User Review #45 by Susan Powers on October 13th, 2007 at 12:28 PM CDT

Name

All: I've been on JC for several months and have finally moved away from buying the food items and visiting the center for pep talks. What I learned after this experience, are the things I can do to lose weight on my own (minus JC or any other Diet Program). It's really quite simple and boils down to discipline. 1) Eat when you're hungry - but portion size only. 2) Steer away from high fats, bad fats, and unnecessary sugars. 3) Do something active each day, if only for 30 minutes - if you want to walk, walk, if you want to walk slow, that's okay too, but do something that gets you off the couch. You're not in a race with anyone! If you're tired after 15 minutes, start again tomorrow. 4) Don't deprive yourself of something if you really want it - just make sure it's portion sized. If you have something really high in calories, just add alittle more activity to your day. After 1 treat (not cheat), that's it! Walk another 5-10 minutes. 5) Have popcorn if you're hungry. Those 100 calorie packs are great - though it's hard to get all the kernals to pop. If you have to have chocolate or something sweet (have a sugar free choc pudding and load it up with fat free cool whip. (You can't put too much on a small container of pudding anyhow!) Add a cherry to the top! ha (now it's pretty!) 6) Drink cold water - or better yet, flavored water (raspberry, grape, etc.) that is low in calories. 7) Buy portion size food items or package it up in portion sized bags/containers - so you won't be tempted to eat a whole gallon of ice-cream, just because it's sitting in your freezer. 8) Final - eat as much fruit and veggies as you like. I think eating as much as you like will prevent you from partaking of other foods that will cause you to gain weight. How many oranges can a person eat anyway? If you have two oranges and 2 banannas - so what?! It's fruit. It's far better than 3 slice of apple pie! 9) Don't make dieting a hassel or boring - try something new that you've never had before - just for the experience of it. Dieting can be fun. I never write anything down (though JC tells you to). I have enought to worry about in my life, I don't want to have another burden of a 'food journel'! Besides, I don't want anything that I regard as a treat, to be considered a cheat - I see it as just a way of life. We are going to have something sweet on occasion, so go ahead and do it! Don't write a story about it (like the one I'm writing now) - this, I believe causes us to focus too much on food. 10) Weigh yourself in the morning only (JC does this whatever time of day your appointment is and this doesn't work, because you are going to weight more in the evening, etc.) Any weight gain can be a downer, but don't give up. You're on the right road to improving yourself (through diet and exercise). Even if it takes several years or is thought of as a way of life (which it should be), so what. Again, the only competion is you vs you. Right? Anyhow, no one really needs to spend money on diet products and boxed food that doesn't taste good, if you pay attention to the things that JC and Nutrisystem teach you. The truth is....it's really all about discipline and making smart balanced choices. Make your life more than 'being about food'. Food is wonderful and is needed to live. Before you take a bite of something, just ask yourself 'Is this something I really want at this moment, or can I walk alittle further and then allow myself this item (without the guilt?)'. I never allow myself to feel guilty or as if I've cheated, as this is also a downer. If I want it, I have it (portion size). I just don't have 20 of 'it', even if that is really what I'd like to do. I read the portion size on packages now and will actually count out the 4 cookies that are within the portion size. I find I'm just as satisified, but now feeling even better about myself for having discipline. My son and I stopped by Duncan Donuts yesterday, but this time, we each picked out 1 special donut, versus buying an assorted dozen. We were just as satisifed and had spend far less money. Anyhow, happy dieting all! Agree that it's not all about JC and that there are disappointments in untrained counselors that have never seen an ounce of fat in their lifes, and/or can't even tell you about the food. It is a business afterall and a business survives through profit. Maybe that is why they pay to have spokespersons (that we may have grown -though their celebrity status to trust) in the first place. In order to have a business, they have to get us in the door. In order to maintain a business, they have to show us that we can all lose weight. This part is true though. We can if we choose to. It's tough - but every pound off should be a reason to praise yourself, whether on JC or Nutrisystem. Celebrate the treats and the loses. Celebrate the money you've saved by making smarter choices. Celebrate life and how it feels to look and feel good about yourself. Best to all!

All: I've been on JC for several months and have finally moved away from buying the food items and visiting the center for pep talks. What I learned after this experience, are the things I can do to lose weight on my own (minus JC or any other Diet Program). It's really quite simple and boils down to discipline.

1) Eat when you're hungry - but portion size only.

2) Steer away from high fats, bad fats, and unnecessary sugars.

3) Do something active each day, if only for 30 minutes - if you want to walk, walk, if you want to walk slow, that's okay too, but do something that gets you off the couch. You're not in a race with anyone! If you're tired after 15 minutes, start again tomorrow.

4) Don't deprive yourself of something if you really want it - just make sure it's portion sized. If you have something really high in calories, just add alittle more activity to your day. After 1 treat (not cheat), that's it! Walk another 5-10 minutes.

5) Have popcorn if you're hungry. Those 100 calorie packs are great - though it's hard to get all the kernals to pop. If you have to have chocolate or something sweet (have a sugar free choc pudding and load it up with fat free cool whip. (You can't put too much on a small container of pudding anyhow!) Add a cherry to the top! ha (now it's pretty!)

6) Drink cold water - or better yet, flavored water (raspberry, grape, etc.) that is low in calories.

7) Buy portion size food items or package it up in portion sized bags/containers - so you won't be tempted to eat a whole gallon of ice-cream, just because it's sitting in your freezer.

8) Final - eat as much fruit and veggies as you like. I think eating as much as you like will prevent you from partaking of other foods that will cause you to gain weight. How many oranges can a person eat anyway? If you have two oranges and 2 banannas - so what?! It's fruit. It's far better than 3 slice of apple pie!

9) Don't make dieting a hassel or boring - try something new that you've never had before - just for the experience of it. Dieting can be fun. I never write anything down (though JC tells you to). I have enought to worry about in my life, I don't want to have another burden of a 'food journel'! Besides, I don't want anything that I regard as a treat, to be considered a cheat - I see it as just a way of life. We are going to have something sweet on occasion, so go ahead and do it! Don't write a story about it (like the one I'm writing now) - this, I believe causes us to focus too much on food.

10) Weigh yourself in the morning only (JC does this whatever time of day your appointment is and this doesn't work, because you are going to weight more in the evening, etc.)

Any weight gain can be a downer, but don't give up. You're on the right road to improving yourself (through diet and exercise). Even if it takes several years or is thought of as a way of life (which it should be), so what. Again, the only competion is you vs you. Right? Anyhow, no one really needs to spend money on diet products and boxed food that doesn't taste good, if you pay attention to the things that JC and Nutrisystem teach you. The truth is....it's really all about discipline and making smart balanced choices.

Make your life more than 'being about food'. Food is wonderful and is needed to live. Before you take a bite of something, just ask yourself 'Is this something I really want at this moment, or can I walk alittle further and then allow myself this item (without the guilt?)'. I never allow myself to feel guilty or as if I've cheated, as this is also a downer. If I want it, I have it (portion size). I just don't have 20 of 'it', even if that is really what I'd like to do. I read the portion size on packages now and will actually count out the 4 cookies that are within the portion size. I find I'm just as satisified, but now feeling even better about myself for having discipline.

My son and I stopped by Duncan Donuts yesterday, but this time, we each picked out 1 special donut, versus buying an assorted dozen. We were just as satisifed and had spend far less money. Anyhow, happy dieting all!

Agree that it's not all about JC and that there are disappointments in untrained counselors that have never seen an ounce of fat in their lifes, and/or can't even tell you about the food. It is a business afterall and a business survives through profit. Maybe that is why they pay to have spokespersons (that we may have grown -though their celebrity status to trust) in the first place. In order to have a business, they have to get us in the door. In order to maintain a business, they have to show us that we can all lose weight. This part is true though. We can if we choose to. It's tough - but every pound off should be a reason to praise yourself, whether on JC or Nutrisystem. Celebrate the treats and the loses. Celebrate the money you've saved by making smarter choices. Celebrate life and how it feels to look and feel good about yourself. Best to all!

User Review #44 by Janie on October 12th, 2007 at 1:35 PM CDT

Name

THANK YOU for sharing your experiences!!! I too am looking for some direction and encouragement in a weight loss program. I was trying to decide between Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem. (Although I must say that neither Kerstie or Valerie are effective spokeswomen, I don't find either one of them attractive or appealing, wouldn't seek either out to be a friend.) I will try Nutrisystem and will keep my wallet far away from Jenny Craig!!!!!

THANK YOU for sharing your experiences!!! I too am looking for some direction and encouragement in a weight loss program. I was trying to decide between Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem. (Although I must say that neither Kerstie or Valerie are effective spokeswomen, I don't find either one of them attractive or appealing, wouldn't seek either out to be a friend.) I will try Nutrisystem and will keep my wallet far away from Jenny Craig!!!!!

User Review #43 by rosemary on October 8th, 2007 at 2:22 PM CDT

Name

I, too, am grateful to those individuals who took the time to warn the rest of us. I was just about to call this organization when I decided to read some of the reviews. After careful thought, I decided to go another route. Thanks again for the time you took to enlighten us.

I, too, am grateful to those individuals who took the time to warn the rest of us. I was just about to call this organization when I decided to read some of the reviews. After careful thought, I decided to go another route. Thanks again for the time you took to enlighten us.