W E IG H T LOSS
u
Pennsylvania State University who put this diet on the map.
STR EN G TH S
Inexpensive. To learn how to use this diet, you
really only need to buy a book. ■ You can tailor meals, at
home or in a restaurant, to suit your needs. ■ As with Pritikin,
which was the pioneer of many of the principles of energy
density, you’re never hungry on this plan because of the
amount of food.
W EA KN ESSES
This is a go-it-alone approach. You have to be
self-motivated to adhere to a program such as this. ■ Little
advice on how to create an exercise program.
DIETITIAN/TRAINER
For those who want a highly individualized approach to
weight loss, it’s hard to beat the tag team of a registered
dietitian and a certified personal trainer. One will help you
examine your whole relationship to food and design an
eating plan to match. The other will do the same for
physical activity. To find a dietitian in your area who
specializes in weight management, go to
ea trig h t.o rg
, the
home of the American Dietetic Association. To find a nearby
trainer, go to the Web site of the American Council on
Exercise,
a cefitn ess.org .
STR EN G TH S
You’re accountable to two professionals who
will be helping you along the way. ■ You learn to use real
supermarket foods instead of supplied foods.
W EA KN ESSES
Expensive. The cost of private consultations
varies, but expect to pay about $150 for an initial session
with a dietitian and a little less than that for a trainer. The
ongoing costs make it easy to spend over $500 a month on
this approach, although some people manage to do it for less
by finding a dietitian who is also certified as a trainer.
JENNY CRAIG
If Weight Watchers is the matriarch of weight loss, Jenny
Crai
gyjennycraig.com ,
is its little sister, having been around
for over 25 years. Its backbone is built around Jenny Cuisine,
the company’s branded line of premade breakfast, lunch,
and dinner meals, and snacks. You add your own fresh
produce and dairy products to the supplied foods.
STRENGTH S
Healthy diet based on Volumetries philosophy
and the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for
Americans. ■ Regular consultations and support.
■ Personalized menus. ■ Portion-controlled, premade foods
take the guesswork out of what you should be eating.
W EAKNESSES
Expensive. The food can cost around $20 per
day, a sum that doesn’t include the initial enrollment fee.
■ Not particularly convenient for family situations because
you eat your own separate meals. ■ Premade meals are
convenient but don’t teach healthy grocery shopping and
cooking. ■ Consultants aren’t necessarily health professionals.
D ie titian /train e r
Kim Kyle, age 49
Losing weight was never a
problem for Kim Kyle, of Virgini
Beach, Virginia. Keeping it off
was. When she worked with Jim
White, a registered dietitian and
fitness trainer, she finally learned
how to keep off 25 pounds
permanently. Because Kim and
her neighbors frequently party
together, her calorie budget is
constantly strained. Wine, for
instance, is a weakness. So White
suggested she occasionally replace
her favorite wine with one she
doesn’t like quite as well, which has
her sipping less. She also opts for
wine spritzers, which contain about
half the calories. High-fiber, whole-
wheat products satisfy a love of carbs
without adding to her waistline. Kim
also combines strength training with
cardio. “I’m always trying to find
something interesting and fun,” she says.
w
,
Jenny C raig
Yvonne H ill, age 45
Even though she was exercising,
Yvonne Hill knew she wasn’t
eating well. “I could run two
miles a day and gain weight,” she
says. It didn’t help that she
would skip meals, then wolf
down an entire pizza after her run
“I felt frumpy, dumpy, and
unattractive. I needed to be able
talk one-on-one with somebody
who would tell me, ‘Right now
you will eat this.’ ” The clear-cut
approach of Jenny Craig meals
worked for her, helping her
shed 42 pounds over two years,
a weight loss she has maintained
for four years. She now
prepares nearly all of her own
meals but keeps a few Jenny
Craig meals stashed in the
house for emergencies.
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MARCH 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
