Replacing Jenny Craig food..

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Hi! I started on Jenny Craig and am having great success BUT ITS SOOOOOOO expensive. About $300 every two weeks! So I've decided to replace their menu with Lean Cusines or Smart Ones. Has anybody else done this? And what kind of substitues did you use? I've done alot of research and find the calories are all simuilar. I'd appricate any input. Thx!

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  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
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    This was written by a woman who used to work there-
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/iris-higgins/an-open-apology-to-all-of_b_3762714.html#es_share_ended

    Start reading packaging. You are being ripped off my JC. Check out recipes you can do yourself for 1/10 of the price these people charge for their junk.
  • sunlover89
    sunlover89 Posts: 436 Member
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    Is there a specific reason why you can't/don't want to cook yourself?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    Eating fresh food is way cheaper and healthier than frozen packaged food. You can usually eat more for the same calories, too. Once you get used to cooking for yourself, its not so intimidating. I cook all the time, or prep salads. A huge salad full of crispy vegetables with a little cottage cheese and turkey, chicken, or tuna and a slice of avocado is very filling and only has about 200-300 calories, depending on your portions.
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
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    Why isn't cooking your own meals an option? I would feel miserable eating prepackaged food all the time and I'd be poorer too!
  • atibrat
    atibrat Posts: 70 Member
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    I love Jenny Craig and no I have never worked for them. I became a life time member 13 years ago and lost 30 pounds. I kept that weight off for 10 years. I was working 10 to 12 hour days and making good money so the fact that all I had to do was pick it up once a week and add fruits, veggies and low fat dairy made it so easy for me and the food taste great in my opinion. Taste better than my cooking plus when I got home I was just too tired to cook and would grab something unhealthy.

    The way I kept the weight off so long is I gave my self a 5 pound limit and about once a year I would gain that 5 and go right back for a couple weeks to get back on track. Easier to take off 5 than 30 or more. I quit doing that a few years ago and now I am up 37 pounds. The fact that I had to weigh in every week in front of my consultant helped me be accountable and not cheat.

    As far as replacing with lean cuisine, healthy choice and smart ones is that they have a lot more sodium. I am not saying the food is the healthiest thing in the world but I ended up eating healthier being on it and once you get use to normal portions it is helpful. I just went back because I have lupus and in January herniated a disc in my neck and my left arm and hand are useless and I am in so much pain so shopping, cooking and almost anything where I have to use my left arm is impossible. I also need to get some weight off fast because it looks like surgery for a cervical fusion is in my future and I know it will be easier to recover if I can get some weight off.

    I felt better while on Jenny Craig than almost any other time in my life, lost weight, my blood pressure and cholesterol went from a little high to perfect, I had energy and think it works for some people. I will go read the post that an ex-employee wrote but I will also keep in mind that many ex-employees may not be happy with the ex-employers. Med MD will tell you that nutritionally it is not bad especially with the fresh food they have you add.

    If you don't want to spend the money WW is a great way to learn easy healthy recipes and again you have someone to weigh in front of each week. That alone helps me the most.