Diet Comparison
Here is a side-by-side summary of Weight Watchers 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 is serious about long-term weight loss and thrives on peer support and encouragement.
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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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None noted.
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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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Teaches the fundamentals of sound nutrition and basic fitness. Emphasizes group support at regular weigh-ins. Uses a point system to help you manage what you're eating and your portion sizes.
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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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Nothing is strictly restricted. The focus is on dietary awareness and portion size reduction and overall dietary balance.
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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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Highly flexible. You can eat Weight Watchers prepared meals, cook your own or do a combination. Weekly weigh-ins at Weight Watcher centers.
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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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Register for Weight Watchers online for just $14.95 per month for plan, plus a $29.95 registration fee (on-line option).
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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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You can expect to lose between 1 and 2 lbs. per week, with a potential initial drop greater than that in the first week or two.
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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 Weight Watchers
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Our review of Jenny Craig
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More Comparisons
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