Packaged Meals and Clinics - Nutrisystem, Medifast, Jenny Craig, Etc For support and questions about diet meal delivery programs, or weight loss clinics that offer prepackaged meals and products.

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 05-17-2007, 09:14 AM   #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
AmyH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 4

Default Dieting on a budget!

Hi all,

I have a consultation at Jenny Craigs on monday. I was very exciting about it until I read the cost.... Food @ about $100 / week plus membership, plus supliments, ect!!!

If I was only buying groceries for myself it wouldn't be a big deal. I typically spend $100 per week to feed all of us!

Wouldn't it be just as well if I purchased the healthy choice from the freezer section at the grocers? It is the same concept isn't it?

I'd love to loose wait but this just isn't in the budget =)

Thanks!
Amy h
AmyH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2007, 10:16 AM   #2  
Senior Member
 
bargoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Davis, Ca
Posts: 23,149

S/C/G: 204/114/120

Height: 5'

Default

Why not count calories?This won't cost anything except for food you are going to buy anyway.
bargoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2007, 10:53 AM   #3  
3 + years maintaining
 
rockinrobin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 12,070

S/C/G: 287/120's

Height: 5 foot nuthin'

Default

I think the premise of doing the Jenny Craig program is that you get pre-portioned meals. Of course they're Jenny Craig meals and all the revenue is going in the pockets of the owners. But the idea behind it is that you eat the amount of food that they give you, or should I say that you purchase. So by sticking to their meals you are actually sticking to a certain calorie allotment. It takes the guess work out of your day and elminates the need for you to do any planning. You of course can do this on your own by planning ahead and using an on line calorie tracking site, such as Fitday.com. It takes a little more time, but once you get the hang of it, it's quite simple. And IMO, quite rewarding and enjoyable. You of course will have to do the planning, shopping, preparing and cooking. But money wise, doing it yourself is the best "diet" bargin out there. And it will teach you skills about proper nutrition and calorie counting to last you a lifetime.
rockinrobin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2007, 11:31 AM   #4  
Senior Member
 
adaem's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 273

Height: 5ft 4in

Default

I would agree with Rockinrobin. I was thinking of doing the same. I bought myself a bunch of frozen dinners and figured I would eat breakfast with the family and lunch and dinner out of the freezer. What would happen was when I made my family dinner I wanted what they had. My little frozen dinner looked gross compared to the dinner I made them (they always look better on the package!) So now I right down everything I eat and the calories. I have some things writen in the front of my journal that are freguently eaten meals so that I don't have to figure it out every time (sandwiches for lunch, eggs and toast for breakfast, etc.) Counting calories was scary at first but once you get used to it it's great. And most important, it teaches you how to eat and how to maintain. Where will Jenny Craig (or any of those) be when you are ready to maintain and have to start protioning out your own food? I still keep some frozen dinners on hand for when I don't want to cook or when my husband works late, but for the most part I just try (try being the key word here) to eat right and make good choices.

I hope this help. Good luck.
adaem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-13-2007, 08:55 AM   #5  
Member
 
InLimbo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Fairfield Cnty, CT
Posts: 94

Default

*********** is also a free site with menus. ***********.com
InLimbo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2007, 12:26 PM   #6  
Junior Member
 
franhend's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2

Default

been there , done that. where i live JC is over $200 a week.
get frozen lean cuisens, etc. weight watchers has frozen breakfeast sandwichs like jc's, and south beach diet has frozen breakfeast burritos.
tons of prepackaged 100 cal snacks, or grab a pieve of fruit.
franhend is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2007, 12:55 PM   #7  
Junior Member
 
Markstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 14

Default

My diet approach is largely based on fruits and vegetables. And while it is more expensive, it's still much cheaper than all those diet accessories.

From my experience (and watching my girlfriend buy that stuff), the price is 70% marketing, if not more.
Markstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2007, 12:35 AM   #8  
Senior Member
 
K8-EEE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 763

Default

Why not try it? My experience seeing friends on these kinds of plans, they almost always start falling back on the same 5 or 6 entrees after initially trying all the stuff. After the first couple of months they start bringing in the same 3 things for work over and over for the remainder of the diet.

So can't YOU find 3 or 4 things you can have on hand (frozen lasagna, penne pasta, chicken dishes seem to be the ones people like.)

Then just eat a small measured portion of something normal for breakfast, or maybe a luna bar (they're fabulous and only 180 calories) do your pre-fab 300-350 calorie meals and have two 100 calorie snacks (just easy stuff - yogurt, string cheese, pre-portioned almonds.)

I know it seems easier for somebody to say, "eat this." But when it comes down to it you STILL have to refrain from overeating, you still have to shop for fresh fruit & veggies to supplement. So why hand over all these big bucks to them when you can go on the same type of regime at home, along with the support from the 3FC forum?

I think you should try to devise your own plan, then if it fails you can always go back to JC.
K8-EEE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2007, 06:47 PM   #9  
Junior Member
 
LABarb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: California
Posts: 15

S/C/G: 375/320/180

Height: 5'5"

Default

I also looked at Jenny Craig until I saw the cost. Now I have either fruit, oatmeal or whole grain cereal for breakfast...then I have either a Lean Cuisine Meal or Healthy Choice meal for lunch and dinner. A friend of mine took me out to eat at Applebee's and I ordered off their Wt. Watcher menu which was only 300 calories. And I've lost 55 lbs so far...and I make all the meals for my hubby. I just make sure I've eaten lst so I'm full enough not to be tempted by what I make for him. Good Luck!
LABarb is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:58 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.