Jenny Craig

I’m assuming I am the first person writing a review for Jenny Craig because it IS a bit self-​incriminating. I was there… ahem…visiting a friend the other day… who am I kidding, I have no shame.
So I’ve been going to Jenny Craig off and on for the past 3 years. We have a very strong love/​hate relationship. I love her until she keeps me away from my beer and queso friends, and then I hate her. Eventually, I always go back to her, especially when the beer and queso start to fight with my favorite pair of jeans, and then I remember again how much I love my Jenny.
The program totally works if you are dedicated– if you stick to Jenny Craig food, you WILL lose weight every week. If you get bored of the food or love beer as much as I do, it can be difficult to stick to (there’s no Jenny Craig Pale Ale, or Jenny Craig Margarita). They have «consultants» who counsel you on your weight loss every week. Not to sound like Valerie Bertinelli, but this is a really important part of the program. If you know you’re going to have to meet with your consultant who is really pulling for you to lose some weight, you’ll hold yourself a little more accountable for what you put in your mouth! You are supposed to weigh in with your consultant every week on the scale that is at the very back of the office (it is a one on one experience– I hear that the weigh-​in at weight watchers is not so private). If you cheated on Jenny during the week, you will totally be called out by the scale. There has been some turnover through the past few years, which can cause some discomfort if you don’t want to talk about your weight with someone new every week. That’s minus one star. I took away one more star because the program is pricey. If you buy all the food you’re supposed to buy, you’ll end up spending between $ 130 and $ 160, and that doesn’t include the vegetables, fruit, and dairy products you’re supposed to buy on your own. The food is very yummy and low in calories and in fat. I did once try buying «regular» diet microwaveable food in the grocery store, and it’s not the same. Jenny Craig food really does taste much better and is lower in calories, fat, and carbs. If you can afford it and stick to it, it really does work. They also have dining out guides to help you manage portion control when you go out to eat. I think I need a «Drinking out» guide. I’m still waiting for that one!