How Does the Jenny Craig Diet Work

Jenny Craig established the Jenny Craig weight loss program in the 1980s. Today, the Jenny Craig Diet is considered one of the most popular diet program in United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Kirstie Alley is currently the designated official spokesperson of Jenny Craig company.

What is the Jenny Craig Diet?

The Jenny Craig Diet is basically a program that helps participants create a plan for their meals and provide one-on-one counseling in order to address weight lose problems on a case-to-case basis.

How Does the Jenny Craig Diet Work?

Essentially it’s another low calorie diet plan, that offers you a diet allotment based on several factors.
The program helps the members lower their calorie intake through the diet plans. Some of Jenny Craig’s diet may require 1200 intake to as much as 2,300 daily depending on the person.

How does the Jenny Craig diet work? It provides a balanced meal to the participants that contains all the food groups – lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fats but in healthy proportions.
The custom-made meal guide that the participants follow in the Jenny Craig diet is intended to help them lose weight.

The basis for the said meal plan is the individuals goals and needs. The diet plan requires that you eat in small portions five to six times a day, an important part that addresses the question how does the Jenny Craig diet work. Vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates and fats are all found in the menu. The diet promotes higher protein and lower fat intake.

At the start of the program, the consultant ask the participant some questions and then put that person on a specific calorie diet plan that is tailor-made for his or her needs. Jenny Craig diet provides several diet options for the member. Each of this diet plan is created to help one lose weight steadily not abruptly.

Participants of the Jenny Craig diet program should follow the day-to-day meal plan by eating only the prepackaged meals from the company. The member should purchase this planned meal and consume it according to the plan.

The prepackaged meals are important part which answers how does the Jenny Craig diet work? These are critical to the success of the program. The meals consist of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks which help the person attain weight loss seamlessly.

Midway through the diet, you will cook your own food for three or four days a week. The food you will cook is again based on the planned menu and recipes that Jenny Craig created to fit your diet needs.
Aside from the plan meal, participants also enjoy one-on-one counseling and weigh ins every week until the end of the program.

One can also consult over the phone or through website and email 24/7, should the need arise. The counseling sessions are intended to keep one motivated to pursue the diet program and not waver on their faith and determination to lose weight. Also, the immediate weight loss is not just the goal of the program but also to instill in the minds of the participants the need to continue a healthy diet and sustain the weight loss even after the Jenny Craig diet program ended.

The members are taught how to eat healthy, to attain portion control in food and the healthy way to exercise – all of these promote not just weight loss but a healthy lifestyle.

Is the Diet Effective?

So far no studies have been conducted related to this. Although the growing popularity of the Jenny Craig diet could mean a lot of people have participated in the said program. The diet is effective as long as you stick to the diet plan. Keep in mind that the ideal weight loss is around 1-2 pounds per week.

Pros
• No need to do guesswork on calories
• Weekly consultations provide huge help
• 1-2 alcohol drinks per week is allowed to participants
• Coffee and other caffeinated drinks are allowed
• Vegetarians can opt for vegetarian meals
• Exercise is a huge part of the program which is good for health as a whole
• No need for diet pills, shakes and others

Cons
• Some Jenny Craig consultants do not have certificate in nutritional therapy or health management which could be a downside because they do not have the necessary background for the counseling
• The costs of the membership and the prepackaged meals can be prohibitive as it could cost around $400 per month for each participant. One week supply of Jenny Craig meals it will cost you between $85 and $120.
• Dining out and attending parties could pose some problems while on the diet program

How does the Jenny Craig diet work is simply similar to any diet program – eat healthy meals in small portions. It is also important to combine dieting with exercise and physical activities to burn calories. Follow this plan and you will lose weight and sustain the desirable weight for a long time.

Becoming Aware And Preventing Heart Disease

What takes the over 18 million people each year from this earth? It’s known as the silent killer. Yes, it’s heart disease and it’s the number one killer in all the world.

Would you believe that heart problems can begin during childhood? The only prevention to heart disease is living healthy from an early age and you should learn at home.

I’ve compiled a list of the things that you need to look out for so you can become aware and not have to be surprised by that horrible thing called a heart attack.

Here we introduce the term ‘metabolic risk factors’. According to experts, the number of metabolic risk factors will determine a person’s risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque deposits, as well as Type 2 diabetes.

Experts say that there are a number of risk factors when it comes to being at risk for heart disease. These factors are categorized under the term ‘metabolic risk factors’.

Here are five metabolic risk factors:

1. Obesity in your Abdomen
2. Bad cholesterol, also described as High LDL
3. Good cholesterol, also described as Low HDL
4. Increased Blood Pressure
5. Increased Blood Glucose

According to those who study these risk factors, the more factors you have at risk the more likely it is that you will develop heart issues. By becoming aware of these risks now you will be able to learn how to increase your chances of having a healthy heart.

All of these risks can be assessed through a thorough blood test except for the abdominal obesity. This one must be measured physically by your waist size. Below is a list values that are healthy and ones that you want to follow.
• Your bad cholesterol should be less than 3.3 mmol/L

• Your total cholesterol should be less than 5.2 mmol/L

• Your Body Mass Index needs to be between 18.5 and 25

• The Triglycerides should be less than 1.7 mmol/L

• Your good cholesterol should be more than 1.3 mmol/L for women and more than 1.02 mmol/L for men

• Your Waist girth should be less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men

• Your Body Mass Index needs to be between 18.5 and 25

•Your Blood glucose should be 3.8 to 6.1 mmol/L before eating and less than 7.8 mmol/L two hours after you eat

• Your Blood pressure should be less than 130 / 80

• Here are some tips you can use to make sure you are on the right track to having a healthy heart.

• Do not smoke. Smoking cigarettes can and will make changes of having a heart attack increase.

• Exercise is considered to be one of the best things you can do. Experts suggest doing at least 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise every day.

• Diet it also very important. Eat things like fiber to lower your cholesterol. Stay away from fats and sugars no matter how hard it may be. Consume more fruits and vegetables as well as beans and nuts.

• Keep your weight down and never allow your BMI to go over 30.

You now hopefully have a little more knowledge which can help you in taking the first steps to becoming aware and taking responsibility for your health.

Disclaimer: As always, consult your physician before taking on any new diets or exercises. This article is meant to inform and in no way tries to give medical advice.

Getting Rid Of That Belly

Losing your stomach can be one of the hardest things you do, especially if you have waiting awhile and have created a large amount of fat. If you have decided that it’s time to lose that belly then you are going to want to find out what is going to work best for you.

A lot may depend on the type of metabolism you have. Some people’s metabolism has a higher rest rate than do others. Some people burn fat without even exercising. But if you are reading this article I’m guessing you are not one of the lucky ones that his happens to. If you are like many people you can increase weight simply by drinking water, a frustrating things I know but there is some hope.

If your metabolism is one that is difficult and you gain weight easily and thus cannot take it off easily then you may want o look at an extreme cardiovascular work out. This should consist of aerobics like running, biking or swimming. If you have a slow and stubborn metabolism then this may not be the best approach for you.

Having excess weight can sometimes make breathing difficult when doing small activities like climbing the stairs, getting tired easily and an overall sluggish feeling. So if you are looking to have a killer body and a washboard stomach then you are going to want to chose exercises that are not too difficult or extreme. The reason being is that you don’t want o get into a program that’s going to be to hard to keep up with. If you choose something like this and are not able to reach your goals then you may become frustrated and quit altogether. This is not what you want so we must make sure you choose exercises that are comfortable while also being effective. The last thing you want is to have to force yourself to work out. Working out should be fun to a certain extent and you should enjoy the exercises you are doing. With this type of approach you are sure to be successful in losing that stomach.

It is a myth that sit-ups will help people with oversized stomachs obtain the washboard stomachs they are hoping for. The sit-up is a sculpting exercise and not a fat burning one so don’t get caught up in buying some ab workout if you want to lose your stomach because it won’t happen.

So if sit-ups are not going to do it then what? Well you want to burn fat and the easiest way to burn fat is to not take in more calories than you burn. You can do this by watching what you eat and performing exercises like running, jogging and weight lifting. The key is to get your body to burn fat. A really good exercise for this is squats. Now you may thing this sounds kind of funny but in actuality it’s true. Your largest muscles are your legs so if you exhaust your legs you are going to be burning more fat. Anything that allows you to exhaust your body as a whole is going to be your best bet. Also by exercising consistently you will alter your metabolism and it will begin to work faster which will help in losing fat and making your stomach go down.

Fitness secrets for those over 40

You’re 40 and it’s really time to start paying close attention to your health. I’m sure you have heard yourself say that your knees hurt when you climb stairs or you are out of shape. You may even have been high cholesterol, or you could have high blood pressure, diabetes or heart problems.

Well it’s not too late to start improving your health and to fight off those diseases that can plague you by starting to be aware of what you eat and to start exercising regularly. You should look into fitness programs that will strengthen your muscles, increase your physical fitness, support your joints and decrease any pain that you may experience. It’s a sad fact that 60% of people in America are are not getting enough activity which amounts to more stress associated diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and diabetes.

However, going to the gym may not be exactly where you should have to start. There are many other things you can be doing that will help your overall health. You can start walking briskly in your local mall or around your neighborhood, exercise on a bouncy ball, use the treadmill, go on bike rides with your children or even play the wii fit. Just as long as you are subjecting your body to frequent physical activities.

If you’ve waited this long to get fit be forwarned that it’s not going to be easy to get into a habit of eating better and exercises. That means you have to cut out the junk food and start adding vegetables, whole grains and fruit to your daily diet. If this is too difficult for you then you may want to look into hiring a nutritionist or even joining a program like ediets.com which has helped millions of people. What’s nice about that is you have an instant support group that you can share your experiences with.

So how much fruits and vegetables should you have? Well, it is recommended to have at least 5-7 servings a day of both fruits like apples bananas and oranges and vegetables. It’s also very important for you to be drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day. Also you need to work on decreases your white flour consumption. Breads and pastas are to be kept at a minimum. Don’t forget to exercise as this will increase your goal of becoming healthy and fit.

If you do choose to start a fitness program you want to make sure it consists of weight training and cardiovascular training. Some good exercises are running, swimming and bicycling. You can always mix it up and make it fun by inviting friends to work out with you. This will help you remain on track and give you someone to compete against if you choose to do so.

If you do choose to use a strength training program you want to make sure that you don’t do strength training without a break in between. What that means is if you do strength training on a Wednesday then you don’t want do it again until Friday. This allows you body the adequate amount of time to recover. I recommend strength training as it can help your joints as well as reduce your body fat quicker.

Lose Weight With The Wii Fit

I never thought I would be saying this but I’m going to encourage you and your kids to start playing video games. Yes that’s right video games can make you thin. You think I’m crazy don’t you? Well, I’m not talking about any video games. I’m not talking about the games that you sit around with a controller in your hand and stare aimlessly at the television. I’m talking about a very new and exciting game called the wii and it’s game the wii fit.

The Wii Fit is a new game that operates on the Nintendo Wii gaming platform. If you don’t know what that is you should check it out on youtube because it’s pretty amazing. The Wii is unlike any other game and it’s not a game that you just sit around and stare and the T.V. with a controller in your hand. It’s a game that encourages you to interact with the game. Take the Wii Fit for instance. This unique technology actually uses games to help you get fit. It comes with a balance board that you stand on and it measures your BMI and your weight. It then will keep track of how much weight you are losing and all you have to do is participate in the games. Some of the games are skiing, soccer goalie, hoola hoop, jogging and more. They also have included your traditional yoga and strength training exercises. The Wii Fit really is a fun way to lose weight and it’s fun for the whole family.

The Advantage: Lots of folks say Wii has encouraged them to try things they’d have never tried without it. These games are easy to play and you can stay at home. The Wii Fit can actually inspire folks to try the real thing after playing the game. Games are fun. To play a game you are more likely to get up from your easy chair that to go out to work out.

The Wii Fit has many advantages that have helped it become one of the top selling games today. With the Wii Fit you can exercise in the comfort of your own home, you can have fun while exercising and even get the entire family involved. It also gets you motivated and you will soon have the feeling of doing non-WiiFit exercises. It’s one of the greatest things to come along to help you and your family get fit and healthy.

If there is a downside to the Wii Fit it’s that it doesn’t have a real person training you. It’s simulated and although it does a good job it can never replace a real person. Someone that is in poor physical shape should consult a doctor when using the Wii Fit. The Wii Fit may also not be enough all by itself to enable you to lose all the weight you want but it’s a start.

So if you are looking to have some fun while losing a little weight and getting back in to the swing of exercise I really encourage you to try the Wii Fit.

Choosing The Perfect Fitness Product For Your Home

So you want to be fit eh? Well let’s look at some home fitness products that are available and see what we can come up with. Keep in mind that you want to purchase something based on your needs and not simply the hype of the infomercial. If you don’t then you’ll end up like so many others with machines that just sit around your house collecting dust or better yet, become clothing racks.

When thinking about buying an exercise system you want to consider a number of factors with the main one being your budget. Once you find the equipment that is right for you then you need to do some shopping around. I would strongly consider checking out Ebay and Craigslist for some smoking deals.

Let’s consider what your getting this home gym for. What is the area that causes you the most problems. Is it your belly or is it your thighs? Do you just want to be stronger or are you looking to simply lost fat? These are some things that you need to consider before starting or even looking into buying something. Once you decide the reason you need this machine you can now think about your budget.

How much do you really want to spend on this? I can tell you that prices range anywhere from $50 dollar to several thousand dollars. Like I said at the beginning you should check out second hand places if you are looking to save some money. Most people buy fitness equipment and then hardly use it so you are surely to get something like new for much less.

The next thing you want to think about is space. How much space do you have and where are you going to put this thing? You may want something that you don’t have room for so you better get that sorted out first. Some fitness equipment can fold up and slide under your bed and others must stay put together at all times. If you don’t have a dedicated room or even garage for this then you are going to be limited to looking at equipment that is small and can fold down. I would recommend the Total Gym. It’s a great piece of equipment and is easy to set up and also folds down and can be placed under your bed or in your closet. If this seems to much you can always purchase a membership at your local gym. Either way I hope this helps you be more informed about making that very important decision about what method to use when choosing your own home fitness equipment.

Switching from Barbells to Dumbbells

I’ve always worked out with barbells and have felt very happy to lift so much weight. But a friend of mine recently convinced me to dump the barbells and focus solely on dumbbells. I thought to myself that he must be crazy. Dumbbells are for your arms, they are for shaping and toning but not for building lean muscle mass like I was after. But boy was I ever wrong. After just a few workouts I came to realize that working out with dumbbells is much more challenging then working out with barbells. Sure I can’t lift the same amount as I could with the barbell but I sure can feel the different in the way my muscles are being challenged, which only means that I’m headed for some big time gains. When you can challenge your muscles you are going to get some thickness on those muscles.

Here are five reasons that I feel you should be making the switch from barbells to dumbbells.

1. By using dumbbells you are not going to hit that plateau that so many of us struggle with. The reason for this is you can use dumbbells in a multitude of ways, thus causing your muscles to not become bored and to continue to grow. You will continue to see results which will help keep you motivated.
2. You may not believe this but you can actually do full body workouts with dumbbells. Most people think dumbbells are just for the arms but that is simply not true. You can execute all the exercises that you do with the barbell and because you are using a dumbbell you have to be even more precise to keep them even. This requires great strength and concentration.
3. Dumbbells give you a broader range of motion. For example with a barbell while you are doing chest presses you can only go down so far. But with a dumbbell you can go down so much further and really stretch those muscles. By doing this you are ensuring that your muscles will get stronger because of the muscle fiber that is being used to perform this exercise.
4. Balance is a very important part of becoming stronger and there is not better way to improve you balance than by using dumbbells. Dumbbells force you to keep your body stable while doing exercises. This ensures that all your muscles are being worked equally.
5. The fifth reason that I believe dumbbells are a great alternative is because they are very practical. You don’t need a big space to store them and they don’t cost that much either. You can also use them just about anywhere. This gives you some variety which helps keep you motivated when working out.

I really think dumbbells will be a great workout for most people. I’ve even seen some dumbbells that you don’t even have to change the weights. All you do is adjust them by turning a knob and you are set to go. So get yourself some dumbbells and see what I’m talking about.