Things to Know Before You Join the Jenny Craig Diet

The Jenny Craig diet has been around for years, and many people have claimed to see great results with it. With celebrities such as Kirstie Alley backing the Jenny Craig diet, it is not surprising that some have been tempted to try it. However, before you call Jenny and sign up for the weight loss plan, there are some important things you should know. Below is an archived commercial for the weight loss program, in case you haven't seen it a million times before.

To analyze anything objectively, I'm a big advocate of weighing the pros and the cons. Let's first take a look at how the Jenny Craig Diet works and some of the benefits of using it:

You sign up for their program, which includes pre-packaged meals, instructional videos, and workbooks. They encourage exercise and becoming more active, but it is not required.

Now, there are some pros to this. For starters, having pre-packaged meals is very convenient. You do not have to worry about cooking anything other than defrosting the food in the microwave. Since all of the meals are pre-packaged, you will also not need to worry about portion sizes or counting calories.  Sounds pretty good so far, doesn't it?

I don't mean to be negative about the Jenny Craig diet, since some people have had excellent results with it. However, to objectively look at the Jenny Craig diet, we need to look at the cons as well:

1. Food is not fresh: Frozen meals are not the most healthiest meals. For starters, vegetables are the most healthiest raw and uncooked. Also frozen meals may have added preservatives or other additives that you can control.

2. You May Become Dependent on Pre-Made Meals: When someone hands you a dinner in a box, you don't think much more about it other than to just heat it up and eat it. However, in order to effectively lose weight and maintain your new weight, you need to understand 100% how food works. While Jenny Craig does try to teach this to you, it may not sink in quite as well.

3. Exercise is not required: I agree that starting out slowly is the best way to start exercising. You don't need to run a marathon, or even exercise the whole 30 minutes of an aerobics videos for those first few weeks when you start getting back into shape. But if you want lasting results that make you feel better and healthier over a long period of time, incorporating regular exercise is important.

4. It Costs Money: The diet does cost money. In addition to a sign up fee (though they do run regular specials and promotions that may waive it), you are also responsible for paying for the cost of the meals. It is likely you will still need to do some grocery shopping in addition to that, especially if you have other people in your household that need to eat.

I am an advocate of losing weight for free - without spending a fortune on diet plans, programs, or even exercise equipment. Since the Jenny Craig diet costs money, naturally I wouldn't recommend it when you can lose weight for free!

However, depending on your own situation, you may find that the Jenny Craig diet can be what you need to get started and motivated. As I mentioned earlier in this hub, some people have used it with excellent results.

Ultimately, the diet and weight loss program you decide on is a decision you should make with your doctor. Special dietary needs and concerns can help you determine the best diet for your needs.