Hi Sammy. A good friend of mine tried Jenny Craig and she did well as long as she was going once a week and only eating their food. She lost 30 or 40 pounds and still needed to lose more, but she got tired of eating their food and paying out all that money. As soon as she started eating normal foods she gained the weight back.

IMHO - a person is better off learning to eat healthy food and learn portion control. That's something they can do for a lifetime and still not deprive themselves of the foods they love.

I hope this helps.

I wholeheartedly agree with MaryAnn. Better she learn correct eating habits -- balanced meals with proper portion sizes, eating when hungry, stopping when satisfied, etc. And EXERCISE is the other half of the equation, can't really do it right without exercise. Just moving around more is a good start.

In my opinion, doing Jenny Craig is like being spoon fed until you're in your 30s, then you have no idea how to eat on your own.

Jen

In all fairness to Jenny Craig the do have a program that attempts to help you modifiy your eating behaviour. It's not just about eating thier food. They teach portion control, help you identify triggers and teach you how to eat a balance meal using the pyramid. They even have you on the program making your own meals and portions.

People gain weight back because they stop eating correct portions and start forgeting about what they have learned. It's easy to lose weight when you have your meals and portions all planned out for you.
The failure comes when you start being responsible for your own meals.

If people realized what a portion of anything really was they would be surprised.

If you lost the weight with JC you would keep it off if you at the same small amounts.

Do you think there is anything dangerous about Jenny Craig? My daughter was a little overweight at 140 before she left, but in the Navy, she cannot really run and do her exercises (according to her) until she drops some weight. Jenny Craig will have her dropping weight at a very rapid rate, but she recently put it on rapidly. I would be a little more concerned if she had been this overweight for years and was going to lose it fast. She said that she would be eating 1200 calories a day. I wonder if that is safe. She is ashamed to call her doctor until she loses her weight. I have been with Weight Watchers for years off and on, and I consider them very safe. I agree that she needs to learn to eat correctly, but I wondered if many people questioned the methods of Jenny Craig and considered them unsafe.
Sammy

I am surprised the Navy/military doctors have not sent her to a dietician. I was in the military and overweight, had a GOOD TALK with my military physician and we agreed to set up an appointment with a dietician. Best two years I ever spent.

McPeg

I agree that it's best to talk to her physician and I too wonder why she isn't being sent to a military person.

To answer your question about the safety of JC. Yes, it's absolutely safe. They only want you to lose around 2 lbs per week and if you are consistenly losing more than that each week they increase your calories. It's a very well run program IMHO and I lost 30 lbs with them. As I said before, you will gain weight back if you do not continue to monitor your portions. It's as simple as that!! We Americans love to eat and eat probably three or four times more than we need to and not really of the right things most of the time.

I do want to say that your daughter needs to work on not being ashamed of being overwieght! JC also addresses the self image thing very well too I might add. That's a pretty big issue for me and I have learned that my self worth has nothing to do with what my scale says.

Again, they employ as safe a method as WW only it's more controlled because you are eating thier food for a while. It's good, tasty food too I might add. They put you on vitamins, etc. Let's face it they are out to make money too but they do not employ any unsafe practices.

Wishing your daughter luck. No matter what route she chooses she is going to have to really work at it. Portion control and planning are really key to losing and maintaing weight.

Also wishing your daughter luck with her weight loss. I'm a little perplexed that she can't do exercise. She should be able to do some exercises and, at least, walk some. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to stay in the military.

Honestly, you may have to face this cruel fact----your daughter may not want to listen to you about how to lose weight. IMHO, once a child leaves home-----you can't really tell, or advise them, anymore. They want to do it their way-------so, she may just have to learn some of the pros and cons of dieting with JC on her own.

I would be supportive, but back off and let her handle it. As far as I know, JC is a good program---it isn't for me, I wouldn't pay that much for the foods, but it's the convenience that appeals to many dieters.

PS I know it's difficult sometimes not to advise our children---I have 2 and sometimes they don't listen to anything I have to say! lol I have learned to just say my peace and THEN DROP IT and change the subject.

Thank you so much for your responses, and I should have been a little more clear. My daugther can exercise, but I have been cautioning her because of the additional weight. She just returned from the special assignment, checked in with her supervisor, and is on a leave for a week or two to study for a test. She has 2 months before she has to take the PT test, and knows she has to exercise. She has a treadmill in her house as well as weights. She absolutely loves the Navy, but when on special assignments, she cannot always eat right. There are no fresh foods, she get tired and eats what is there. She was not in a dangerous place, but a place where she couldn't go out and purchase good foods. Whenever that happens she overeats and has to lose weight.
I am afraid that she will develop gall stones or injure her knees. We have a very good relationship, and laugh about our eating habits. 12 hours after talking to the Jenny Craig people she ordered a pizza. But she called the 1-800 number and talked to the Jenny Craig counselor before she ate it. She thinks the program is good. I was impressed that they had a number for her to call. She loves pizza and had not had an American pizza in 6 months. The more she talks about it the more I think the program sounds good for her.
My own experience is that additional weight can hurt your knees. She has access to a pool but does not want to go there and walk. I thought walking in water was the very best exercise for people who needed to protect their knees, but she has moved a TV into the room where the treadmill is, and she has her own plans.
I sure would appreciate any suggestions. The military will never mention her weight to her, she will be required like anyone else to weigh in at that certain time, which is 2 months from now. I just don't want her to injure herself or get sick with a funny diet. In the past she has taken some weird pills from non Navy physicians and has had problems.
It sounds like for her Jenny Craig might work. I did talk to her about the amount of exercise and the 1200 calories. Health clubs have always told me to eat no less than 1800 calories when I work out.
Sammy

If she exercises most day of the week, she should be able to eat more than 1200 calories a day and lose weight. However, exercise should be part of a lifestyle rather than just a means to lose weight. I think that's the other part of Americans' weight problems -- we not only eat too much, we don't move around enough.

I'd let her use the treadmill with the TV... at least she is doing something. My knees hurt before I lost some weight but I exercised anyway and the pain went away. Strengthing her leg muscles through exercise will support the knees. If she doesn't want to swim, don't push it.

If there's one thing I think you should encourage her to do, it's to make exercise part of her daily routine whether she needs to lose weight or not. Proper exercise raises the metabolic rate which burns more calories even at rest. But the main reason to exercise is for the overall health benefit -- stronger muscles, better endurance, etc.

Otherwise, try not to worry and if you do, try not to pass your worries on to her.

Jen