This is a review from a good friend of mine. It summarizes what I hear from most people about Jenny Craig. (Also, take a look at my video post, Jenny Craig vs. Nutrisystem, where an independent reporter investigates and compares both diets.)
My sister and I have struggled with our weight for our whole lives. Like everyone else, we had tried diet program after diet program. I clearly remember the day when we finally decided to do something about it and go to Jenny Craig. I’m not sure exactly why we chose Jenny Craig.
Maybe it was the Jenny Craig ads on TV with famous spokeswomen like Kirstie and Valerie (heard they just added Queen Latifah). Maybe it was the skinny people contrasted with pictures and videos of their former fat selves (”Results Not Typical” hmm). Or maybe it was just desperation because we had tried and failed at so many other diets: Weight Watchers, Atkins, and endless diet pills.
When we went to the center they put us through the drill. We watched a video, talked to the manager/sales rep, got weighed and got measurements taken. Very simple stuff which was all filled with sales pitches about how great the program is and how much weight we can lose. The whole initialization process didn’t fill me with a lot of confidence in the program, but I looked at it like it was a ritual that I had to perform to get to the nugget of the Jenny Craig program. The nugget that we believed would solve my sister’s and my problem. We were so excited about what we thought Jenny would help us do.
Jenny Craig supplies the following in exchange for your hard-earned dollars:
1) Counseling
Basically, the counselors were a joke. None of them had any insight or understanding of our struggle. Most had been thin all their lives. Some were 10 or 20 lbs. overweight and were far from masters of fitness and didn’t really understand us. On top of this the staff was untrained. They knew way less about weight loss than we did. If you want to know what the counseling was like imagine this:
Imagine your average decent woman from the street who has never really struggled with her weight. Imagine her sitting down with you and giving you advice on how to lose weight. Whatever pops into her head. Whatever skills she has come to the table with her and that’s it. Then she gives you an expensive menu that you must buy from and she whisks you off.
I guess there are a few good counselors peppered throughout the Jenny Craig organization, but, according to my experience, the counselors are generally less than useless. They’re counterproductive. It made me feel worse having some mega thin Barbie (who had always been thin) or some semi-pudgy “counselor” rush me through the session and ask me if I drank my water or ate an extra bar.
2) Classes
If you’ve ever read a book on basic nutrition and a basic diet book then you can skip these. I don’t know if they’ve changed them in the past few years, but they were entirely lame when I went. Nutrition and behavior modification courses taught by people who knew very little about either.
3) Expensive Food
Some food was delicious and some was unbearably disgusting. I loved the bars. The menu was repetitive. There was about a week or two’s worth of different food which is redistributed over the menus for as many weeks as you’re on the program. I was on the program for a long time (8 months).
Here’s the real meat of the deal for Jenny Craig. From my experience it quickly became obvious that Jenny Craig was just a diet food retailer. They’re not really about counseling or classes, because the quality is way too low. I think it’s just a front. So, to compensate for the added overhead costs of all those diet centers, counselors, and marketing, they overprice their food. Pretty slick huh.
The Bottom Line:
As with any diet, you can have success losing weight with Jenny Craig, but at what cost? Strip away all the fluff and at Jenny Craig’s core is a company selling overpriced diet food, twice as much as their competition. Save your money and stick with better choices like Nutrisystem or Medifast.
Hi, I'm a dietitian with experience in hundreds of weight loss programs and fad diets. When forming my list of the
I have been going to Jenny Craig for sometime with up and down weight. I signed up for a lifetime membership and also paid for the rewards program. GET THIS - I thought the reward program was ongoing but, it isn’t I went in for my “meeting” and was told that my membership in that program had expired and that I would have to pay $99.00 to continue, which I did because I was enjoying 30% off.
Two days ago I went in again and was told that because my rewards program membership had lapsed I would have to start at the beginning at 10%. I was not a happy person, I explained that no one had notified me that my membership was about to expire, don’t you think that they should be on top of this? I just wonder if all this came about because I had returned the Vitamin Bars ( they were gritty) and the Penne Pasta (It was gluey). The quality control needs to be upgraded. I was also told that Hershey Chocolate either bought out Jenny Craig or else bought into it, perhaps that is why Corporate is so GREEDY. I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars over the years but, Jenny Craig will not be getting any more money from me.
Oh my goodness!
I am glad i found this site. Though i am not surprised about it. It’s all about money. I was thinking of applying for a job with Jenny Craig. I felt that it would be a great opportunity to work with women and men who are in need of losing weight and help them ameliorate their self esteem. But i then realized Jenny Craig is a franchise like Mcdonald’s so most people that are hired have no formal education and therefore will not be able to provide proper education to their consumers..they are there to sell and if you sell you get a commision.. You will only find a certified nutritionist with the help of your doctor. I will not work in a company that has only one goal: To profit!
I was very disappointed with this diet. First of all the price is misleading on the phone I was told the cost would about $75.00 per week. I was very unhappy when I paid my bill at the center it cost me on the average per weel $125.00. I was always rushed in and out of the center I felt like I was cattle. To my surprise one day a girl next to me was paying her food bill and was charged 50% off because she knew the director. When I questioned this I was told she did not get 50% off. They must be kidding I was standing right there do they think I am an idiot. I stopped going this program is a rip off.