Friday, July 11, 2008

A Health Story


My mom decided that she needed to lose some weight to get back down to her optimum size for her height and bone structure. She started the Jenny Craig program. At first I was a little skeptical, but after seeing the results I am amazed. I believe she started Jenny Craig in March and since then she has lost 35 pounds! Way to go mom! After hearing how the program works, I am becoming a believer. You are probably thinking it is just one of those programs that you have to eat their nasty food for the rest of your life and if you stop you balloon out again. NOT TRUE! Why this system makes sense: At first you do eat their food, the reasoning being that most people do NOT know what a portion size if of anything, they do NOT know how many carbs, protein, vegis, fruit, fiber is needed for a HEALTHY diet. This method you go in and see your counselor and talk about what you are going to eat (you get to choose) for the week and a plan for putting all the meals together for one day, the portion sizes yadda yadda yadda. This way you SEE what a portion of chicken breast really looks like, I was shocked at what I thought a portion was and what it actually is. From week to week they teach you what to eat and why and how to eventually do that on your own, my mom is at the stage where she eats her own meals part of the time and theirs also. She writes down everything she has so she can own up to what she is putting into her mouth (this helps with bored eating, emotional eating, and OVER eating). You are probably thinking she has to work out a ton, nope, just a walk in the morning. Again, why does Jenny Craig work? Because they teach you HOW to make the right HEALTHY lifestyle changes, to lose weight and keep it off. So if you don't know where to begin with weight loss, Jenny Craig is a great place to start. And for all you pessimists out there who is thinking Jenny Craig or other weight loss programs are ridiculous because all you have to do is eat fewer calories than you exert, well this is what I say to you, that is true, BUT thats not always the healthiest way to do it, and most people are over weight because they don't know HOW to do it, as simple as diet and exercise sounds most of us are in the dark and could use a little guidance to get us started on the right path.

3 comments:

Sina said...

I'm going to read her books she got and go from there and see if I can do it on my own. Mom looks beautiful no matter what, but she's really looking good right now!!!

Suzie said...

Yeah for your mom! I always thought she's looked so good anyway.. I am with you, I think serving size is so hard to get used to. Restaurants serve you like 2-3 or more serving sizes of everything and so I think our way of thinking gets way off. They say you should be able to fit your whole meal on a salad plate, which mine never does, unless I were to go back for 3rds.

Torrie said...

what a great story, yeah for your mom. I'm pretty sure I know what a portion size is but getting away from the junk would help me. I should try the food diary just to see where I'm at...thanks for the health story, I like to read happy endings.