Some background

In July 2008, after working out with a personal trainer for 9 months I was in the best shape of my life. At 46 years old, 5’8” and 168 pounds I walked into Kohl’s and bought Levi’s with a 30” waist! It was the first time I could ever remember the waist size on a pair of my pants being smaller than the length (31”).  

On September 14, 2009 I stepped on the scale at Jenny Craig and saw the number 203! It was unbelievable to me. How could I have gained 35 pounds in 14 months, and probably 20 pounds of it in the last 2 ½ months? Starting a new job, relocating back to my home town away from my trainer, moving into a new house, 2 months of stress and hospitals following my mother’s liver transplant and eating non-stop for 2 weeks straight after my mother’s death had all taken their toll.

I decided to join Jenny Craig because I needed some structure to lose the weight and because my brother lost 32 pounds 3 years ago ‘with Jenny’ and has kept it off.

After 7 days on Jenny I’ve lost 7 pounds! The food tastes good and I have not been hungry. The urge to snack at night has been the hardest thing to resist, but I did it. I keep telling myself, “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels”. I can’t remember where that’s from but it is so true.

 While sticking to the plan, I also went to the gym 4 of those days and walked (with a little bit of running) for 40 minutes at lunch time.   

Jenny Day 8 

I packed my food for the day based on the pre-planned menu from Jenny. Made a quick salad using salad greens from a bag and grape tomatoes, and drank my cup of skim milk before leaving for work.  

Breakfast was a frozen blueberry muffin that I defrosted in the microwave. It was great! I ate an individual package of low-fat cottage cheese and ate some strawberries. It was a filling and tasty breakfast.  

Mid-morning snack was a nectarine.  

I hit the YMCA at lunch today and did my cardio workout. I basically walk briskly on the treadmill then at every 10 minute interval I run for 2 minutes. In July 2008 I was walking for 5 minutes and running for 5 minutes. I need to work back up to that.  

Post-workout lunch consisted of a small frozen beef chow mien dish and the salad I made topped with Jenny balsamic dressing. The beef chow mien was good tasting, and although it looked small, after eating it with my salad I really was full.  

Mid-afternoon snack was a bag of Jenny cheese curls. They were good and crunchy and salty and cheesy. They were just what I had been missing from this diet.  

For dinner the menu called for frozen chicken fajitas plus vegetables. I sliced up an entire large green pepper and ½ an onion and sautéed them in a touch of olive oil (a little cheat). Once they were partially cooked I added the frozen fajita mix, dumped in the flavor powder and topped with 2 tortillas to heat them up. It was a great dinner! 

 Late night snack was pear and nonfat yogurt.  I’m going to bed full and satisfied!