I finacially couldn't afford the program either but I did a Bill Me Later option and the comes just it would for a credit card. I find it easier for me to afford that way plus have money left for other stuff. I also have two kids and they are two and four yr old boys. I work full time but I find a way to make it through the day. Some how some way you need to find time to make you come first since it will benefit your kids in the long run. The stress eating and frustrations you are having and depression will impact your kids and it's not their fault so they can't see mommy stressing out all the time. Maybe you need to seek some professional advice or online counceling. I always try to have a mind over matter way of thinking. I set a goal and I stick to it no matter what. We have to tell our brain and convince it that we want to lose the weight that it's important to acheive and it shouldn't be ignored. Water is also the key to filling full. I wish I had a magic wand or magic words to make the weight fall off but nothing in life is made simple. We have to just keep it our all and not give up. Don't beat yourself up over it just get up every morning and try to develop a new habit each time and before you know it you could be on your way to healthier eating.

Now NS has laid the guidelines out for you, so try falling them one day at a time.
Read the sides of boxes and measure out one serving. Never just eyeball it. Make a list before you go shopping and that way you will make the best of getting what you need and not just what you want. Buy low fat milk or at least 2% instead of whole milk. Buy LF or FF dressings for your salads and be sure to just have a serving. Buy fresh veggies and fruit every time you go to the store. Buy whole grains when you can. Try the prepacked servings in a bag or box and never eat junk food straight out of the bag. Measure everything. Remember meat the size of your palm is right for you. I hope you can get to where you want. God bless. Marie

Hi there and welcome to the blog!

I have a couple of things to suggest....I sure hope they are helpful to you in some small way :)

First of all, many of us do suffer from stress, anxiety and/or depression in addition to the weight issues....I agree that being overweight can sure be linked to those issues, and even exacerbate them, and vice versa. If depression/anxiety is really severe, professional help may be required, but this blog is a great place to come to give and get support and healing and prayers and compliments and positivity on a daily basis! So...welcome!

The points you make are all valid points, except for one....the cost of the program/food. I suggest you look closely at your food budget, and compare it to what you would spend for yourself for one month adhering to Nutrisystem (including added fruit, vegetables, and dairy/protein). When I did this, I found Nutrisystem to be much CHEAPER than the junk and restaurant food I was often eating before I started losing weight.

It can be overwhelming to worry about making too many changes for the rest of the family when you are trying to focus at first on yourself, prioritizing yourself for once, and getting used to a new eating program yourself. As you get used to and comfortable with the way we eat while on Nutrisystem, you will feel BETTER and MUCH MORE ENERGETIC within just a few days, and then I just suggest making ONE TINY CHANGE AT A TIME with regard to your family's diet. Maybe substituting a healthier dessert or "snack" item, and NOT going back to the old unhealthy one. Maybe then incorporating a vegetable at each dinner -- even if it is the same one lots of times because everyone will eat a tiny bit of it. The thing is to keep it really simple at first, and everything becomes easier as you get used to it.

If you can afford a gym membership, you likely can afford to spend LESS on a month of food than you already are spending anyway. If you were on Weight Watchers for 2 years, there is some cost associated with that as well, right?

Nutrisystem has no contract, so you are not obligated if it does not work or you do not like it. That is what attracted me --- I had shame issues with being overweight and would never pay for help because I thought I was weak and "should" be able to lose all the weight on my own. When I finally joined Nutrisystem in May, I almost immediately fell in LOVE with it!

The food takes a bit of getting used to if you are accustomed to eating junk....but I thought almost everything was really good, and now I love almost everything.

I started with 52 lbs to lose, and have lost 36 lbs in 27 weeks....slow and steady will enable me to more easily KEEP the weight off forever, AND I have learned a ton about portion control, and have already started incorporating "regular" food and recipes again and continue to lose now about 1-2 lbs per week. I still have about 16 more lbs to goal.

If it is a challenge to even start the program, then don't worry about the exercise until you get used to the food and your energy increases within a few days after starting. Believe me, it WILL....this happens to all of us!!!

Well, this is pretty long, but I hope these suggestions help you. Just order, wait for your food, start communicating with us here on the blog, and take it ONE step at a time, and it won't be overwhelming at all!

Another option is buying NS food from Big Lots or checking out some offers folks have on e-bay (just be sure they tell you expiration dates, and if they can't or won't, then skip them).

The rest of the above advice is dead on, so do whatever works for you and take it ONE step at a time. As we are very fond of noting, none of us gained all the excess weight overnight, and it won't come off overnight either.

I am ditto with everything Iswenson65 has said here for you. I spent decades thinking I should be able to lose weight on my own. I battled depression and probably in the long run is what ended my marriage because I continued to feel ashamed and unloveable for being overweight. Women are just genetically set up to gain weight-- being sleep deprived and stressed is a major contributor. So, even though you know it is easier to just do the same ole same ole you need to make changes. With kids in tow take time to read labels and choose better at the store. Heck I even make my grocery shopping my exercise by walking the perimeter of the whole store at least 3 or 4 times. I know where the dairy is but I will go all the way down to the produce and back along the meat counter and then to the milk and yojurt and then all the way back around again to go to the cereal isle. I usually have my grandkids with me and if they have something to hold or the older one helping me look for something they are content no matter how long it takes.

There are a lot of zero transfat snacks and 100 calorie of less treats that you can choose for them and because they are in the house you know you will give in and eat them too. But, for the rest of the high fat high calorie foods, you just can't have it in the house. If you must buy peanut butter than buy the reduced calorie one and find one or 2 fresh fruits or canned veggies the kids will eat. I go to Costco and buy a case of green beans cuz I know the whole family will eat them.

But as far as cost? If you stop for Fast food or order a pizza more than twice a month you are spending more than on NS becuase that and standard groceries adds up fast over all.

Lean meats and chicken or turkey and fill in with air popped popcorn. Get the kids little pizzas and burrito wraps to stuff with eggs and veggies. Hand foods usually work well for the little ones. If you have to have bread look for those with 80 or less calories per slice. My grands have to have MAC and cheese and fortunately I can leave that alone as long as I have my own NS meal ready. You can do this and they deserve having a happy healthy Mom.

Call and speak with a NS nutritionist and she will guide you through a good shopping list. Find a way you will reap the benefits and so will your family.

This may seem like an overwhelming suggestion at first, but it might work if it appeals to you. Have you considered getting a (very) part-time job? Just enough hours to bring the cost of Nutrisystem down to your budget. And working outside the house can have a positive affect on your mental health, since paid jobs are always less stressful than doing mom-work. If you could ask for some help with your kids 4 hours/week, it would bring in a little income to offset the cost. Even better, if you worked in a gym daycare, you might be able to bring your kids and get money off your membership. A wise person once told me, when it comes to your health: It's not "I cannot afford it", it's 'How will I afford it?"

NS offers a plan on qvc called weekends off. It is easier to stay on if you know you can do something on your own 1-2 days a week. As for exercise I have the same dilemna. I can't even get on equipment at home because they are hanging on me. Try playing with the kids outside. I can only last about 5 minutes but it is a start

All of the above comments are so helpful and I think everyone has already said it all. But, I just wanted to add that I think it is time for you to put yourself first. I feel and hear your frustrations...because I too have felt and said them myself time and time again. But I think there comes a time when we have to admit to ourselves that we sometimes make excuses for why things don't work the way we want them to work, instead of just standing up and making it happen. Before you go grocery shopping...make that list so you don't buy the junk food. You aren't doing you or your children any favors by giving them those kinds of foods. If you don't want to clean out your cupboards and pantry and get rid of the junk that is already there; by making better food purchases now, you will soon eliminate that junk.
I think you also have to realize that no one expects you to be Ms. Perfect. All of us...I mean ALL OF US are going through, have gone through or will go through some of the very same feelings and frustrations that you are now. But, taking control of your own life and what you want out of it is really up to you! And you have the power to do it. It will require you to put yourself first...love you first and those other issues seem to fall into place.
Good luck and keep coming in for the support!

I'm so sorry that you won't be able to stay on the program. Like many others, NS actually came out cheaper for me. We used to eat out 3 or 4 nights a week! Ugh - can you believe it?

You could try Weight Watchers Smart Ones. You can buy them straight out of the supermarket. Then just follow the NS plan for the extras needed.

Don't give up on yourself. If your health fails, there won't be anybody as great as you to care for your kids. If you can't be strong for yourself, be strong for them. Lay on the floor and "exercise" with them as your weights. Let them sit on your ankles and bounce them, gradually straightening your legs more and more. Have them hold your feet while you do some crunches. Bench press them. They thinks it's a great game, and you'll be working muscles. You can do a lot of movement just by playing with them, and they think it's great fun! As mentioned by many others, being overweight didn't happen in one day, and you need to change your lifestyle in order to lose and keep off the extra weight. Your kids will eat healthy if they see you eat healthy. Be an example to them and simply stop buying empty calories. Before you know it, they will be munching on carrots and begging for non-fat yogurts. I'm struggling with coming up with a lump sum to buy NS food, too, but I'd rather pay for that than doctor visits because I'm unhealthy when I'm overweight. The time is now. Just do it!!! You are worth every penny.

Thank you for all of the comments. I need to clarify a few points real quick. The gym membership is a one year membership that my grandmother got me as a gift. Nothing I paid for or are still paying for. When I did weight watchers I had a part time job to pay for it and I was also young enough to fall under their discounted price. I do make grocery lists and always buy the lowfat, no added sugar stuff, especially for my kids. I always have a veggie at supper time. I really think my biggest problem is portion control. I just cant seem to get past the need to feel stuffed to the brim. I know how much im suppose to have and what a good portion is from when i did weight watchers, but it just never seems like enough and constantly measuring and weighing and counting gets old fast. Thats why I really wanted to do the nutrisystem food so that it is already pre portioned for me and one less stress to worry about. I dont have any control in our finances, my husband does, which is why it makes this so hard to commit to. What does it actually end up costing some of you guys for one month? Maybe (hopefully) my math is off. I have told him how much I figured it out to be and all he sees is the number as an extra cost that we dont have room for. I dont think he realizes that it would take the place of what we already buy. I think another issue is that our grocery expenses are spread out over a month and not all at once. Lately it seems like everytime i tell him i need to lose weight or ask him for help and support with it he ends up bringing home ice cream or the latest thing was a fry daddy. I have asked him so many times not to bring ice cream home cause its just another temptation that I will give into, but he has to have his "fix." Maybe I should ask him if he wants me to stay fat and unhappy the rest of my life cause sometimes it sure feels that way. I have a doctors appt to address the depression/ anxiety problems cause they have definately been worse this year then usual. I was suppose to go this week, but the baby has been sick so I had to reschedule and they cant get me in until december 11.