The Jenny Craig Diet Review
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By CANDICE GREY ConsumersCompare.org Update: Oct 22, 2024 |
PROS AND CONS OF THE JENNY CRAIG DIET
Jenny Craig is so popular that finding a clinic pretty much anywhere in the country—there are over 600 locations. Plus they offer phone and video consultations if there isn’t a clinic close to you. This makes the program easily accessible and easy to market to as well. If you’re time-pressed, you’ll appreciate the fact that there’s no cooking at all.
Unfortunately, there are some cons with this weight loss program as well. The cost is exorbitant—$20 a day for one individual’s meals. I don’t know about you, but with $20 I can feed a family of four nutritiously for at least two meals. There are also signup fees and regular monthly expenses, which can make this program completely not affordable for most families. Sure, the counselor can help you stay accountable each week, but you pay for that, too.
Frozen meals do not appeal to everyone. Finally, this program is also very meat – and dairy – heavy, so it will not appeal to a vegetarian or someone who is lactose-intolerant. [3]
back to menu ↑WHAT IS THE JENNY CRAIG DIET
Jenny Craig weight loss program was first conceived in the 1970s by co-founders Genevieve Guidroz Bourcq and Sidney Craig. Genevieve was working at a weight-loss salon called “Body Contour,” where women would step on a vibrating machine to lose weight, when she met Sidney Craig. Fast forward to 1979 and the debut of Jenny Craig.
Fast forward another 39 years to today, where there are millions of subscribers attached to this very expensive weight loss program. Along with the hefty fee a subscriber will fork out to be a part of this program, there are also shaky results attached to it.
The Jenny Craig diet is entirely pre-packaged food, which some people may cringe at the thought of. Most people associate “packaged” with “processed and unhealthy,” but is this diet the exception? There are also clinic visits (or phone or video chats for those who aren’t close to a clinic) and consultant meetings, and with additional price tags! The total cost for the program can vary but on average it will depend on which program you choose.
This program will appeal to those who need additional support from a “real person” and “place,” and to those who don’t have a lot of time to cook meals for themselves but want to get healthier overall.
back to menu ↑HOW DOES THE JENNY CRAIG DIET WORK
One of the most advertised plans on the Jenny Craig website is the Rapid Results program, which is just $16 to sign up for—*plus the cost of food. That asterisk, according to the Jenny Craig website, is as follows:
12-week trial membership includes Rapid Results program. Plus cost of food, ($15-26/day US/ $17-26/day CAN). Discount split over 10 consecutive weeks with weekly full menu purchase (avg. $154 US/$174 CAN). Any shipping costs are extra. Continental US only. First 4-week full Planned Menu (avg. $154/wk) auto-ship order qualifies for free standard shipping; order split into two 2-week shipments; entire order billed up-front. [1] (emphasis added)
So that $16 in big bright letters on the website actually comes out to an average of $1848 plus shipping billed up front. Eighteen hundred dollars. With sixteen dollars advertised.
There are three steps to the program:
1. Consultation meetings with your specific coach
2. Choosing your food order from Jenny Craig’s frozen food menu
3. Exercising at least thirty minutes each day.
Jenny Craig says they will help you think about your weight differently, give you the skill set to maintaining a healthier weight, find solutions to weight loss roadblocks, and keep you accountable overall.
back to menu ↑FOOD ON THE JENNY CRAIG DIET
One customer tried the Jenny Craig diet out and said,
Most servings were small, some shockingly so: The “Tuna Salad Complete Lunch Kit” consisted of 2.9 ounces of tuna salad (about two tablespoons), six small crackers, and a small cup of sugary diced peaches. Even with the addition of a garden salad and two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, it was far from satisfying.
She went onto say this program is ideal for those who love sugar, and those who need a lot of personal support along the way. A nutritionist who looked into the ingredients of the foods said that the foods were overtaken by additives and preservatives which is obviously not healthy whatsoever. She also said,
Perhaps the best thing this plan has going for it is convenience and built-in portion control…but I wouldn’t be surprised to see you at the candy machine by 3 p.m. If you follow this diet, you’ll probably want to take a fiber supplement.
The company does a great job of making the customer think their meals are truly the only solution to their weight loss problems—which keeps the money flowing in. For those willing to stick it out, it will be costly and less than appetizing after a while. The company suggests that the user should lose around 2 pounds per week (average), eating three pre-packaged meals per day, two small snacks, and a dessert each day. If you do not lose 12 pounds in 12 weeks on this program you can get your money back…asterisk.
Lose 12 lbs. in 12 weeks or your first three month’s fees back. Member must follow program guidelines including but not limited to full menu adherence each week, plus 12 consecutive weekly consultations required. New members only. Members following our program, on average, lose 1-2 lbs per week. Only valid for all access premium or super premium membership. Restrictions apply. [2] (emphasis added)
back to menu ↑THE JENNY CRAIG DIET SAFETY
While there is some order to the program with check-ins and consultations, not safe are the preservatives found in every single food item. I don’t know about you, but I do not like to buy grocery frozen meals because I know they are loaded with preservatives. Other than the frozen food items, the caloric content of Jenny Craig items is rather small, which could lead to some unhealthy choices because of hunger. There don’t seem to be any dangerous ingredients or side effects, such as substances that could make a dieter’s heart race.
back to menu ↑THE BOTTOM LINE
Jenny Craig is an expensive, monitored program that offers freezer meals. Un-affordable to many, it’s also not a long-term solution for weight loss—unless you continue to buy Jenny Craig for the rest of your life. Jenny Craig does not promote how to cook healthy for yourself. Nor does it promote self-willed weight loss even after you’ve reached your goal weight; rather continued counseling sessions. Sure, it might be a fit for some people temporarily, but the weight loss averages are less than impressive, and it is grossly overpriced for the quality of food and help you are actually going to get.
But to be fair…in-person support groups can be very helpful; truly feeling a part of a community that is striving to lose weight together. If Jenny Craig has a high point, this is it.
Linda said, “No cancer or other diseases will ever touch your body if you give it a healthy diet” and that is absolute B.S. It’s such B.S. that I actually felt offended reading that. That commenter is clearly uneducated about the human body, disease, diets and reality. That level of ignorance is actually scary. No doctor (of any repute) would agree with that.
Having said that, i believe eating nothing but processed foods can’t be great for you. I’m not disagreeing that eating healthy is necessary. Just to say that you will have “no cancer or other diseases” if you eat healthy…wow. Remarkable ignorance.
Jenny Craig worked for me, but as with any diet, you have to follow the plan, stick to the meals. I work away from home and the prepacked meals were great. My wife on the other hand could not understand how I could lose weight every week eating frozen dinners.For me I had no issue with the quality or quantity. I don’t like seafood but I could swap and change out meals when I wanted. The consultants were great, helping you plan for any eating out, even giving meal plans for Xmas and Thanks giving. If you go back to your old habits and food of course the weight is going to go back on. You wont have to wait 12 months for that to show. I’ve never been to any other weight lose center but I wanted to lose weight and i want to keep at my current target. Follow the maintenance plan, watch your portion size, drink water, keep up the exercise. Sounds familiar ? I’m sure you will hear the same from any weight lose plan.
If you are not a doctor, you should not be giving out medical advice. telling people they won’t get cancer with a healthy diet is irresponsible and incendiary. Anyone can get any form of cancer at any time. Non smokers have died of lung cancer. Women who have never had a partner can still get cervical cancer and so on…Doctors have stated in peer reviewed medical journals that there is no need for any healthy person without celiac disease to go gluten-free. Congrats on your weight loss goals, AI am glad it worked out for you, just leave the advice to those who should be giving it. Your example is anecdotal at best.
EXACTLY my thought.
I have tried it a few years ago before I got into a healthy lifestyle due to my son being diagnosed with ADHD. We first tried medication and then after lots of research and money spent on “specialist” I was advised to change his diet. It was a huge adjustment for the whole family. we were used to eating everything and anything that tasted good (no wonder we all had weight problems). I really cleaned up our pantry, fridge and we pretty much eliminated gluten, diary and of course all food colorings and additives. Our diet actually sounds very similar to what the number 1 rated PS1000 program is like. We eat clean, use supplements and my whole family has lost weight and have the best lab results.
I would never recommend to anyone eating pre packaged food , ever! It is loaded with ingredients that your body should never ever see or smell. Do yourself a favor and get educated on what it good for you. No cancer or other diseases will ever touch your body if you give it a healthy diet.
I’ve got to tell you that the Jenny food is excellent! It may be frozen, but it doesn’t taste frozen. It tastes great. Food quality and taste is not an issue with Jenny Craig.
Jenny Craig worked for me. I lost 27 lbs in 12 weeks BUT I felt bloated, gassy and constipated the entire time. The 12th week I was diagnosed with an attack of diverticulitis due to all the prepared foods. After the 12th week I joined Weight Watchers, with the emphasis on whole foods and lost an additional 17 lbs. My doctor ordered a colonoscopy and, sure enough, I had diverticulosis. Though I cannot 100% prove that the Jenny Craig diet caused it, I know it was. I never felt good on all the prepared foods.
I have been on Jenny Craig for the last 10 plus years. Most of the food is edible. There are some foods that are too spicy if you have a sensitive stomach though. My main complaint is the quality control over the foods. In the last 6 months, I have found three meals that were not fit to eat and two actually would have been dangerous for me if I had not found the objects before swallowing the food. One of the foods, an egg and cheese omelet with red and green peppers was covered in diced peppers instead of just on the side. It was not edible with so many peppers. The other two meals were more worrisome. One meal had a long (1″) chicken bone that, if I had swallowed, would have caused some major problems and possible choking hazard. The other meal was a butternut squash ravioli in which I encountered a 1/2″ triangular pointed rock. Luckily, I bit into the rock before swallowing the rock. This could also have caused some very major problems with my digestive system. The first two incidents I took back to the Jenny Craig counselor, who took them and said she gave them to the manager of the office. I have not heard anything back from Jenny Craig about why or even an apology and promise to improve their quality control.
I have not had any complaints about most of the food (although I have experienced the bloating that was reported by other consumers of this diet) but I am concerned about the quality control at Jenny Craig. I will not continue with Jenny Craig until I am satisfied changes have been made to ensure this will not happy again.
Worst Program Ever!!!! I signed my husband up for Jenny Craig 5 weeks ago, online, for their autoship program. The first week of food arrived and everything was great, then when he went onto his account, it showed that their were no pending shipments. I called JC and they said that there was no order pending, so they placed an order and charged my credit card. My husband was supposed to receive his food on Fridays. Friday came and went and no food. He finally received the food three days later, and when we called again, they said to throw out the frozen food as it would not be good, and they would reship the frozen items. So my husband continued on with week two as best he could with no frozen items. The reshipment of the frozen items was to arrive on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Guess what? It didn’t come. AND week #3’s food was supposed to arrive that Wednesday as well since it was the Thanksgiving weekend. I called again and spoke with a manager, and I was told that week #3’s order had been cancelled since we were getting the reshipment of frozen food. So then we had no dry food and no frozen food. They again reshipped the frozen food, and again, we received it 2 days later than when they said we would, and again, we were told to throw out the frozen items as they would no longer be good. Here it is week #5, and my husband was supposed to have this order two days ago, and we still have not received it. Plus, I was told because of everything that has happened with us not getting our food, that week #5 was going to be on Jenny Craig. Ha! They charged my credit card yesterday the full amount, almost $200!!! I called Jenny Craig again today and I kept being told that they did not charge my card. I had to email them a screen shot of my credit card statement so they could see that they did charge my card, and they still denied that they charged my card. I asked when I would be getting a credit, and I was told I would not because they did not show a charge to my card on their end. Needless to say, now after 5 weeks, my husband received food for only the initial first week. Everything else had to be thrown out. And being his food for week #5 is now 2 days late, it too will have to be thrown out, and yet, they charged me for it yesterday. I have wasted so much time trying to get these people to get my husband his food. They just kept apologizing and I was told that this has NEVER happened before. I highly doubt that. If you are going to try Jenny Craig, do not order online. Go in to a center. They are two separate entities, the centers and the online Jenny Craig. You will get a huge runaround, get overcharged, and never get your food if you order from them online.
Food had slight freezer burn the same day as delivery, anything that had bread with it ie breakfast sandwich, hamburger. Not edible after heating it. Bread hard as a rock. Followed directions. Cancelled auto ship. We’ll see if that’s successful.
Jenny Craig started to make me gain weight. It’s not for everyone at all. The ‘specialist’ even said she didn’t know what was going on and kept on implying I was breaking the program.
It’s such a weird program that forced me to eat even when I’m not hungry. Like how am I supposed to lose weight when I am forced to eat a cupcake or chips at night?????
Also this program plugged me up and made me constipated so that didn’t help!
If it can’t make me lose weight in the first month, I hardly think it’s worth it at all!
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took our money for 5 weeks, when weight was nothing as described in Rapid results max, they explained and agreeed it was their fault and they would not even help just wanted to sell us another $200 week
Geelong branch 141 Malop street.If you haven’t been vaccinated they dump your food order out on the foot path unattended for you to pick up like a diseased dog.
Highly recommend not to deal with them especially Bernadette the person that organised it.