Jenny Craig
 

Any one tried Jenny Craig? How much does it run and how does the food taste?

I've been on Jenny Craig a little over 2 1/2 years. I've lost 140 pounds and still have at least 20 to go.

There are typically 3 levels of membership -- Platinum, Gold, and a trial membership. The trial membership varies; you can find out what the current deal is by going to the JC website. They will also have info on what the Platinum and Gold consist of. Last time I checked the Plat was $399 and the Gold $199. The Plat really is the best deal if you have a chronic or serious weight problem. But, you can buy a lesser plan, then upgrade.

Once you've paid your membership fee, all plans come with a weekly private consultation at no additional charge. You purchase from them each week a breakfast entree, a lunch entree, a dinner entree, and a snack item. They also sell individual salad dressings, vitamins, etc. If you buy all 4 items for 7 days, this runs in the neighborhood of $100/week. You will also have to get fresh items from the store, like fruits, vegetables, dairy, etc.

There are ways to economize, but it's a good idea to follow their full plan for the first 3 weeks to get a good grounding in the program and have a chance to sample all the foods. Before I joined, I added up everything I was spending on groceries (mostly junk food), lunches out (every day), dinners out, take-out, pizza delivery, vending machines, random snacks, etc. All of that cost MORE than I spend on JC.

As for the taste of the food, most people find it anywhere from great to palatable. There will be items you like and items you don't, and they're different for everyone. Also, as you progress on the program, you use less and less of their foods and more of your own.

I chose JC because I needed the individual consultations, I needed the structure, I needed the pre-determined portion control. It's also a very sensible plan, if not ideal.

I agree with everything Funniergrrl said above!

The food is very good, much better than Healthy Choice or lean cuisine. Plus there are "Creative Recipes" you can try to spice up the food and get more variety. You get to eat a treat every day, like chocolate cake, if you want to! :) You can also do "meals on your own" if you are going out to eat or have a special occasion. The program is flexible. I am at my halfway point so I now do my own food/meals 2 days a week. I've been spending about $75-$80 a week.