I just discovered the "Ask the Dietician" forum. Is this a Jenny Craig staff member or what?

I am so anxious to get my hands on that "Half Way Manual" they are talking about. Do you have to wait until you reach your half way goal? I need to know now how to subtitute J.C. meals. I volunteer at the hospital on Friday nights and we are given a free meal card for the cafeteria. Being the frugal gourmet that I am, I can't pass that up. Tonight I just guessed and had something called the Well-Being Salad. It was just a plain leafy salad with grilled chicken breast and vinegar-based salad dressing. I feel sure it was okay. But, some days it seems like they have an entree that is heavier in carbs than one would get in just a chicken breast.....

The dietician is a JC employee. Ask your consultant about the Halfway Manual and for her assistance with helping you take advantage of the free cafeteria meal. The back of your menu lists exchanges for Meals On My Own. Your choice from the cafeteria was "good" but it wasn't necessarily an appropriate exchange for your JC meal. Yes, the JC meals are higher in carbs... and you should be eating carbs.

Definitely utilize the dietician section... both to search old posts and to ask current questions. It's a great resource!

Thanks, LesterLou

I just can't get used to Carbs. I used to treat them as if they were "sweets" and try to avoid as much as possible. Obviously not a good solution. I will definitely talk to my Advisor next week about what would be the best choice at the cafeteria. I am disappointed that this particular hospital doesn't have more healthy entrees - they seem to have a lot of fried foods, but maybe that's what is most requested; you know, comfort food when you're sick or whatever.

I wish I had a cookbook with suggestions for healthy sauces, that is, those without so much fat. I make a mean gravy with lots of grease and flour but other than that don't know what to do. Will ask the Advisor about that too.

What a journey. How different we are as we age.