Diet. It's truly an ugly word. To me, it means something that is short term. My goal when deciding to do the Nutrisystem weight loss program was to attain both short term and long term goals. In essence, a lifestyle change. This is my first week (I officially began on Monday July 29: You Had Me at Weight Loss Nutrisystem) and I can honestly say I've learned a lot so far. I'll give you my weigh in on Monday (and yes, only a few days and I've lost weight!) but for now I just wanted to share some things I have learned in just a few short days. Organization I've never been one for meal planning or even charting what I eat. When I received my first shipment of pantry and frozen meals I was overwhelmed. Not to mention, I still had to go shop for grocery items (veggies, fruit, etc.) The Daily Planner that Nutrisystem provides is a lifesaver. It helps me to breakdown (and plan in advance) what my meals each day will be, my smart carbs, power fuels, veggies, how often I'm drinking water and exercising. My household has 5 other people in it (my 4 boys and husband), so it was important to me (and my sanity) to plan my dinner meals along with what they'll be eating. I figure this will help me to feel normalized when eating. For example, I planned one night lasagna for me and lasagna for them, grilled chicken for me, grilled chicken for them. I believe this will help my mindset for when I've met my weight loss goal and resume non-Nutrisystem foods and allowing myself to realize I can eat small, healthy portions of what the rest of the family is eating. Knowing in advance what is considered a smart carb (fruit, berries, whole grain, etc.) and a power fuel (eggs, nut butters, nuts, lowfat yogurt, 1% milk, etc.) is also helpful when at the market. It really helped me to focus in on what I needed to buy and made me pay more attention to the produce aisle. Scheduling Along the lines of organization, learning a new way to live healthy also requires scheduling things! I work from home, so my schedule is fluid. In a typical day I would eat breakfast (typically a very large bowl of Kelloggs cereal) and then snack and snack until dinner time (and those snacks were anything but healthy...I'm looking at you chocolate.) Then around 9 or so, I would indulge in a bowl of ice cream (many times accompanied by a warm brownie/cookie/piece of cake.) On the Nutrisystem weight loss plan you have plenty of opportunities to eat (6 times a day!) and they have ice cream, muffins and other delicious goods to consume so that you're not craving them and go on a binge. I found that using the Daily Planner and scheduling in my meals, water consumption and exercise has helped me tremendously with time management and making sure I am eating the way I am truly supposed to. Smaller Portions, Eating More Often When people think diet, they automatically think about what is being taken away from them. That's why this is a lifestyle change not a diet. Nutrisystem has shown me in just a few short days that I can literally remain full all day by eating more often, just in smaller portion sizes. I honestly was nervous that I would be starving, but that hasn't been the case. Even to the point that it has been difficult to get in 4 servings of veggies per day because I am honestly too full to eat another bite! I'd love to hear from you if you are doing Nutrisystem or are trying to lose weight yourself. What are some things you are learning along the way? Want to lose weight and get healthy on Nutrisystem? Join today by calling 1-888-853-4689 or by visiting www.nutrisystem.com/nsblog. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ *Disclosure: Sponsored