Weight Watchers vs. Jenny Craig vs. Herbalife vs. Isagenix

The weight loss industry is big business and it continues to grow, despite the recession. A recent study highlighted just how big the financial side of the industry is. Based on the findings of Marketdata’s 11th Edition of the US Diet Management and Weight Loss Market Study, the weight loss industry was estimated to be worth $61 billion in 2010. There are many weight loss solutions, using various methods, at a range of prices. Let’s do an unbiased assessment of four of them; two widely advertised on television, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, and the other two marketed through network marketing, Herbalife and Isagenix.

WEIGHT CONTROLLER

Pasta, steak, cheese, ice cream… You can eat whatever you want at Weight Watchers. While the popular weight loss plan has been revised, the basic principle of eating what you like remains, though the program steers you toward healthier foods with its points system. In his new program, called Beyond the Scale, fitness also has a bigger role. You will be encouraged to exercise every day.

Weight Watchers isn’t so much a diet as it is a lifestyle change program. It can help you learn how to eat healthier and exercise so you can lose weight permanently. You can follow the plan online on your own. You’ll track your food and activity choices, record progress, and find meals and exercises. There is a counseling option if you prefer one-on-one guidance via phone, email, and text. You can go to group meetings, where you will give your opinion. HAS Consumer Reports The survey found that people who attended the meetings were more satisfied with the program and lost more weight than people who only participated online. While Weight Watchers sells its food in grocery stores, the program teaches members to choose their own food using a points system. This method, while effective, can have the weakness of assigning point values ​​to food and allowing a certain number of points per day. While this method is effective for restricting calories, it is not necessarily a good method for teaching healthy eating. A monthly pass to attend unlimited meetings will cost you $39.95 per month, and the online counseling plan is $47.90 for the first month plus $17.95 for each subsequent month, which is really reasonable, considering the cost of supplements for lose weight from other programs.

JENNY CRAIG

Jenny Craig has a comprehensive weight loss package that includes more than just food. Her program includes low-calorie prepackaged meals, a consultant who offers in-person support over the phone, online tools to help you plan and track meals, and an exercise program. There are no forbidden foods, “detoxes”, or menus loaded with exotic foods.

At first, you’ll eat Jenny Craig’s menus of 70 prepackaged meals, each about 1,200 calories. If your starting weight is particularly high, that could vary. In one study, Jenny Craig clients lost an average of 10% of their starting weight during the first year of the plan. Jenny Craig allows fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as low-fat dairy products. Jenny Craig’s philosophy, which is solid, is low-fat foods that are rich in water, fiber, and protein to keep you feeling full, combined with non-starchy vegetables.

The Jenny Craig program is highly effective and nutritionally sound. However, Jenny Craig is very expensive, around $100 a week.

HERBALIFE

Herbalife is a health supplement company that focuses on weight loss and general health. Most of their products contain protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and sometimes caffeine. There are four components to your Quick Start Program: Formulas 1, 2 and 3 and Herbal Tea Concentrate. For the best results, you should take all four. Herbalife gained popularity in the 1980s as a network marketing company, which means you order products from an independent distributor or from their website. Herbalife currently has a positive BBB rating.

Herbalife’s flagship is its meal replacement shake. According to the Diet Spotlight website, “Using meal replacement shakes for weight loss is an effective option.” The problem is, you’ll spend more than $92 to $95 each month and that’s just the starter pack.” While not expensive for a starter kit, which contains other additional supplements on top of just one shake, for many shakes it’s quite expensive.

There have been complaints about the taste, but I think people who need to lose weight generally crave foods that taste sweet and find anything less unpleasant, at least at first. In terms of results, Herbalife has very good reviews.

ISAGENIX

Isagenix is ​​a supplement company that has been offering weight loss solutions since approximately 2002. Its products are sold through network marketing through independent distributors. Its most prominent products are meal replacement shakes, cleansers to remove toxins from the body, and energy boosters. They have clinical trials that support the effectiveness of the ingredients in most of their products.

One point of concern is the price. Isagenix products are definitely on the higher end of the health supplement spectrum, at $350 for a 30-day weight loss program. There was also a significant level of complaints about the taste, which again, I put down a bit to the clientele. While people in the dieting world would complain, people in the fitness world probably wouldn’t because of the difference in their palates.

Although it lacks proof through clinical trials on their website, the science behind using protein and fiber to curb appetite and using cayenne and green tea to boost metabolism is absolutely solid.

These are just four of the outstanding weight loss systems available on the market today. There are many more. If you take your time and do a little research, there is a solution that will get you to your goal weight, teach you how to eat, and won’t hurt your wallet too much.