Jenny Craig, the good and bad????

[kathy87]

Hi

Has anyone ever tried Jenny Craig?? I have a dear friend who is about 100 lbs overweight and really needs to do something about it. She has tried Weight Watchers but was not very successful. I was thinking something like Jenny Craig since the food would already be made for her. Thoughts???

TIA

 

[TheRatPack]

I have known a few people that tried it and then after they left the program and started eating on their own again they gained it all back and then some. Wasn't Kirstey Alley on Jenny Craig too? I think it would work if someone was truly dedicated and learned how to cook while on the program so when they started making their own food they could continue with portion control...etc.

 

[cinderellamom123]

I did Jenny four years ago and kept the weight off since then. I did it a year before a disney trip because I didn't want to be the fat mom who's dumbo wouldn't fly. I am a daycare provider that works out of my home. I liked the program because it is a no-brainer. Nothing to be weighed, measured, cooked etc. I liked being able to pick the meeting time and be one on one. However, the program is not cheap. Your food bill will run you over $100 per week. The first few weeks I bought all the products and then I started tapering off and doing some substituions. I lost 40lbs in 3 months.
If you have the money, I would say think of it as an investment. I am still under goal several years later.

 

[Robinrs]

I was an on air Jenny Craig person at my radio station. I loved their food (while it was free!!) and lost 45 pounds.

The minute my station lost the account I was treated like last weeks trash!! The prices were RIDICULOUS and I could've done better with my own food, which you have to add anyway. I was a vegetarian at the time and it was almost $100 a week! And you have to add your own fresh items.

I was very disappointed with my counselor, also, who confided in me that the company's main goal is to keep us spending money for the program, LOTS of it.

I got pregnant a year later and gained the weight back, not sure if I would've kept it off if I hadn't had my son.

 

[braylan]

If I could afford this or even Nutrisystem for that matter I would do it in a heartbeat. I've tried everything else!!

 

[amyy]

I tried it but it didn't work for me. The portions were small and I was still hungry. Some of the food tasted really good though. I also couldn't afford to keep it up.

My goal has been to lose 20 lbs. I ended up going to a nutritionist who also does hypnosis. She reviewed my food diary and made some comments like I was eating too much protein etc. She also takes a health history and then came up with a list of foods I could have all I wanted of (some meat, fish, certain veggies, certain fruits, certain nuts etc). Plus she does hypnosis. I can't believe how the first ten pounds has just fallen off and I haven't even been hungry. I have tried forever to lose and hadn't been able to drop 5 lbs.

 

[twinklebug]

I feel for your friend. I was 60lbs overweight at one point too and no amt of dieting or plans worked for me. In fact, the harder I tried, the more I gained when I gave up. Blech.

What did work? Well, simply understanding my body and listening to it. I'm a programmer, an online shopaholic and a Disboard fanatic... that means a ton of sitting around! When I got thirsty, I drank diet soda, coffee or tea. I didn't know it but I was always dehydrated and, with the exception of our visits to Disney, horribly under exercised.

The only changes I made to my food was to replace the soda with water (I still sneak one glass every few days ) and splenda has replaced sugar in my morning coffee. I was walking when the weather was warmer, but since discovered and now use the Wii Fit Plus for just about 20 min to an hour almost every morning (OK, I do skip some days ). So far I've dropped 22 lbs & I feel great! I really do attribute it to the water above everything else. I love taking walks when the weather's nice and have been stir crazy that past few days with this weather. I still have about 40lbs I need to loose, but I know I'll get close to my goal because I'm having fun doing it.