Sorry, not a book launch (yet), and not my weirdo way of saying “lunch time.” It’s Day One of my Nutrisystem weight loss journey, and I wanted to share the experience. First, some stats. I hadn’t planned on doing this, but a reader suggested it would be most helpful, so, here goes.

On Day One, I was skeptical yet excited to begin.

Breakfast: NS cinnamon roll and one banana
First impression: It looked, smelled, and tasted delicious (I was pleasantly surprised).
Thoughts: I have 715 calories left for the day, and I need to exercise, but I want to relax and watch TV.

Morning snack: NS chocolate flavored pretzels
First impression: These were also very tasty.
Thoughts: With 23% saturated fat and 20% sugars, of course it tastes good, but how is it “diet”? I haven’t exercised yet.

Lunch: NS spicy pepperoni melt, plus 5 carrot sticks with a teaspoon of low-carb tzatziki dip
First impression: Every bit as good as a Hot Pocket, in my opinion.
Thoughts: It has 19% sodium, and I need to watch my sodium intake, but 21% protein, which maybe makes up for it? Also, I haven’t exercised yet.
Additional note: I realized that on Week 1 of the program, I’m supposed to have the NS protein shake for morning snack, so today I’ll make it my afternoon snack and do it right tomorrow.

Afternoon snack: NS chocolate fudge protein shake
First impression: At first, I thought it tasted so good, but then there was an after-taste I didn’t love.
Thoughts: This shake has tons of protein and fiber, so I know it will keep me full until dinner. I can deal with the taste. The good news is that I just read that I’m supposed to limit my exercise on the first week of the program (It’s called the Fast Five because the goal is to fast-track weight loss, and calories are limited). I am really good at limiting my exercise!

Dinner: NS salisbury steak and mac & cheese, plus mixed-greens with a dash of garlic-basil vinaigrette
First impression: The steak part was good, but the mac & cheese had no flavor, which is about the same as any salisbury steak and mac & cheese TV dinner.
Thoughts: We are early dinner eaters at our house, so now that I’ve completed my meal and it’s only 6:00, I know I will be hungry again before bed. I’m also used to having some dessert after dinner, so this is going to be the biggest challenge. I’ve only consumed 1,045 calories today (which apparently is 45 more than I was supposed to consume). I don’t know if I can manage the rest of the night!

Overall impression: My first day on Nutrisystem was positive. I am happy with the variety of foods, the no-prep meals, and the NuMi app, which helps you keep track of everything. I made some mistakes (the shake thing; the exercise thing; plus I shouldn’t have added the banana this morning), but I’ll learn as I go. And I figure that what I’m doing now — even if I mess up a little, and even if I can’t go the rest of tonight without eating a bite of something else — is way better than what I was doing to put on 30+ pounds.

Next steps: I don’t plan on sharing a food log like this every day — that could get repetitive and boring — but I will post an update at the end of the week. Best of luck to my cohorts starting their Nutrisystem journey too!