[CeeCee]

Hello there, It's been quite a while since I posted. I've been overweight since I was five years old and with each diet I get heavier (I currently have 200 lbs to lose, give or take 10 lbs).

My doctor gave me a prescription for Meridia (I do have borderline high blood pressure, so if it raises my blood pressure I'll have to stop taking it). I've been on it a few days and I've noticed that it does seem to take the edge off my hunger without making me jittery or hyper.

Anyone out there having success on a program with few or no food decisions (Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating)?

I love to cook, but it definitely is my downfall. The greatest success I've ever had was with Nutrisystem (I lost about 85 lbs). I was working with troubled teens at the time, and one of my coworkers (in the Army reserves) brought in Army field rations to show the kids, and they weren't much different from what I was eating.

I doubt I could stick to the prepackaged, dehydrated stuff again, but not having to prepare (unless you counted adding water and heating) meals, is really the key for me. I was all set to join Jenny Craig in Peoria, IL (about 45 minutes from me, in Bloomington), but luckily a Seattle Sutton Healthy Eating franchise just opened in Bloomington. I'd considered the center in Peoria after seeing it listed on the website (I was on the program when I lived in Ottawa and really liked it because you only bought the meals week to week and didn't have to pay any membership fee), but since the meals are fresh, not dried or frozen, I would have had to drive to Peoria twice a week.

It may not be a long-term solution (I can't imagine never cooking again, but never cleaning the kitchen again or washing dishes except a glass and a fork - now that I could get used to).

[backyardbirder]

Hi!

We have a Jenny Craig thread going on here (someplace). I think it's a bit further down on the page.

I have a lot to lose, too. I think you'll succeed on JC if your center has good (caring) consultants and if you're open to working the program and not beating yourself up for the days you don't follow it. In fact, my counselors ask everyone "how many days did you follow the program?" - so I assume many don't follow it 100%, 100% of the time. It's a great program, and the food isn't bad. It's not fresh, like the one you mentioned (how expensive is that, anyhow??) but it's not bad, either.

There are just a handful of us on the other thread (and actually everyone's been kind of quiet lately!).

Chris

[CeeCee]

It's $85.00 per week for the 1000 calorie and $100.00 for the 1700 calorie (with the minimum 2 or 3 glasses of milk they recommend you drink, that is 1200/2000 calories). I don't know how it compares in price to Jenny Craig, but I know Nutrisystem always ran me about $65.00 a week for the Nutrisystem food, and then you needed to add fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and bread, and then there was the program fee.
Jenny Craig or going back Nutrisystem would have worked better for me than choosing and preparing food completely on my own, but with SSHE, because they contain the fresh fruits and vegetables, I only have to pick up the meals and buy a gallon of milk. And the most preparation involved is microwaving. I don't even have to enter a grocery store, if I buy my milk at the Walgreen's, which I probably will do because grocery stores are such a trigger for me (I always end up buying some little impulse treat). The disadvantage is that there are only a handful of centers - all in Illinois and there is no choice in meals for the week. There are a few meals with things in them I really don't like, but I'll either eat them anyway or save a few calories. Since all meals are provided and there are five weeks of menus (so you only get the same meal once every 5 weeks), which is more variety than for Nutrisystem. Another disadvantage (or advantage depending on your perspective) is that there is no support group or weigh ins ) although at least the Ottawa center has a scale that clients can use. My plan is to weigh in at work (it's a big company, and they have doctor's balance scales in many of the women's restrooms) and I'll get my support here online, so I don't think it'll be a big barrier for me.
It's just a drastic choice, and I haven't found a lot of support from friends and family. It's funny, because it's not that unusual in this area, for people to eat most of their meals from cafeterias, delis and restaurants, so I don't see that what I'm doing is really that extreme - except I'm getting my food all in one place.