Valerie,
I signed up back in April and am just now going on the website hoping for some support. I've only lost about 10lbs - the first week when everyone usually loses 5-6 lbs I lost 1.4 or something ridiculous. Mainly because I don't think I was as serious as I hoped. Weekends are so hard when I'm with the family and home all day. I stay more focused at work because I have specific items I have packed and think of nothing else. But within the past 2 weeks it's really taking a toll financially. I thought I could handle the cost and figured what's the difference if I buy from the grocery store or Jenny Craig. Unfortunately my grocery list is now bigger. On top of the Jenny food I have to buy more veggies, fruits, snacks and dinners for my kids. Having 2 kids is hard because I can't make them eat all healthy stuff and no cookies. They love the fruit so I have to buy extra just so there's enough for me, but they still love their cookies. I have to keep myself from nibbling on one when giving them some or packing their lunches. I thought I would have to quit Jenny because of the money, but that just made me want to eat everything I haven't had in weeks. I just increased my credit card limit so I can continue which really doesn't make a whole lot of sense since I will be paying interest on top of that but I don't know what else to do. I am happy to be losing weight and don't want to be at 173 for the rest of my life. I had a baby in 2007 and am having a hard time losing all the pregnancy weight. Exercise was impossible as well seeing how I had a reflux baby that would never sleep or give me time to myself. I now have started pushing myself to exercise at night and feeling pretty good about it but the thought of all the money it's costing me is making my stomach turn. Why does it have to be so expensive? I know the incentive is what I will look like in the end, but is it really worth it?

Charlene

How do I keep motivated...

I am doing this first and foremost for me... I want to be healthy and happy with myself. By doing this, I hope that my self-confidence is heightened and I feel more confident.

Secondly, I am doing this for my son... he is going to be 2 soon and I want to be able to be a GOOD role model for him. I envision being able to run around with him and play sports and NOT having to take breathers because I am too overweight to keep up.

I find that each week I step on that scale and see a loss... if the loss wasn't there, I know that it will be the next week. It is worth it for ME because I am doing this for ME.

I wish you good luck on your journey and hope that you are able to continue.

Lindsay

If you have credit card debt, and on top of that have increased your credit line, to pay for JC food (which means you're not paying enough on your card monthly to lessen your balance by even a little), then honestly? No.... you can't afford JC. Hopefully, in the month or two since you started, you've learned a little bit about portion control, what a healthy serving looks like, how to incorporate fresh fruits and veggies into your day, etc.

Sorry for the reality check. But, your kind of post gets under my skin (and I'm sure others as well..... even if they don't open their big mouths like I do). As a person who has credit cards and pays off the balance each and every month, and is really tired of watching my 401k and profit sharing accounts shrink to 50% of their previous worth because banks make loans to people that can't pay them back, and people default on credit cards and other loan products, with ME and other responsible spenders having to pay the price - well..... pisses me off.

I have a hard time affording JC too, but I cut elsewhere to afford it, and I don't buy anything that I can't pay for, when that monthly statement comes around.

Think about this.... please. I care about you and your health, and I want you to get to a healthy weight. But, going into deeper and deeper debt to do it, is not the right answer.

How can you NOT stay motivated with how expensive it is? If you've made the commitment and paid the money, you'd darn well better see it through! Otherwise, you're flushing the money down the toilet.

I agree with Poozieny that if you're going deeper into debt, you shouldn't. But I'd challenge you to really look at ALL of your expenses and take some hard cuts. Your children really CAN live without junk food! They can also live on rice and beans if that's what you can afford. And if you have credit card debt, you can NOT afford ANYTHING. It's time to get drastic with your expenses, JC or not.

I realize that you posted this to Valerie and may not have wanted all of our input, so sorry if you're put off by any of the responses, but that's sort of what an open forum is all about.

Best of everything to you in your journey toward continued health and wellbeing.

I understand the excuses of not having time to workout, but with two kids you can still exercise. I had three kids under three! The first two kids were put in a double jogger and I walked and jogged. Take the money for one week of JC and buy a jogger! Get out and walk. Your kids should not be eating junk no matter what. My problem is that after the third kid, I could not find a triplet jogger and I would feed them well and eat junk myself.

Second point: Reality check on your finances! I am with the above posting. It kills me when people over spend. Do you have cable? Get rid of it. Do you have a cell phone? Get a minute phone for emergencies. Get that under control before you take on something like a Jenny Craig cost.

Good luck, but you need to get emotionally healthy before you are ready to really committ to JC and part of that is getting your bills under control and not feeling that stress.

I do appreciate your response, but honestly I'm not like those people that take out loans and can't pay them back. I am paying ALL my bills which is my own problem. I ran into some problems the past couple weeks which for me is quite difficult considering how we have 2 rents to pay and all the bills that go along with that. My husband works in Berlin NH which is 3.5 hours away from home so he rents an apartment and stays there during the week. So don't judge me simply because I am saying I am having a hard time doing this because of the cost. I pay well above the minimum payment on any credit cards I have I just don't pay the balance off every month. I really thought my grocery list would be cut simply because of having JC food but unfortunately I need to buy a lot more fruit and veggies. There are weeks where it is cheaper. But I will try to find more places to cut down elsewhere - I will definitely cut back on my regular grocery list because my kids really don't need all kinds of extra snacks - and I've learned that in the past week or so. I just don't want people to judge me just because I am saying I am having a hard time financially.

Please don't get sidetracked with your goal of better health. And anyone who doesn't have debt right now....well, they must be very lucky and fortunate to be one of the few. We all have had special circumstances and honestly, I couldn't afford this program either if it wasn't for the fact I have overtime at work. I've discussed the probability of it being cut with my consultant and we have a plan in place if that were to occur. Try talking to your consultant. There are ways to pair down your JC bill....you can substitute yougurt and a multi vitamin for the anytime bar. You can also buy a bottle of fat free salad dressing and use that instead of the JC dressings...just remember to only use two teaspoons of it. Talk with your consultant though, they are there to help you. Maybe they could walk you through preparing your own meals and then you could do that a couple of days and JC the others?
You know your finances and your responsibilities better then anyone else. Figure out what's best for you and your family and go for it. Just don't lose sight of the accomplishment you've made so far and how much you have to gain from this program and the community here.
No one is here to judge you or your situation.
Good luck and continued success in all you do!
Beth

Thank you Beth!!!! That is what I wanted to hear instead of anyone getting on me about my finances. My health and the fact that I WANT to lose the weight is more important to me than anything. I have talked to my consultant because I don't like everything on the menu, I asked if I could make my own meal in place of that, however, I was told that it would slow down my weight loss, so I didn't question it anymore. But I will ask again. I didn't know I could subsitute the bar. Although I already have a yogurt in place of my milk because I'm not a milk drinker. I already don't use the dressing I haven't bought those since the first week. I am meeting again with my consultant tomorrow so I will talk more in depth with her. I'm glad someone understands where I'm coming from. Even though I know it really is stupid to use a credit card, but for me I do have the thought that I will pay it off eventually maybe not until the next tax season, but losing the weight and feeling great for me and my children as well as my husband is worth it.

No problem. I know what it's like to have to watch your finances. My bills are paid, but there isn't usually a lot leftover for those extras. I decided that since I'm putting in so much time at work, that I would do something healthy for myself. I know the consultants probably make some money off of their orders, so that may have been why she was a little shy of letting you switch up, but honestly, they are supposed to be there to support you. And if your financial situation could stop you from the program, then they should work with you to try and keep you on track, even if that means getting a tad creative with the program. If you don't feel your consultant is supporting you in your efforts, you can always request a change in consultant.
Keep an open mind about your veggies and things too. You can get sugar free applesauce and fruit singles, and there are even a bunch of frozen veggies that are made in singles. You can almost always find coupons for those items and they tend to be a bit cheaper then fresh, plus you can see the calories on those things. Don't forget canned veggies too....those can be fairly inexpensive. (Maybe not as good as fresh, but we do what we can) There are also web sites out there you can sign up for free coupons on products....
I've started cutting the nutrition information off the back of some of my meals so when I need to start cutting back, I can compare them to some other frozen meals out there that are a bit cheaper. Use the ideas they have, because they are good ones, but you can tailor them to fit your own needs. Trust me...I've been on this weight roller coaster my entire life and I've tried it all. I know what I have to do to lose the weight, but it hasn't really stuck and made sense until this time around. Val's video blogs help me to move past any negative thoughts, and as long as the scale is moving down, even if just a little, that's a huge accomplishment...because it means that the lifestyle changes I'm making...are working and are going to stick.
Congrats on you new motivation!!!!
Beth

I also want to encourage you to talk to your consultant. I never liked the anytime bars or soupertizers so I don't buy them. I eat cooked veggies rather than salads half the time so I only buy salad dressing every other week. Fortunately, I do not have to watch my finances that closely, but I don't want to spend money on things I will not eat.

My JCC has been very understanding and supportive. She said if I wanted to replace the soupertizers with a broth or low sodium soup, I could do that as well.

As for veggies, I buy the largest frozen packages I can find than heat up whatever I need for the day. I find it usually cheaper than raw veggies as well.

Good luck!

Anne Marie

There are definitely ways that you can cut down your JC food bill. I would ask your consultant to see the list with all the food prices. Some are definitely cheaper than others. I also find that I don't use the soupitizers because it's just extra money and extra calories that I don't need to consume. I have found that another way to cut down on the cost of the fruits and vegetables is to substitute with fruit juices. My new favorite is V8 Hot and Spicy, and I can easily get my vegetables in that way without actually "buying" vegetables which can be expensive - same with fruit juices.

Since I've started Jenny, my company has instituted a two-day furlough program per month off without pay. It's definitely put a crunch on my money that's for sure, and I've often questioned if I can still afford it, but I've seen it work, and now I'm not eating out to lunch at work and we rarely are going out to dinner now, so it's my justification.

Another tip, might be to see if you can substitute one meal a day on your own - say for instance, breakfast. You can buy a box of Special K or another lower calorie cereal and have 1 cup a day with milk and fruit for your breakfast. That is definitely much cheaper than $4 - $5 a day for breakfast alone.

Good luck, and I am sure if you want to stay on the program and continue losing weight, you'll figure out how to do what you need to do.

I would like to say congrats on you hanging in there. I will be perfectly honest that my JCC has really been supportive because I am also on a budget, I have not used my credit card but I know what you mean when it comes to the cost. I really want you to hang in there, cause I am a new member as well and understand everything you are think cost wise and all. However, I was so happy when I weighted in this first week cause I lost 5.8 pounds and thats a really big deal to me. I have over 100 pounds to loose and that gave me a lot of motivation. I promise you it will be worth all of it when you begin to feel the difference and realizing it was worth it all, this will only make you that much stronger when you finish. Let me know if you need anything or even to talk, cause I am right there as well.

Hilary

Snacks and desserts are another area where you can save. If you can stand to have them in the house, buy the portion controlled 100 calorie packages of cookies, teddy grahams, fun size M&Ms or baked potato chips--whatever appeals to you. You can have one package a day as a substitute for a Jenny dessert or snack and save lots of money over the week. The kids will benefit from learning to eat snacks in snack-size portions, too.

As for the Soupitizers, they are a fairly new part of the program and not essential for weight loss. I skip them and it hasn't hurt me--I've lost weight every week since I started the program in April.

Good luck. Remember, the Jenny "magic" isn't in the food itself. It's in retraining ourselves to be satisfied with smaller portions of healthy foods.

Cyndy

I agree with Cyndy. I have been laid off for over 1 year and cant find work. I need to make more than I collect on unemployment to be able to afford monthly expenses like the mortgage, insurance, car payments, utilities, not counting food, gas, credit card bill...etc. I joined Jenny because I decided I needed to feel better, look better and be healthy. I also have a 20 yr old in college and wanted to be around to see my grandchildren...if any! I am also a single mom. I have been on JC since May 5, 2009. I've lost 20lbs. I finally got under the 300 lb mark. I cant afford to buy all the food but by talking to my consultant, I made some changes. I have Multigrain cheerios for breakfast usually with a banana. Once in a while I will make a scrambled egg with a 90 cal. english muffin. Or I will buy the Banana nut muffin from JC. For lunch, I only have maybe 2 JC lunches a week. I have a large salad and sometimes add turkey breast to it or I found Jennie-0 makes turkey burgers that are low in calories, or I have a grilled chicken sandwich or my own tuna...just 1/2 can either on the salad or on low fat/cal bread for a sandwich. For dinner...again maybe 2 JC dinners a week and portion control. 1/2 plate of veggies with 1/4 protein 1/4 starch. Thats it. 90 cal snack packs but sometimes I get the JC cheesecake or lemon cake as a treat! I even carry the JC dressing in my purse just incase I am out and p/u a salad. As far as exercising...just go for a walk....Take your kids. Get fresh air. Stick them in a carriage and gradually build up some speed and distance. If you want to see your kids grow and you want to be around for them....you WILL do it! good luck!
OH..P.S. as far as goals....I set small ones. like my ticker...68lbs I want to lose that by the end of the year! 25 lbs by september....I'm getting there!

Charlene,

Making a long story short, I know where you're coming from. With my DH working only part-time, I am in the same boat with you. And though I pay my credit cards off each month, this is a commitment I think long and hard about each time I order.

Four months ago I purchased my first full month, plus the 1 year premium membership and shipping for JC Direct. A whopping $753 which was by no means easy to swallow. But, I knew I needed this jump start to get me on track and that's just what it did. Month two I told my JCC about our dire financial position and we cut out all breakfasts and snacks. Back down to $553. Month three we cut out two full days each week; dropped to $356. Last week (month #4) I am down to only 15 lunches and 15 dinners for the whole month and my bill was $226 (including the $60 shipping fee).

I did it this way for several reasons, many of which some folks on the boards find hard to understand. Now this is NOT the way most people would prefer to do the program and for many they would not be successful. But for me, it works! The financial cost is what has made me focus on doing things well, and that includes having several complete days on my own each week so early in the program. I've kicked up my exercise and have learned to not only enjoy it again, but to actually look forward to it! With my busy schedule, I often have to break my exercise into several shorter periods throughout a day, but that works just fine, too. My ticker will verify that.

You must decide what is best for you. You don't have to go full program if you can discipline yourself to work it partially on your own. But only YOU can do that, no one else. Going full program (especially when it is a financial drain) and not giving it your all, will do more harm than good because you will continue to put your family into further financial jeopardy. If you can use it like I did as a kick in the butt for a short time, then you MUST learn to work it well so you can begin the withdrawal early and successfully. I wish you all the best. Let us know what you decide.

P.S. my meals on my own are healthy and as flavorful as any JC meal that is mailed to me. I now look forward more to my DOMO days than my JC days.

To add to all the advice: JC is aware of the economic landscape. All service industries have been affected. So while the advice is freeflowing on the forum, your consultant is the one that you can be completely honest with. He or she can work with you without judging you. It comes down to trust. Trust in your consultant. And you are in the driver's seat. Get the price list and keep your budget in mind.

I know I am doing this not just for me, but to be around to experience all that the rest of my life can be. I could not go on being so heavy.
I weighed the cost for the plan vs. WW meetings, and I spend the same amount or more there when you add in the cost of eating.
Do what you can to be thrifty, but you are totally worth this effort!

I too pay my credit cards off every month. As far as I'm concerned, if I don't have the cash to cover it, I can't afford it. Anyway, I think the JC food is VERY expensive, so I find ways to cut back without jeopardizing my efforts. On weekends, I eat fruit & cereal for breakfast that I buy from the store. I just make sure that I measure it & hold myself accountable for my portions. Also, on weekends, I have a turkey sandwhich on light bread for lunch. I make sure my sandwich is under 250 cal. I buy my own sugar free syrup & my own vitamins. The rest of the time I eat Jenny food.

And Charlene... you are right. Your kids don't need junk food. Now is the time to teach them healthy eating habits. Instead of high fat foods, put a little whipped cream on cut up strawberries for dessert. Cut up apples, cook them in the microwave & sprinkle with cinnamon - things like that.

Best of luck to you,
Debbie