6 replies to this topic

[JolieB]

I know several of you have been through this problem before where you are getting bored with the food and are running on limited options. The real reason I am on Jenny is because I love going to my weekly meetings, and being held accountable. I just really don't want to eat the food any more. I have reached my half way point and have actually been doing lunches on my own for the past 3 weeks in order to get a break from those meals. Part of my problem with the food is I don't care for a lot of the soy protein or onions (actually i hate onions with a passion ). So I am really only eating Jenny meals for like 3-4 dinners a week and every breakfast. I am still losing consistently every week and am now down 17 pounds in 10 weeks. I just have a really hard time justifying things like $7 pizza when i scrape off all the toppings and add my own turkey pepperoni and fat free mozzarella.

So how do you get through this slump of not wanting to eat the food? There are nights where I would rather not eat then heat up one of the same 4 options in my freezer. Its really hard for me when I know i can just got to grocery store and buy smart ones in amazing pepperoni pizza bites for the same calories as the pizza and only costing my $2 and I don't need to change it.

I guess I don't really know what I am asking for from you guys, I am just stressed because I can't go on a monthly maintenance schedule, its not enough for me. And I fear that without that counselling I will gain all the weight back, but I am just so over paying so much for food I don't even enjoy.

[qtshanon]

Hi JolieB,

I am also nearing the phase you're in, and wanted to say that you're not alone. My counselor hasn't even spoken to me about meals on my own, or substituting. I've been sticking with the weekly menus (for the most part). My exception was this past SuperBowl Sunday. My family wanted Philly Steak and Cheese dip. I knew this would be a problem for me, but I didn't want to be selfish and disappoint them. So I cooked it. Then I ate it. Later, I had a second sandwich. It was great and terrible at the same time. I actually got pretty full. So I didn't even look at my Jenny lunch or dinner entree. I think I needed that little break because the next day I didn't roll my eyes at the Cashew Chicken dinner, but I'm afraid to do it again. I have my weigh in on tomorrow and I don't know what to expect. Anyway, I'm curious to see if anyone else can offer some advice.

[LeslieMD]

JolieB - I hit there as well, and for me I've found that spending a bunch of time on the message boards looking for recipes has helped spice things up so that I don't mind. for example, seeing that folks are taking the turkey burger and making garlic toast from the buns and mixing the burger into tomato sauce gave me a new way to eat it. The message boards have reallly helped. You'll see a lot of folks saying that they are replacing Jenny food with other things.

The other thing I've done was join MyFitnessPal.com and tracked my calories there, by watching my calories on there I'm staying within the calorie limit even when not eating Jenny meals.

Ultimately, keep in mind - this is changing your way of life - you won't be on Jenny food forever - but from searching around these boards you'll find many of ideas to last you a lifetime!

[MeliWillis]

JolieB, have you talked to your JCC about buying less JC food? Does your center have a minimum dollar amount you must spend each week in order to keep your weekly visits? I totally understand what you're saying. After more than a year of eating JC food, I was quite tired of it. Fortunately, I have a very supportive JCC that not only encouraged me to start making my own meals, but provided some recipes as well. I wanted to make sure that I could fix my own meals and still loose weight before reaching maintenance. I needed to know I was able to cook healthy before being put in a situation of needing to cook healthy and the food would be satisfying enough for me to stick with it.

Here are the resources I used for starting to do my own meals:

American Heart Association Cook Books--My hubby has high cholesterol and had 4 of their cookbooks for several years.
Easy Diabetic Recipes
Spark Recipes
No Thanks to Cake Blog
Recipes from this forum as well.

In my opinion, the most important thing is to plan in advance what you want to eat and make sure it fits within the JC program for exchanges, calories, etc. I have the armband and use the activity manager to plan out my meals a week in advance. It keeps me on track. Anyway, unless you're required to buy JC food, it might be time for you to have the discussion with your JCC about making more of your own meals.

[I Called Jenny]

First, congrats on your weight loss so far and for hitting your halfway point!

As for the food, there are ways to change things up so that they're more enjoyable for you for the JC foods you do eat.

Look, JC is a food-based program and, yes, when you hit halfway you can do MOMOs as you've been doing but you're "supposed" to continue with the JC food for the most part, so you have a couple of choices.

You can continue in manner you're doing so far and keep seeing your JCC on a weekly basis and buying at least some JC food so you can continue the consultations (assuming they don't require a minimum of food for you to buy). You said you're losing so, that's great.

However, if you want to "change things up" with the JC food to help with the boredom factor, here are some links of clever recipes that two of our most successful JCers put together. The ideas are great, they're for volumizing and/or restructuring the meal into something. It just takes a little more effort on your part but if you're going to start doing MOMOs, you're going to likely have to cook some things anyway, so it's worth checking them out - IMHO.

http://nothankstocak...like-crazy.html

http://community.jen...1377#entry31377

And if you choose to "do it on your own" with only supermarket foods and your JCC puts you on a monthly schedule instead of a weekly one because you're not doing the JCC meals, well, you can always come here for support. (Of course you can do that even if you're seeing your JCC weekly.)

[ocmimi]

LeslieMD, on 08 February 2012 - 09:56 AM, said:

JolieB - I hit there as well, and for me I've found that spending a bunch of time on the message boards looking for recipes has helped spice things up so that I don't mind. for example, seeing that folks are taking the turkey burger and making garlic toast from the buns and mixing the burger into tomato sauce gave me a new way to eat it. The message boards have reallly helped. You'll see a lot of folks saying that they are replacing Jenny food with other things.

The other thing I've done was join MyFitnessPal.com and tracked my calories there, by watching my calories on there I'm staying within the calorie limit even when not eating Jenny meals.

Ultimately, keep in mind - this is changing your way of life - you won't be on Jenny food forever - but from searching around these boards you'll find many of ideas to last you a lifetime!

Leslie, great advise. Thanks for sharing the message.

[JolieB]

Thanks everyone. I talked to my JCC today and worked it all out with her. She is a great support and has been on the program for 3 years losing 90 pounds so she totally understood what I am working with. We talked more about the MOMO and ways to change out my diners which are the hardest for me.