15 lbs later and now on my 8th week, I’m very happy that I can now wear my size 12 clothes without feeling like I’m bursting out of my pants. I’ve combined a conscious portion/calorie control with maintaining the Jenny Craig diet and adding more of my own food. Spending over $100 on a 1200 calorie diet can be too much after a while, even after you see actual results. Don’t get me wrong— I’m very happy with the way the diet has worked for me. It’s just that I have no intention of continuing to spend THAT kind of money continually in the near future. As it is, every pound I’ve lost so far has cost me something like $75. That’s quite a price to pay, but I achieved it in record time — at least as far as I’m concerned.
My body has a way of clinging to fat, and since you’d have to pay me to hit the treadmill or use my gym membership, I have to try harder cutting my food intake.
For all the hype about the food, I consider my being forced to eat more vegetables to voluminize my food during meals as the best perk of being on their diet. Even Alan noticed he’s eating healthier because I always prepare the same sides for everyone. It’s just that I would normally not eat the same entree as Alan and my mother-in-law, or if I do, I eat much, much less and without the rice.
I’ve been “mixing” meals on my own (as the diet refers to meals where the member doesn’t eat their food) and the regular diet meals the last four weeks, and so far I have continued to lose weight — keeping well within the weight loss goal of 1% of my total body weight per week. Sometimes I lose less (like a pound), but I’ve continued to lose it little by little.
My efforts at finding a good mix of foods and portions that will “wean me off” the diet food are with the goal in mind of eventually eating healthier for the long term. While I don’t see myself totally giving up the diet food until it totally runs out on me (perhaps by next week), I’m looking to observe the same “habits” and try to be good while on vacation in Manila.
It hasn’t been easy but I think I’m getting a better grip on managing my hunger. I continue to look for healthy food I can incorporate into my daily menu plan, keeping in mind the “exchanges” and calorie count. For example, I have switched from my favorite breakfast of Banana Nut Cereal which came in at 170 calories to 1 cup of Special K Berries Cereal, which has me taking in a mere 110 calories, eaten “dry” (without milk) which is my preferred way to eat it as a breakfast meal.
I’ve also taken to switching the Jenny Craig Anytime Bar (120 calories) with any of the low sugar Quaker Oats Chewy Granola Bars(100 calories). While I am not claiming I’m eating healthier doing the switch, or that I’m using a sound substitution of exchanges (only nutritionists on the Jenny Craig forum or your counsellor can actually give you exchanges), these are the steps I am taking to help me with my personal weight loss.
So that’s 15 lbs and counting.
Pinay New Yorker 