Consumed food is used as energy by the body. When more calories are consumed than expelled, the remainder is stored as fat. Reducing the amount of caloric intake while increasing the amount of caloric output through exercise and activity will lead to weight loss. A diet meal plan is an essential tool to any weight loss program. A meal plan can be formulated with the help of a doctor, a health nutritionist, or even a specialized weight loss institution such as Jenny Craig.

There are thousands of Jenny Craig facilities worldwide. Jenny Craig weight loss facilities offer a variety of meal plans and diet packages at varying costs. Members eat a menu of pre-packaged food that is made of meals that generally represent 60 percent carbohydrate, 20 percent protein, and 20 percent fat.

Members also eat store-bought foods that they have been instructed to purchase. This is done in the initial weeks of the plan in order to change food purchase and consumption habits that may be unhealthy. Eventually, the prepackaged Jenny Craig food is switched out of the diet plan for 3 or 4 days, and the remaining meals in the week are prepared by the individual. This is done so that, by the time the individual reaches his or her ideal weight, it is possible to make meals without relying on prepackaged food to maintain a healthy diet. In the Jenny Crag program, emphasis is not placed on the type of food, but rather in the portions consumed. Moderation and exercise are the building blocks that members use to achieve and maintain weight loss goals.

Jenny Craig weight loss packages may also include personal consultations with a trained consultant who may not necessarily be a certified health or nutritionist specialist, but who has gone through training at the facility. These consultants monitor, review, and assist in establishing weight loss goals. Also available are online chat groups with other Jenny Craig participants and, in some packages, a 24 hour phone support system. No matter the package, all menus are based on an individual’s height, weight, and weight loss goals, and are tailored to initiate and maintain a healthy lifestyle.