Thank you Jenny Craig for sponsoring this post. Tried other diets? It’s time for Jenny Craig!
When I was younger (before kids), I had the nickname “Skinny Minnie”. I could eat whatever I wanted and never gain an ounce. My parents were always astonished that if I had a candy bar, I’d eat half of it, saving the rest for another day, because it was “too sweet” to eat all at one time. Who does that? But on the other hand, I’d come home from high school and make myself not one but two grilled cheese sandwiches to eat while I watched “General Hospital”, and usually had potato chips, too. I weighed around 100 pounds.
After I had my first child when I was 22, I left the hospital wearing my normal jeans, not maternity jeans. Well, somewhere between 22 and 30, my metabolism changed. I could no longer eat whatever I wanted. After I had my third child, when I was 30, I never lost the “baby weight”. In fact, it continued to pile on.
Now here I am, 38 years old, and I can’t call it baby weight anymore. It’s just weight. One day recently, I looked at the scale and I realized that I am almost DOUBLE what I weighed in high school. I was determined to do something about it. I want to be healthier, not be out of breath running around with my kids, and just feel better about myself.
So, with the help of Jenny Craig, I am on a 12-week journey to become the Jen I see in my head, not an oversized version of what I see when I look in the mirror..Luckily, the Jenny Craig food is not only conveniently packaged in pre-portioned sizes, so I can just grab and heat up my meals, but it also tastes good. Like really good!
This is why I do see this as a lifestyle change instead of a diet. I am still eating "normal" foods. I'm not eliminating foods that I will eventually begin eating again. Foods like Meatloaf, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Pepperoni Pizza, and Breakfast Sandwiches are all parts of the menu I am eating from with Jenny Craig. I am learning what a real serving size looks like, so I will be able to continue to eat the amount of food I am supposed to. Getting in the habit of pairing a salad with my lunch every day has really helped me, too. I eat my salad first, and then I eat whatever my lunch item is for that day. I have actually been looking forward to my salads, too!
There was one week during this journey when the number on the scale went up instead of down, which was a bit discouraging. It could have been a number of reasons, but I knew that I had followed the Jenny Craig plan, so I wasn't too happy to see that I was up 0.3 pounds from the previous week. I know, that's not much, but I am very results driven, so I want to see the numbers going in the "right" direction. However, I have been exercising, so it could be muscle weight. It could be that I was wearing jeans instead of shorts or other lightweight clothing, or it could have just been a bad week. But, I was encouraged after wearing a t-shirt that had sleeves that were not as giving as other tshirts. During the summer, those sleeves were tight. It was uncomfortable to move. When I wore that same shirt last week, it was comfortable, which means that my arms are a bit smaller now than they had been before I started with Jenny Craig.
What I learned this week is that it's not simply about the numbers on the scale. It's about how I am now feeling overall. How I am now fitting in clothing I have been finding in the back of my closet because I had gotten bigger than the number on the tag. My Jenny Craig consultant helped me to focus more on these effects instead of just how much I weigh. We also discussed weight loss mindsets, and we determined that I am most definitely an "Inner Critic", so I have to stop judging myself so harshly and celebrate the little wins that are happening on a weekly basis...like wearing that t-shirt. That little change in mindset helped me to move forward the next week, focusing on just one day at a time. Today I am making good choices, feel energetic, and enjoyed my morning walk, though it was a bit chilly outside!
Here’s a picture of me after 4 weeks of following the Jenny Craig plan.
That ribbon is something I look at daily, because it is 10” long...one inch for each inch I have lost while on this journey! At that point, I had lost 10 pounds and 10 inches!* I am now 8 weeks into my journey, and while the pounds and inches may not be coming off quite as fast anymore, I have now lost a total of 13 pounds and 12.25 inches.* I have donated 5 pairs of pants that are now too big for me. I am exercising a few days every week. I feel more energetic. These are all positive changes that have come from my Jenny Craig journey.
Want to join me? Click here for the latest offer from Jenny Craig.
Although this article was sponsored by Jenny Craig, the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
*Members following the Jenny Craig program, on average, lose 1-2 lbs. per week. I received promotional consideration.
