Most people that have tried to lose weight have heard of both the Jenny Craig diet as well as Weight Watchers. Studies have shown pretty conclusively, I believe, that these diets seem to help people lose over the long term although the weight loss never seems to be very substantial according to the studies. And of course every day this time of year we are seeing Oprah talk up her Weight Watchers.
So why do these diets seem to work pretty well?
I have thought about this and as usual I have a list of things that I think make Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig work where most fad diets just don’t seem to.
Why Do Paid Diet Plans Work?
1. Commitment by spending money – It is hard to give up on a diet that you have to pay money to every week.
When you know that on Tuesday they are going to charge your credit card or some other form of payment you are going to think twice before eating that piece of chocolate cake. There is always a help when you are doing anything where you feel more committed because you are paying.
2. Success all around – In a Weight Watchers meeting or at a Jenny Craig office you get to see people like you and people that used to be like you that have lost weight.
It does not seem like so much of a fantasy when you see a few people that you can actually see and talk to that have lost 50 pounds and feel great about it. I know that Weight Watchers in particular are very good at celevrating success within the group and if you get to a certain level you get a lifetime membership for your effort.
3. Something to believe in – There is a long track record in both Watchers as well as at Jenny Craig.
Both of these diets have seen a lot of other diets come and go so most people look at them both as pillars in the weight loss community. I know that over the last 30 years everyone has become confused at some point with so many different diets that seem to contradict each other and both will show promise as a great way to eat. Vegetarian, Paleo, Atkins, Vegan, intermittent fasting all work but sometimes it is hard to trust somethi8ng that you know nothing about
4. Writing things down makes you accountable – This is the big one to me. Both Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig both make you right down in some form what you have eaten today and what kind of exercise or other activity that you participated in.
I love the idea of personal reflection as well as personal commitment through the written word. When you are writing down exactly what you ate and what exercise you did it holds you accountable to yourself tomorrow to follow through and do the same thing again.
I don’t think for a moment that either Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers are the best thing out there for everyone but they do seem to work for most people. The real diet that will work for you is a process that you believe in without a doubt so that you will not question it and a way to hold yourself accountable.
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