Posted by: chinakat

Date: 03/12/2010 00:07

Rating: 2.5/5

I agree with the other reviewers so far. Jenny Craig is very expensive and can work, but usually not in the long run. When I signed up I needed a program that didn't require me to think about what I ate. I was very busy with work and kids, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of weight I had to lose and frustrated trying to figure out how to eat healthy and stay on a program. Even though the food was expensive, and you also had to purchase your own supplemental foods (salads, fruit, etc) I was pleased with my weight loss. Having the counselor to keep me motivated and on track was a huge plus.

But I had so much weight to lose (200 lbs) that I was on the program for a long time and got VERY sick of the food. It wasn't that great to begin with, and you have the same things over and over. I was on JC for about a year and lost 80 lbs. But I got pregnant and had to quit, and there comes the biggest problem. You rely on someone else to do the thinking for you when it comes to food, and then you don't know how to eat when you go off it. I regained all the weight and then some.

Theoretically, the JC program is supposed to ease you back into making your own food slowly as you approach your goal but I don't know how that part works as I quit long before my goal. I just couldn't take the food anymore and I couldn't afford it. Also, in the year that I was there I went through no fewer than six counselors. They just couldn't keep most of their staff long term. It was very frustrating to learn to trust and open up to one, only to have them disappear and be replaced the next week.

I have found that lasting weight loss comes only from making lifestyle changes that you can incorporate into your daily life for the rest of your life, and JC does not offer that.

Posted by: EllaMcC

Date: 03/07/2010 02:19

Rating: 2/5

There's nothing really "wrong" with JC, but I found that I spent a ton of money b/c you still have to buy all your "real" foods (fruits/veg, dairy, etc) and again - it's just NOT about a lifestyle change that is easily maintained after the fact. If you need to learn about portion control, why not get a measuring cup and use that for a while instead of having someone send you a pre-weighed and measured amount.

My other real gripe is that I hate deserts, don't eat them, don't like or want sweets, etc, and JC is all about "pretending" to be "real food." Well, not all of us want those things. I don't want to eat pizza and crap -- I wanted healthy foods that met a lot of health requirements. Unfortunately, it's easy, and that's what makes it not as good as it should/could be.

If someone would make a "healthy Jenny Craig," I'd try that in a second.

Posted by: IrishGirl06

Date: 03/15/2009 19:43

Rating: 3/5

I agree with the poster above that JC is a great way to get started, but it's not sustainable.  The food is WAAAAAAY to expensive, and it's healthier to eat "cleaner" as opposed to pre-packaged meals.  However, if you're starting out and want the "idiot's guide to weight loss" (and you don't have a family to make dinner for or you don't eat out a lot) this is a good plan to start with.  Again, not sustainable though, in my opinion.

Posted by: TatumsMom

Date: 03/11/2009 17:16

Rating: 2.5/5