Valerie Bertinelli: Jenny Craig Endorsement

Is she at least being weighed in in public, instead of just inventing a starting and finishing weight, like Kirstie Alley did?

I usually don't rip on celebrities clothing choices, but I can't help but think she wore that huge, baggy potato-sack like blouse on the cover of People to make her look bigger. Now if she just puts on a close-fitting top it will look like she lost 10 pounds.

Celebrity endorsed weight loss products are no more or less credible than "regular" people endorsing products with their testimonies. You raise an interesting point about the prepackaged foods. I don't know anything about Jenny Craig but does the program teach members about smart food choices and preparation? Does it prepare members for life after prepackaged foods? I believe more credibility would be given to the program if Valerie continued her blog long after reaching her weight loss goal.

I agree with PastaQueen...I thought the same thing!

I admit that I know next to nothing about Jenny Craig or Nutri-Systems, or any other operation that sells prepackaged food. But I found my weight loss success avoiding processed food that comes in bag, wrapper or box as much as possible. I have to wonder about the HFCS, etc, content.

Brian

My sister lost 27 pounds on this diet, but alas, as soon as she went back to her regular eating habits she gained back her 27 plus five more for a total of 32 pounds, in seven months. Unless you change your eating habits these diets are worthless, and a big money maker for the diet companys.

I don't personally put much stock in celebrity endorsements of diets. I seem to recall Whoopi Goldberg doing ads for Slim Fast at one point and now she's doing LA Weight Loss! (I might have the exact names mixed up, forgive me!) The point is, how well did the first one work if she is now endorsing a different one? I guess it goes along with my general cynicism about celebrities-they are just regular people, why should their opinions on weight loss count more than anyone else's?

With any diet you have to learn to eat differently and you have to address the problems that got you that way. Eating pre packaged food may take the weight off, tho why anyone would want to eat it is beyond me, but keeping it off will require learning how to eat to keep it off.

After looking at all manners of weight loss programs is that there is no substitute for diet and exercise.

I don't like Jenny Craig, but I love seeing Kristie Alley lose the weight!

I was on Jenny Craig and lost about 60 pounds - it was easy, convenient and EXPENSIVE. And as soon as I hit my goal weight and was ready to learn how to maintain... my coach left the center and I was neglected when I needed the MOST support from the company I had hired to help me. At $85 per week PLUS my trips to the grocery to buy veggies, milk etc., I had spent close to four thousand dollars. They don't make as much money off of success... it might get you in the door. But failures will keep you coming back.

I read the article, and in the photos inside she looks totally normal (a size 14). She doesn't tell her weight -- says even her fiance doesn't know -- and it doing Jenny Craig because they called her and asked if she wanted to be a spokesperson. She said she needs the public pressure, which makes me wonder how much hope she has of keeping the weight off.

I just don't think Kirstie looks that good right now. And I also think her start weight was completely fabricated.
We're near the same height and I'd guess around the same bone structure, so I have my reasons.

Could be why celeb endorsements, for anything, sway me little, if at all.

They usually lie, is some form or fashion.
No pun intended.

I am about 5'9" and I think Kirstie is probably in the 180-ish range now...I hope I don't get flamed for that, since I'm in that range myself. Just based on the photos I've seen of her recently. What has she been saying her weight is? Both she and Valerie B were at The Nick at Nite (or something? TvLand?) Awards recently and VB looked really cute.

I tried Jenny Craig years ago and hated it. I don't think I lost anything. I really disliked the food and just couldn't stay with it. The one thing that helped me take off 25 pounds was running and then cutting out dairy!

DWF, Kirstie said her starting weight was 205lb, then when pressed by Rosie O'Donnell etc. said her top weight was 210lb, and says she now weighs 145lb. I'd be more inclined to believe the current 145lb (although in her skinny Cheers days, her publicized stats were 130lb - so no way she weighs just 15lb more than back then) than I am to believe the 210lb figure. She says the tabloids doctored her photos to make her appear fatter, but she was in an episode of "Without a Trace" about 1 year before "Fat Actress" and she was much fatter than in FA, which was already much fatter than when she started JC. I don't believe her and in turn don't believe in JC.

I'm trying to loose 30 lbs within 6 months before i decide to get pregnant. I strongly feel for me to meet this goal is to diet and excersize the healthy way. I gained weight by over eating and eating past 7:00 and not excersizing. I'm 5'0 and looke like a big ball and very upset and i'm finally gonna do something about it b/c it looks like i'm just keep going up....... I wanted to use Jenny Craig, but it is too expensive, and i lost weight at one time by just eating smart ones frozen dinners for lunch of course i ate a healthy breakfast and dinner and with 30 minutes of walking at least 5 days a week, inches melted off within two weeks.
I'm going to start again and this time try hard to keep off the over pounds!!!!!!!!!!!

The lesson we can learn from Jenny Craig is to prepare our foods in advance and plan in advance for what they should be. This is key to success in almost any diet.

I have been on the JC plan for 3 months and have lost 30 lbs. I have worn every size from a 4 to a 22 in my adult life,and have dieted on grapefruit, Scarsdale, Atkins, Weight Watchers, and prescription drugs. I'm now a size 10 and halfway to my goal. For me, this plan works. I love my counselor, who motivates and inspires me and offers useful, sensible advice in thinking about the relationship between food, body, and mind. I don't have to go it alone, nor am I required to stand up in front of a group effusing over a new low-fat microwave popcorn. JC is somewhat expensive, but I'm using the money that might otherwise be required to treat diabetes or another obesity-related illness. And, as I progress, I buy considerably less JC food, supplementing it with "normal" food, and am still steadily losing.

I joined the Jenny Craig diet this summer and it has been just awful. I weighed 148 pounds when I started and here it is early September and I am only down to 139 pounds. I have not cheated and I called and worte Jenny Craig an email and to date I have gotten no answer. I was asking for somekind of refund because I have spent almost 2 thousand dollars for nothing. I am now going through my credit card company to try and get some money back. It just seems like they got all my money and did not care that I did not lose the weight. I keep seeing these Valerie Bertanelli comercials and I just don't get it how she lost all that weight and I can't even get 10 pounds off. For those of you thinking of joining-DON'T. You will lose only money not pounds.

I came to this site wondering how much the food cost on this program and from what I have read it seems very $$$$. After reading some of your comments I have to tell you the best program I have ever followed was Bill Phillips "body for life". It takes effort, but it will produce long term results. If anyone is interested there is a body for life book or you could check out the webiste. Hope this info helps.

Paul

Think about it for a moment - if these diet plans and pills were "miracles" and "quick fixes", our nation wouldn't be getting fatter and fatter each year, would it ? The bottom line here is discipline, since we just eat too much food in this country. Go out to any restaurant and look at the portions - enough on one plate to feed three. No wonder when people go off restricted diets the weight comes back.

The bottom line is this: For people whose lives don't allow them the time to get to the gym, the inactivity is going to mean even less calories per day. Medi-Fast has the right concept with its' 5 and 1 eating concept. This number 6 simply means eating five small meals and one snack per day, with the dinner time meal being a "lean and green" meal (i.e. baked chicken breast with a salad).

Instead of "super-sizing," people need to start getting used to "shrink sizing" their portions. Eating small portions more frequently, drinking the "dreaded" 8 glasses of water per day and getting some type of exercising (even a half hour on a treadmill, exercise bike or stair climbing at home)in each day is what will take the weight off and keep it off.

No "miracle" diet pills or teas, since these really don't work (drink the oolong tea because you like tea but forget the pills since they don't work). Just less calories in and more calorie burn out.

It is nice to see Valerie has lost 40 pounds. I too am an emotional eater and know how it feels to be heavier. What bothers me about Valerie's weight loss is her refusal to say what her starting weight was before losing the weight. I don't understand as I am also 5"2' and presently weigh between 160 and 170. I am on an eating and exercise plan of 1100 to 1300 calories a day and also 30 minutes of exercise. I plan on losing 60 to 63 pounds to get back to my fighting weight of 104 to 108 pounds. I know it will take me 8 or 9 months to accomplish as it took me three years to put it on. It would be nice if Valerie would share her starting weight as there is no shame in admitting how much one weighs. It is just a number.

It is nice to see Valerie has lost 40 pounds. I too am an emotional eater and know how it feels to be heavier. What bothers me about Valerie's weight loss is her refusal to say what her starting weight was before losing the weight. I don't understand as I am also 5"2' and presently weigh between 160 and 170. I am on an eating and exercise plan of 1100 to 1300 calories a day and also 30 minutes of exercise. I plan on losing 60 to 63 pounds to get back to my fighting weight of 104 to 108 pounds. I know it will take me 8 or 9 months to accomplish as it took me three years to put it on. It would be nice if Valerie would share her starting weight as there is no shame in admitting how much one weighs. It is just a number.

i love valeri she is my role model and valeri...you look asome better then ever

food makes you fat people!!!! not what you eat, how you eat. dont eat and get skinny. you will get over the stomach pains and in 3 months loose 60 pounds. promise!!!! you should see my before and after shots before i realized the little debbies and hot dogs were my problem

I would say she is is 145...now....if she is a size 8...

On her blog, she stated that she started the diet in the 170', so that would make her in the 130's now. On The Today Show, she said that she is now a size six (in a size 2 world).

I love the white blouse and black slacks that Valerie is wearing on her new book cover. Anyone know the designers adn where to purchase?

Man, what a bunch of jealous creeps. Valerie was obviously much heavier and evidenced by her face in any number of photos. She now is a very beautiful woman of 48 years who any of you crybabies could only dream of looking like. She can break her diet and eat crackers in my bed anyday of the week! Go, Valerie!

Was wondering is the Jenny Craig Diet just for women?

I quit smoking on Sept 3. I was very concerned about gaining weight. I started a "brisk walking daily" program and I've actually lost weight! I'm eating well, lots of veggies, fruit, real yogurt, and complex carbs (whole grains and nuts, homemade granola). I'm 57, 5' 4" and weigh 150, as opposed to 160 when I quit. We live in a country where we can make choices. Instead of KFC, a skinless, boneless chicken breast can feed two in a low fat stir fry, with lots of veggies.
There are people starving in our world (yes there are ..it's not something your mom said to make you clean your plate).
Keep yourself healthy..give money to NGO's to give food to starving nations. They don't need twinkies..neither do we.