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Jenny Craig, I believe, is a great program for those who need help in losing weight. Many celebrities have used the program; most recently Queen Latifa and Valerie Betinelli. Have you seen their pictures lately? Wow!

I worked the Jenny Craig program in the past and was able to lose over forty unwanted pounds. I also learned quite a bit about what caused me to gain weight, and how I could lose and keep the weight off.

As with any program Jenny Craig has Pros and Cons:

PROS:

1. Classes The system offers many weekly classes to attend, they include everything from exercise classes, to low cal menus, to shopping tips, to gripe sessions (I personally found these quite helpful).

2. Weight loss counseling Each person on the program is assigned an individual weight loss counselor. You have weekly weigh-ins and sessions with him/her. Many of these counselors have also been on the Jenny Craig program.

3. Preplanned meals Each week you receive a preplanned meal, which takes the guess work out of what you need to do.

4. Prepackaged frozen meals delivered to your door Most of the meals include meat and vegetables.

5. Referral discounts If you refer someone to the program, you will get a discount on your next food purchase.

6. Follow up classes Once you have reached your weight loss goal, there is a series of follow up classes to help you learn to eat correctly on your own (I also found this quite helpful). *

CONS:

1. Cost The biggest con to this is the program's individual costs: the prepackaged meals are a bit expensive which can add up to about $400 a week (you can get similar meals at the grocery store for less than $100 a week).

- If you do sign up for the follow up program, there is an additional cost for that as well.

2. Hungry feelings The meals are small, which often left me still feeling hungry.

3. More shopping The meal basics are in the frozen packaged meals but the menus also include several fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products. This means an extra trip to the grocery store.

4. Backsliding Once you are completely off the program it is way to easy to backslide into old habits, and if you do that the weight will come back quickly. *

*A personal note about my own backsliding. OK, so I went through the program, lost forty pounds and I looked pretty good. I also learned how NOT to backslide and how to live the healthy lifestyle afterward. But did I? NO. Soon after being out of the program it wasn't long before I went back into the old bad habits which had caused me to gain weight in the first place, and yep put it all plus some back on. So my advice to anyone who does use this program: when you are on your own again, keep up with what you have learned and continue to eat healthy , exercise and drink plenty of water. If you do that, the weight will not come back on. I just wish I had.

Learn more about this author, Jill Ardary.
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