.

Nutrisystem even offers diet plans for vegetarians and patients with diabetes. I know quite a few people who’ve had great success with their plan, and all of them have raved about the abundance of food… something I definitely did not experience with Jenny. With their OmegaSol blend of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids and a regular dose of natural fiber, dieters not only feel full on fewer calories but they don’t find themselves battling the cravings that derails so many diet plans. Unfortunately, despite their program’s numerous offerings they don’t have a gluten-free option.

So I checked out Medifast diet reviews in the hopes they might offer that alternative. Like Nutrisystem, Medifast has been around for years and has a proven track record. Oh, you won’t see celebrities like Kirstie advertising for them: they don’t need it. The program, as I know from friends who’ve followed it, works great and helps people lose weight more quickly than other diet delivery services. That’s the best form of advertising around, if you ask me.

Medifast’s principle of eating little meals throughout the day works perfectly for those who, like me, don’t want to get stuck eating a different meal than what they prepare for their family. Five meals a day are Medifast meals and one is a “lean and green” meal you prepare yourself using a balance of lean protein and green vegetables. (Presumably you won’t be serving your family high-calorie foods that would tempt you.) Although they don’t offer gender-based diet plans or vegetarian alternatives, they do offer three different packages depending on how much variety you want and how quickly you want to lose weight. Unfortunately, they don’t have a gluten-free program, either.

It’s frustrating, I’ll tell ya: I know these programs both work. After glancing over their prices, I know that even with the frozen pizzas and PB&J’s my husband and son would be eating we’d still save money on groceries. I know I love their convenience and variety, and I particularly like the thought of how simple they make meal-preparation. But until someone comes up with a gluten-free program I, like the 2 million other celiac patients (and the approximately 3 million undiagnosed people) still have to diet the hard way. Which, in my case, seems to mean: not very well at all.