The Jenny Craig Diet Program

The Jenny Craig diet plan offers two weight loss programs (Jenny Craig In-Centre and Jenny Direct) that help you achieve your goals by following a balanced diet though Jenny's weight loss foods. Believing that dieting requires you to lose your self-awareness, Jenny Craig does not want you to think of its plan as a diet. Rather, Jenny Craig wants to help you learn what foods you really enjoy and create meal plans with your Jenny consultant that include a variety of delicious foods.

By following the Jenny Craig diet menus, you'll be practicing habits, such as portion control, that are essential for healthy weight loss and successful weight management. Once you begin to feel comfortable, you will be able to plan your own menus, with the ultimate goal of the program being to transition to shopping, cooking, and socializing with food on your own.

What makes the Jenny Craig diet different?

Jenny Craig promotes a balanced diet consisting of low-fat, carbohydrate-rich grains, fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of protein-rich milk, meats, poultry and fish, and small amounts of fat or "sweets." It is different from other diets because you are required to purchase Jenny Craig meals and snacks (at least initially), in order to guarantee a controlled amount of calories and appropriate portion sizes. The Jenny Craig diet program is also different because you have weekly meetings with consultants who help you plan your meals and develop weight loss strategies.

What is the Jenny Craig diet program?

Initially, you will plan your meals based on the number of calories you are allotted, selecting your own food choices or choosing a preplanned menu that has already been calculated for you. All of the foods are pre-packaged and pre-portioned and are available in frozen or shelf-stable forms.

The menus are low in fat and high in fiber, and range from 1,200 to 2,300 calories.

There are two programs you can choose from, on the Jenny Craig diet plan:

• Jenny Craig In-Centre: On this program, you have one-on-one sessions with a trained consultant scheduled weekly. A private weigh-in is conducted at each consultation and there is a wide variety of Jenny's cuisine and products available, around which you can build your meal plan. A 24/7 online message board and a live chat are available to provide additional support.
• Jenny Direct: On this program, you will have phone consultations from your home, office, or a location of your choice scheduled weekly. Food is delivered directly to your home bi-weekly. You also have access to the 24/7 online support.

A typical day depends on the calories you have been allotted for the day. It is important to eat all of the food and eat every three to four hours. Here is what a day on the Jenny Craig diet may look like:

Breakfast: French toast with lite syrup (Jenny meal) and 1/2 cup of skim milk.

Mid-morning snack: Anytime Praline bar (Jenny snack) with 6 ounces of skim milk.

Lunch: A pesto pizza (Jenny meal), garden salad, and Jenny's dressing.

Mid-afternoon snack: Jenny's cheese curls.

Dinner: Chicken fettuccine (Jenny meal), 1/2 cup steamed carrots, and a Multiplus (Jenny supplement).

Dessert: An orange. Some days you are allowed to have Jenny's chocolate cake.

Once you finally are able to eat "regular" food again, you will have to refer to the food group exchange guide to determine how many meat, starch, fat, milk, fruit and vegetable servings you can have at each meal, based on your calorie intake.

Tips for Success:

• To combat stress, take a "mini-relaxation," such as lighting incense or reading books of daily meditations.
• Keep a daily log of your food consumption, activities, and feelings, in order to gain insight into your habits and attitudes.
• For consistent calorie intake and corresponding weight loss results limit dining out during the early phase of the program.

What are the weight loss expectations?

It is recommended, on the Jenny Craig diet program, that you lose one to two pounds per week. Women who are breastfeeding and adolescents are recommended to lose weight at a slower rate of 1/2 pound per week. Losing weight at a rate faster than these recommendations could be dangerous.

Is exercise promoted?

Exercise is encouraged, not only as a weight loss tool, but a way to recharge and relieve stress. You should gradually increase your activity level, incorporating activities that are natural, planned, and playful. Aim to accumulate thirty minutes of activity most days of the week. Going for a walk in the park with your kids does count! You should include aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, stretching, and mind-body exercise, such as yoga or tai chi. The Jenny Craig diet program offers walking audiocassettes and a fitness video series for a fee.

Are supplements recommended?

It is recommended to take the MultiPlus each day, which is Jenny's multivitamin/multimineral supplement.