Are you investigating the different diet types so you can decide which approach is right for you? The Jenny Craig diet is a very popular choice. If you’re wondering how does the Jenny Craig diet work, there are some important factors to consider before jumping in.

How does the Jenny Craig diet work?

This is a low calorie approach that advocates eating a balance of lean protein, complex carbohydrates and fats. Unlike low-carb diets such as Atkins or South Beach diets, there is no restricting any one particular food group.

The Jenny Craig diet helps take the guess work out of what to eat by offering personalized eating plans as well as pre-packaged meals.

The emphasis is on eating several small, low-calorie meals in a strict pre-planned order each day in order to promote gradual, long-term weight loss.

Pros

- Well organized approach
- Doesn’t restrict any food groups
- Great support system
- A healthy way of eating
- Packaged meals are offered

Cons

- Requires a lot of self discipline
- Low calorie approach means you’re always hungry
- Difficult to eat out
- Can be a boring way to eat

A practical alternative

The low calorie approach is difficult because ultimately it takes a tremendous amount of willpower to stay the course. This means you’ll have to deal with strong cravings and the guilt you feel when you give in to them.

A practical alternative is something called calorie shifting. Calorie shifting allows you to eat a wide variety of foods, but the emphasis is on eating in certain patterns rather than being focused on low calories.

By changing up the types of calories you eat at different times during the day, your metabolism never has a chance to adjust and is always trying to “keep up” with the changes. The result is that your metabolism speeds up and burns all the calories you eat.

Conclusion

I hope you have a better idea of how does the Jenny Craig diet works. It’s a diet that has helped thousands of people, but it may be too restrictive for some. If you’re looking for an eating approach that is perhaps more enjoyable but still has all the weight loss benefits, consider calorie shifting as a practical alternative.