Why does Jenny Craig work?
Many diets tell people what to eat to lose weight, but they do not help deal with the habits that make those diets so hard to follow. Our key to successful weight management is about changing the way we behave - breaking the eating habits that cause us to look at food as an enemy, to constantly worry about what we eat, to feel bad about ourselves for eating, and replacing them with more constructive skills and strategies. The Jenny Craig Program understands that weight management is about wellbeing: it's about health, energy, self-esteem, confidence and getting the most out of life. It helps people learn to manage their weight by focusing on self-awareness, nutrition, activity and gradual behaviour change, without deprivation. Our evidence-based program is designed by a team of health practitioners including Accredited Practising Dietitians in consultation with the broader expertise of the Jenny Craig International Medical Advisory Board.
The Jenny Craig Program is designed to help you lose up to half to one kilogram, or 1% of your body weight, per week (less for adolescents and women who are breastfeeding). This gradual, healthy weight loss is easier to maintain in the long-term.
By losing as little as 5-10% of your weight, you can reduce your risks for many chronic health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, stroke, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, diabetes and certain cancers1. Click here to find out more about obesity and associated health risks.
At Jenny Craig we start by discussing your personal eating style, physical activity and your weight loss mindset. Then we'll offer a program that will be most effective for you.
SkillPower™ is a lifestyle change through which we address the three key areas critical to effective weight loss and maintenance: Food, Body and Mind.
Health Screening
All prospective clients undergo a health screening process to assess their suitability to enrol on the Program. Enrolment procedures based on health conditions are followed in accordance with the Weight Management Code of Practice, available at: www.weightcouncil.org.
Social outings / Dining out
At Jenny Craig we understand that you don’t want to put your life on hold while you lose weight. The good news is, you can enjoy both the pleasures of dining out and the rewards of healthy living. Our Program accommodates your personal needs simply let your personal consultant know about any upcoming event. You’ll discuss and learn strategies and tactics to handle any situation while staying on track to lose weight.
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Weight Loss - Start to 1/2 way to goal
From the first day, your menu will feature a healthy balance between Jenny Craig Cuisine and your own grocery foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, grains and low fat dairy products. Delicious gourmet quality Jenny Craig meals and snacks are the perfect introduction to your new healthier lifestyle. Research has shown that pre-packaged meals can be more effective in helping people lose weight compared to people preparing their own meals.2 You'll enjoy three Jenny Craig meals and one Jenny Craig snack every day, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. With our Jenny Craig Cuisine, you'll learn about portion control - the ideal size of your meals and the compositions of a healthy menu without giving up the foods you love. This means weight loss without deprivation. Jenny Craig's menus are designed by our Accredited Practising Dietitians to reflect the National Dietary Guidelines of Australia and New Zealand, offering variety, moderation and a balance of nutrients.
Moderate physical activity is an important element of healthy living and weight management. Your Consultant will work with you to develop a personalised, staged approach that starts where you are right now and builds from there. They'll help to identify your own personal barriers to physical activity and keep you focused on the benefits. You'll gradually increase your physical activity with a program that is personalised to your lifestyle and activity level. You'll develop plans to overcome barriers, and stay motivated to be active everyday! Our program combines three types of activities:
- Natural, making the most of everyday activities such as light cleaning or even shopping!
- Playful, being active and having fun with friends and family. Try dancing, cycling or even playing with your kids!
- Planned, a well-rounded fitness plan included cardio, resistance, and stretching activities. Try a brisk walk or pilates!
We aim to achieve at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week.
Your Consultant will be your partner in lifestyle change - understanding your personal viewpoint and offering you support to overcome challenges and enhance your success. Your Consultant will meet with you in a one-on-one consultations each week to share your results, motivate you and offer you skills, strategies and the information you need to achieve your goals. Consultants have support from Accredited Practising Dietitians at any time to assess and modify your individual plan if necessary.
Weight Loss - 1/2 way to goal to goal weight
Halfway to your goal weight, you'll transition to more foods "on your own" because an important part of your Halfway Program is learning the skills necessary to plan and prepare meals on your own. You will have time to practice independent menu planning first, to ensure that you are very comfortable before trying it on your own. Then you'll start to include meals using your own foods one or two days per week. Be assured that you will have the menu planning skills and information needed to support your consistent weight loss.
As you lose weight, your body gets smaller, as do your kilojoule needs. Your Consultant will be there to help you learn new ways to turn up your physical activity with intervals or cross-training, and add a strength component to fuel your kilojoule burn. Research shows that an active lifestyle is a key factor in successful weight loss3- it's the difference between weight maintainers and weight re-gainers!
Midway into your program, it is perfectly normal for you to experience a mix of emotions. Your Consultant is there for you, to share motivational strategies to help you work past any hurdles that might arise during your Halfway process. The time between now and your goal is a critical point in your weight management journey - a time to delve deeper into your consultations and discover what works best for you. Working with your personal Jenny Craig Consultant will refuel your motivation for the home stretch.
Weight Maintenance - Goal weight and beyond
The Jenny Craig journey doesn't need to end at goal because we cannot only help you reaching your weight loss goals but also support you to continue your success. The weight Maintenance Program is based on the same success factors of Food, Body and Mind. With the help of your Consultant you'll work on all three areas to ensure your long-term success. The Maintenance Program has been developed to support you through the transition phase from losing weight to maintaining it. Depending on the membership you've selected, you'll be able to transition into Maintenance support.
On a Platinum Membership if you stay within 2kg of your goal weight at the end of a twelve month period after you reached your goal weight we'll refund you half of your membership cost* just to say, 'well done'. *Conditions apply
By the time you reach your goal weight, you'll have learned the skills to plan and prepare your own delicious meals through healthy cooking techniques and recipes, and you will have developed a healthier relationship with food, becoming a more balanced eater. Over a four week period you will gradually reduce the number of days you follow the Jenny Craig menu and transition to the Maintenance menu, consisting solely of your own foods. Your Consultant works out the right kilojoule level for you to ensure you don't gain weight after losing the weight.
You'll also find that physical activity has become a normal part of your daily routine. With the help of your personal Jenny Craig Consultant, you'll have learned healthy new habits and ways to live a more balanced lifestyle while creating a support system that can help you maintain your weight loss! On maintenance we encourage you to include at least 60 minutes of moderate physical intensity activity on most days.
At Maintenance, you'll continue meet with your personal consultant on a monthly basis for support and motivation, because Maintenance isn't an event, it's a process. It's when you apply all the new beliefs and behaviours you practiced during weight loss to a variety of new situations. Each new experience will build on the last; that's how you develop weight maintenance mastery.
1 Obes Res. 1998; 6 (Suppl 2): 1105
2 Hanum et al., Use of portion-controlled entrees enhances weight loss in women. Obesity Research. 2004 Mar; 12(3):538-46.
3 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005; 82 (suppl); 222S - 5S
