Lose Weight, Save Cash: Tip-of-the-Day #263

Somehow I made it through the summer without crash dieting but am now faced with the sudden realization that I must address the extra lbs before it gets out of control. That said, I have participated in the Jenny Craig program (with some success) in the past, but found it to be fairly expensive. I was spending @$200 a week on frozen foods for myself and still had to buy fresh fruits and veggies on top of that! I mentioned to a colleague that I was gravitating back in that direction and she suggested Weight Watchers. Beyond the glowing reviews about the program and the choices and the success rate, she also mentioned that the cost is much lower. Seems that unlike Jenny meals, which can only be purchased from Jenny Craig, Lean Cuisines, Smart Ones and Eating Right are all available for purchase at most supermarkets and sell for around $2 a piece (coupons, twofers and rewards memberships bring the cost down low). All of those lines subscribe to the WW program and feature points right on their box front.

So, I thought, why not? I signed up for a WW membership online. For $65 I have a 3-month membership that gives me access to their tools, tips and online community. And, I just bought a week's worth of food for myself and my bf, including fruits and veggies, all for $180. On Jenny I would have spent 2.5X that for both of us!

I'm excited to be on a program that makes me totally accountable for everything I put in my mouth. But I also love the flexibility - last night I made fresh tilapia, chard and brown rice. Cooked it all up with vegetable broth instead of butter or oil. So low cal and so good and had points left over at the end of the day!

Spend less money and try Weight Watchers if you're ready to jump on the weight loss train. It's a long term win given the program's structure. I'll keep you posted on my experience!