Nutrisystem 5 Day Frozen Meal Box

In 2014, I wrote about my experience with the Nutrisystem 5 Day Weight Loss Kit and dropped 2.2 pounds in the first five days.  Overall, I liked the box but all the meal replacement bars were not my favorite.  I really dislike those things.  

Recently, I found that Nutrisystem has a FROZEN 5 Day Kit and I have decided to try it for the next 15 days.  The box arrived well packaged and still frozen.

Below is a pictures and what I thought of each meal.  I will keep you posted as to how much weight I lost every five days! 

I ordered 3 kits from Walmart and it was delivered within 2 days.  The food comes in a cooler with dry ice.  When I opened the box, it was pretty cold.  There was plenty of dry ice left and the food was all still frozen.  

BREAKFAST:

My first breakfast was the pancakes.  I'm not a huge pancake fan on any given day so I didn't have high hopes.  As far as taste, there really wasn't any without the syrup and the tiny piece of butter I put on them.  I ate them but without taste, I can't say that I liked them. 

My second breakfast was the turkey ham cheese omelet.  I'm not that crazy about omelets so I added some hummus to this in order to eat it.  It was pretty good.  I liked the chucks of ham but didn't really care for the egg.  I think I would have liked it more if it was scrambled.  Omelet people, I'm sure will love this.

The box gives you two cinnamon rolls.  So I had them for the third and forth day.  These really hit the sweet tooth and were very good after a few seconds in the microwave.  They were soft and tasty.  Although for some reason, I really wanted eggs on the forth day.  I'm kind of missing fresh food by the forth day. 

My last breakfast was the waffles.  I added syrup and peanut butter (something I started doing during boot camp to add that extra protein).  The waffles are matched to any frozen that you would buy.  I popped them in the toaster and they came out nice and crispy.  I could eat these over and over. 

LUNCH:

For my first lunch, I picked the Southwest Fiesta Melt.  I was really surprised that I really liked it.  If you like frozen burritos, you will love these.  Instead of a hard tortilla shell, the outside of this was soft and none of the inside filling leaked out.  I would not mind eating these all week.   

Day 2 lunch I picked the Pepperoni Pizza Melt.  Just like the Soutwest Melt, I really liked it.  It had the same bread but filled with pizza flavors.  Just like a pizza pocket but I like the bread on this product a lot more.  I would add this to one of my favorites. 

For lunch on the third day, I tried the hamburger.  I may have cooked it to long in the microwave as the bun on the bottom was hard as a rock in the middle.  I couldn't eat it but the rest was rather good.  I added some cheese, lettuce and mustard which is also allowed on the plan.  It was small but filled me up.  I will try less time to see if it changes the bottom bun later in this experiment. 

On the forth day, I finally at the grilled chicken sandwich.  It wasn't my favorite.  I added lots of hot sauce to give it taste.  It did it's job and filled me up though. 

On the fifth day, I had the four cheese melt.  It was ok but I added some salsa to give it a little more taste.  If you like grilled cheese, I'm sure you will like this.  It was filling and did taste rather good. 

DINNER:

My first dinner was the Chicken Parmesan and it did not disappoint.  The chicken was moist and had a great taste.  The pasta was soft and also rather tasty for a frozen meal.  I could have used a little more sauce BUT there is a reason why these are weight loss meals.  I would enjoy another one of these meals.

It was a pizza day for day 2.  I had the margherita pizza.  As for the pizza crust, it was surprising crunchy which I really enjoyed.  As for the toppings, I have never had a margherita pizza so I can't say if this one compares to that.  It was ok but I didn't care for the flavors.  I may change it up and add more veggies the next time I try it to see if that helps. 

For dinner on the third day, I picked the ravioli formaggio.  This was very tasty and I enjoyed the amount of sauce that went with it.  The stuffing was a little weird tasting but the sauce made up for it.  There was five ravioli in the meal which was plenty for me.  I could eat this again and again.

Fourth night was a turkey night.  I was craving mashed potatoes so I'm glad I saved this meal until the end.  I tried the potatoes without the gravy and didn't care for the taste.  I added the gravy, sriracha salt and pepper which ended up giving it a great taste and I enjoyed this meal.  It is a match to any other frozen turkey and mashed potatoes meal you would buy. 

Fifth day was the one I just knew I didn't want to eat.  The meatloaf sandwich (yuck).  I wouldn't eat this on a good day but I choked it down.  If you like meatloaf, I'm sure you would find this good.  I, however, did not like it and would not want to eat it again (but I have two more to eat later).  

SNACKS:

My first snack was the s'mores pie.  I got three words for you...I NEED MORE!  These are so good.  I would have preferred a more gram cracker crust taste but even without it, it was really good.  The chocolate and marshmallow was soft and melty.  The box only gives you one but I could have eaten these at the end of every day.  

Day 2 I wanted chocolate so I picked the cupcake.  The package does not say to warm it up but I really didn't want a cold cupcake so I stuck it in the microwave for about 15 seconds and it came out supper yummy.  It was the perfect amount of icing to give you that taste without the calories.  I could eat these every day.  So good.

Day three snack was the carrot cake.  I'm not that crazy about carrot cake to start with but this one wasn't bad at all.  It had little bits of carrots in it and the topping/middle had just the right about of sweetness.  As you can see by the picture, it didn't really look pretty and the middle was cut open right out of the package but it didn't hurt the taste any.  The package said to let it thaw but I tossed it in the microwave for 20 seconds and it was perfect.  

Forth snack was the red velvet cupcake.  Not really much to say as it was just like the other cupcakes.  Once warmed up, it was good.  

On the last day I had the ice cream.  I really don't care much for ice cream so I saved this one for last.  A fan of ice cream will love this.  It has a great chocolate taste and the brownie pieces are soft and chewy.  It was a little hard so I ate small pieces until it could thaw a little.  I normally keep tiny cups of vanilla ice cream for my dog to enjoy on hot days.  Scout just happened to see me get this cup out and went crazy cause he thought it was for him.  I ended up having to give him an ice cream as well!

OVERALL:

After five days, I have lost a total of 2.2 pounds and I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything or starving.  In fact, I skipped some of the extra's that I was supposed to eat (4 cups veggies, 2 SmartCarbs and 2 PowerFuels).  Each day was around 1200 calories.  It is a great program and helps me understand portion sizes, which is my biggest mistake.  I eat the same meals but I'm over eating at each meal.  

I have ordered two more boxes (10 days of food) and will continue in hopes of dropping five more pounds while using this.  I will let you know.  

Capon Springs and Farms

If you are looking to step back in time and enjoy the days of kids playing outside, good food, reading a book on the porch and unlocked doors...then I have found the place for you!  It's a little place called Capon Springs and Farms, which sits on 4,700 acres in Hampshire County, West Virginia!  If you are like me, you have never heard of this place before and that is because it has been a well kept secret since the 19th century.

Leave your cell phones and television behind because you will not need them here.  There is one television located in the Meeting House and that is the only place you will find internet access as well.  But after my weekend stay, I can say that I don't think you will miss that TV show or surfing the internet.  

 

One of the best features of Capon is the amazing water.  Capon, which is a Native American word meaning "medicine waters", has been called a place of healing.  Doctors used to prescribe the water as medicine.  As it turned out, I was in need of some healing the weekend I stayed at this place.  I had just lost my beloved grandmother after spending the prior three weeks at her bedside and broke up with my boyfriend so this weekend felt like a blessing.  I much needed trip away to a place claiming to have healing waters because that was just what I needed. 

You will find this amazing water flowing from all the pipes at Capon.  It is used to prepare all food and drinks.  It is used in the pool and at the spa.  You are even allowed to bring your own containers and fill with as much Capon water to take home with you as you like.

Capon reminded me of a cruise, just on land.  With the low purchase of your room, all meals and activities are included!  What more could you ask for? My biggest regret about my stay is that I didn't have time to research the place more.  I will need to go back and dig into the history of the place a lot more!

MY ROOM AT THE FAIRFAX

Upon arrival, there was a little hiccup with my room.  I was originally booked in the Virginia Cottage for two nights but they only had a reservation for one night.  No worries though, because the amazing friendly staff was right on it to find a different room for me.  I ended up at the Fairfax (room 6) and I'm told...it was a much better room. 

 

The Fairfax has it's own parking area off to the right and two hiking trails off the back.  Room 6 was on the second floor.  You can see the lamp on in the window of the picture.  This room holds one full size bed and one twin.  It also has it's own bathroom.  It is worth it to read the description of the rooms when you book because some of them have a shared bathroom.  It also has a small balcony which gives you a nice view of the woods.

Ignore the bed all ready turned down for me to climb in with a good book!

This book is inside each room and tells you all you need to know about your stay at Capon.

A DAY AT CAPON SPRINGS AND FARMS

Inside the Main House (which, helpful hint, most families stay with young children) is a bulletin board which will tell you everything you need to know about your stay.  It will list a menu, activities and other news. 

The day starts at 8:00 am with the breakfast music playing.  A flag ceremony is held at 8:25 am right before the breakfast bell rings at 8:30 am.  After enjoying a wonderful meal (see section below on food), you are left to do many of the activities offered around the resort.

There is many hiking trials all around the resort.  You can ask for maps at the front desk.  If you do not like to hike alone, guided hikes are offered on most Saturdays.  Yellow Trail (2 miles), Orange Trail (2.5 miles),  Blue Trail (2.7 miles),  Eagle Rock Trail (3 miles) and Red Trail (7 miles).

If you love to fish, then you can spend the day at Capon's pond which is stocked with trout, bass, perch bluegill and catfish.  You can also borrow an old fashioned bamboo fishing pole and bait from the front desk.  If by chance you catch a fish that is at least 8 inches long, bring it to the kitchen and they will gladly clean and cook it for your breakfast!  No license is required.

The Library is where I spent many hours.  There is so many books to pick from.  There is even a diary where past guests wrote a note or two about their stay.  These books go back many years.  It was fun to read what past guests had to say and the ones that keep coming back year after year. 

There is three tennis courts at Capon and a swimming pool for those outdoor activities or a game room.  It is fully stocked with cards, puzzles and other games.

Last but not least is two golf courses available.  One is a regular nine-hole and the other is a par-3 course.  I'm not really into golf so I'm just going to leave this one alone because I'm sure I can not do it justice.

I almost forgot about the many events like Bingo Party, Spring Tour, Yoga, Film Festival, Campfire Sing-a-long and Hot Dog Roast.  I did enjoy the Bingo Party and be prepared for a belly full of laughs.  They played bingo games I have never heard of!  No worries if you have never won a game because there is one round they will play just to see who doesn't get one number!  It was so much fun and the prizes were pretty great as well.  I missed the Spring Tour which you can learn about the famous Capon water because I was booked at the spa.  I really wished I could have learned more about the water, though. 

And if you happened to forget something, Capon has you covered on that as well.  There is a small store located across from the Front Desk which is stocked with soft drinks, coffee, snacks and other items.  You can leave your cash in the box or write the items on the checkout sheet to be added to your room. There is even an ice machine with buckets free of charge.  Don't worry about packing for the whole week either because Capon also offers a free laundry.  

FOOD

Now if all that wasn't making you want to book your vacation then the food will.  Capon has a wonderful way to let everyone know that it's meal time.  Meals are served at the same time every day (Breakfast 8:30-9:30am, Lunch 1-2pm and Dinner 6-7pm).  An hour before each meal, you will hear music being played from the loud speakers around the grounds.  At first, I thought this was a little weird but as the day kept moving, I started looking forward to hearing what music they would play. 

Once the bell rings, everyone makes their way to the dinning hall.  On your first day, you are assigned a table and that is the same table you will eat at for the rest of your stay.  I happened to be placed with two sisters and a widow (by choice) that have been coming to Capon since they were children.  And several of the dishes served was prepared using their own beef, pork and eggs.  

 

Each meal is served family style and you can eat as much as your stomach can handle!  I think I gained 10 pounds just from my weekend.  For my first night we had Broccoli & Cheese Soup, Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Green Beans, Shrimp Casserole, Rolls and Dessert!  The other meals was just as good.   

SPA

I couldn't wait to try out all that the Hygeia Bath House & Spa had to offer so I went there after I got all checked in to make appointments.  Another helpful note to make is you should book your spa appointments well in advance.  The wonderful workers were able to fit me in to most everything they offered, except the Reflexology (hands/feet).  And I have to say, I LOVED everything thing!!!!  This is a must on your trip so try to plan for it.  If I only had to pick one thing, I would pick the Soaking Baths with aromatherapy mineral salts.  Next time, I even plan to book this every day of my trip!

On my first night, I got to enjoy the Personal Exercise Pool/Swim Spa.  For $20 an hour (cheaper for less time), you get to enjoy a heated 86 degree private pool for swimming, aqua jogging, floating or just relaxing.  After a long drive, this was much needed on my tight muscles. 

I loved the jets which allows you to swim in place for as long as you want.  There is also plenty of exercise floats that you can use if you prefer.  The warm water was amazing and having your own private room really allows you to relax.  

This room is supplied with water for drinking, private shower, towels, and bags to put your wet bathing suits in.     

After breakfast the following day, I was ready for my 90 minute massage.  This cost around $120 and was worth every penny.  One thing I did forget, was to bring cash for tips.  They allow you to charge it to your room but I always prefer giving cash tips.  It just slipped my mind to bring some with all that was going on.  Don't be like me, and bring your green.  The people who work here deserves it, believe me! The massage was pretty amazing.  The picture above was after it was finished.  I tried to get pictures before but I wasn't thinking of anything but my massage.  It was very relaxing and I told him what areas I was hurting the most.  He focused on that part and it really did take the pain away.  

Now THIS is my favorite part of the spa!  I went from my massage to the Soaking Bath, which you can rent for $25/30 minutes.  With an extra $7, you can add some aromatherapy mineral salts.  I had them add some orange as my sinus was acting up.  These baths are also in your own private rooms.  They are filled with 500 gallons of pure Capon Water and heated to 102 degrees.  

You walk down four steps and sit in the bath.  The water reaches about chest high and the jets feel so good on your muscles.  These rooms also comes with a shower, towels, drinking water and bags for your wet suits. 

Look at all that steam!  My skin felt amazing after this bath and my sinus pressure also felt so much better. 

After the soaking bath, I went right in for a facial.  This runs around $50/30 minutes.  I'm a huge fan of facials.  He worked wonders with hot towels, lotions and light massage.  This picture was taken after I was finished.

PICTURES AROUND THE GROUNDS

Over all this is truly a breath of fresh air in a world that is changing so fast.  Here generations of families and friends gather each year and you can feel the positive energy that flows through this magical place.  I'm not sure if I believe in the healing waters theory but I can say that I left this place feeling at peace and more relaxed then I had been in months.  I walked in a stranger among family and friends but I left feeling like I had been welcomed with opened arms.  I look forward to going back and staying much longer as this as became one of my favorite places to just get away!  Until next time...