You cannot say the name “Jenny Craig” and not think of weight loss. It has been nearly 27 years since the woman named Jenny Craig started helping people lose unwanted pounds with her very specific weight loss program. Today, the name has grown into an international success with 400 corporate companies and 200 franchises.

There are two locations here in Colorado Springs, both of which are run by Julie Armstrong. The franchise owner says she stands behind Jenny Craig because of the program’s proven track record of helping millions of people not only lose weight and look good, but also live longer. She points out that if you are overweight and lose just 5% of your body weight, you can reduce your risk factors for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.

With 25 years in health care marketing, and with 10 of those years at Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, Julie says she has always had an interest in health and wellness. “That’s why I am in this business. I want to see people get healthy,” she says.

She grew up in a medical family. Her father was a physician and her mom was a nurse, and she always had a desire to be involved in the health care industry. However, she explains that she had more of a social mindset than a scientific one. So by combining her marketing background with health, it led her to open Jenny Craig. “People kind of laughed at me when I told them I was going into the weight loss business since Colorado Springs is one of the fittest cities in the nation,” she says. “My friends were questioning me, but truly it is the best decision I have made because people here are so dedicated to health.”

With so many different weight loss programs and diet options out there, Julie says that what makes the Jenny Craig plan work best is its focus on food, body, and mind. This entails lessons in portion control, eating only “good” calories, and a bit of self-discovery. “We help you discover why you may have bad eating habits. Are you an emotional or impulse eater? What is your eating style?”

Each week, clients meet with their assigned consultant and go over a very specific plan, with each person having her own personal strategy. “There have been various approaches to research in independent clinical studies that show people on the Jenny Craig program have lost twice as much weight as those involved with the other weight loss programs, and that can be directly attributed to the one-on one-consultations,” Julie says. “All consultants are trained and certified with ongoing education.”

Although the consultants are not trained counselors to solve emotional issues, they take each client’s information and complete a profile in order to figure out what motivates them to eat. “So many people are sad or depressed and turn to food. Then there are people like myself who are happy and joyful but just thoroughly enjoy food,” Julie explains. Consultants track moods, setbacks, and plateaus. This helps monitor emotional eating.
During a client’s first meeting, a health sheet is filled out to go over their health history. Your height and weight are entered into the computer to calculate your Body Mass Index, which helps to figure out a realistic weight range based on age and gender. From there, specific goals are set and a calorie level is decided on.

“For example, a typical 5’4”-tall woman who comes in here might have an extra 30 pounds on her. We would look at her Body Mass Index and determine what she might want to comfortably weigh. That would likely result in a 1200-calorie-a-day meal plan,” Julie says. Then goals would be broken down weekly. “We tell our clients that they can expect to lose one to two pounds a week.”

So how does one learn to eat healthy? The program has put together 80 different items designed around three meals a day. There is a variety of foods for you to choose from for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Then you add in fresh fruits, vegetables, and yogurt. All of the meals are portioned and have the right balance of low sodium, protein, and carbohydrates, Julie explains.

The object is to get the weight off and gradually stop eating the Jenny Craig meals. “We have what we call milestones, at which point you will have lost half the weight and will have learned to create meals on your own two to three days a week,” she says. Other tools are provided to help you eat right, such as a “dining out guide,” which lists popular restaurants and what to eat there. Julie points out that not only do many places serve meals you would mistakenly consider to be low in fat, but the portion sizes are sometimes out of control.

Unlike at many other weight loss centers, Julie is a hands-on owner. She says she loves what she does, and she is at one of her centers every day interacting with clients. She says she enjoys meeting the people and hearing all of the success stories. “People do so well on the program. I hear, ‘I’m not taking insulin anymore’ and ‘My doctor loves you.’ I have a lot of physicians on the program; it’s just very gratifying.”

Julie acknowledges that it takes a lot of courage to walk through the door because most clients have already tried everything, and they are at that point where it is going to make or break their health. However, there are several who have taken that risk. When you step inside Jenny Craig, there are immediate signs of inspiration. On one wall you can see “before” and “after” photo results of several local people who have reached their goals and have lost weight. “My doors are open, and I am here for you,” says Julie.

Visit the Jenny Craig Web site at www.jennycraig.com to read for yourself the many testimonials on how Jenny Craig has transformed lives through its program. Susan S. says, “Jenny’s program has given me my life back! I have lost 38 pounds. I used to wear a size 12 or 14, and now I’m a size 4 or 6. I feel great! The key to success with your program is the portion control and visual cues that you learn. It’s great that you get to eat every three hours.”

You can visit either of the Jenny Craig locations at 5975 North Academy Boulevard or 726 Cheyenne Meadows Road in Colorado Springs. Call 719-264-1481 to learn more.