How to Lose 10 Pounds This Spring

Has spring motivated you to lose weight?? It seems that more people shop for diets and start exercising in the spring than at the start of the New Year.? And why not?? Spring is the season for renewal.

But before you set your weight loss goal, be sure that your goal is realistic.? Remember that healthy weight loss occurs at a rate of one to two pounds per week.? If your goal is to lose ten pounds before summer, you could start today and reach that goal.

How to Lose 10 Pounds Before Summer

• Choose the right diet for you. Remember that just because a diet worked for your friend or your neighbor doesn't mean that it will work for you.? Choose the best diet to fit your lifestyle and your needs.
• Set short and long-term goals. Even if you set a broad goal to lose ten pounds, you should set short-term goals to keep yourself motivated along the way.? Set one for each week so that you hold yourself accountable.
• Learn to motivate yourself. Dieting is easy for the first couple of days.? But you know that challenges lie ahead.? Set yourself up for success by learning simple techniques to motivate yourself when the going gets rough.
• Master cooking tips to cut calories. Learn to cook at home.? Eating out can be done when you're on a diet, but if you can cook at home you'll be more able to control the portion and contents of your food.

Plot out your plan on a calendar or dry erase board and post it in a public place, like your kitchen.? That way you'll be reminded of the goal you set for yourself.

Photo source: manuere/Morguefile

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Get Weight Loss Help From People Just Like You

Got a weight loss question?? Need support?? Got a diet gripe?? It can be hard to get weight loss help from friends and family who are not trying to lose weight.? Especially if your friends have never had to battle the bulge, they may not be the best people to counsel you if you have questions, concerns or just need to vent.? It's easier to get weight loss help from people just like you.

About.com Weight Loss on Facebook

Be sure to like the Facebook page for About.com Weight Loss.? We need your input!? Even if you're not ready to ask a question or post a comment, you may find the conversations helpful.

Recent topics have included:

• Finding the best calorie tracking tools
• What to do when people make negative comments about your weight
• Alternatives to diet soda
• Tips from dieters about motivation

Now that most people use facebook on their smart phones, it's easy to get weight loss advice on the go.? So join the discussion and get hooked up.

• Go to About.com Weight Loss on Facebook

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Parents Can Prevent Childhood Obesity in the Home

If you are trying to help your child lose weight, your best bet may be to lose weight yourself.? A new study found that parents can help prevent childhood obesity in the home by dropping a few pounds themselves.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota and the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that because parents are the most important people in a child's life, they play the most significant role in a child's eating and exercise habits.? In the study, they found that a parent's BMI change was the only significant predictor of their child's weight loss.

Start Losing Weight at Home
So how do you begin to make changes in the home?? A drastic change may not go over well with the kids.? But you can start to make simple changes to the way that you cook.? And if you involve the kids in the development of an exercise program, they may be more motivated to participate in the workout.

• Cooking Tips to Cut Fat and Cut Calories. Just a few easy changes to the way that you cook and prepare meals can help you to cut unhealthy fat and calories.
• Exercise For Weight Loss: 7 Steps to Success. If you feel lost when it comes to exercise, use these easy steps to get started.? In no time, you'll be working out like a pro.

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How Many Calories are in Your Favorite Foods?

If you're trying to lose weight, the foods you eat will make or break the success of your weight loss plan. Exercise helps you to build muscle and change your body composition, but weight loss happens primarily in the kitchen. So, if you are counting calories, how do you know how many calories are in the foods that you choose?

There are a few tools that can help you figure that out. Choose the method that is easiest for you to use. Remember that a great weight loss tool for your friend, might not be the best option for you.

Tools to Count Calories

• Calorie counting online. Some people who sit at a computer all day may find that online tools work best for them. CalorieCount.com provides a great site where you can search through a database of foods and log your diet intake. Another source is the new USDA ChooseMyPlate.org site that has an updated look.
• Calorie counting mobile apps. If you are a dieter on the go, or if you tend to eat out more often, you may need a way to count calories from your phone or mobile device. CalorieCount.com has apps as well as their online site. MyFitnessPal is another popular app that provides calorie counts for foods.
• Calorie counting food diary. For many people, the best way to count calories is with an old fashioned food diary. It doesn't need a wi-fi connection, the battery never runs low, and your entry won't be interrupted by a power outage. If you choose this option log your foods into a small notepad that you can easily toss in your purse or briefcase. Use the nutritional labels off the foods you eat to calculate daily fat, carbohydrate and protein values for the day.

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Photo source: Duboix/Morguefile

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Get Healthy: Spring Clean Your Kitchen

Freshen up your eating habits this spring by cleaning out your kitchen.? Get started this weekend.? Healthy eating begins with a well-stocked pantry and good cooking tools.

3 Steps to a Healthy Kitchen

1. Clean out the refrigerator. Get rid of high calorie salad dressings and sandwich spreads.? Stock up on olive oil, fresh herbs and lemon instead. ?Learn to eat vegetables without too much added fat.
   
   • 3 Easy Ways to Make Vegetables Taste Better
     
2. Invest in cooking tools. Non-stick cookware and a kitchen scale are both good investments if you want to lose weight.? Learn cooking techniques to cut fat and calories.
   
   • Cooking Tips to Cut Fat and Cut Calories
     
3. Hide fatty snack foods.? If you must have them in the house, take high calorie, high fat treats and put them in away in cupboards and cabinets that are hard to reach. Learn to make healthier snacks instead.
   
   • Healthy Snacks: Tips and Recipes
     

Photo source: johninportland/morguefile

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Flavor without Fat

Adding flavor without greatly increasing the amount of fat in your favorite dishes will help keep you from getting bored. By varying the flavor of your favorite healthy meals, you'll be less likely to give in to cravings. Consider some of these easy ways to add flavor without adding too much extra fat.

From the Fridge...

In the Pantry...

• Swap high-fat dressings, sauces, and bread spreads for olive oil. Extra-virgin olive oil is perfect for salad dressings and other dishes where more flavor is needed. It has the purest and fruitiest taste among types of olive oils. Olive oil has heart-healthy fats (monounsaturated fat), but remember it has 14 grams of total fat per tablespoon, so watch your servings.
• Keep canned chicken broth readily available in your pantry. It contains trace amount of fat and just 10 calories per cup. It's perfect as a substitute for butter when you stir fry. You can also use it to make tasty, reduced-fat mashed potatoes. The About.com Guide to Busy Cooks has a great recipe for improving the flavor of canned chicken broth.

  Tip: Choose low-sodium varieties of chicken broth, then add only a small amount of salt to taste.

• Flavored vinegars add zip to sauces, dressings , soups and other recipes. Just a drop or two of flavored vinegar makes a big difference without adding fat. My favorite is apple cider vinegar, but there are others to choose from. The About.com Guide to Gardening can tell you how to make your own flavored vinegar.
• It's a little bold for my taste, but by friend raves about adding minced hot peppers or hot pepper sauce to her family's chicken dishes. And here's a plus -- eating spicy foods may slightly raise your metabolism.
• A handful of sun-dried tomatoes can really perk up your favorite Italian dish.
• Adding nuts to everything from salads to cereal to baked goods is a great way to add flavor and nutrition. Eating them may even benefit heart health. My favorite use is to add almonds to almost any flavor of low-fat yogurt. To make nuts more flavorful, so you can get more flavor from a smaller serving, toast them briefly before adding to your food.

  Tip: Almonds are the one of the most nutritionally dense nuts.

With Your Spice Rack...

• Try adding new herbs and spices instead of other enhancers like cheese or butter sauce. Keep in mind that dried herbs are actually more flavorful than fresh, so use less. Experiment with basil, dill, tarragon, curry, and others until you find your favorites.
• I actually carry Mrs. Dash in my bag because I often pack a frozen meal for lunch. I can't take the spice rack with me, but those meals often need to be "doctored up." One little bottle does the trick -- I've yet to find a pre-packaged or frozen diet meal that isn't greatly improved by a dash or two. There are many different flavors to choose from.

At the Stove...

• Invest in several non-stick cooking pans, such as a skillet and saucepan. You can use these to prepare your food without having to add extra fat.
• Try cooking fish using papilottes (a fancy word for little paper packages), parchment paper, or foil. These help seal in flavor. Instead of basting with butter, use a little olive oil or canola oil and brush lightly.

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Overweight

Definition: Overweight refers to an individual weighing 10% or more of what is considered his or her recommended healthy weight (as determined by large-scale population surveys).

A mathematical formula using height and weight called "body mass index" (BMI) is also used to assess underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity. Individuals with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight.

Being overweight is known to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and health problems, particularly if other risk factors are present. Ask your doctor if you are at an increased health risk and whether you should lose weight or simply avoid gaining weight.

Pronunciation: OH-ver-WEYT

Common Misspellings: overweightness

Examples:

Heather is considered overweight, because she weighs 150 pounds and 135 pounds is considered a healthy weight for her height.

Weight Loss Glossary

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Having Cravings? Dessert for Breakfast May Be a Solution

Would you ever imagine that a healthy breakfast would include cakes and cookies?? Well it might.? Researchers in Israel recently conducted a diet study where some obese study participants were able to add a typical dessert food to their breakfast.? The control group ate a more typical low carbohydrate breakfast.? The group that ate dessert for breakfast lost more weight.

A Healthy Breakfast Satisfies Cravings

In the study, the group that lost more weight was the group that ate a high protein, high carbohydrate meal.? But these diners were able to add a treat at the end.? Study authors speculate that the participants who ate dessert foods for breakfast satisfied their food cravings. This helped them maintain a feeling of fullness and satisfaction that enabled them to eat well throughout the rest of the day.

How Do You Satisfy Food Cravings?

If you battle food cravings, this isolated study may not be enough to inspire you to consume cake and cookies at the beginning of your day.? There are other ways to deal with cravings.? Denying the food that you want often results in binge eating and over indulging.? So try to satisfy the craving by eating a lower calorie version of the treat that you want or just by eating a smaller portion.

• How to Cut Fat and Cut Calories
• 7 Portion Control Secrets

You may also want to take note of how you feel when the cravings hit.? Are you really hungry or are do you just want to eat?? If you are not really hungry, then you may want to learn more about emotional eating.? This common problem can stand in the way of weight loss and can lead to weight gain during times of stress.

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Weight Gain Gossip: Harmful or Helpful?

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver lashed out at a reporter in Australia this week when the woman made a comment about his recent weight gain.? Oliver, an outspoken advocate of healthy eating, leaned into a microphone and called the woman a "bitch."? Now other celebs are taking Oliver to task and saying that he needs to practice what he preaches if he is going to be critical of other people's eating habits.? Oliver's program The Food Revelation is about preventing obesity in children by limiting the amount of processed food they eat.

Celebrity Weight Gain in the News

The Jamie Oliver debacle comes on the heels of Paula Deen's recent disclosure that she has type 2 diabetes.? Both chefs have defended themselves, in part, by saying that eating rich food is part of their job, but can, and should, be done in moderation.? Oliver goes on to say that he exercises regularly but acknowledges that there is room for improvement.

But when celebrities gain weight, the larger question becomes: is it anyone's business?? If a reporter had questioned Oliver privately about his weight it wouldn't have made the news.? It is the fact that she shouted the question in a public press conference that calls her motives into question.? Anyone who has ever seen a magazine stand full of tabloids knows that a celebrity weight gain story is gossip gold.

Weight Gain Gossip Among Friends

Even in our smaller social circles, it is not uncommon to hear gossipy remarks about weight gain in others. Whether it is a judgmental comment about what a person should or shouldn't be eating, or a passing comment about their size, the remarks can be damaging.

Friends and family play a significant role in our ability to lose weight.? If you hear someone make a comment about your weight or about someone else's weight, you could choose to make a positive reply.? Or if you become concerned about a loved one's health, you could invite them to join you for a healthy activity or for a healthy cooking session.? But are those invitations helpful or harmful?

How have you handled comments about your weight or about weight gain in your friends and family?? Is it better to ignore it altogether or to be more direct, as Jamie Oliver was?

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Keeping the weight off for good

Losing weight is difficult enough. But dieters are also faced with the fact that odds are stacked against them for long-term success. Researchers estimate that only about 20 percent of dieters keep their weight off for good.

To increase your chances of success, plan for a transitional phase after you reach your goal weight. During this time, make slow adjustments to your lifestyle and watch the effects on the scale. Abrupt changes are likely to cause weight gain.

This transitional phase is also a good time to identify the eating habits and exercise patterns that you learned while dieting so that you can maintain for the long term. For example, researchers have found that dieters who keep the weight off for good are those who continue to maintain a low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

The 10 habits below will help you to move from the dieting phase, through the transitional phase and finally into the maintenance phase, where your weight remains stable. To improve your chances of permanent weight-loss success, try to incorporate these 10 habits into your lifestyle as you move through all phases of the dieting journey.

1. Moderate weight loss works best. Physicians recommend that dieters lose no more than one to two pounds per week. This conservative approach helps patients avoid health risks associated with drastic weight loss. It also allows the dieter to learn new eating habits that will protect their weight loss in the long run. Portion control, healthy snacking, regular exercise and reading nutritional labels are key skills that you'll master if you choose the slower approach to weight loss.
   
2. Make a slow transition out of the dieting stage. Once you reach your goal weight, the worst thing you can do is to resume your old eating habits. Remember that those are the eating habits that caused the weight gain in the first place. It is reasonable to gradually increase caloric intake, but experts generally suggest adding only 200 calories per week until your weight stabilizes.
   
3. Keep regular appointments with your healthcare team. Your healthcare provider or registered dietician will be able to measure your body fat percentage or evaluate your BMI to make sure that your numbers stay healthy. They will also be able to address health issues that arise when your body shape changes.
   
4. Stay connected to your sources of support. The same people who supported you in the dieting process will help you maintain your weight loss. They are in the best position to respect the magnitude of your accomplishment and give you a gentle reminder if you lose track of your success. Communicate with them and give them permission to offer respectful guidance if needed.
   
5. Continue to challenge yourself with new goals. Now that you've mastered one of the toughest challenges you'll ever face, stay on your toes by setting a new goal. It doesn't have to be related to weight loss. Achieving both short-term and long-term goals will help you keep your confidence level high.
   
6. Stay educated. Take healthy-cooking classes, go to health seminars and participate in fitness fairs. Surround yourself with reminders of what living a healthy life really means. You may also want to stay involved online. Calorie Camp at CalorieCount.com has a feature that allows you to set goals, earn rewards and share your experiences with an online community.
   
7. Become a mentor. One of the best ways to stay educated is to teach your weight-loss skills to a newbie. By becoming a mentor , you'll be required to stay on top of new research and trends.
   
8. Exercise. Research into permanent weight loss reveals that exercise is one of the best predictors of long-term success. Thirty to 60 minutes of moderate exercise every day will keep both your body and mind healthy.
   
9. Eat breakfast. Studies have also found that people who eat breakfast are more successful at keeping the pounds at bay. Make sure that your breakfast includes whole grains and a lean source of protein.
   
10. Weigh yourself. Keep a scale in your bathroom and use it once a week. Studies show that checking your weight on a regular basis is a practice shared by people who successfully keep their weight off.

_Sources:

_{James W Anderson, Elizabeth C Konz, Robert C Frederich and Constance L Wood. "Long-term weight-loss maintenance: a meta-analysis of US studies." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 74, No. 5, 579-584, November 2001.}

_{James W. Anderson, MD, Satit Vichitbandra, MD, Wei Qian, MS and Richard J. Kryscio, PhD . "Long-Term Weight Maintenance after an Intensive Weight-Loss Program." Journal of the American College of Nutrition December 1999 vol. 18 no. 6 620-627 .}

_{Wing RR, Phelan S. "Long-term weight loss maintenance." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005 Jul;82(1 Suppl):222S-225S.}

_{Weight Management. Nutrition.Gov Accessed: November 29, 2011. http://www.nutrition.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=11&tax_level=3&tax_subject=390&topic_id=1741&level3_id=6295&level4_id=0&level5_id=0&placement_default=0}

_{Physical Activity and Weight Control. Weight Control Information Network, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed: November 25, 2011. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/physical.htm}

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Ingredient Subs A to B

Ingredient substitutions will help you reduce the fat and calories in your favorite recipes without sacrificing the flavor or texture of the dish. This list provides ingredient substitutions for selected foods with names that begin with letters A through B.

A

Asiago cheese, 1 oz.

• sapsago cheese, 1 oz. (Save: 50 calories)

Avocado, 1 cup, cubed

• a half cup cubed avocado plus a half cup of chopped tomatillos (Save: 99 calories)
• raw peas, 1 cup, pureed (Save: 123 calories)

B

Bacon, 3 slices

• use half (Save: 51 calories)
• liquid smoke flavoring (Save: 103 calories)
• turkey bacon, 3 slices (Save: 28 calories)
• Canadian bacon, 1 slice (Save: 58 calories)
• vegetarian bacon, 3 slices (Save: 13 calories)
• imitation bacon bits, 1 Tablespoon (Save: 73 calories)

Beef, crumbled, ground, 75% lean, 3 oz.

• beef, crumbled, ground, 90% lean, 3 oz. (Save: 39 calories)
• beef, crumbled, ground, 95% lean, 3 oz. (Save: 71 calories)
• turkey, ground, 3 oz. (Save: 90 calories)

Beef, ground (patty), 75% lean, 3 oz.

• beef, ground, 95% lean, 3 oz. (Save: 91 calories)
• extra lean ground sirloin, 96% lean, 3 oz. (Save: 139 calories)
• chicken, ground, 4 oz. (Save: 86 calories)
• tofu, 4 oz. (Save: 53 calories)
• turkey, ground, 3 oz. (Save: 90 calories)

More Subs: C

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Carbohydrate Counts for Bacon

Carb Counts: Bacon

bacon 0
bacon, low sodium 0
bacon, turkey 0
bacon, Canadian 0
bacon, Canadian (Boar's Head, 2 oz.) 1
bacon, Irish (2 slices) 1
bacon, vegetarian (Morningstar Farms, 2 slices) 2
bacon bits, imitation (1 1/2 tbsp.) 2
bacon bits, real 0

?Carb Counts Index

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3 Healthy Things That May Cause Weight Gain

You make healthy food choices and craft a well-designed workout plan, but you still gain weight.? Have you ever wondered why?? Your efforts to eat well and exercise might be the very things that are causing weight gain.

3 Healthy Things That May Cause Weight Gain

• Organic foods. Organic foods aren't necessarily lower in calories than conventional foods, but some people think they are.? Researchers at the University of Michigan found this to be the case, even when study participants could easily read the nutritional facts label that showed identical calorie counts for an organic and conventional food.
  In a related study, the researchers also found that dieters used the fact that they had eaten an organic treat (rather than a conventional treat) as justification for skipping exercise sessions.? Quick fix? Read nutrition facts labels, not product labels.
• Thinking about exercise. In a research study published in Appetite magazine, researchers found that people serve themselves more snacks when they are thinking about exercise.? And calorie consumption increased even more when the exercise they were thinking about was perceived to be hard work rather than fun. Quick fix? Don't think about exercise, just do it.
• Health Food. Researchers at the University of Toronto studied food perception and snack habits. They found that snackers ate 35% more food when they believed that the food was healthy.? This led them to wonder if beliefs about the healthiness of foods may have a significant impact on food intake and weight gain in the general public.? Quick fix? Eat healthy food, but eat in moderation.

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Mexican Dining While Dieting

Mexican restaurants get a bad rap thanks to ever-present chips, cheese and high-calorie drinks being on offer, but the fact is, Mexican food can be a "do" when you're dieting! By learning a few simple rules, you'll always know what to say si to and make healthy choices at Mexican restaurants.

• Crunch Some Calories

  When in doubt, choose an item that includes soft tortillas. Soft tortillas are baked while crunchy shells are fried. Choosing soft tortillas over crunchy ones can easily save a few hundred calories.

• Soft with Salsa

  A friend of mine swears by ordering soft tortillas to swap for chips. She spreads them with salsa, folds them up, and eats them like a taquito. (Yes, it can get messy.) She says these roll-ups quell her chips 'n' salsa craving in nada time flat!

• The Best Beans

  Black beans are an excellent choice for most any dieter. They are low in fat, high in protein and provide plenty of fiber. (Avoid black beans and rice if you're a low-carb dieter and order the beans by themselves.)

  Refried beans may sound like a good choice, but they are often prepared with lard, Mexican cheese blends, and even bacon, which quickly ups the fat and calorie content of what could be a healthy side.

  Bonus Tip: Order pinto beans instead and you'll get a similar flavor without the extra fat.

• Dips are a "Don't"

  Con queso dips and nacho cheese are tempting toppers for chips, but they're both extremely rich and high in fat and calories. Same goes for sour cream. Guacamole is made with avocado which is a healthy fat, but a little bit of it can quickly add up your fat and calorie intake, so keep an eye on portion sizes.

  Bonus Tip: Always select salsa as a starter, topping, garnish or side and you'll know you're making the right choice.

• Smart Switches

  Switch to bean burritos instead of beef or cheese burritos and you'll be saying adios to lots of extra calories and get in plenty of fiber to boot. Ask for corn tortillas to be used instead of flour and you'll be doing even better!

• "Do" and "Don't" Dishes

  Some popular dishes to avoid include: Nachos, chimichangas, chalupas, taquitos, chile relleno, (all of which are deep-fried) and "double decker" burritos.

  Some better choices are: Chicken fajitas, bean burritos, a grilled chicken dish with peppers and onions (hold the cheese!), or a soft taco.

  You may also be able to order low-fat cheese, brown rice, whole-wheat tortillas or a side of marinated vegetables.

  Some Mexican restaurants will replace the sides that come with meals with a salad if you ask them to. Top your salad with salsa and you'll have a yummy, low-fat side. If you really missing dressing creaminess, ask for some reduced-fat ranch dressing and blend it in with your salsa until it's got a more dressing-like texture.

  If you order a taco salad, be sure to request it be served on a plate rather than the deep-fried, bowl-shaped tortilla ... who wouldn't be tempted to munch on that?

  Bonus Tip: Eat all the salsa you want! It's fat-free, low-calorie and is a good source of lycopene.

More:
Check out this handy printable Mexican Restaurants Quick Guide. You can find Quick Guides for other restaurants, too.

Following The South Beach Diet? Be sure to check out our ideas for Mexican Dining on the South Beach Diet

_Source:

_{The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in cooperation with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. Tip Sheet: Eating Healthy with Ethnic Food.}

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Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig is currently one of the largest weight management companies in the world. The company was founded in 1983, but in recent years has gained increased media attention by hiring high profile celebrity spokespeople including Valerie Bertinelli, Mariah Carey and Kirstie Alley. But what can Jenny Craig do for you?

Finding the best weight loss program for you requires that you ask yourself key questions about your health, your budget and about your dieting history.

• 5 Questions To Ask Before Choosing A Weight Loss Program

By taking the time to evaluate the answers to these questions, you'll be able to define your own specific needs as a dieter. Then evaluate Jenny Craig to see if this weight loss program is right for you.

How the Jenny Craig Program Works

The Jenny Craig mantra is "Eat Well. Move More. Live Life." Jenny Craig clients do not count calories, weigh food or measure portions while on the program. Instead they eat pre-packaged Jenny's CuisineR foods that are picked up at a Jenny Craig center or delivered to the client.

Dieters on the program weigh themselves once each week either at home or at the program center. The program is designed to result in a weekly weight loss of one to two pounds or 1% of your body weight. Weight loss is achieved by limiting calories and by increasing the client's exercise and spontaneous activity level.

Each Jenny Craig client is paired with a consultant. The consultant sets up your plan, checks in with you each week, helps to plan menus and addresses challenges as they arise. You can choose to meet with your consultant either on the phone or at a Jenny Craig center.

Jenny Craig Costs

When determining how much you'll pay on the Jenny Craig program, you should factor in the cost of the membership fee and the cost of pre-packed foods. Clients also provide their own fruits, vegetables and other healthy food options. Jenny's CuisineR daily menu purchases range from $12 to $18 per day, based on each client's menu preferences, calorie intake and budgets.

Membership fees vary based on the level of membership you choose. For budget-minded dieters, Jenny Craig offers a 4-week program called Jenny-Set-Go that costs $30 plus the cost of food. Longer memberships include the Premium Success Program, which is currently $399 for a year and the Metabolic Max program that comes with a BodyMedia Fit Armband and six months of access to the BodyMedia FIT Activity Manager. Consult the Jenny Craig website for more specific pricing information if you choose to purchase a membership.

Part of the Jenny Craig program depends on increasing your activity level. If you require help with exercise programing, online fitness training is available for an additional fee. MyJennyFit services range from $10 to $18 per week.

Jenny Craig Food

Jenny Craig is a good program for people who don't have the time to shop for or prepare foods at home. On the program, clients choose from a wide variety of breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack items. The client is expected to provide additional fruits, vegetables and healthy food options.

Sample breakfast foods include:

• Cheddar Cheese Omelet
• Cinnamon French Toast
• Triple Grain Crisp Cereal

Sample lunch choices include:

• Cheesy Potatoes and Chicken
• Broccoli and Cheese Potato
• Beef Chow Mein

And for dinner you might choose from:

• Beef Chili with Beans
• Chicken Carbonara
• Chicken Fajitas

Dessert and snack selections include bars, cookies and snack foods such as pretzels and cheese curls. Menu choices include foods that are typically high in calories and not typically part of a traditional diet. To keep the calorie count low, portion sizes are relatively small and Jenny Craig food scientists have adjusted the ingredients.

The Jenny Craig program is consistent with the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary Reference Intakes issued by the Institute of Medicine in 2002. The program is based on guidelines geared towards weight loss for the general population. Clients with medical concerns, such as high blood pressure, may need to be careful about food choices. The salt content of some food choices is relatively high.

Jenny Craig Support

Jenny Craig clients are provided with motivational support through face-to-face or phone meetings with their consultant. Consultants are often former Jenny Craig clients who have successfully lost weight on the plan. They are likely to be familiar with the challenges involved with trying to lose weight.

If your health history or diagnosis requires that you work with a registered dietitian, it is important to note that the consultants at Jenny Craig are not required to have that background. Consultants are, however, trained by a team of nutritionists and registered dieticians. They use active listening skills and motivation-based behavior skills to achieve good general health through weight loss.

• Visit the Jenny Craig website

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Eyeball Portion Sizes

You can learn to estimate serving sizes with everyday objects! After all, who wants to weigh foods all the time? But what if you're underestimating? Unexplained weight gain could result. So how do you keep those "guesstimated" portions in check? Just think of these every day household items:

A standard serving of...

• cereal (1 c.) = a baseball
• salad dressing (2 Tbsp.) = a shot glass
• nuts (1 oz.) = a cupped palm
• cheese (1 oz.) = a ping-pong ball
• hamburger (3 oz.) = a mayo jar lid
• peanut butter (1 tsp.) = one die
• beef (3 oz.) = a bar of soap
• rice (? c.) = an ice cream scoop
• potato = a computer mouse
• dinner roll = a yo-yo
• butter (1 tsp.) = a Scrabble tile
• fruit (1 c.) = a tennis ball
• cooked pasta (? c.) = a golf ball
• fish (3 oz.) = a checkbook
• poultry (3 oz.) = a deck of playing cards

More Daily Tips:
Add Healthy Foods to Your Diet
Try Plate Portioning

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Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem: Which is the Best Diet?

Are you shopping for the best weight loss program?? Are you trying to find a better diet than the one you are on?? Have you tried Jenny Craig?? How about Nutrisystem? If you've tried one of these popular weight loss plans, we want to hear from you.

• Write your review of the Jenny Craig program
• Write your review of the Nutrisystem program

But if you are still on the fence, keep reading to learn more about the two diets.

Similarities between Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem

Both of these popular weight loss plans provide pre-packaged, portion-controlled food. For that reason, both plans are better diets for clients who don't have time to cook at home and shop for groceries.? Menu items on both plans are low in calories and low in fat.

If you are looking for food variety, both Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem provide extensive menus.? In fact, you'll find many of the same items on the Jenny Cuisine menu as you'll find on the Nutrisystem plan.? Pasta items like lasagna and fettucine alfredo are popular, as well as egg-based breakfast dishes like omelets.

Differences Between Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem

One of the main differences between the two weight loss programs is the type of diet motivation and support provided.? Although both programs provide web tools, the Jenny Craig weight loss program is going to be the better diet for a client who needs face to face counseling.? However, for those who prefer online support, Nutrisystem recently revamped their online site and has a new set of tools for their weight loss community.

Which is the Best Diet for You?

The best diet for you is the one that you'll stick to.? The best weight loss plan is different for everyone.?? Be sure to think about your diet history and lifestyle before investing.? Ask yourself key questions, and then do a little research before purchasing your diet.? The time you invest before choosing the better diet may save you both time and money in the long run.

• Learn more about Nutrisystem and read reviews
• Learn more about Jenny Craig and read reviews

Photo: Cheese Omelet c Jenny Craig

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Biggest Loser Style Weight Loss Works, Says New Study

Fans of NBC's The Biggest Loser may want to take notes if they are planning to start a weight loss program.? According to a new study, the reality show's team-based approach may have real world results.? Researchers at Brown University set up a 12-week Biggest Loser style weight loss challenge in Rhode Island to see if dieters were affected by social influence and team mentality.? Their results indicate that the team-based approach to weight loss is effective.

Weight Loss May Be Contagious

Study results indicate that weight loss seemed to be contagious.? Significant weight loss, defined as losing 5% of total body weight, tended to cluster within groups.? Put simply, if a participant's teammates lost a significant amount of weight, then they were likely to lose a significant amount of weight as well.

How to Get Weight Loss Help from Friends

If you have plenty of friends who are trying to lose weight, you may be able to set up a Biggest Loser style weight loss challenge of your own.? But what if you are a solo dieter?? There are many ways in which your friends, coworkers and family members may affect your ability to lose weight.? Learn how to use your social connections to make your weight loss program successful.

• How to Get Social Support from Family and Friends
• Get Past Weight Loss Barriers in Your Social Environment
• Your Dinner Date May Affect Your Diet
• People-Pleasers Overeat in Social Situations

Remember to reach out to friends and family if you need weight loss support.? And use online resources as well!? The Weight Loss Forum at About.com is a great place to set up a weight loss journal.? And remember to connect with About.com Weight Loss on Facebook and Twitter to ask questions, submit comments about hot topics or get weight loss tips and diet recipes.

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Cinema Wars

Here are some ideas for diet-specific snacks:

• If you're following Weight Watchers, consider bringing along a pre-packaged, portion-controlled snack with a low Point value. A small box of Cracker Jacks, for example, only has three points ... and, of course, a free prize. ;-)
• On NutriSystem Nourish, like me? Why not save today's snack for the cinema? Make sure you have NutriSystem caramel corn, white cheddar Soy Snackers, or snack mix on-hand for movie time.
• Low-carbers will want to have those trusty pork rinds in tow for munching away as everyone else around you is crunching.

Give in ... But Just a Little Bit
If you decide to get theater popcorn (and why shouldn't you treat yourself once in a while?), keep just one hard and fast rule: Don't convince yourself to buy the largest size available just because it doesn't cost that much more. The Center for Science in the Public Interest warns:

"Moving from a small to a medium bag of movie theater popcorn costs about 71 cents — and 500 calories. A 23% increase in price provides 125% more calories and two days’ worth of saturated fat."

Truth be told, I've reasoned away the cost to portion theory many times: I usually say, “Oh, but I'll share with ____ (fill in the blank with that night's partner in caloric crime.)” But in reality, even if you think you can keep from eating too much by sharing ... you probably won't end up eating less when you have such a large portion within reach.

In fact, a study by Brian Wansink, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, showed that people who were given a big bucket of popcorn at a movie ate 50% more than those who were given a medium-sized bag. The worst part? They thought they only ate as much as those with the smaller bag when asked to estimate how many ounces they'd consumed. Over-eating can happen before you even know it when portions are oversized.

Your best bet? Order a small popcorn without buttery topping or better still, a kid's size. Share with your neighbor, but don't get talked into the special deals like "family combos". Don't get bamboozled by that bucket that reads "Free refills on large size." in big, bold letters, either. Here's my rule of thumb: If you have to hold it with two hands, you've made the wrong choice.

Satisfy a Sweet Tooth
If you've just got to have candy, force yourself to ignore all candy bars (sigh). Choose the lesser evil like Junior Mints, Pepper Mint Patty, Gummy Bears, jelly beans and Tootsie Rolls. Forget about chocolate covered anything ... even if what's inside is ok (e.g. pretzels).

Continued: Beverage Basics >>

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Biggest Diet Problems Revealed in Survey

What is most likely to cause problems with diet programs in women?? Special KR brand recently conducted a survey of women to determine their greatest diet problems and the weight loss benefits that they hope to gain when they begin a program to lose weight.? Stress was listed as the greatest diet problem and happiness was cited as the most significant weight loss benefit that the women hoped to achieve.

Common Problems with Diet Programs

There are many obstacles that can stand in the way of successful weight loss.? Stress from your home or work environment can easily derail even the most solid dieter.? Emotional issues and physical barriers can also make it harder to lose weight.

But once you can identify your own diet problems, it becomes easier to overcome them.

• Common Weight Loss Barriers
• Environmental Barriers to Weight Loss
• Emotional Barriers to Weight Loss

How to Enjoy Weight Loss Benefits

Even if you've only lost a small amount of weight, it is important to acknowledge your success in order to gain weight loss benefits.? Identifying and celebrating your weight loss will also help you to stay motivated for the long haul so that you can reach your goal.? And finally, recognizing your success will also help you to overcome diet problems as they arise.

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