17 replies to this topic

[allie13]

I have been on JC for years!!!!! I’ve been 220 all the way to 116 and back up again. The problem I am experiencing with JC that is causing me to have such rapid and massive weight fluctuations is that my consultant(s) (I have tried many diff consultants form ones in DC to ones in NY) do not provide me, encourage me or educate me about the maintenance program. I understand they make their money from selling jc food. But no one can be on jc forever. It just isn’t healthy. Even the sight managers of different centers have very little training and info about the maintenance program. When I ask consultants about exchanges they have no idea what I am talking about or how to calculate them!

Does anyone else feel this way? How can I go about rectifying it?

Lastly, is there like an online calculator of some sort that could tell me the exchanges if I put in the carbs, protein and fat? I hate having to calculate it every second. Especially because I eat a lot of prepackaged frozen meals and such

anyone have any frozen packaged meals they can recommend with good exchanges?
I am desperate! If anyone has info/experience on the maintenance please friend me and send me a message!

Allie

[Madhouse]

Wow! This sounds crazy! Are there any other facilities in your area (or even outside your area) that you can call and get some help? Maintenance is hard even with the best of support. I'd call JC headquarters and complain about your center. Good luck!

[Take It Off]

What program are you on? If you've been doing trial programs all these years (20 for $20, 6 for $36, etc) there is no maintenance on those. They are meant to let you try the program out and see if it's right for you. Your JCC doesn't discuss maintenance to people on those programs because it is not part of their program.

If you have one of the other programs, like the old Platinum program, Premium Success or Rewards, you are absolutely entitled to learn about maintenance. Those programs are designed to teach you how to maintain your weight loss after you have reached your goal, and encourage you to come in once a month to check in with your JCC to make sure the weight doesn't start creeping back up.

If you have a premium program, let your JCC know that you want to learn about maintenance. It is harder to figure out exchanges on already prepared food. If you are cooking from scratch, keep it simple. Use the serving sizes in the success made simple guide and make meals out of that. There are also recipes up on this website that are helpful.

[Curiouserandcuriouser]

I'm taking a lot of maintanence information from Jillian Michaels. I hear her online community is nice, but you have to pay a monthly fee for it. I download the podcast and listen to that. I'm having trouble eating enough calories. Jillian says you have to eat a balance of cal in order to not loose muscle. I've switched to organic foods where I can and I constantly measure and weigh my food. Still eating Jenny for lunch though.

[I Called Jenny]

Didn't you do MOMO and DOMO once you hit the half-way part of your goal?

Maintenance is basically sticking to the JC plan but adding a little bit more protein and a little more carbs. For instance, if you can eat one meat exchange at a meal, you can have two on maintenance. Or, instead of a half cup of something, you can have three-quarters of a cup.

Basically what you learned doing MOMO and DOMO with a little bit of increases will allow you to maintain your weight and still keep you sticking with the lessons of the JC plan but using your own foods.

I know some people on maintenance will buy JC breakfasts and lunch and do a dinner on their own. Or they'll do JC during the week and "splurge" on the weekends.

I basically kept my weight off for three years just paying attention to what I ate. I pretty much ate whatever I wanted but in GREATLY reduced amounts.

If we went out to dinner, I'd get a "to-go" container immediately and put half to three-quarters of the meal away so that it wasn't on my plate to tempt me. That allowed me to eat virtually anything I wanted but just not at one sitting. Then my husband either got my leftovers or I spaced them out to enjoy during the week.

The other thing about "slipping" on maintenance is that the moment that you realize you have gained more than five pounds, head right back to JC.

The biggest mistake many returning JC people make is that they wait until they've gained A LOT of weight before returning (shame, embarrassment, disappointment, money, etc.) so they were constantly on a yo-yo diet which is never good.

I, myself, didn't take my own advice. When the scale started to creep up it didn't make sense to me and I didn't immediately go back and waited until I was about 10 lbs. over my goal. But I did go back and now almost all of it is off again. (I had gained because I started eating almonds to aid my digestions but I was eating WAAAAY too many almonds which was putting the weight back on.)

I did learn my lesson and once I'm back to goal, I'll keep an eye on the scale and if it tips more than five lbs, I'll be calling JC again.

Phyllis

[valerie0118]

Allie,
I haven't gotten that far on JC but I'm losing my rewards program and have been looking for another program to transition too. Exercise is the key. I have rejoined the Jillian Michael's website where she gives you an exercise program and also a planned menu for helping you to take off those last remaining pounds. She was a former trainer on "The Biggest Loser". I'm incorporating my Jenny Craig food into their website (as my favorite foods) and then using some of her recipes to learn how to cook for my MOMO and DOMO plans. I haven't found a great deal of support with my center to learn how to do this since I reached my halfway point so I have gone out on my own now that our Rewards program is ending. My handle there is Valerie0118 if you come over. It is relatively inexpensive ($3 per week) and the exercise plan is very demanding. I have done this for a week and already lost 3 pounds. I haven't had major weight loss on JC for over a year so I'm pretty excited. I'm not saying to quit JC but they are encouraging us to learn how to live on our own now and this looks like my way to do it. I love the JC food but know that I won't be able to afford staying on it when I lose my 30% discount. I thought I would share how I'm going to transition out. It is a good complement to what we have here and the boards are full of the same type of caring people that I have found here.

[Nova Karen]

Unless you purchase a premium program, you do not get any instruction on MOMO, DOMO or maintenance.

[valerie0118]

Nova Karen, on 19 November 2011 - 07:16 AM, said:

Unless you purchase a premium program, you do not get any instruction on MOMO, DOMO or maintenance.

Sometimes even if you purchase a premium program you don't get instruction on MOMO, DOMO, or maintenance. This isn't consistent from center to center. I'm doing mine on my own because nobody at my center seems to be very informative.

[Curiouserandcuriouser]

I had a premium plan. But no matter, I seem to be doing good on my own. Stable at 120 pounds and 5'4". Reached goal around July, so good so far. Keeping my fingers crossed that I make it through the holidays, in the meantime training for my first 5K. Ran a 15 minutes mile today:)

[I Called Jenny]

Curiouserandcuriouser, on 19 November 2011 - 06:40 PM, said:

I had a premium plan. But no matter, I seem to be doing good on my own. Stable at 120 pounds and 5'4". Reached goal around July, so good so far. Keeping my fingers crossed that I make it through the holidays, in the meantime training for my first 5K. Ran a 15 minutes mile today:)

Congrats on both the maintenance and your plans to race! Whooo-hooo! Let us know how you're going.

Let us know if there's anything we can do to help you get through the holidays!

Phyllis

[Curiouserandcuriouser]

Last night was not a good eating night. Had a birthday celebration (mine) and there was an apple cheesecake. Had two slices. Feeling guilty today.

[I Called Jenny]

Curiouserandcuriouser, on 20 November 2011 - 07:26 AM, said:

Last night was not a good eating night. Had a birthday celebration (mine) and there was an apple cheesecake. Had two slices. Feeling guilty today.

Well, belated Happy Birthday!!!!

As for the cheesecake - bad, bad, naughty, naughty!!!! You've been "officially" admonished.

Now, forget about it and get back on plan. Progress, not perfection!

Phyllis

[CMECRZN]

Apple cheesecake sounds yummy!!! You only have one birthday each year right??? Now forget about it and get back on the train. You are fine!!!!

[claudia12]

Wow! Worried about maintenance. My husband is at goal and has mo idea what to eat! How many proteins, etc for a tall guy who weighs 185 and who now looks thin? Could use the info.

[sooner2532]

Claudia - you can probably use the plan your husband was on and ask the JCC how many calories to add and most of those should be from protein. You could also try the "Ask the Dietician" form on this website.

[RamonaH]

My daughter is on maintenance, goes in once a month for weigh in and when she asks the JCC about exchanges etc, she doesn't have a clue, so your not the only one who is experiencing this, good luck and I hope you find a JCC who can explain all this to you.

[nancy5012]

The MOMO guide I believe has the # of starch, protien, etc, and has a small list to tell you what popular foods and their exchanges.

I think you can pose a question to the "Ask the Dietician" here as to what constitues an exchange. For example, how many grams or ounces is one starch, protien, fat ,etc.

[inslady]

I am almost there and getting a little scared about it too. Trying to find my go to foods that were like Jenny Craig foods that I can get myself. It' s goiing to be a little difficult.