Weight loss is simple – eat less and move more. If it were really this simple, however, no one would find it difficult to lose weight and keep it off. For most people who struggle with losing weight, this simple formula becomes very difficult to follow long enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reach their long term weight goals. The following is a comparison of food options, personalized assistance and focus on long term success for the three main weight management programs on the market today.
Jenny Craig Weight Loss Program
To start the weight loss journey off right, this program offers pre-packaged, portion-controlled meals, snacks and desserts which are designed individually in order to adapt to the client's lifestyle. The menu plans are nutritionally balanced, and require that additional fresh foods be added to the menu for optimum health. Volumetrics, by Dr. Barbara Rolls, is an exclusive option to Jenny Craig clients. This food-based approach effectively marries portion control with the latest research in meal satiety, which helps clients feel fuller on fewer calories.
Personal, one-on-one counseling helps clients, with both in-person and online session options. This counseling is based on a "Your Style" profile created for the client at the beginning of their program which focuses on the Three Pillars: Food, Body and Mind. Food is addressed above, Body refers to physical activity and Mind refers to motivation and image balance. Again, exercise is personalized based on current activity level and future goals, and behavior change is the focus for long term success.
With the adaptation of the plan to the client's lifestyle, "Maintenance begins on Day 1," says Gail Manginelli, Public Relations at Jenny Craig. To ensure that clients are ready to take over their menu planning by the time they reach their weight goal, this program offers a 5/2 plan at half way. At this point a client can now start planning two days of menus using the tools and portions learned on the program. Jenny Craig clients can purchase a maintenance program, where they receive further personalized counseling, both in person and online, and menu options to secure help in keeping the weight off.
Nutrisystem Online Weight Loss
This program offers pre-packaged, portion-controlled meals, snacks and desserts based on the glycemic index (GI). This index ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on overall blood glucose and insulin levels. Lower GI foods are the basis of the Nutrisystem foods, and fresh grocery items are added to these packaged foods to create a nutritional menu plan. Clients order the food on their chosen menu plan over the internet, and the meals are shipped to them.
There is no personal one-on-one in-person meeting with a counselor to keep clients on track with this program. As Jenna, a Nutrisystem phone counselor puts it, this program is "completely e-commerce." Nutrisystem clients hold themselves accountable by noting their progress in online tracking tools, and phone counseling sessions if they need. Exercise is recommended at 30-minute sessions, three times per week. There are chat rooms, blogs and message boards available to clients who wish to receive help from others on the program.
A "balance" or maintenance plan is available for purchase to clients who feel they need continued online and phone help when they reach their weight loss goal. The complete food menu with packaged foods is followed up to the point at which the client is within five pounds of goal weight. At this time only, personal menu planning and food preparation is introduced to get ready for maintaining goal weight.
Weight Watchers Diet Program
There are no required foods on this program, only required points. Clients eat the foods they choose by learning how many "points" each food contains. Pre-packaged foods are available for purchase in the grocery store. As stated on their website, this is a plan that, "allows you to eat what you like with an emphasis on nutrition and advice on staying satisfied by choosing the foods you enjoy."
Unfortunately, no one could be contacted for information on this program, because there were no phone numbers listed anywhere on the site, or for meeting locations. All information about this program was obtained through their website. Weight Watchers offers both classroom assistance with weight loss topics, and online community help. There is no personal one-on-one help or counseling for weight loss or maintenance.
The same philosophy of point counting and food preparation continues to help clients maintain weight. Exercise demonstrations are available online if needed, and the group counseling effort continues. Preparing their own foods and counting points with this program is the basis for teaching the client about portion control and nutritional food choices that will hopefully help them maintain their desired weight.
All three of the above-mentioned weight loss programs will help a person adhere to the simple formula of eating less and moving more to lose weight. No one wants to lose the weight, and then become sedentary and eat away all their hard work so that they gain it all back, however. Therefore, the more personalized the plan, and the more individualized the assistance, the higher the possibility of creating a healthy lifestyle to achieve long term weight management. To stop the struggle with food and exercise is the ultimate goal, and the more options available to personalize a plan to a busy lifestyle, the higher the possibility of success.
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