PITTSBURGH,None — Target 11 consumer reporter Robin Taylor got the skinny on two popular weight loss programs, Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers.
Taylor found out how the programs work and which one might be best for you.
Grammy and Oscar award winner Jennifer Hudson said she lost 80 pounds on the Weight Watchers' new points plus program.
The program assigns point values to foods based on nutritional value. Fruits and vegetables are free, allowing users to eat unlimited amounts.
North Allegheny School District teacher Ellyn Snyder said she has lost 18 pounds on the plan since she started in October.
"It really makes me make good decisions on my eating and I'm eating so much healthier," Snyder said.
Members are assigned a daily amount of points based on their height, weight and target weight loss. While healthy foods are encouraged, no foods are off limits.
"It's about not feeling deprived because we know deprivation leads to bingeing," said Mary Soroko of Weight Watchers.
The cost is about $40 a month and includes support group meetings, but not food. Members do not have to eat special meals, although they do have to weigh in once a week.
Like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig is also advertising a new program called the Metabolic Max Program, which uses a device to measure how many calories you burn in a day.
Sharon Wiegand of Cranberry said the program is working for her.
"I started at 252 pounds," said Wiegand. "The food is very good. I am very busy so the convenience is wonderful."
Wiegand said she used wear a size 24 pants and is now a size 14.
Unlike Weight Watchers, there are no points to count. Jenny Craig members buy prepackaged food that takes the guess work out of portion sizes.
The Metabolic Max program is more expensive than Weight Watchers, said Taylor. It costs about $15 a day for food and $499 for the program.
"A lot of my clients have shared with me that they're actually saving money by doing our program, so it's kind of like transferring their food bill right here to Jenny Craig," said Jenny Craig representative Judy Koch.
Instead of group meetings, members meet individually with a counselor who helps them with food choices and keep them motivated.
Taylor said Jenny Craig does offer less expensive programs.
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