The Skinny On Diet Crazes
With Americans spending $40 million annually on diets and weight-loss books, MidWeek takes a look at several of the most popular diet programs, and asks licensed dietitians to evaluate each plan
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Clinical dietitians (left to right) Sandy Tam, Chelsie Kawamura, Vicky Chaffin, Vicky Leung and
Carissa Cariaga
of pre-packaged meals during the first phase of the program, which helps in dealing with controlling portion size. The key to the success of this diet is the transitional period where the client goes from pre-packaged to regular, prepared meals. You are assisted by sessions with a counselor, who is hired and trained by Jenny Craig.
Guidelines: A reduced calorie diet that focuses on balanced nutrition (60 percent carbs/20 percent fat/20 percent protein) is the basic strategy of Jenny Craig. The diet consists of 1,200 calories a day, give or take a few hundred calories based on weight and age. Exercise is not a primary focus, but is encouraged.
History: In 1983, Jenny Craig started her first commercial weight loss program in Australia. Her personal success with weight loss inspired Jenny and her husband to establish the Jenny Craig Weight Management Program in Australia, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and New Zealand.
Expert Opinion: Jenny Craig is a good diet plan for those looking to lose 10 percent of their body weight. It is good in that it promotes a balanced diet, is easy to follow and has a good variety of menu options. In opposition, the cost of the program and the food can add up and be quite expensive. The transition period from pre-packaged meals to home cooked meals may also be a challenge for some. This is where the counselor is critical. Just a thing to remember, most of these counselors are not registered dietitians and are trained by Jenny Craig, but can offer good support. In any weight loss program, exercise should also be emphasized. Without regular exercise, sticking to a diet plan will only take you so far before reaching a plateau. It is recommended to do a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.
The diet experts at Queen’s suggest that when evaluating the latest diet plan, ask yourself: Does the plan promise a quick fix? Does it require that you stop eating certain foods, food groups or products? Does it identify “good” and “bad” foods? Does it rely on a single study as the basis of its recommendations? Does it contradict recommendations of reputable health organizations? Or does it just sound too good to be true?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, then the diet may not be backed by solid scientific evidence and in turn may be more of a fad diet than a weight-loss solution.
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