Articles: Weight Loss

Who is Jenny?

Jenny Craig was born in Berwick, Louisiana in 1932. During the Depression Era she and her family moved to New Orleans so that her father could work and support the family. Her mother cooked in Creole style, which of course was delicious, but involved a lot of fat and butter. Jenny explains that because she grew up with that type of cooking, she was under the impression that this was how you were supposed to eat. It was when Jenny had her second child that her eating habits had to change. She found that she could not lose the extra weight she gained during the pregnancy. She knew it was important for her to lose the weight, especially since eight of her mother's siblings, as well as Jenny's mother, died before the age of 50 years old.

Jenny found that even though she was exercising, she still wasn't losing weight. So, she started doing research on the type of food she should be eating and portion control. Jenny applied the appropriate changes to her lifestyle and slowly began to lose the desired weight. Jenny Craig explains, I was sure there were a lot of people just like me that want someone to tell them what to do. And, from there Jenny Craig developed one of the most successful weight loss programs in the world.

What Does the Jenny Craig Diet Entail?

The Jenny Craig diet is known to be well balanced. This is because it teaches about the balance of food, the body with physical activity, as well as mind and motivation. It has been said that the best part of the Jenny Craig diet is that you don't have to do it alone. There are trained counselors to help you and teach you along your path of weight control and maintenance.

1. Food- the Jenny Craig diet teaches its participants how to eat food. This diet is a huge advocate of moderation. The Jenny Craig diet explains that you can eat anything you want, as long as it is in moderation. The Jenny Craig diet team teaches participants what will happen if they have a piece of cake, so that participants can make a decision for themselves when they can have a piece of cake and when they should not. The diet team also explains that you should eat small and frequent portions throughout the day.

The basis of the Jenny Craig diet is the prepackaged meals it provides. They are frozen meals designed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. They reflect the nutritional federal guidelines. They contain 50-60 percent carbohydrate, 20-25 percent protein, and 20-25 percent fat. When participants in the Jenny Craig diet eat these meals it is recommended for them to supplement these meals with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and reduced fat dairy products.

It is recommended for participants to begin their diet with the prepackaged meals, and then eventually the participants are weaned off the prepackaged meals. During this process they learn how to prepare meals themselves. The prepackaged meals are designed to help participants adapt to healthy eating and portion control, so that eventually they will be able to do it on their own.

2. Body- the Jenny Craig diet plan teaches its participants the importance of physical activity. The program explains how to increase energy levels, and they explain how to do this with simple activity. The Jenny Craig program will help design a personal physical activity plan for each participant. The goal is not just to provide weight loss, but also long term weight maintenance. Each participant's physical activity plan will take into consideration that participant's barriers, for example: a really busy lifestyle, or the importance of family time. The Jenny Craig team can help you learn how to build exercise into your daily lifestyle.

3. Mind- Behind every successful weight loss story there is motivation. The Jenny Craig diet program offers many different levels of support to its participants. For example, they offer a 24/7 telephone hotline. Participants can call whenever they need to receive information or support. The Jenny Craig diet program also offers online support, where participants can have discussions via peer support discussion groups. There is also a wide variety of written material available for participants. The Jenny Craig program helps participants keep in touch with their goals and teaches them how to build more balance into their lives in order to be successful in weight loss and weight maintenance.

Different Programs to Choose From

When starting the Jenny Craig program you have two choices to choose from. You can use the physical Jenny Craig center or the at home Jenny Direct program. If you choose the at home program you will receive your information by telephone and mail.

What is the Cost of the Jenny Craig Diet?

Which Membership Level Fits You Best?

* The Jenny Tune Up- this membership is designed for participants who want to lose up to 15 pounds. It usually is a varying advertised special. For example, you can lose 20 pounds for $20.
* Jenny On Track- This is the basic weight loss program. It costs about $200 plus the cost of food. Weekly consultations are also included.
* Jenny Rewards- this level of membership offers a weight maintenance component, and offers discounts and rebates. For example, it includes a sliding scale discount for food purchases. It costs about $325 plus the cost of food. The level also offers unlimited comeback privileges.


Interested?

Advocates of this diet explain that it is the most affordable way to have a personal trainer, nutritionist, chef, and life-coach.