Diet Comparison
Here is a side-by-side summary of The Zone and Jenny Craig to help you compare diets and choose a weight loss plan that will work for you.
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Diets |
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Best for...
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Anyone who prefers a higher protein diet but wants to eat more carbs than those allowed on the Atkins Diet.
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Great if you don't want to prepare meals, weigh portions, etc. Visits to Jenny Craig centers are encouraged.
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Risks
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The prescribed calorie consumption guidelines associated wth this diet may be too low for some, and this may result in feeling low in energy and/or weak. That said, calorie consumption can be increased while still following The Zone's guidelines for food distribution, thereby adressing this risk.
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No identified health risks. However, although the program advocates starting out on 100% Jenny Craig prepared meals and snacks and slowly migrating over to your own cooking, it is unclear how this is supposed to happen once you've gotten used to and lost weight on their food.
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Basic philosophy / approach
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Eat a balanced diet, BUT balanced is defined differently from the well-known Food Pyramid. Limit portions to a reasonable size.
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Minimal effort, maximum choices. Program emphasizes counselor support (either in person or on-line) and use of prepared meals .
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Foods that are / aren't allowed
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The basic idea is to increase protein, reduce simple carbs and processed sugar.
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Diet is limited to Jenny Craig prepared meals. All restrictions are factored in to these meals.
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How much work involved
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Once you understand the basic approach, the diet is flexible and quite simple to follow.
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At first, almost none. Pre-packaged meals take care ofthe work for you at the outset. And although the idea is that you slowly transition to regular food once you've established better eating habits, you can choose to keep eating the prepared meals - no hassle, no time investment.
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Cost
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While you can purchase some snacks from The Zone's web site, you can follow the diet without buying any prepared foods and/or special equipment.
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According to the folks at J.C., average cost is approximately $65/week. However, there are different membership options which afford different benefits, and one can spend as much as $400 in the first month.
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Speed to results
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If you follow the basic plan (800-1,220 calories per day) you may lose weight at a rate significantly faster than the 1-2 lbs. per week average that is generally viewed as a healthy rate.
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Barring any initial dramatic loss due mostly to losing water weight, you can expect to lose between 1 and 2 lbs. per week on the Jenny Craig program - a nice, healthy, sustainable rate of weight loss.
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Sign Up Online |
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Review
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Our review of The Zone
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Our review of Jenny Craig
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More Comparisons
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