One of my buddies is thinking of going on JG..she says she likes the idea of them supplying food.
I dont know much about it..any thoughts?

Expensive.

I tried it once for about a week during some sort of special promotion. I don't remember the exact terms or price, but I did buy a week's worth of their food. The diet was ok I guess, and if had stuck with it I suppose it would have worked. But it really burned me to know that I was paying 2-3 times for their food over what I would have spent for similar products and amounts in a supermarket.

If you friend has very large amounts of disposable cash and doesn't mind paying exorbinate amounts of money for food when she can easily get the same results by following a calorie restricted diet on her own, then it might be worth it.

I've tried Jenny Craig twice and lost weight. The food was good but it was expensive.
When I was single that wasn't so much a problem. The second time I around was different because I was buying MY food and MY FAMILY'S food not to mention having to plan two seperate menus. It just wasn't reasonable for me.

Like Tealef says, there is nothing special about the JC program - it is a reduced calorie plan and nothing that someone couldn't do themselves without signing a contract and paying a lot of money for little frozen dinners (which admittedly is better than something like a lean cuisine).

JC was the first "diet" I had ever tried. I didn't have a ton of weight to lose the first time. I was just out of college and needed to lose the 40 or so pounds I had gained while there. It was beneficial because it reaquainted me with portion control, balanced nutrition, etc. - something that was lost in the previous 4 years. That was some years ago and information about weight loss wasn't at your fingertips - no internet. You had to buy a book (or several) and counting calories was a real pain done with pen, paper, and a calorie dictionary.

Man, I'm old - but I digress.

I started JC again to lose weight gained during a pregnancy. This time my experience wasn't so great. First of all, like I said before, it wasn't as convenient once I had a family and was a lot more expensive. You still have to go to the grocery store - they provide the basic menu but you still have to shop for fresh veggies, bread, milk, etc. They tell you what to buy but I always had to make substitutions because I was the only one on the plan - I couldn't buy a mango if nobody in the family was going to eat the portion that wasn't on my menu. Consequently, I spent MORE time planning because I had to make a menu for the family and then make sure what I planned for them included the "extras" that I needed for the week then had to make sure the "extras" fit into my JC plan/calorie range. It became time consuming.

On top of all that, I was really turned off my their marketing and wasn't at all impressed with their "couseling." There are good counselors out there but I had my share of rotten ones (I did a lot of business traveling at the time and visited several centers in different states). And make no mistake they are SALESPEOPLE. I also didn't like that they won't just hand you the nutritional information of their food. I finally got my hands on a sheet that listed it all and found that I could have been saving a ton of money on things like salad dressing, syrup, cereals, etc. They try to sell you theirs but it is a tiny little packet, not as good as some of the reduced calorie products available in the stores, and infinitely more expensive than buying at the supermarket.

I believe that the Jenny Craig *counselors* are paid commissions on the food they sell, at the center I went to, they REALLY PUSHED sales. I went to this program for about a month....it's expensive, but here is a thought....would your friend let you xerox her menus? You could easily duplicate them with grocery store products... and then *counsel* yourself by sticking to the eating program and weighing in.

Hi:

I have been on Jenny Craig for the last 6 weeks and have lost 24.5 lbs thus far!

Jenny Craig food IS expensive, but if you have a schedule like mine, it is so worth it. I work two jobs and I'm out of the house from 7:30 am until 12:30 am. I was eating on the run and eating nothing but fast food and take out. It cost about $7-10 a meal (and that's for lunch/dinner). My schedule is so hectic that the thought of counting points and having to prepare even a simple piece of chicken breast had my head swimming. With Jenny Craig, all the food is figured out for me and the food is REALLY good. I have lots of meals to choose from (and I'm a really picky eater) and the meals all taste great!

I had a coupon wherein I joined for 30 days free and just paid for the food. Once I saw I was losing so quickly and enjoying the food (and I really like the staff at my centre), I decided to join the program.

My parents gave me the program fee as a gift (which, by the way, ends up to be less than the weekly meeting fee for Weight Watchers when you break it out) and I now get discounts on the food which get larger the longer on the program, so as you continue along, your weekly food bill gets cheaper.

Any commercial diet plan is going to cost you something, you just have to weigh the pros and cons of the plan and find the one that works for you. For me, it was about not having to plan, cook or figure anything out. I go in once a week (with the menu I have chosen for myself online), weigh-in, talk with my counselor and head home with my foods. During the week I look at the menu on my refrigerator and grab the foods necessary for the day. No muss, no fuss.

Oh, you do have to add fruits, veggies, milk to the plan but it doesn't add too much to your weekly cost.

Good luck with whatever plan you choose.

JBCohn

I have been on JC for nearly four years and have lost 170 pounds. The seemingly slow rate of loss is due to some minor medical issues and to me taking a few "maintenance breaks."

The food is more expensive than things like Lean Cuisine. HOWEVER it is lower in sodium, generally tastes better, and has a better nutrient balance (less sugar, more vegetables, etc.) Another big however is that I spent MORE on food before I started the program. Often people who think the cost of the program is going to break their bank don't realize what they already pay for food when they are eating a lot of restaurant meals, snacks from vending machines, pizza delivery, fast food, mall food, etc. etc. So, it really pays to take an honest look at what you currently spend before dismissing the program for being too expensive.

A lot of people also think the program won't work long-term because it spoon-feeds you (no pun intended) and you don't learn anything. A lot of clients DO approach it that way -- they say, "I love it because I don't have to think!" It breaks my heart to hear that, because that is NOT how the program is designed. The food removes some of the decision-making and steep learning curve about balanced eating, and lets you learn by example gradually. The JC mantra IS "Lifestyle change not diet." If you never put in the effort to use the tools that are there -- and there are a LOT of good tools that come with the program -- then no, you won't learn anything and you'll regain the weight as soon as you stop eating their food. If, however, you use it as intended, as "training wheels" to a healthier lifestyle, it can be a great way to reshape your relationship with food while providing some convenience.

Yes, the consultants do earn a commission on the amount of food sold. However, you will find that some centers push harder than others. My center has never once given me a hard sell about ANYTHING, and they have consultants who have been with the company for years.

In general this board's philosophy is open to all plans, but there is often an undercurrent of (a) you're better off doing it yourself than with a commercial plan, nobody needs to pay any money to lose weight and (b) following any laid-out plan is harder and less successful than making gradual changes. Neither of those statements apply to me. I chose JC because I NEEDED outside help. I'd been overweight all my life and had only gained and gained over the long term. I knew I could not do this on my own, and I certainly needed to draw a line in the sand between my old life and my new life. I also needed to have some of the decision-making taken out of my hands for a while, and I needed some personal attention. I had done Weight Watchers in the past and it is an excellent program; however, group meetings were just not going to cut it for me. If I had not been successful on JC my next step was going to be going to a registered dietian.

JC has changed my life. Not because it's better than anything else out there, but because it suited ME and gave me what I needed. I was ready to make the change and that was crucial; I've also done a lot of research and self-work beyond what JC offers. But, it dovetailed nicely with what I learned elsewhere, and the support and tools -- and food -- gave me the advantages I needed to succeed. It is not for everyone, and I would never suggest that it is, just as NO plan is right for everyone. But I think it gets a bad reputation and a bum rap from people who either don't know what it's really about, or for whom it simply wasn't a good PERSONAL fit.

Funniegrrl - whenever I read your story (and it gives me a thrill every time!) I'm struck by the parallels between your journey and mine. No, I didn't do Jenny Craig (I lost weight working with a personal trainer at my gym for a year) but just like you, I NEEDED outside help to lose the weight. Heck, I had failed at weight loss on my own for 46 years -- you better believe I needed help! I needed accountability and partnership and knowledge in order to succeed. Does that make me a weak person? Ask me if I care!! IT WORKED and that's all that matters to me!

Just like you, my change was sudden and dramatic. I didn't do baby steps -- nope, I changed everything at once. It was sudden and drastic and life-changing. Like dying and being re-born. That line in the sand you talk about. For me, it HAD to be that way - just like for you.

Oh yeah, it cost money and it was - without a doubt - the best money I've ever spent in my life. I guess I'm required to believe that now that since I'm a PT myself, hoping to help other people change their lives the same way that one changed mine.

Funniegrrl, what I'm trying to say is that you're absolutely right -- we all have to find our own ways. For some of us with lifetime histories of obesity, it just may take outside help and some $$$. That's nothing for either of us to be ashamed of. I refuse to buy into the idea that there's a morally superior way to lose weight. Face it, it's damn hard to lose weight AND KEEP IT OFF. Period. It's not like the world is overflowing with people who have lost and kept off more than 100 pounds, eh? So who has the right to judge?

I won't allow anyone to make me feel ashamed of the hardest and best thing I've done in my life and neither should you. You're such an asset to 3FC -- your posts are always full of wisdom and inspiration -- and there's absolutely nothing to detract from your tremendous achievements either. It doesn't matter what program you did to lose the weight -- all that matters in the end is that you did it and you learned how to keep the weight off for the rest of your life.

I'm just popping back in to say that I agree 100% with Meg.

One thing that I've learned over the years is that the plan I chose was never really what failed me. I failed me when I gave up on the plans. The truth of the matter is that as my life changes so do my needs in a weight loss program. And that need to adjust hasn't disappeared just because I am finally committed enough to stick it out this time around. I've been losing weight since January and I've probably had to revamp my "plan" 5 or 6 times since then. I make no apologies for that because it is what has gotten me this far and it is what will get me to goal and keep me there.

And certainly there is no shame in taking advantage of a commercial program if it works for you. I had a couple of rotten personal experiences at JC and they lost my business but such a program isn't a reasonable option for me at this stage anyway. I never liked WW - no reason in particular, just didn't like it. After a lot of looking around I had to make the decision that my best bet for losing weight was going to be taking what I've learned thus far and committing to applying it all long term. And, I knew that it would be imperative that I CONTINUE to learn and apply what made sense for ME.

The cold, hard truth is that you have to eat less and move more to lose weight. It doesn't matter if you need a commercial plan to help with the eating less part or a personal trainer to help with moving more - or both - or neither. Like I've seen funniegrrl say in many of her posts, "whatever works."

I was on JC about 10 years ago and lost weight easily and quickly. I was in college and "needed" the prepared food. But it didn't teach me anything about how to eat and I did gain most of it back (but not all + more like so many people do w/ any plan).

I think ANY WL plan can work for most people given the committment. I was happy w/ the program when doing it. This time I am choosing a different plan - still paying a LOT of money but I make my own meals in hopes that I learn how to continue forever.

I have to say that some weight loss centers that provide prepackaged meals do not teach you how to eat in "real life" after the fact-but from what I have seen, Jenny Craig does provide a TON of materials. I checked out their website, and I have also checked out auctions on Ebay for Jenny Craig products (former members selling their program materials) and I have noticed how many former JC members have many of their materials NEW AND UNOPENED.
These materials include food journals, sample menu planning materials and healthy cookbooks to use after weaning off their prepackaged foods, cds/vhs tapes/dvds on topics such as eating in restaurants, emotional eating, maintenance/keeping the weight off, exercise videos and so forth.
My opinion is that these materials are there for a purpose, and if you are going to follow a program like Jenny Craig-you need to use them. They are there to teach you the lifeskills and good habits on how to maintain your weight loss for life after following the program to lose the weight.