So i myself am on jenny craig. And i just wonder how everyone else loses their weight and stays healthy with food? because ive found that when i try to diet by myself i just cant do it. i cheat, and i dont know what to eat, and when i think what im eating is good, its really not... how do you guys do it? because i cant be on jenny forever.

I'm a South Beacher (41 weeks so far) who has tried out the Cooler #1 diet from the Eat-Clean Diet Expanded Version book this past week. So I'm on the beach eating clean...ha! So far I'm down 57lbs...3 to go and I'm done.

thats awesome! i tried south beach for a couple weeks and i was doing great... then i freaked out and ate everything in sight one day... lol

I try and focus on whole foods and just use common sense to watch what I eat.

I know that half my plate is supposed to be veggies and a serving of meat is about the palm of my hand, so I use that as a guide. I read labels and try and stay away from stuff where sugar or any "ose" is high up on the ingredient list.

And I also try and stay away from foods with hydrogenated oils, which are used to extend shelf life.

Really, that's the crux of it. Over time, as I'm trying to plan meals and come up with things to eat I may do a little bit of research into what meat cuts aren't the leanest, etc.

I actually don't find it too tough to do. Planning ahead is a big part of it too, but I don't watch calories and it all seems to balance out when I'm doing it right!

I have been doing the Bodywise Diet. Basically for the first 2 weeks i did 2 protien shakes a day, and ate 4 times a day, and had tons of free food i could eat all i wanted of..and now i can have either 1 or 2 protien shakes, and eat upto 5 meals a day...meaning i am eating every 3 hours.

i have gone from a size 20 to a size 16 in less then a month, and have engery and feel great. and the protien shakes fill me up and taste amazing.

angela

wow thats a huge difference in less then a month!! thats awesome! congrats! i may look into that!

the whole foods diet sounds great too, im just not sure i trust myself..

Hi all,

I am planning on starting a "Phytonutrient" Rich diet by tomorrow. I read an article in a fitness magazine about it and it seems interesting. I will post an update on how this diet plan it working for me.

Thanks,
MJ

I'm pretty much doing exactly what chickiegirl is doing. My main thing is that I'm trying to make sure that I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout the day and drink water instead of sugary sodas or sweet tea. I'm also practicing portion control and allowing myself occasional treats so I curb cravings. Plus I cut out a lot of processed meats like bacon, sausage, and ham. And I only eat red meat once a week.

Personally these changes are working out the best for me because it is not limiting my variety of food or where I go out to eat. I just make a conscious decision to make better choices and stick with it for my health.

So far I have lost almost 20 lbs since feb. The weight is coming off slowly, but I am eating much better and I feel that I am making a lifestyle change and not following a diet...if that makes sense..lol.

I'm calorie counting and on day #91. I've lost 31lbs in that time. My big saviour was first DietPower and now sparkpeople, where I log in everything I eat or drink, and it lets me know how much fat/fibre/protein/carbs + other nutrients I've eaten. This helps me make healthy choices.

I'm basically doing South Beach with a whole foods approach...heavy on the vegetarian side but without soy. How's that for a mouthful?

I'm following The Biggest Loser 30-day Jump Start exercise plan right now to get more organized with my exercise (and actually DO it).

I understand about doing the right food on your own. Maybe something with organized food plans like South Beach or LA Weightloss or Weight Watcher's Momentum might be a good place to start. Jenny Craig has introduced you to proper portion sizes and the other plans would tell you how many servings each day to have of each food group.

Also, using a food tracking tool like FitDay or The Daily Plate would let you know immediately if your food plans are what they should be. After a few weeks it will become second-nature to eat the right things. Not cheating is on you.

lifestyle change, no diet! because diets don't work for me...

what has worked in the past and does again...no fast food (not even the fresh and yummy burrito from my favorite mexican), instead: vegetables, fruits, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, nuts, beans & lentils. i don't eat meat and am trying to stay away from dairy.

and exercise! i try to go the gym for at least 30min workouts 3x/week, and i walk as much as i can, good thing i don't need a car in this city.

im ok with exercise! sometimes i need that little extra push when i wake up in the morning. but i try to go 5X a week, and usually there is one day... (like today for example) that i just dont have it in me... sooo i go 4X a week for atleast hour. sometimes hour and a half.

This weekend i went on vacation to Florida and i thought i was eating so healthy... and i came back home and gained a pound... i ate my jenny craig cereals and snacks for breakfast.. i ate fruit and yogurt like i always do... i would eat a six inch sub from subway, with a piece of fruit for lunch. (i was using the dining out guide too, so i was getting the healthy ones) i would have fresh grilled fish and veggies for dinner. how did i gain a pound? thats what baffles me.

I am a calorie counter with a focus on whole foods...pinkglow, I was always under the impression that Jenny Craig had a maintenance phase..did they not tell you that?

^^DITTO! - what they said. If you have never counted calories before - I would measure and count everything. After awhile - you get to where you can pretty much eye-ball it. But, if you stick to a palm size amount of protein and fill up the rest of the plate with veggies - you are good to go. Oh, and I stay away from refined flours and sugars (no white carbs).

i keep forgetting to ask about the maintaining stage, but i just dont want to have to rely on jenny foods all the time, especially since im going away for school in the fall, and there is not going to be a jenny center there. i mean i know the basics, but it just never seems to work for me. i think with my exercise it will be easier to maintain then to lose, especially if i know how many calories a day i need to maintain.. that type of thing.